How I Became the Strongest Sovereign

-Malia's POV-

The Basketball game win caused an uproar and Mr Xanxus allowed us to stay at home for one extra day to celebrate the tough win. Zeref really put on a show - he mesmerised everyone and scouts even came up to him with offers but he refused them all. What was this guy not good at?

I scribbled down notes with strong focus. Exams were in a week and I was one place away from being the smartest kid in our year. All I needed was to focus.

"Maliaaaa." Sara whined, pushing my elbow. My pen ran across my page, creating a huge line over my notes as I glared down at Sara.

"Seriously?" I raised my eyebrows at her, sighing as she guiltily picked up my pen.

"I'm bored. This class sucks."  she continued, shaking my arm.

I yanked my pen off her hands as she continued whining. My patience was running thin and all I could think to do was to smash her face into the wall.

"Sara, this is the third time I have asked you to do your work!" Mr Keen yelled, appearing behind our desk in a snap. We both turned to him with guilty looks as he shook his head.

"Sit here. I am moving you." he grumbled, pointing to the empty seat in front of me.

Sara scoffed, "That doesn't make much of a difference-"

"NOW!" his voice boomed as I winced, my ear ringing. The class fell silent, their eyes now all on us.

"Okay, okay..." she put her arms up to surrender.

I turned back around, not trying to pick an unnecessary argument with the already annoyed teacher as Sara stood up, throwing her bag at the desk in an act of defiance. She rolled her eyes, dragging her feet to her new desk next to a boy I didn't know the name of. 

The teacher crossed his arm, tapping his foot impatiently while everyone had their eyes on Sara's slow dragged movements. 

"JUST SIT!" he snapped as Sara smirked, dropping down in her chair.

Mr Keen was now red faced, his features contorted into an annoyed expression. He grumbled a few complaints before dropping onto his chair and marking the rest of the papers.

Sara turned to me with a saddened pout as we weren't sitting next to each other anymore and I returned a mournful sigh.

"Alright! Pay attention everybody!" Mr Xanxus swung open the door and stepped in before lightly half-closing it. 

"A new student will be joining your class. Please be nice to her." he stated, looking at me with a glint in his eyes.

What was he up to?

I heard footsteps down the hall, averting my attention from Mr Xanxus to the door.

The teacher peered up from his desk, giving a side eye to the entrance.

Everyone's eyes followed his line of sight as the door seemed to slowly creak open. I sat up, an unsettling feeling sinking down into my stomach.

The clicking of polished shoes could be heard before a girl with long legs and fierce eyes walked through the door. Her eyes immediately met mine and I almost tasted the blood rushing to my face.

Soyeon.

She looked just like how I remembered. Even through the little gap between our tubes, I still remembered those cunning cat eyes. 

Her gaze met mine, It felt as if her eyes were piercing through me.

She then broke eye contact with me, running her gaze briefly across the classroom before smiling.

"Hello everyone. I'm Soyeon Park. I moved from Hebrion academy." She spoke softly, almost seductively but I couldn't ignore the darkness resonating from her eyes.

Last time I saw those eyes, they were filled with fear and desperation. Now they were just dark and empty. She looked different, almost hollow and emotionless.

The class burst into a wave of whispers after hearing she was from Hebrion Academy. 

Rumours circulated a few months ago that two kids from that academy had been expelled after beating the headmaster to near death. Everyone was shaken by the news but the identities of the two kids were never revealed due to legal reasons.

If Soyeon and her brother had really beaten their principal, why would Xanxus accept them into our school?

I furrowed my eyebrows, looking back at Xanxus. He looked back at me before smiling in accomplishment.

"I will be leaving her with you all. Soyeon, why don't you go sit next to Malia?" he smiled down at her knowingly as she looked at me smirking.

I smiled, feeling a tangy sensation in my throat. I was nervous.

Soon enough, she was walking towards me, everyone watched the atmosphere get tenser.

