Chapter 9: Strong Winds and Forgotten Things
“HEY. Hey, Vincent! Isn’t there any way I can get a little closer to Rina? Whaddaya think?”
The only person fearless enough to throw their arm around Vincent’s shoulder and ask such a question was, as obvious as it might be to say, Lucian Cortes. Lucian, for better or worse, acted overly familiar with many people, and it took no time at all for him to start speaking casually to Vincent, even calling him by his first name.
No fair. Must be nice being a boy. It took me forever to finally be able to stop being super formal with Vincent, Oriana thought. On the other hand, Kai was still very polite when talking to him. It probably had less to do with gender than Lucian’s unique quirks.
“Miss Leroy? We’re acquainted, I suppose, but little more than that. I don’t think I’ll be of any help to you.” Vincent gave him a troubled smile. For as practiced as he was now at dispersing the crowds of girls that clamored around him, he couldn’t bring himself to be as dismissive to male students who admired him.
After lessons were over for the day, the gang had gathered in the courtyard, their little group consisting of Oriana’s classmates from Class 2, as well as Vincent and Miguel.
The spring weather was gradually heating up as summer approached. Bright rays of sunlight poured through the cracks between the trees, creating deep shadows on the lawn.
“Aw, don’t say that. All you gotta do is ask her what her type is.”
Rina was his nickname for Marina Leroy, a girl from the Special Class. He’d caught a glimpse of her during their extracurricular dance lessons, which had only started recently. Like Lucian, Marina was one of the participants.
Oriana had taken dance lessons at home, so she had no intention of partaking in the lessons at this point. Vincent was much the same; although he’d come up with the idea, he hadn’t actually taken part.
“Knock it off already, Lucian. If someone as swoon-worthy as Mister Tanzine asks a girl what her type is, there isn’t a soul out there who wouldn’t instantly fall for him.” Heidemarie grabbed Lucian by the collar of his shirt and tried to haul him away from Vincent.
“Mister Tanzine,” Constance interrupted. “I would be more than happy to undertake that challenge. Please, go on. Ask me my type.”
“Oh, be quiet, Constance.”
“Ah, love’s embrace is as cold as winter!”
“If it’s Marina you’re after, how about I speak to her for you?” Miguel suggested. He was sitting in the shade of the trees with Yana and Azraq, while Lucian and Vincent bathed in the sunlight.
Lucian launched himself at Miguel. “I knew I could count on you, Miguel, my friend!”
“Well, not surprising you’d take a liking to her. She does seem to be your type.”
Curious, Oriana couldn’t stop herself from asking. “What do you mean? What’s his type?”
“Fluffy black hair, always smiling, nice to everyone with no regard for gender…and she’s got a big chest.”
The mood in the air abruptly soured, but either not caring or oblivious altogether, Lucian clenched a fist and said, “Yes! I want to bury my face in those boobs!”
“This is exactly why virgin guys are so skeevy.”
“Could the word virgin perhaps be a euphemism for ‘scum of the earth’?”
“Even death couldn’t cleanse his virgin mindset.”
Edda, Heidemarie, and Constance shot cold looks at Lucian, their eyes like daggers as they disparaged him.
“I’ll introduce you,” said Miguel. “When do you want me to do it?”
“Miguel?!” Edda shrieked. “Are you an enemy of all womankind?”
Miguel grinned at her.
“You keep throwing the word virgin around willy-nilly, but you’re the one who doesn’t get it,” said Kai. He’d been silent up until this point, and even as he spoke, he continued thumbing through his book.
“Get what?”
“Yeah, so he’s a virgin, but he’s plucked up his courage to actually do something for once. Give him a break.”
Given the way Miguel continued to smile, apparently he was of the same mind.
Heidemarie stared blankly forward for a moment before dropping her gaze to Lucian, whose collar she still had a firm hold on. “Lucian, you…”
“Gaaah! Don’t say anything!” Lucian’s face lit up bright red. With the speed and nimbleness of a rabbit, he wiggled out of her grasp and took off.
Kai flipped his book shut with a noisy thud. “See you guys later,” he said before taking off after his friend.
Heidemarie gazed after them, dumbfounded. Once she recovered, she said, “Actually, me too! See you all!” and took off after Lucian.
“Chest, huh?” Yana mumbled to herself once the five noisiest members of their group were gone.
Oriana glanced over at her friend, only to see Yana’s eyes glued to her chest. Following her example, Oriana peered down at her own.
Silence hung in the air.
Neither girl was particularly well-endowed. Oriana’s were sized perfectly enough for her to wear all the clothes she wanted without trouble, while Yana’s exceedingly thin figure made the lines of her modest bosom stand out.
Vincent, Miguel, and Azraq were the only others still present, and they were smart enough to keep their traps shut as they waited for the girls to say something. In place of their silence, the elegant chirping of a bird echoed.
“Azraq,” Yana said at last.
“Yes?” Although the air was thick with tension, Azraq maintained perfect composure as he answered his princess the same way he always did.
“Breasts are like wealth in that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better, yes?”
“Indeed, Princess Yana. You are correct,” Azraq answered cleverly, smiling at her. He often grinned when telling little jokes here and there, but it was a bit rare to see him make that kind of expression when answering one of the princess’s queries.
Yana, of course, must have realized it as well. She offered him a beautiful smile befitting her nickname of the Star of the Desert.
“In that case, which do you prefer?” she asked.
Summer was drawing near, and yet the chill that stretched through the air might have one wondering whether someone had placed a magic circle nearby with the rune for “Cold” written in it.
Miguel, Vincent, and Azraq exchanged unreadable looks. The former two were both relieved they weren’t facing scrutiny, but they almost seemed to look at Azraq with silent pity, as if praying for the safe return of a buddy going off to war.
Azraq fell into silent contemplation for a while. Oriana had never seen him take this long to answer one of Yana’s questions before. As if resigning himself, he finally said, “I retain my right to silence.” Never once did his smile falter.
Meanwhile, the icy air rolling off Yana greatly intensified. Oriana took that opportunity to grab Vincent and Miguel by the hands, dragging them away from the courtyard.