Chapter 5: Back to school
The next morning I put on my school uniform and made my way to the academy. "Khestri! Over here! Good morning!", Eloria greeted me the moment I arrived and grinned as bright as the morning sun. "Good morning to you too." I smiled at her enthusiasm even though I am for sure not a morning person she truly never fails to light up my world. "Exited to be back?" She loves attending the academy: the uniform, the people, the teachers, everything. "To be honest, not really, I still don't have the feeling I belong here." Eloria frowned. "Oh, come on, there may be a few people that don't like you but you are friends with me and since I'm popular they have to at least be indifferent to you, right?"
For her it's different, she's popular, everybody loves her just as much as she loves the people here but she doesn't know there is one more reason I left the academy: the second she leaves my side people start talking, starting rumors, insulting me, that kind of things. I don't know why, I mean, I know I'm quite different from my peers but that's not a reason to be mean to me, is it? In the past I thought a lot about why the other kids never want to play with me, why their parents pulled them away the moment they came to close to me but not anymore. Of course I could defend myself but last time I did I was nearly expelled. The meanest people never get any kind of punishment though just because their parents are important people so the principal looks away and ignores when they bully people. When people try to stand up to them they get severely punished, Eloria told me that while I skipped school one guy who tried to defend himself in front of the rich kid bullies was expelled and there is a rumor his parents lost their jobs too.
I don't want her to worry though so all I say is: "I'm sure you're right, it's going to be okay." "That's the right mindset!" The bell rings and signalls that the students should now go to their classes. "Okay, I have to go now, have a good day and we'll see eachother in at lunchtime." Eloria quickly bid her goodbyes and then hurried to her class. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what is to come and then also made my way to first period.
Surprisingly, it was a relatively calm day, no assholes bothering me, no classmates trying to talk to me, maybe, just maybe the gods finally felt sorry for me. After classes I waited at the front gate like I always do until Eloria arrives, however, today I waited and waited but...she didn't show up. I didn't ponder on it though and decided to go to her house and meet her there. When I arrived on the market place I have to pass to get to our houses though I noticed the mass of food stands that were built up everywhere around, the beautiful decoration and the massive crowd roaming around in masks. The carnival has begun.
Every year there is a huge festival the whole town participates in, it's the closest thing we have to a holiday even though nobody knows it's origins. Masks in all colours with all kind of motives and shapes, food we normally wouldn't eat because it's too expensive and actual entertainment, every person in Tranmere anticipates it. Surprisingly, that includes me too. I'm not a festive person and I don't like big crowds but there are swordsmanship competitions during carnival time and I love participating (and winning obviously).
And like every other year the first thing I do is going to Jaswyn's market stand that is located pretty much in the middle of the whole commotion. But one thing is different from normally: I feel weird, uneasy. I have a bad gut feeling.
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