"The others show you respect. When they stare at you, it’s how you stare at something with immense value. I may not know their pasts and upbringings, but my mom always taught me that it takes all of ten seconds to figure out someone's intentions. That Callister ass wants you, but his motives aren't pure. As for your friend, she's two-faced to me."
"Two-faced," I mumbled.
"A part of her wants to be your friend and the other doesn't. She's clearly dealing with her own issues and personally, I don't want you involved in them. She intentionally went along with Callister's game and I bet when she was on her phone she was texting him that you were in the courtyard."
"You think so?" I questioned. I hadn't realized how perceptive Dimitri was. It was a really good quality to have, especially in spy school.
"Big hunch. Callister and his group were on the opposite side of the courtyard behind the pillars. He pulled out his phone and looked in your direction. That's when they made their move to approach you."
"Hmm. Really observant." I lifted my head and used my hand to hold it up, my eyes drifting over to check on Star, who was still sleeping on our joined hands. "Dimitri?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you so um...well. You're very attentive to everything, yet you're so down to earth and respectful. You have many qualities I haven't really seen in guys. Not like I've had a lot of encounters with men, but you and the others. You all are so unique and different from the men I see in the coffee shop I own," I admitted, trying not to sound insulting.
The guys were just far different to me, and it left me wondering over and over again about how I'd been lucky to meet them all and end up on the same team.
"My parents taught me to be that way." He shrugged like he wasn't something interesting. "My dad wasn't in my life for long. One day he was there, and the next he wasn't anymore. It was my mother and me for a long time."
We both noticed Star's body begin to fade, and after five seconds she was gone, leaving rainbow glitter all over our hands. We smiled, and Dimitri leaned back in his chair, looking at the ceiling in wonder.
"My mom and the village I lived in brought me up. Hellhounds are rare breeds, so the village was really protective of me. Sometimes I hated it, but after a close call with Hunters, I realized that this world wasn't as safe as it could be. Once I was old enough to do my own stuff without worrying my mom, she attended S.S.S. and became a spy."
"She did?" I asked, fully intrigued about him opening up to me.
I was sure he wouldn't tell just anyone this, and the thought made my heart grow bigger in admiration.
He nodded, a serene smile blossoming on his lips. "She had a drive to complete every mission. Whether it was for me or related to my dad's disappearance, she moved up the ranks and was a shining star. Our village was able to grow and expand thanks to her. She was everyone's sunshine."
"Was?" I whispered.
He looked into my eyes and smiled. "She met her match when I was twenty-two. I'd received my acceptance at S.S.S. then, but due to her sudden death, I was allowed to attend when I was ready. Took me two years to summon the courage to be here, but I didn't want to attend unless I was physically and mentally ready. I'm carrying my mother's legacy, and I didn't want to let her down. My village is my family, and I merely went back to tell them I'd made it through. We had a little celebration lunch and I came back. That's why I was here so early."
"Thank you for telling me, Dimitri," I whispered. His smile was wide, and he nodded his head.
"Thanks for not saying the typical 'sorry for your loss' response."
"You don't like when people say it?" I inquired.
"Not really. People say sorry because something sad is brought to their attention and they immediately want to acknowledge it. Some truly care, others don't. I don't like it because I never asked for their sympathy. When I open up, it’s because I trust the person I'm telling my story to. I know it won't bring my mom back, or tell me why my dad disappeared, but at least I'm giving the person a little bit about me. That's all that matters to me."
I squeezed his hand and smiled. "That makes a lot of sense."
We shared a look and he leaned over and pressed a light kiss onto my forehead.
"Don't worry about Callister or that Nikko girl. You'll find people who are friends with you because they want to be, and you have men who actually want to date you."
I grinned. "You guys really do? Not just because we made that agreement to pass?"
"Trust me," he whispered. "We really are interested."
"I'm really happy to have met all of you," I whispered, leaning back in my seat as everyone began to gather back into the class.
"Me too, Blossom," he replied softly. "You're nice to cuddle."
