"That's why you should just be yourself. No front. You never know when being normal is exactly what you need to be a mage warrior. Aside from the magic requirement needed," Braxton suggested.
"Agreed," Logan replied, before leaning back to continue drinking his shake.
"So going to this party could give us a glimpse of our classmates?" Kage considered.
Zane nodded his head in agreement. "See them in their true colors before they put on their masks."
"Also, there’s a rumor going around campus," Maximus announced. We turned to face him and I noticed Braxton's masked expression.
"Rumor?" Nixon asked.
"There's a secret Elite club within Brighten and it's only for those on Spellbound Road or who at least meet the magic requirements. I heard from my friends who graduated it’s one of those 'Best of the Best' groups who recruit members during the first semester, especially those who show promise of being chosen as a mage warrior." Maximus revealed.
"A secret club for the best potentials? What's the purpose of the club?" I asked.
"They get extra benefits and have bribed certain professors. For example, if someone failed a subject, if they're in this club, they'll miraculously pass. Apparently it works with magic exams too. There are other benefits as well, but my group of friends didn't know much other than that,” he finished.
"Doesn't seem very cool to me," Zane sighed.
"So if you show potential, you get in?" Kage asked.
Braxton cleared his throat."When you show potential, you become one of their targets. They test you, whether through a gang up in the hallway or by making you do riskier stuff like drinking poison and having to use a spell to try and get it out of your system before it reaches your heart or race in a makeshift maze that fills up with water and drowns those who don't know how to conduct a bubble spell."
"It reminds me of a cult," I mumbled and Nixon nodded.
"So, we should be careful not to get recruited," Logan concluded.
"Yes," Braxton and Maximus replied.
Braxton's eyes landed on me. "Especially Jewel."
I blinked, pausing in trying to finish my milkshake. "Why me?" I asked.
"What you did at the test center somehow spread across the school. The professors must have been impressed with your performance and someone was snooping around, which is common, so it spread it around even faster. Nixon and I figured out something to ensure your female aura won't show, but your mana and magic caliber even at rest is higher than 75% of the students here," Braxton explained.
"So, I'm a walking target for secret clubs. How delightful," I hummed, rolling my eyes as I sipped my drink.
"HOOT!"
I glanced up to see Alice fly into the room in her owl form. She landed on Braxton's shoulder who merely frowned at her. She tilted her head, looking rather proud to be bothering him. He sighed, shaking his head but let her stay on his shoulder.
"Not to mention you have Alice over here,” he added, pointing at my familiar.
"Hoot?" she asked. "What I do?"
"You didn't do anything, Alice," I replied out loud to her.
Kage smiled, patting his shoulder. "Come here, Alice. Braxton's just being an ass."
Alice fluttered her wings and hopped off Braxton's shoulder to fly over to land on Kage's. I smirked and returned to my attention to Braxton who didn't seem bothered by his younger brother's comment.
"You're not the only one, Nixon too,” he pointed out. Nixon continued sipping his drink like he didn't have a care in the world.
"What about you?" Logan asked.
Braxton raised an eyebrow at him. "Aside from the fact we're dorm mates, would you casually approach me if you didn’t have to?"
We were all silent, sipping on our milkshakes.
"Hoot," Alice mumbled. "Hell nah."
"Thanks, Alice. I prove my point." Braxton replied with a smug grin.
"Don't the others have to be careful too?" I asked.
"Of course. We all did well, but we three will be their first targets if this club still exists," Braxton determined.
I looked to Nixon who finished his milkshake. "I'll keep on the lookout,” he replied, sounding unconcerned.
I glanced at Logan who looked irritated but quickly masked his face when he noticed my gaze. "Guess we're going," Maximus announced, rising up.
"Shouldn't we start figuring out what to wear if this is one of those cool parties?" Kage asked Zane.
"We should! C'mon, I took some of Braxton's clothes from home,” Zane declared. They both got up and went to put their glasses in the sink.
"I'm right here and stop stealing my shit!" Braxton snarled, finishing his shake and walking over to put it in the sink before chasing after his brothers.
Maximus sighed. "They're gonna break something if I don't referee. I'll be back to wash the glasses." He stood up, finishing the remainder of his drink and put it in the sink, filling all of the other glasses with water before making his way upstairs.
I smiled, hearing the commotion going on upstairs and rose to go clean the dishes, knowing it wouldn't get done otherwise. I got ready to wash the glasses and blender, looking for the gloves so my hands wouldn't get all wrinkled. They were just here, where are they?
"Go get ready. I'll clean up," Logan announced quietly, slipping on the rubber gloves I was looking for. I smiled as he began washing the glasses.
"Why did you talk so quietly?" I asked.
"Redhead's sleeping,” he replied. I looked back over my shoulder to see Nixon was asleep. His glass wasn't on the table or in his hand, making me turn my gaze to see Logan had brought it with him to wash.
"Aww, so you don't hate him." I hummed. He scowled. "He's a pain in my ass."
"But you don't hate him," I repeated.
"Hmph," Logan replied, placing the washed glasses on the rack to dry. I watched him finish the remaining dishes and slid his hands out of the gloves before he met my analyzing gaze. "What?" He whispered.
"Are you okay?" I asked. I wasn't planning to ignore any signs that something was bothering Logan, not wanting my ignorance to lead to another fight.
