Rising Shards

Iris, Maia, and Syval weren’t quite surrounded by Ovie’s group, but it felt like it. Flanking Ovie were her longtime cronies Chellsi and Mikeila-Keila, as well as her new-ish...friend? 09. This was all much more effort than Maia wanted to put into anything (outside of time with Iris), so she hoped they could sidestep the group and actually make it inside the Wildfire Hearts dorms.

”We’re just delivering something for Penteldtam,” Maia said. ”Don’t need any trouble.”

”I think you being here is trouble,” Ovie said. “Why would I want Princess Moron and her idiot knight on my campus?”

Maia rolled her eyes. Ovie felt like she was in such a rut lately, even her insults felt just kinda sad.

“That’s a bit harsh,” 09 said. ”Ovie’s in a mood, heads up.”

”We noticed,” Maia said.

”When isn’t she?” Iris said. ”Why don’t you tell her to quit it then?”

”Well...” 09 said.

”Because I don’t need to listen to her,” Ovie said. ”Right, girls?”

Chellsi and Mikeila-Keila nodded.

”09 may smell nice and is pretty and nice, but Ovie’s in charge!” Chellsi said.

”Mhm!” Mikeila-Keila added.

“You used to be way cooler,” Iris said, not finding 09 hanging out with a bully all that cool. ”And you...well, you always sucked, but this whole thing isn’t it.”

”And what’s that supposed to mean?” Ovie asked.

”Figure it out for yourself,” Maia said. ”We’re going, we just have to drop a stupid mug off and then we’ll be off your campus.”

”I don’t think so,” Ovie said.

”While you’re playing guard dog, would you mind if I could chat with 09 for a bit?” Someone with a buttery smooth voice said. The group turned to see Risa arriving.

”Where the hell did you come from?” Iris asked.

”I like to stick close to people I’m interested in,” she winked at 09.

”Who, us?” Iris asked.

”No, not...stay out of this for a sec,” Risa said. ”09, wanna chat with me for a bit?”

09 shrugged. ”We’re kind of in the middle of something.”

”Are we?” Ovie asked. ”No, I don’t want you to go with her.”

”You don’t?” 09 asked.

”I could always go with you, Ovie,” Risa said.

”And what is that supposed to mean?” Ovie asked.

Risa grinned. ”I think you know what I meant.”

”This is so stupid,” Iris muttered.

”Whatever, come on,” Maia said. She sidestepped Ovie and weaved through the others, with Iris close behind. Syval trailed them a bit before catching up.

“There’s so much drama, isn’t there?” Syval asked.

“It’s not so bad,” Maia said.

“That was like a love triangle, wasn’t it?” Syval asked.

“You think so?” Iris said.

“Yeah, the last few times I’ve seen them around, it’s like Risa is angling for Ovie and 09,” Syval said.

“Doesn’t mean she’ll succeed,” Iris said.

”Risa tries to get with pretty much everyone she runs into, it seems like,” Maia said. ”But again, we stay out of it.”

”From our outsider observations it seems like she’s got no game,” Iris said.

”Well, still,” Syval said. ”That’s drama.”

“Yeah, but we stay out of it,” Maia said.

“Plus, it’s Ovie,” Iris said. ”She’s like a drama magnet.”

“Maybe they should all just hook up,” Maia said.

“Would solve a lot of problems,” Iris said. ”And wait, don’t tell me you don’t have drama at Falling Shards,” Iris said.

”I mean...nothing like that,” Syval said. ”Maybe I just don’t hang around in the right circles.”

It wasn’t hard to find Ms. Corinani in the Wildfire Hearts building. Her office was kind of pathetic, just a single card table with a footstool behind it. She almost cried getting Penteldtam’s gift, which was a mug that had a weird cartoon of a guy with a really bushy unibrow on it.

The group went back to the cafeteria afterwards, unsure if anything had really been accomplished.

”I better go,” Syval said. ”Thanks for bringing me along though. Sorry if I was annoying.”

”Nah, you’re cool,” Maia said.

”Take it easy and keep it sleazy,” Iris said.

”What?” Syval asked.

”I dunno, I heard it somewhere,” Iris said.

”Come find us if you’re bored, I guess? And text us about that old people place.” Maia said.

”Sure, I can do that,” Syval said.

And so, Iris and Maia were back to being unsure about what to do. Students were all around chattering, not paying them much attention.

”You know how we were talking about Risa going for everyone?” Iris asked.

”Yeah?”

Iris suddenly reached for Maia’s cheeks, turning her so she could kiss her. Maia jolted, but didn’t resist once their lips met. Iris’ eyes looked more intense than Maia could ever remember seeing them, but not in a scary way, they were a gaze of complete determination.

“If she ever goes for you, I will kill her,” Iris said.

“Whoa,” Maia said.

“What?” Iris asked.

“Usually you save that for our room,” Maia said. She glanced to their side, noticing more than a few tables turning toward them.

“Yeah, well, making sure everybody knows you’re mine,” Iris said.

Nothing much had changed since Oka and Zeta talked to Iris and Maia about their friendship. Well, more than a friendship. The two had had some slight talks, but mainly carried on with their B.F.S. time as usual. They’d surely have to have those talks at some point, but for now taking each step at their pace was nice, especially as each step brought them closer and closer.