"You alright?"
"Hm?" Wen looked up from his backpack as he slid the tablet into the bag. The last academic class of the day at ended, and the students were heading out of the classroom to grab some lunch when Lay asked Wen how he was doing. "Yeah, I'm fine," Wen answered as he slung the strap of his bag over his shoulder.
"You just seem out of it lately," Lay responded. "Did something happen Friday night?"
Wen paused for a moment before denying, "Not really, why?"
Lay released a short breath at his friend's answer. He knew Wen too well to buy the white lie. Looking around to make sure none of the other four were close enough to hear, Lay leaned toward Wen before asking, "It's because of Kean, isn't it?"
Is it that obvious? Wen's eyes lowered at the accuracy of Lay's assumption. Seeing Wen's expression, Lay snapped his fingers before declaring, "I knew it! Okay, spill the beans. What's going on?"
Aware that keeping quiet about what had happened between Kean and himself was no longer an option, Wen sighed before saying, "Rooftop."
Satisfied with Wen's answer, Lay nodded his head in agreement. "Let's get something to eat first, though."
After grabbing something quick to eat from the cafeteria, Wen and Lay went to the roof of their residential building where they made themselves comfortable under one of the canopies supplied on the rooftop. The roofs of each building on Azari's campus had been designed to host small gatherings of students, so there were plenty of chairs and canopies under which the two could sit.
"Okay, now talk," Lay ordered as he opened his packaged bread with a black sesame filling.
Wen took a bite of his sandwich before beginning, "I danced with Kean."
"What?!" Lay's eyes bulged at Wen's statement. "Like dance danced?"
"Not exactly." Wen shook his head before explaining further, "He caught me as I fell and helped me find my way out of the crowd."
"So...he saved you??"
Although he hated to admit it, Wen had to agree that, yes, Kean did in fact save him from falling and getting stuck in the dense crowd of dancers.
"I thought he hated you," Lay voiced as he set his bread down and furrowed his brows. "Did he know it was you?"
Wen nodded in confirmation, only adding to Lay's confusion.
"What if he likes you?" Lay's sudden blurt caused Wen to choke on his bite of sandwich.
Shaking his hand, Wen denied, "That's impossible. Not with our history."
"I used to think so, too, but...after hearing this, I'm not so sure," Lay said. "Kean wouldn't do that for just anybody. And he especially wouldn't do that for someone he hates."
Wen fell silent as he pondered over the whole situation. Kean had avoided him more than ever after their encounter on the roof Friday night. The entire first half of the day, both Kean and Wen avoided making eye contact with the other and remained far apart. Lay had noticed this and recognized that it was different from how the two would normally act.
On any other day, Wen and Lay would not avoid eye contact. Rather, anytime their path of sight crossed the other, each would glare at the other before continuing on with their day. The past few days, however, were filled with silent avoidance and complete ignorance. Kean was also not as talkative as usual. He appeared to have a lot on his mind and hardly engaged in conversation with the group. Wen mirrored this behavior, and that was how Lay knew something had taken place between the two last Friday night.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Lay inquired after the two sat in silence for a few minutes.
Wen looked up at the blue sky as he pondered what he was going to do. "I'm not sure," he eventually responded. His relationship with Kean was complicated. It was more complicated than anything he had ever dealt with. So, he must handle it with more care than he had with anything else.
Kean's reaction and hatred toward Wen was because of Wen, and Wen knew it. He knew that he had caused his relationship with Kean to become strained and filled with disdain. However, he was not ready to admit it. He was still scarred by what had happened. And that was definitely because of Kean.
She would not have died if it were not for Kean. So, how could Wen not hate him? He had lost someone so dear to him because of Kean.
Seeing Wen's confused expression, Lay lowered his head and pursed his lips. He was aware that Wen was still not ready to face his complex emotions toward Kean, so he did not push further and let silence cover the two as they finished their lunch on the quiet rooftop. Wen and Lay sat in silence for a long while as they waited for their two-hour break to pass by.
