"Korel", I widened my eyes, "Korel freaking Uranus, you know that wench?!"
"How dare you insult my friend?!, Who's a more wench than you?"
The security guards by the gate cleared their throats, letting their presence known as we both quickly calmed ourselves down.
"You said you wanted to meet Professor Aaron? Then follow me", He said, changing the topic, as he walked towards the main school building, his long coat slightly touching the floor as it swayed.
I followed him, wondering why he didn't question me any further, and then there was the fact that he knew the man whose name was slowly haunting me.
I could only think of one thing, he was my chance to speak to this Korel before I was forcefully taken to him.
He stopped in front of an office, the path we followed different from the one I and Aaron took the day we came, even our stop point looked different.
He pointed to the door, "You can go in, no need to knock, I'll go with you".
I looked around, the halls here were blue and the students looked gloomy, most had eye bags while the others were consistently stretching, murmuring something every now and then.
I stepped back, "This isn't Mr Aaron's office".
He grinned, "So you've been to his office before, though probably only once since you just noticed".
I folded my arms, "So you're trying to kidnap me, where in the world have you brought me to?"
He opened the office door, "My office, It's better you calm your savage beast and stay here for now. Professor Aaron is teaching a class".
"I'll stay outside then".
He laughed, "People will see you, question you, and you'll end up in a cell one way or another".
Students had begun to stare at us now, their tired eyes awakening at the sight of possible gossip.
"Is she a student? Doesn't look like it. His girlfriend maybe?", one whispered to the girl next to her.
"Why would he bring his girlfriend? Can't that get him in trouble?"
I smiled, entertained by their conversation. "Can you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
I giggled, "Your reputation, it's going down the drain. I've got no business with this school, but you- everyone's gonna think you brought your relationship into your workplace".
I patted his head, "I'll save you the shame, and I'll go outside. Don't worry about me too much".
I turned back, walking towards the exit, a small concern in my chest. Wasn't this the sort of thing I did and got myself a curse?
A hand suddenly grabbed mine from behind, turning me around as my face fell on his chest, hard.
He stepped back. "Why are your cheekbones so hard? I feel like I got hit by a boulder".
I freed myself from his grip; he just had to grab me when I was rethinking my actions.
I did not want to see this as a sign.
He sighed, adjusting his glasses, "I couldn't care less about you, but for the fact that you said you wish to see Professor Aaron, I can't let you go patrol around the school. Although you're an uninvited one, you're still a guest, and I could be fired if I didn't give you a place to stay till Professor Aaron is done with his class".
He placed a hand on his door, "Please".
I stared at him for a while, a smile slowly forming on my face, "If you were this calm from the beginning, would there have been a problem between us?"
"Don't try anything", I added, walking to his office, "I know more than a hundred ways to kill a man".
Inside the office was adorned with blue and white colours, matching the halls outside it.
It felt cool, a relaxing kind, enough to make someone search for a mattress to lie down.
He followed right behind me, quickening his pace to get in front.
"Here", He said, tapping a seat right behind a table, a chair obviously meant for him. "Sit here", He added.
I looked away, turning to the frames on his wall. "I'll stand; my bones are not weak".
"Did I ever say your...", He groaned, placing a hand on his forehead. "Forget it. What's your name?"
"None of your business", I replied, my mind focused on admiring the painting in front of me.
It was that of a man climbing a mountain, his wife on his back and their child on her back.
"You're staring at it like it's relatable".
I flinched, turning back to see him right behind me, his attention also on the painting.
I smiled, "Maybe it is, maybe I have a husband and child back home".
He grinned, "What unlucky man did you grab by your horns and force into your life?"
I grabbed a few strands of his hair, threatening to pull them out, "You better apologize, or I'll show you what it means to be unlucky-
A knock came on the door, interrupting us midway. I let go of his hair, comporting myself as he opened it.
A girl walked in, her eyes vibrant as the sun, with curly ginger hair that went way past her shoulders. She was dressed in a cotton flare dress paired with white sneakers.
"Mr Matthew", she cried. "There must be a mistake in my result; I can't get all B's".
She handed him a paper, her face like that of a pleading puppy, "Take a look, Sir. There are B's everywhere".
He scanned the papers, then he raised them with a confused look, "Amrine, how is this my business? The course I teach is not among any of these".
"You are kind, Mr Matthew", she quickly added. "If I told Professor Aaron, he would just tell me it's because I never come to class and go silent".
"Would he be wrong?"
She pouted, taking the papers back. "I'm sorry for even trying. I'll just go wallow in this newfound sorrow of mine".
She turned around, heading for the door. Matthew didn't seem to care; if anything, he seemed relieved she was leaving.
Unluckily, she stopped in her tracks for a second, but it wasn't to turn back to Matthew; rather, she turned to me.
She smiled, stepping closer all of a sudden. I backed up immediately, my back hitting the wall, yet that didn't stop her.
She extended her hand. "You must be a friend of Mr Matthew's, perhaps a new student he knows? Either way, it's nice to meet you; my name's Rose".
"Genessa", I replied nervously, shaking her hand.
She increased her grip on my hands, pulling me closer all of a sudden.
"I'm not waiting till Thursday", she suddenly whispered, leaning in. "The Restorer of the Sea is not a patient man. I've come to see you in person, Genessa. Meet me at the same spot I cursed you".