I blushed and gave him a side glance, noticing his gleaming smile and the swift change of red that swarmed his eyes.
"About—" I paused when his eye returned back to normal a second later. Dimitri glanced at me with an arched eyebrow.
"About?"
"Hmm. Nothing," I mumbled.
"Can I cuddle with you again?" he inquired.
"If you start doing it, the others will, too," I noted, already having a feeling they would be competitive.
The bed wasn't big enough to fit five of us, especially when Dimiti was in his hellhound form.
Do I want all four of them in my bed? Hmm...maybe. Winters would be nice for that.
"We can think of a schedule. As long as I get two days."
"Two?" I inquired.
"Yup. Two." He grinned.
I sighed and shook my head. "Why not? It was your idea."
He beamed at my approval, using his free hand to pull out his phone.
"I'm going to text them and ruin their mornings."
"That's horrid," I replied, but was amused by the playfulness in his voice.
Boys.
Mrs. Nutella had returned and clapped her hands.
"All right, class. Let's get back to learning."
With one last glance at Dimitri, I squeezed his hand lightly. Picking up my pencil, I continued sketching magic circles, feeling more at ease.
Whether it's Callister, Nikko, or anyone else, I'm going to work hard to ignore the bad things and enjoy the best of this school.
20
On To The Next Class
"You don't need to walk me there, Dimitri. You're going to be late," I scolded.
Dimitri stopped walking, turning to look at me. "You'd get lost in the sea of students."
"No, I won't." I rolled my eyes. "I've survived twenty-two years without a guide," I reminded.
"There wasn't a flood of shifters around you though," Dimitri argued with a grin.
"That's a horrible defense. This is coming from the one who saved your lost-self back in the woods." I arched a questioning eyebrow at him. He blushed and pouted his lips.
"That was because this was unfamiliar territory."
"This is unfamiliar," I countered.
His playful smirk returned as he held his head up with pride. "No, it's not. I went through the entire camp before I requested time off." He winked as I gave him a stunned look.
"The school could have changed," I huffed, not wanting to lose in this argument.
"You're right, but I have a big hunch it hasn't." He chuckled, reaching out to pat my head. "Ugh. You're going to ruin my hair," I fussed.
"You're only saying that cause you hate being proven wrong." Dimitri was laughing now.
I groaned and tugged my hand that was in his, but he tightened it and pulled me into a hug. "I have to admit, you're extra adorable when you're mad."
"Why do guys even say that?" I grumbled.
"Did Callister say the same?" he questioned.
"Yes, and it makes me madder," I concluded.
"Are you extra mad when I say it?" he continued to inquire.
I waited a few seconds to think about it. "No."
"Good." He kissed my neck, making me arch against him at the soft touch.
<
br /> "Dimitri?!" I snarled quietly. "You were pointing out seconds ago how we're in a sea of students! You can't be so affectionate," I whined.
"Why? You're my girlfriend." He leaned back and grinned, looking proud of himself. I sighed, losing my resolve at his rather adorable expression.
"It's hard to argue with you," I mumbled.
"Good. I don't like arguing with you either," he replied and kissed me.
"See, Ryuu? Leave her with Dimitri and he's all over her." The sound of Wolfgang's voice caught our attention, the two of us glancing over to our right to see Wolfgang, Ryuu, and Yuriel approaching us.
Yuriel was farther behind, looking annoyed, while Wolfgang and Ryuu looked completely relaxed.
"Hey, guys," I greeted. "How was class?"
"And why does Yuriel look irritated, like someone committed a sin in front of him?" Dimitri asked.
Wolfgang laughed while Ryuu shook his head. "Yuriel hates crowds, apparently. He also slept through class and the professor nagged him about it."
"I thought Yuriel was going to smite the professor," Wolfgang chuckled.
"It was that bad?" I asked, all of us looking to Yuriel, who finally reached us. He moved around the others until he was standing behind me. He then put his head on my shoulder.
"Yuri..." I didn't even finish, noticing he fell asleep in two seconds flat.
The others snickered, and Dimitri sighed. "Wow. Aren't you the heavier sleeper, Wolfgang?" Dimitri asked.