Xanxus gave the teacher a little nod of acknowledgment before leaving. Soyeon sat gracefully next to me and soon the lesson went on. I didn't spare her a look but I could feel her burning stare watching me…

Sara craned her neck over her shoulder, scanning Soyeon up and down before looking at me. I ignored her, continuing with my work before I felt shuffling next to me.

"Hello Malia," she smirked as I continued writing.

"Nice to see you again Soyeon," I smiled slightly, still writing.

"You aren't even looking at me."

I didn't reply. 

"It's refreshing talking to you when we aren't stuck in those torture chambers.'' She advanced towards me until our chairs were touching each other.

I finally turned to her to see our faces inches apart and our noses nearly touching. My eyes widened as I pulled back. She tilted her head, peering up at me with pure mischief before also pulling herself back to her side of the table.

"You look show stopping," she winked as I felt my shoulders relax a little. I let out a small chuckle as she giggled.

"You too," I returned, finally relaxing into her presence.

"I missed you. Sorry I had to leave you in the forest without a goodbye." she said in a hushed tone.

I looked at her deeply, trying to search for any hints of a lie but there was none. She wasn't lying.

"It's okay. I'm glad you reunited with your brother."

She nodded.

"So tell me. When am I going to meet your 'amazing' friends you kept talking about in the tube?" she said. I peered at her before throwing a rubber at Sara.

"Ouch!" she turned around, rubbing her head.

"This is Saraphina but we call her Sara." I introduced her as Soyeon's eyes gleamed.

"Ah, I've heard of you. The girl who was at the tournaments. You represented Xanxus academy along with that pretty boy."

Sara glanced at me to see my reaction at the last bit but I kept a still face. 

"Hi! Are you and Malia friends? I've never heard of you." Sara returned in a fake happy voice.

"Yeah we met through a shared traumatic experience." Soyeon side eyed me as I smirked. She offered her hand for Sara to shake which Sara did.

"I can't wait for the others to meet her." Sara spoke bitterly, smiling at me before turning back around.

What was her problem?

**

My stomach ached from laughing as I slapped the table.

"And she said-" Soyeon wheezed, her voice going quiet from the immense laughter. 

"She said it-" she tried again, failing to speak.

"AHAAHHHH!" I gasped, banging the table again. Soyeon held my shoulder, her laugh stuck in her throat as she rocked back and forth in her chair dramatically. Sara shook her head, holding in her laugh as I wiped the tears at the corner of my eyes.

"Malia and Soyeon for the last time-" the teacher tried to interfere as our conversation spiralled out of control.

"IT WAS GLUE!" Soyeon yelled out as Sara burst out of laughter from shock and I let out a scream. Soyeon fell off her chair slowly, cradling her stomach on the floor as the others around me giggled at Soyeon's outburst.

"Right! All three of you stand outside!" Mr Keen went red with anger.

I tumbled out of my chair, offering Soyeon my hand which she gladly took. She yanked me up as we both tumbled into Sara who was biting her lip to stop laughing. All three of us giggled our butts out of the class, standing in the empty halls where we collapsed into fits of laughter.

"I can't breathe," Soyeon gasped for air, sitting on the floor and pulling my wrist to sit down with her. 

I pulled Sara down next to me and we all leaned on the wall, sitting.

"So why did you come to Xanxus academy? Why not anywhere else, Soyeon?" Sara asked, finally warming up to the new kid.

Soyeon went quiet as we both peered at her. There it was… that dark aura surrounding her again.

"I was assigned a mission to assassinate someone..." she spoke coldly, her voice falling deeper at every word.

I felt the atmosphere fall as Sara's smile dropped. She awkwardly shuffled, fear radiating from her. I squinted my eyes at Soyeon as she smirked at me with a hint of guilt.

"AHAHAHA! I'm kidding!" she burst out laughing as Sara chuckled a little.

"I came here because I heard good things about this school, '' she explained, fiddling with her fingers and avoiding my stare of suspicion.