When it came time to get ready for their training session, the two made their way to the training center before changing and joining their fellow classmates in the massive training room reserved for their section.
"Where have you two been?" Toma inquired as he, Stryke, and Kean joined Wen and Lay in the training room.
"We, uh, ate on the rooftop today," Wen answered as Liyam and Brix joined the group.
Ever since the group spent time with Brix to comfort him after his breakup, Brix had stuck with the six and followed them wherever they went. So, they accepted the fact that they had grown from six to seven and welcomed Brix into the group. As loud and obnoxious as Brix could be, he was also surprisingly talented when it came to learning the basics in martial arts, so he made a handy tutor and helped the others master their basic stances in no time. Though, he did not have a knack for studying, so he relied on Wen, Lay, and Liyam for help in academics along with the rest of the group.
"I didn't know we could go to the rooftop!" Toma piped as he took a sip from the energy drink in his hand.
"You didn't?" Stryke asked with a raised brow as he looked down at his friend.
"Nope! Had no idea. We should check it out sometime!" Toma responded energetically.
As Stryke chuckled at his adorable friend, the doors to the training room slid open, and Instructor Chaka entered followed by a white-haired man.
"Okay, people! Gather 'round!" Major Chaka ordered after blowing the whistle that hung around her neck.
Hearing their instructor's order, Toma chugged the rest of his energy drink before tossing it in a nearby disposal incinerator and joining his friends in gathering around the major.
"Today will begin your basics in the arlex class," Chaka announced as the students approached her. Gesturing to the man standing beside her, she introduced, "This is Chase Newman. He is a certified arlex instructor and has graciously agreed to aid in your introduction to the air type."
Sounds of excitement filtered from the group as Chase bowed in greeting. "Hello, nice to meet you all. I am an arlex instructor at Pendira Xaiyon Academy. I specialize in teaching xaiyons who have presented as the arlex type how to master their abilities. However, I am here today to introduce you to how it feels to be an arlex."
The students' eyes widened at Chase's announcement, and they listened intently as he continued, "Although a lot of you likely will not present to be an arlex, Azari prides itself on providing each student equal preparation in all seven types to help you ease into the transition a bit better. So, that is what we are going to do today!"
"To add on to Instructor Newman's announcement," Chaka inserted before her students became too loud from their excitement. "We will be using the AGC (anti-gravity cylinder) to introduce you to the abilities of an arlex." Gesturing to the massive cylinder stationed behind the students, she added, "I'm sure many of you have wondered what this massive cylinder is, and today is the day you will get to experience it yourself."
"The AGC functions two ways," Chase then spoke up when Chaka motioned for him to continue. "Either, you can simply float in it due to its anti-gravity features, or you can wear this device which links you to the AGC and allows you to harness the abilities of an arlex while inside the cylinder." Holding up his hand, Chase presented a device that, when worn on one's head, would connect them to the AGC and would allow them to call forth the powers of an arlex.
The AGC was designed to train future xaiyons how to harness and control the powers of all seven types before even presenting, so they would be better prepared to present into whatever type should be dominant. The cylinder was created to replicate the powers of the seven types and channel them through the one who was connected to it through the device. If the person, or persons, in the cylinder was not wearing the device, no power would be replicated, and they would merely float due to the cylinder's anti-gravity feature.
Looking over her group of students, Chaka saw their excitement to finally get a taste of one of the types. Aware that they would need to proceed with caution, so none of her students would get injured, she then delivered the safety speech detailing the correct way to use the AGC and precautions each user must take. Once the safety speech was finished, Chaka smiled at her students before asking, "So, who's ready?"
Immediately, multiple hands went up into the air. Most of the students were ecstatic to experience what it was like to be an arlex, especially Wen. Although arlex's were not viewed as the strongest or most helpful types, he had always been captivated by the air class. The way they could command the air and wind around them awed Wen. So, to say he was excited to experience the AGC for the first time would be an understatement.