"I am, but I swear angels need a lot of food or water or something when they're around a lot of negative energy. Maybe it's affecting him since shifters vary from good to evil."
"In an environment like this, I'm sure there's more evil than good. Competition invokes dark thoughts," Ryuu elaborated.
Dimitri sighed, walking over to pat Yuriel's head. "Wake up, buddy. Let's go get you food before class starts."
"Silver...smells...nice," Yuriel mumbled. My face grew red, and I glanced at the others. "I seriously can't smell what you guys smell." I shook my head.
Even though I always put blossom lotion on before leaving for anywhere, the scent always died down to a minimum by the time I reached my destination.
"Maybe one day," Wolfgang concluded. "Dimitri? You're with Yuriel now?"
"Yup. I got a glance when he was checking his phone while we were heading here,” Dimitri replied.
"Ryuu's with Silver," Wolfgang revealed.
Ryuu nodded in acknowledgment. "Yup."
"That means Wolfgang is alone?" I asked, looking at Wolfgang, who put his arms behind his head. "Yup! No worries. I got Survival class, but if memory serves, it’s close to Weapons class, which is where Dimitri and Yuriel are going."
"That's not bad. All right, we better get going if you guys want to get something for Yuriel."
"He'll probably sleep during class again,” Wolfgang teased, patting Yuriel's shoulder. "Let's go, Never-Smile-Hottie-Angel.”
"That...sounds horrible...when you say it." Yuriel lifted his head slightly, glaring at Wolfgang, who was unbothered.
"At least it got you to lift your head. Now if you don't want me to bribe Dimitri to write it all over your desk next period, let's get going."
"Evil," Yuriel grumbled, giving me a quick hug. It was unexpected, but it made me smile. "Bye, Silver," Yuriel said.
"See ya later, Princess Blossom of Rosé Wine-A-Lot," Wolfgang continued with my drunk designated nickname, leaning over to give me a kiss on a cheek. "Don't get too bored of Ryuu. He's an ass around people. It's a dragon thing."
"Being an asshole is a dragon thing?" I asked.
Man, I'm learning a lot about shifters.
"I'm not an asshole," Ryuu huffed.
"All right, Party Pooper Dragon Butt," Wolfgang shrugged.
"My nickname isn't Party Pooper Dragon Butt. It's Sexy Dragon Butt! Remember that!" Ryuu snapped, catching a few of the student's attention. His face began to grow red and he huffed. "Silver, let's go!" He turned around and began to walk away.
"Ah! Wait." I looked at Dimitri, who shook his head but had a wide smile on his face. "He gets embarrassed easily."
"You're so confident today,” I pointed out.
"I'm pretty bold when I'm in my element." He winked and leaned down over to kiss me tenderly. I enjoyed the kiss, starting to get used to them from Dimitri.
"Did you guys go to first base with one class together? I'm impressed,” Wolfgang noted.
Yuriel was nodding off, and I gave Dimitri a sheepish smile. "I think you guys should get Yuriel something stat. He's going to sleep standing."
"Right," Dimitri replied. "Let's rush over to the hot dog stand. It's just outside of your class, Wolfgang."
"Perfect!" Wolfgang fist pumped the air and grabbed Yuriel's hand, beginning to tug him along. He looked back and waved. "See ya, Silver."
"Bye, Blossom." Dimitri waved.
"Bye," Yuriel mumbled, using his free hand to do a little up and down swing which I'm sure was his attempt to wave. I watched the three of them disappear into the crowd.
They really get along.
Turning back to where Ryuu had gone, I needed a few seconds to try and figure out which way I was supposed to go. Oh, no. I really don't know.
Biting my lip, I tried to focus and figure out what to do in a short amount of time. I glanced at my watch, realizing I only had two minutes.
If I go the wrong way, I may screw myself over. What to do? What to do?
I tapped my leg nervously, looking left and right before in front of me again.
"Ow!"
"Hey, watch it!"
"What the hell was that?!"
"AH!"
