“It is you!” she says very excitedly and then says,” You’re eyes changed color, ones blue and the other a violet. What happened to the old red and green.”

I can’t believe that she would stand by and let this ass bully a girl. I feel anger build up and I snap at her,” Obviously a lot has changed in four years.”

She slumps a bit, she wasn’t expecting a rude welcome, then glances at the guy bullying the girl. She then straightens up and says,” How can you interfere with Edward teaching this girl a lesson.”

I stare deep into her soul and can see that she’s uncomfortable.” You’re defending his actions? What happened to the girl who said she’d stand up for anyone?”

She tries to speak but Edward cuts her of,” How dare a peasant speak to a noble the way you are now, I should teach you a lesson too.”

I turn and stare at him,” Try me.”

A crowd starts to form and I hear words like "delinquent" and "duel" swirling around the crowd. Edward and I enter a staredown and after what seems like an eternity he sighs and says,” You’re not worth my time girl, but this bastard seems to be needing a lesson in manners.”

“I respect a man who uses curses even at the cost of misfortune, but you lose it all when you treat a defenseless girl like that.” I say then stare back at Claire.” I can’t believe you, didn’t you hate bullies?”

“I-I-I don’t like bullies, it’s just that she was at fault and that-” she says then Edward interrupts again.

“Your fight is with me, not my betrothed.” He says.

I turn to him and say,” Good luck living with this bitch, she obviously listened to her mother more than her father." Everyone gasps at the curse and Claire looks like she’s going to cry.

Edward furiously grabs for his wand and says,” How dare you call her a bitch.”

I grab his hand before he can even touch his wand and start to squeeze his wrist.” I can call her whatever I want, she deserved being called a bitch if she’s so weak that you have to talk for her.” I say coldly

Claire runs off and Edward tries to pull his hand out of the grip of mine. I don’t let up until I see the panic fill up his face as he realizes I might break his wrist. Then a voice calls out saying,” Gentlemen settle it with a duel and not with violence.” I turn and see a professor staring at us boredly.

“That’s a great idea,” I say and everyone including Ryan gasps. Not knowing why I ask,” What? Did I do something wrong?”

“I’ll have you know I am the second strongest offensive magic user in this school and-” He says but I interrupt.

“That’s great, do you agree or would you like to back down?” I say squeezing his wrist even tighter.

He winces and shouts,” I agree, one hour preparation time and meet back here.”

I smile and let go of his wrist,” See you in an hour.” We part and Ryan leads me to a spot to discuss what just happened.

“What have you done? Ryan asks in a panic.” He will trample you with his powerful offensive magic.”

I shrug and say,” I’ve probably faced stronger opponents, but what I want to know is what offensive magic he uses.”

“No you haven’t, his family is very powerful and have very potent magical endurance. He will win this if you keep that cocky show-off attitude.” He says.

I shrug and say,” if you won’t answer that question then how about, why is this girl following us?” I point back at the girl I saved.

“She is my girlfriend,” Ryan says and I hear her swoon at the word of girlfriend.

I look back at her, she’s a Banrir cat with grey hair and then she freezes when she realizes I am staring at her. She looks to be very passive and frightened easily. I slap Ryan on the back and say,” Nice, what a cute girlfriend you have.” They both proceed to blush, obviously they were sheltered when it came to dating. It seems like every noble here is too.

“He uses lightning as his main form of offensive attacks” she says very quietly,” and my name is Bethany.”

I scratch my non existent beard and then realize I had to shave it before coming here. I sigh and say,” This might be harder than I expected.”

An hour passes and my preparations are complete. I walk into the courtyard and he and Claire are there. She hides behind him when she spots me, I feel a little part of me die. She was there for me when I was in need and now I repay her with this treatment? Then I figure she probably bullies people of lower class like Edward does.

We get in place, roughly twenty feet apart and then Edward starts to talk.” You’ve probably heard that I like to use offensive magic and lightning as my main spell, but I noticed you have that sword at your side and decided to fight you with my own swordsmanship.” Claire looks completely shocked at this turn of events and I know she knows how good I am at fighting.

I smile and say,” Fine, then if you’re using a sword I won’t be needing this.” I unbuckle my belt and my sword drops to the ground. “If you’re going to show off then I will to” I think to myself.

I can hear Claire pleading with him,” Don’t do this, rely on your magic he’s too-”

He cuts her off again and says,” I was trained by the king’s guard, I think I can take an unarmed man.”

“Please-” She tries to speak.

“Enough let’s do this.” He says.

I can’t believe that Claire could even be around a guy like this, I remember a girl who hated this type of guy. Obviously I’m not the only one that changed. I take a deep breath and say,” I bet your father would be proud of you Claire.”

That might have been too far as I see an angered face start to form on her face.” You know nothing about what my father thinks of me and you don’t have any say in the matter of how I act.”

I sigh,” I guess the girl that made me promise to sweep her off her feet when we were older is gone then.”