Research

Days have gone by since the house incident. A few not kindly wrote letters have been placed on my porch but mostly petty things over James. We only have a few days before the presentation and I only have a little blurb of how Doc can use his powers. Apparently Doc is a rare anomaly and only a few shadow manipulators are born every millennia. Meaning not much is written.

This is why I am sitting in Doc's office staring him down as he reads a book.

"What do you want? You didn't bring me anything to identify." He says snapping the book shut.

"There isn't much info on how you can use your powers. Could you maybe show me a few more moves?" I ask.

Doc sighs. Then I'm strapped to my chair with black straps. It was fine til the chair moved way too fast out to the hallway. Dumping me out it slides back into the office and the door gets shut.

"Well that was rude!" I shout.

"I showed you several moves! Now go." Doc shouted back.

I hang my head low in defeat before getting up and brushing myself off.

"You good?" I hear James behind me.

"Why do you show up when I least want you around." I mumble under my breath.

"What was that?" James asks stepping closer.

"Good morning." I say turning and walking away.

"You sure that's what you said? Sounded more like I show up everytime you want to see me." His tone is joking.

"I hate you." I sigh.

James laughs a deep belly laugh I have only heard on a rare occasion. "Better than nothing at all." He mutters drying a tear. He proceeds to follow me to our one and only class together.

Then the boy has the audacity to sit beside me. I could hear the heads whipping in our direction. Then chairs scooting out and everyone trying to claim the seat closest to James. I close my eyes and take a breath questioning myself of why did I not take the outside seat. Trying to scoot my chair out I felt a large hand on my wrist. I look to see James whispering something too quiet to hear over the rooms chatter. But his eyes were pleading eyes that I have seen in the mirror more than I want to admit.

Slowly I sit back down. I've never seen James this... what's the best word? Vulnerable? Normally he controls the room the moment he steps in. Everyone wants to hear his voice and see what he does. This is almost scary that he wants to hide behind me.

Another small golden note from Aba appears on the table ontop of my books. I don't fear others reading it because I'm the only one that can thanks to Aba's spell.

[One could say lonely. He needs you more than ever since I have to take him from this world. ~Aba]

"What?" I question as the note burns. Looking to James who only nods. 

Was he granted permission from Aba to read it or is there something more? What does from this world mean, does this mean he is going on a mission soon? Aba made it sound like he was going to not come back.

A loud bang at the front of the class room gets everyones attention. Nothing was there though. A piece of chalk floats up part way up the chalk board before writing "Work on your presentations. I've got better things to do. Professor Garrik".

The room becomes complete chaos with everyone surrounding James asking if he needs help or wants anything. James is trying to politely ask people to stop and no one is listening.

"Shut up all of you!" I shout. "Can you not see what you are doing?"

The room falls silent. I feel a shift in Aba's barrier that protects everyone from others trying to harm the people around them. Just like that girl did in my house.

This room is not safe.

A boy from my right makes the first move. James pulls me back to slug the guy right across his face. While off balance, girls pull me over the desk onto the floor. I hear James yell for me before I drown him out as I grab a chair leg. One girl is on me with both hands around my neck. Pouring my mana into the chair I grabbed so who ever I hit with it burns gave me a little bit of scary satisfaction.

"Enough." Professor Garrik's voice booms at the front of the lecture hall. The girl on top of me flies off. "Hazel. You better watch closely."

At the mercy of Doc's fingers people began to follow his every flick of his wrist. All of them were gagged, knocked on conscious and in a seat away from James and I in meer seconds.

James helps get me off the floor looking me over for injuries. I can hear him asking me where it hurts but I was tuning him out from being amazed at what Doc just did.

"What?" I ask Doc more hoarse than I was expecting.

"I can feel the shadows and the shift in all of them that are close by. That's how I knew you all were in trouble." He states.

I try to talk but James shushes me. I push him away. He gives me space as I take some ragged breaths.

"It's time." Aba's voice whispers in the room.

From James' and Doc's expression they also heard his voice.

James gives me the saddest look. A look I have never seen on this guy's face.

"You heard him. Get out you two. Aba and I will deal with these kids." Doc gestures for us to leave.

We leave the class room and hear murmurs as we shut the door.

"Hazel?" James's voice is timid.

"You're leaving or being killed off?" I ask bluntly. "You could probably guess which one I would prefer."

James laughs once while holding back tears. "I'm going to earth for several years. Will you wait for me?"

"No I will not wait for you to leave." I jest but feel a pang in my chest.

"I wouldn't have it any other way with you." James chuckles. He smiles at me with sad eyes and hands me some papers. "Here. It's my half of the project. Hopefully it's up to your standard. Sorry I can't help anymore with it."

I look at the thick stack of papers. All with notes and a well written few page essay wrote up. He begins to walk backwards away from me. "Remember when I get back I'm going to hold you to buying me a meal." He smiles slyly.

"I told you I would pay you back!" I raise my voice looking up from the papers.

"And I want to be paid back with a meal with you." He smiles kindly to me.

That smile stops me in my tracks. He steps back into a red portal. A one way only portal.

"I'll miss your sass." Is the last thing he says before he is gone from this world.

There is a pang in my chest.