I blinked, unsure what was coming my way. I braced myself, a few students stopping mid-stride to see what the commotion was about.
"MEWR!"
I blinked before my eyes grew wide. Star was ten steps away from me, and currently jumping from head to shoulder, antler to wing. She finally reached me, landing on a professor's head for extra leverage and soaring right toward me.
"Ah!" I shrieked, worried she'd crash right into the ground as the other students around me moved out of the way. I reached out to catch her, and she landed straight into my hands.
"Mewr!" She meowed happily and squirmed around, making it hard to hold her.
"Star. Where on earth did you come from?" I exclaimed, my tense shoulders loosening up in relief.
"She came to get me," Ryuu replied, walking from the crowd to stand in front of me. "I didn't realize you weren't following.”
"Oh," I replied. "We're going to be late."
"Spy 101?" The professor who fell victim to Star's hopping wrath eyed the two of us. I slowly nodded, feeling my cheeks begin to burn.
"Yes, sir."
The 6’4” male with lazy eyes and long orange hair nodded. "Seeing as I'm not there yet, you might as well have a head start."
I glanced at Ryuu, who looked to my hand. Reaching out to grab my free hand, he looked back at our Professor and nodded.
"Thanks, Professor...um."
"London, and you're welcome. Make sure it doesn't become a habit."
"Yes, Professor London," I replied, bowing my head. "Thank you."
"Mewr?" Star looked excitedly at Professor London, who stared at her oddly.
"Unicorn and Kitten."
"A uni-kitten," I quietly corrected.
He looked intrigued and nodded. Reaching out to pet Star, he nodded. "Strong magic for a shifter. I'll be intrigued to see your focus and skills in class, Miss…"
"Silver Spell Solange," I introduced.
"Solange. Ah. Quest 999 leader. You've left a good impression on the Dean. Anyway, carry on to class."
"Yes, sir." I nodded to him again and looked at Ryuu, who nodded back and began to tug me along as the crowd practically moved out of the way to make room.
"Silver?" Ryuu asked when we were close to class.
"Yes?"
"Sorry for leaving you," he apologized.
He paused in his casual strides to meet my gaze. "I'm used to being around Wolfgang, who can smell me if he falls behind. I walk a tad fast, so it's hard to keep up."
I'd realized he'd been walking as though we had all the time in the world, compared to my rather quick paces.
Did he slow down his stride for me?
He squeezed my hand slightly, and I noticed his crimson cheeks. "I also get embarrassed easily when there are too many people and I have to be playful or affectionate."
"You're holding my hand though?"
"That—" He paused and frowned. "I don't want you getting lost. If Star came to get me, that means you were anxious, right?"
"Uh."
Star stretched out in my hand and sat down. "Mewr!"
"Yes," I finally admitted.
He nodded and before I could blink, he lightly kissed my nose. "That's as close as I can get to kissing you." His whole face was red.
He turned around and we began to walk once more. The halls were quieter, but a few students caught his tender moment.
I smiled and squeezed his hand back, feeling privileged to know someone like Ryuu, who was blunt and hot-headed at times but also showed glimpses of kindness and love.
"Thanks, Ryuu," I whispered, knowing he'd hear it. He nodded his head, and we turned the corner toward our class.
Second period, here we come.
21
Spy 101- Shifter Critical Focus
"When you want to become a spy, your environment is one of the few keys to success. Don't analyze your environment quick enough and you can find yourself in a tricky situation. Or worse yet, dead."
We all stood along the wall of our classroom while we listened to Mr. London's lecture.
I glanced to my desk where Ryuu and I had been sitting, making sure Star was being a good uni-kitten by playing with my pink case of writing tools.
"Spy 101 will teach you all the necessities you'll need to accomplish any mission. All of that starts with training your mind to focus. Once you're able to center your attention on a sole objective, you'll be able to reveal what is truly hidden in the shadows. Many missions will have a time limit. Others will be during crucial events or meetings. No matter the environment, failure cannot be an option."
SSS: Year One (Supernatural Spy School Book 1) Page 22
