Alarm vibrates:
Brrr... brr... brr...
He grabs his phone, eyes still blurry, and turns off the alarm. The cold morning breeze coming through the open window makes him not want to leave the bed.
"Ugh… I'll sleep just a little more," Noah mumbles, already drifting back to sleep.
He opens his eyes again, the sunlight hitting his face.
He grabs his phone and checks the time.
— Seven already???
Noah stares at the screen in silence for a second, then suddenly gets up and rushes to the bathroom.
— Why is sleeping so good…
He splashes water on his face, trying to wake himself up.
He takes a quick shower, and after making a mess of everything, finally finds his school uniform.
— Found it… Why is everything harder to find when I'm late?
All his clothes were scattered on the floor, but he pretends that pile doesn't exist and goes to make breakfast.
He cracks an egg into the pan.
Then raises his hand, focusing on it.
— This time I got it.
The egg slowly lifts… almost flipping—
Then drops.
The pan falls with it.
— Seriously?? Not again!! Fine, I'm not even eating today!
He stomps his foot.
— Magic is completely useless.
He grabs his bag, and before leaving, looks at the mess in his house.
— I swear I'll clean this when I get back.
He runs out.
---
On the way to school, he feels the uneven ground under his feet, the warm sun, mixed with cold gusts of wind. The kind of morning that felt familiar. The smell of fresh bread from the corner bakery filled the street, announcing that everything was ready.
He spots a familiar figure in the distance and squints.
— Is that Íris?
Íris was wearing an oversized shirt and tight pants. Her hair was messy, and she had on a pair of slippers. From afar, it looked like she just grabbed the first thing she saw.
Noah approaches.
— OH MY GOD!! YOU LOOK LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON
He looks her up and down.
— Want some spare change?
He laughs.
— Was that literally the first thing you saw in your closet?
Íris looks him up and down.
— Where are your shoes?? How does someone forget their shoes?
— They're on my f—
Noah looks down.
Stops.
Realizes.
Nothing.
— Please wait for me, I'll be right back!!
His voice fades as he runs off.
"There's no way I'm waiting for him." Íris thinks, continuing toward school.
---
Íris arrives and sits in her usual spot. The classroom buzzes with conversations before the teacher arrives.
Noah shows up late, after class already started, and sits right behind her.
— Why didn't you wait for me? I would've waited for you.
He's out of breath.
— Oh really? You call me homeless and expect me to wait? Please.
— Remember yesterday? I said I'd buy you a snack and—
— Not one. Two. Don't try to scam me.
— Fine! Two then. Wanna go today? I've got nothing to do later.
— HEY! QUIET IN THE BACK!
A loud voice echoes across the classroom. Everyone turns to look at them.
— See what you do to us? Ugh.
— I was just—
— WAS ONE WARNING NOT ENOUGH?! DO YOU TWO WANT TO GO TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE?!
The room falls silent.
Noah thinks:
"So this is the kind of power you get after years of teaching… that's crazy."
Íris shoots him a deadly glare.
— We'll settle this during break.
She whispers.
---
RIIING—
---
At the cafeteria, the line of students is so long it's hard to see where it even starts.
— What do you think they have today?
— I bet it's cookies with juice… and if it's not juice, it's yogurt.
The line moves, and they grab cookies and chocolate milk before looking for a place to sit.
Íris extends her hand.
— Give it.
— What? No way. Just because it's chocolate milk today?
— That's payment for the embarrassment you caused.
— Fine. But on one condition.
Noah looks at her.
— If you come with me to this antique shop I found, I might give it to you.
Íris stares at him for a second.
Then grabs his chocolate milk—
And drinks it.
Fast.
Like it might disappear any second.
In seconds, it's empty.
— Wait, wh—
— I'll only go if you actually pay for the snacks you promised yesterday. That's the deal.
She wipes her mouth.
— Fine…
Noah sighs, eating his dry cookie with nothing to drink.
_________________________________
A/N: Hello dear readers, I want to let you know that I won't be able to keep a consistent posting schedule for this story because I work. I sincerely apologize in advance. The translation is done by me, so it may contain some errors. Thank you for reading this far. .-.