Hey,happy new year readers!!!!! Technically l updated last month but now it's last year. I finished this chapter during the weekend, but could not post it. Hope you enjoy the next one.

--Zeebeemuk

Water dripped down from my dark hair to my toes, as l walked down the corridors to the changing rooms. I tapped my head with my hand repeatedly, water gurgled in my ear. I groaned, frustrated that water was stuck in my ear.

“Fuchsia.”

I turned my head and saw Dylan trying to catch up to me. I sighed.

I wish he could leave me alone.

After Denzel had found a one -piece swimming costume for me, l went back to the front desk and since then Dylan has been pestering me nonstop. He insists that we should get to know each other better, since we will be spending lots of time together. And to be honest l’d rather not.

“Hey! Wait up speedy!”

He caught up with me and walked at the same pace. I gave him a side glance. His carrot-coloured hair was dripping with water and he was shirtless with a towel covering him.

 “I thought l could keep you company. Nice swimsuit by the way.”

He smirked. What’s with all the smirking today anyway?  I looked down at myself and tugged the towel higher up.

Den had picked a colourful swimsuit with a silver ring at the top and a slit that revealed my stomach from the left to a little of my hip at the right. Overall it was a good choice and unique because all the other girls were wearing bikinis. He nudged me. I gazed up.

“What?”

“So what do you have next?”

I managed to get Hung to tell me what he’s next class was before l went to change. I was actually looking forward to it. Weird l know.

“Art.”

Dylan scrunched up his face.

“What? Art? What does that have to do with training to become a hunter?”

I shrugged my shoulders nearly dropping my towel.

“No idea, but l really don’t care.”

I take art at school and l enjoy that subject. Plus l get pretty good grades.

“How about you?”

He smiled.

“Archery.”

“Oh, well tell Phineas that I'll call him later.”

“Phineas? As in Phineas Collins?”

I rolled my eyes. As if there is another Phineas in this school! I mean it’s a pretty unique name.

“Yeah, him.”

Dylan gave me a sly smile. Aaaah! What now?

“Is that why you turned me down? You have a boyfriend, and l think it’s Phin.”

What!?! Phineas, my boyfriend? Not going to happen.

“Nope, Phineas is not my boyfriend.”

Not that it’s any of your business.

“If he isn’t, how could you reject me?”

He pouted and gave me the puppy dog face. I laughed.

“I just don’t find you attractive.”

He smirked probably for the umpteenth time today.

“For now.”

OMG! Somebody kill me now!

Hahaha!!! It seems like those two will be getting along famously.

**************************************************************************

“Could you hurry!?! I’ve got places l want to be!”

Hung yelled from the waiting room. I was in the library with Denzel looking for a suitable book for my art assignment.

“Isn’t he a delight?” I asked sarcastically.

“No, not really. He seems pretty unpleasant to be near.”

I don’t think he realised l was being sarcastic.

“Den, l was being sarcastic.”

“Oh, right.”

He bit his lip and continued to flip through some papers. Den works in the library and the archives and he apparently…occasionally worked in the sports office, doing stuff like filing and paperwork.

He pushed up his specs.

“Uhmm…w..what are you looking for in particular?”

I thought for a moment.

“Uh…encyclopaedias  ...oh, wait! A picture book for monsters? Uhmm...both of them.”

I bit my lip anxiously and he scratched his head.

“Hmm…so a...a bestiary?”

I nodded, but l wasn’t so sure what the hell that even was. He clambered up a ladder and grabbed a book. It looked HUGE! He walked across to the long, mahogany table and l followed him. The book smacked onto the  table and dust flew from the cover. I wheezed and coughed before using my hand to swat away the dust.

“I think this might do the trick.”

He announced as he stepped back. I coughed once more before looking at the book. It was thick with gold embellishments decorating the cover. In bold and caps was the title, ‘Encyclopaedia of Monsters’. I went closer to the book and blew away the remaining dust particles. I ran my fingertips over it. I paused, and then l opened the book. It had beautiful, colourful photos and words in medium font ,so it was visible to the eye. It was written in black ink. I paged through it and stopped at a random page.

FETCH

I read it out loud and furrowed my brows. I put my hand on the page, which was yellowed and wrinkly. On it was a picture of a man or boy-it wasn’t really clear. He was adorned in green garments and wore a large, golden crown upon his head. His ears were perked up-giving the appearance they were pointed. And his eyes. They were intense and drew you in. By his side was a wolf, small in stature compared to him. It looked every bit as ordinary as my mailman but its eyes showed intelligence surpassing that of a normal animal. I closed it again but before l did l took one more peek at the picture, I would come back to it later.

“I want this one.”

Den nodded. He picked it up-like it weighed nothing-and walked to the front desk.

“I’ll have Ms.Mildred sign it out for you then.”

He spoke as he walked away from me.

I strolled around just staring at what seemed like millions and millions of books. As l walked by shelves l ran my fingers over the spines of the books, skimming titles until l spotted something. I pulled it out and looked at the front. The front was jet black with green leaves framing the title and author.

The Wee-folk

By George Bower

“Weird book.” I muttered.

“Actually it’s kinda interesting.”

I jumped. The book thumped on the ground loudly when l dropped it. I winced, hoping it was not damaged. When l bent down to pick it up a hand had already snatched it up. I glanced up. Hung had the book and he smiled genuinely. And he was not smirking at me. For once!

“You dropped this. I’m sorry, l had no idea you were easily frightened.”

