▌│█║▌║▌║Chapter 18║▌║▌║█│▌

I couldn't sleep all that night. I played in my bed in nervousness and thoughtfulness. I got up at my usual time and went to go for a quick run before school. When I eventually got into my classroom, I was the first student there still, but there was Mr. Grey sitting in the front of a class reading a book. He looked at me, and in an attempt to try to start a conversation I stated kind of cautiously, "Hey Mr. Grey. Having a good day?"

He looked back down at his book, and murmured an melancholic, "mm" in response.

I went to my seat, and sat in silence for a little while Mr. Grey seemed to be engrossed in the book hr was reading. It didn't have the name of it on the cover, so I couldn't tell what he was reading. Eventually he spoke to me while not looking up from his book telling me, "Today when you go to make out your uniforms, you will be going in pairs. I'm going to be pairing you up with Itsuki. She is really shy, so she doesn't talk to anybody. Maybe if she is paired with you she won't feel threatened, and open up a bit. You seem to be able to make friends with people who actually talk to you anyway."

I responded stuttering saying, "Yes... Yes sir!"

I didn't know I could be complimented and insulted at the same time like that. He basically said I can make friends, and I may actually have a chance of helping her open up because I'm so weak. It went back to an awkward silence after that. People started to come in a couple of minutes later. Everyone seemed to be in a better mood than yesterday due to the uniform creation today. I asked Via what she wanted her uniform to be, and she told us that she wanted it to skin tight to reduce wind resistance, and she wanted to get some boosts on her legs to get a little increase in speed. I asked Zen the same thing and she told us she wanted to have a warm suit, and places to put extra water in case there wasn't any water around and the air was dry. She also said she really wanted it to be white though because it would go with her aesthetic. Thinking about how beautiful she would look made me blush a little. Thomas thankfully perked up and told us what kind of uniform he wanted before anyone noticed I think. Via immediately hit him on the head shouting back at him at the same tone he interjected saying, "No one asked ginger boy."

They started to go back and forth with each other, and I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. It makes me wonder if this is what it's to have friends. It's nice. When everyone was in the class Mr. Grey told everyone we will be sent to decide our uniforms in pairs, and that you can choose who is your partner. Via immediately reached for my arm and asked me if I wanted to be her partner. It kind of flustered me with her eyes looking sincerely into mine. This has never happened to me before. I quickly turned away rubbing the back of my head with my free arm, lips smiling, and told her, "Sorry I can't Mr. Grey has already paired me up with someone when no one was here."

She shot a gaze at Mr. Grey that would've killed, but Mr. Grey was still reading his book though. Zen leaned forward close to me and asked, "Who did he pair you with?"

I was flustered again because she was so close to me, but she still had that same melancholic face on. Her eyes seemed to say something else though. She could entrance anyone with her gaze. I guess she wasn't called the ice queen at our school just because she had a high power level. I would've gotten lost if I looked at her any longer, and I turned away and started to answer when Mr. Grey spoke up saying, "First group Itsuki, Khan, head toward the labs behind the Crystal Auditorium. People should be there waiting for you."

I looked back at Zen and told her with a smile, "Yeah her. Hope your uniform creation goes well."

She told me you too with a forced smile. She probably smiled to be polite since I did it to her. Something was different in her eyes when I looked back while heading out of the class with Itsuki. It was different from when she asked me who my partner was. All these years of being ostracized by society really hasn't helped my people skills. I looked to my side at Itsuki, and she looked tense. I tried to lighten the mood by asking her what she wanted as her uniform. She seemed to jump when I spoke, startled by my voice. She responded in a quiet voice barely above a whisper saying, "Just a normal suit for girls I guess, but with a heart monitor on my wrists. If I use my ability too much my heart rate gets up, and it could get dangerous. I would also like a helmet because my sense of where I'm at in the air isn't that good, and when I'm on my solidified air blocks I hit my head sometimes on the ceiling. What about you?"

Her red hair flowed in the wind of the outside air, and she looked at my with innocent eyes of curiosity. I think I can get her to open up. I guess I really must be a worthless threat. I looked forward and off into space and told her, "I can't have a normal uniform like you since I don't have an amazing power like yours haha, so I'm going to have to have a lot. I want to have a sword on my back for melee, a couple of pistols on my side for range, a knife attached to a boot on my leg, and some loose black clothing since I need to be dressed stealthily to be an assassin. I know we still have a while before we decide what class we will be, but I don't really have a choice. I can't take a lot of damage or deal out a lot, so being a tank and Paladin is out. I can't support people from behind so being a support is out. That just leaves assassin. Being a sagaru is pretty constricting, but I don't want to be a normal assassin though."

We walked around the Crystal Auditorium, and when we did the wind picked up. As it did I thought I heard Itsuki say that I was amazing. I glanced to her and asked, "Hm?"

She told me nothing. When we got around we could see the two other people from class P-A going to make their uniforms. It was Lainey and Drazen. My eyes lit up when I saw Lainey, maybe I can finally ask her about what's been going on. Drazen is going to be a pain in the ass. They walked in first, and Itsuki and I walked in next. This is it. My first big step to being a symbol of hope for everyone.

▌│█║▌║▌║To be Continued║▌║▌║█│▌