Just the Start. (The Clovers series: Book 1)

Chapter 11

"When's our next training, Ducan?"

"In the afternoon after lunch. It's twice a day, before breakfast and after lunch."

"Okay. By the way, why do the others train separately from us?"

"Gladion's logic."

"He wants to make sure that I'm of a certain standard before I train with them?" I guessed.

"Something like that. He expects you to have everyone's approval before the war. No offense, but they won't acknowledge you as their leader with your current standard."

"Yeah, I get it. How much time am I left to reach that standard that Gladion wants?"

"Around a month," Ducan calculated.

"A month?" I echoed in dismay.

"Don't worry I'm sure you can do it," he added.

"You have such faith in me?"

"Yes. And put more faith in your teacher, will you?" Ducan fist-pumped his chest.

I heard a scoff and my head swung to Zander. Did he just do that? Collecting his plate of unfinished food, he stood up and dumped the leftovers before leaving the hall.

"Did something happen to him?" Ducan raised.

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"You don't seem to like him," Ducan claimed.

"I don't," I corrected matter-of-factly.

"Why's that?"

I thought for awhile. Is it because of his impatience? Or arrogance? And maybe selfishness?

"I don't know," I concluded. "Are you friends with him?"

"I wouldn't call us friends," he replied. "Though I have been here for three months already."

"How did you come here? Did they search for you like how they searched for me too?"

"Not really. I was injured outside the caves and they took me in."

He was injured?

"What happened?"

"Let's just say that I did not come from a place where people value my existence." There was a faraway look in his eyes as he spoke. And also, a tinge of sorrow.

"Sorry," I mumbled, aware that I have touched on a sensitive topic.

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize."

Ducan lifted the corner of his mouth in an attempt to smile. Though, his eyes told me that he did not actually felt like doing it.

"You don't have to smile," the words left my lips before I could process them.

"Huh?" Ducan blinked in confusion.

"You don't have to force yourself to smile if you don't want to. " I looked at him seriously in the eyes. If anything, I would rather him be honest with his feelings.

There was a flicker of emotion in his eyes that I could not recognize. Our gaze were locked for more than three seconds. What's going through his mind right now? I wanted to know.

"I would think that you're interested in me if you continue to stare that intensely into my eyes," Ducan spoke suddenly.

I dropped my gaze immediately, lowering my head to hide my blazing cheeks.

"I've got to go now. See you later, Fortis."

Just like that, he was gone.

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