He passed me the book. I reached for it and took it.

“Thank you.” I mumbled. 

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

What was he doing here? I never imagined a person like Hung in the library, let alone reading a book.

“I was waiting for you but l got bored, so l decided to come and get you.”

Oh! Well l would have preferred if he waited outside. It got silent to the point that it became awkward. I shifted my feet uncomfortably. Man, this is so awkward.

I cleared my throat.

“Uhmm…so you read this?” I lifted the book.

“Yeah, for an assignment on faeries.”

I scrunched my eyebrows and looked at the book more closely.

“Faeries? Is that what this book is about?”  

He nodded.

“Why would the author call them Wee-folk?”

Hung kicked at the carpet on the floor. He hesitated for a minute before speaking.

“That’s explained in the book.”

I glared at him. Why the hell won’t he tell me?

“Just tell me.”

“I would but it’s a sensitive issue here at the Academy.”

“Ha! That’s laughable.”

Hung frowned.

“I’m serious. They always tell us to talk as little as possible about them, they don’t appreciate being talked about.”

I crossed my arms.

 “Of course they don’t because faeries do not exist.”

I returned the book to its place on the shelf.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

“They do.”

“Oh, yeah? Ever seen one?”

“No, bu…”

He tried to say but l interrupted.

“Geez, l wonder why? Oh, l know because they repeat do not exist.”

Hung sighed.

“Fine, think that. Just make sure when you speak about them outside the Academy, do not refer to them by their proper name.”

Why? I mean he’s making such a big deal out of nothing. I was about to ask him more about this but he turned around and walked off.

Ah! What a drama queen!

I went to the checkout desk, and l saw an old woman with curled, greying brown hair. She had little round glasses with beads trailing down its handles. She was putting a card in a book; she closed it and put it on top of a stack of books. Den took the stack and moved to the shelves to put them back.

“Uh, hello l want to borrow the’ Encyclopaedia of Monsters’.”

The woman looked up and smiled.

“Sure dear. Denzel! Come help this sweetheart here.”

I blushed. Peering behind who l assumed was Ms. Mildred, l saw Den shelf his final book before heading to us. He pulled the book out from underneath the front desk. He opened the book and took out the card. I wondered what happened to stamping my book. I took in his strained, red rimmed eyes and decided against it. He smiled when he looked up and offered it to me. I saw that Ms. Mildred took out a small book and a stamp. I looked away and took the card. I filled my details into the card but l wasn’t sure about the date.

“Den, what’s the date?”

“Thursday, July the 3rd.” He said wearily.

I recorded the date onto the card.

“Thanks.”

She took my card and copied down the information from it into the book. She gave it to Den and he put in a rack.

“Hello, sweetie. I‘m sorry l never introduced myself. I’m Ms. Mildred the librarian. “

“Nice to meet you m’am.”

I was about to leave when Hung came, and he slapped a book down on the counter.

“Hey, librarian! I need this book stamped ASAP! Chop, chop.”

  Hung demanded. Denzel’s lips were stretched into a thin line and he gave Hung a scorching look, but he never said anything.

He’s such a jerk.

“Hung! He’s a scholar not a librarian.”

Hung huffed.

“One in the same, besides that’s the only thing scholars are good for.”

Den sighed as he took out the book’s card. He gave Hung the pen and card. He stamped it and gave it to me.

Asian Weapons

There was a title but no author. The book was thin, blue and in red print. I gave it to Hung.

“A book about weapons?”

“I’m checking out some weapons.”

I nodded.

“Uhm, Den?”

“Yes?”

“Can l have your number?”

I could feel my cheeks heating up. He smiled.

“Sure.”

He moved away from the desk as he did Hung shook his head.

”What?”

He crossed his arms and shook his head again.

“Pheesh…nothing,” he put on a sickly smirk. “You want my number too?”

To be honest that was the funniest thing he has ever told me.

“No.”

“Why not?”

You’re annoying! That’s why!

Instead of saying what l was thinking l bit my tongue. Hung came closer to me with a paper.

“Here, you’ll need this.”

I looked at him questioningly before taking it from his hand.

“What is this?”

“Open it and see.”

Why would he give me this again? Whatever this is. Unfolding the paper l saw a timetable.

Thursday

Training.   13:00- 13:30

Training.   13:30- 14:15

BREAK!!!    14:15- 14:45

History.      14:45- 15:30

Swimming 15:30- 16:15

Art.               16:15- 17:00

BREAK!!!    17:00- 17:10

Herbs.          17:10- 17:55

555-220-71 xoxoxo Hung Li

I smiled a bit when l saw my schedule, but it dropped when l noticed his phone number at the bottom of it.

Seriously? Hugs and kisses?

“l thought l said l didn’t want your number.”

“Trust me, you will be needing it.”

He grinned widely like the Cheshire cat. So l like Alice in Wonderland, sue me. I rolled my eyes.

Right about that time Den came back, so l walked back to the desk. He gave me a crinkled piece of paper after he reached into his pockets. He scribbled his number on it. Well, at least it’s legible.

“Thanks.”

Hmmm…why would he need a paper this big? Turning it over l saw…

7th Avenue

Linkin centre

Monstrosity bookstore

 “Do you think I'll get a good book there?”

“Y..yeah d..definitely.”

Hung chuckled at Den’s stuttering. He frowned in response. Hung opened his mouth but l towed him along before he could say anything else rude.

“Come on!”

He nearly tripped as l did so. I waved good-bye to Den.