"Yeah..." he replied, looking down to the floor for a second. "Jewel?"
"Yes, Logan?"
"Can I have a hug?" he inquired. I nodded, lifting my arms up. He walked into my outstretched arms, wrapping his arms around me.
It felt like forever since we'd held one another, even though we'd been sharing my bed for the last two days. I guess it was difficult to transition from our days of being with just one another almost every day to now being with a group with other guys.
"I miss you...is that weird?" Logan whispered against my neck before he kissed there softly.
"Not weird at all," I replied, enjoying the touch of his lips. Even though we slept together as always, we really hadn't been very intimate aside from a goodnight kiss.
I leaned back to stare into his gold eyes, which revealed a glimpse of his vulnerability. "Talk to me?" I urged. I wanted to know what was on his mind.
"I just feel really small compared to everyone else. I know I'll get stronger and we don't like talking about this, but I feel inferior to them. I want to be by your side and protect you. I know it's stupid or maybe it’s a boyfriend thing. I just don't want to be forgotten,” he confessed in a quiet voice.
"I'd never forget you, silly," I whispered.
I leaned up and kissed him, my eyes never leaving his. Those gold orbs stared into mine while we kissed and ever so slowly, they closed and his lips pressed back. I moved my hands up his back while his lowered to grip my ass. I smirked before slipping my tongue into his mouth.
My body roared to life, wanting more and I subconsciously pressed my lower half against his groin. He quietly moaned and quickly turned me so my back pressed against the counter. He pinned me with his body, kissing me ferociously like this might be the last time we shared a passionate exchange.
We broke apart, both out of breath, and he pressed his forehea
d against mine. "I love you so much,” he whispered.
"I love you just as much, Logan. No one is going to replace you," I whispered back.
He was silent for a moment before he finally spoke. "What if the others fall in love with you?"
"What makes you think they will? They know we're dating," I replied, unsure how to answer his question. Even if they did, he'd never allow it...right?
"The way they look at you,” he replied.
"And what way is that?" I inquired. His lips lowered until they were just barely brushing mine.
"The way their gazes lock onto your body when you're working out. Or how the mood seems to lift when you walk into the room. Doesn't matter if it's your female or male form. It's as if you have a charm regardless of gender, you just draw attention."
"That attention means they like me?" I wondered.
"Maybe,” he replied before kissing me. We kissed for another minute before he pulled back to stare into my eyes.
"If one of the guys here did end up liking me...what would you do?" I asked. I really doubted it would ever happen...well, maybe with Nixon who I couldn't deny seemed to have some interest in me, both as Jinn and as Jewel. Either way, if I had to make myself exclusive, which was the normal 'standard' around here, I would have to respect his request if I wanted to continuing being an 'us.' Still, a little part of me wished he'd think about it. I didn't know what it would be like to be in a polyamorous relationship, like ones I'd read in some of the manga books Alice had been reading and the recent anime shows we'd watch during our spare time.
"I don't know,” he replied.
"If...I wanted...to try dating more than one person, would you be mad? Would that end what we have?" I asked. We shared a look and he didn’t answer, looking deep in thought. I mentally started freaking out, not wanting to fuck our relationship up when we just got together a few days ago.
"Never mind. I was just curi-" I began but his lips crashed into mine, silencing me. I moaned when he pressed his body against mine, his erection obvious, and his hand left the counter and slid through my hair. He didn't stop until I was breathless and my skin was hot with need. He tugged at my bottom lip with his teeth before he pulled back to watch as I panted heavily.
"I'd be open to the idea." His voice was barely a whisper as his gaze locked on mine, unwavering. "I have to be okay with the person though,” he added. I blushed at his words, unsure how to respond. I didn't think he'd be as accepting of the idea of actually sharing me with anyone, especially intimately.
"Are you sure?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck. His hands lowered to my ass and he lifted me up to sit on the counter. I wrapped my legs around his waist, bringing him close. The bulge of his pants pressed firmly against the fabric of my jeans covering my pussy.
I took the opportunity to kiss him as I waited for him to answer. My pussy throbbed for me to move my hips again.
He leaned forward and kissed my neck and I moaned, letting my eyes close. "It's fine. As long as you're happy. That's all I care about,” he whispered huskily. He lifted his head and I gave him a wide smile.
"You're the best boyfriend I could ask for," I purred.
"I know." He winked and I giggled. He smiled, giving me one more kiss. "And you're such an amazing woman, Jewel. Don't let anything change you."
We hugged and I kissed his neck slowly, making sure to leave a very noticeable love mark right above his collarbone.
"That felt nice," he mumbled and I smirked.
"I'll make a note of that," I replied quietly.
"We should get ready," Logan suggested.
I nodded but tightened my hold around him. "One more hug," I whispered. He chuckled but obliged me in my request. I rested my head on his shoulder, glancing up to see that Nixon wasn't on the sofa anymore. He had moved to the stairs, and had a small smile on his face. He winked and quietly moved up the stairs, leaving Logan and me alone. I didn't know why he was helping us strengthen our relationship, but I was secretly happy he was. Maybe I'd get a chance to date him too?
I guess if Logan allowed it.
"OMG! These guys are so hot!" Girl One announced.
"Ah! Look at that group!" Girl Two squealed.
"Damn. The guy on the left is hot as fuck. He has red hair with blond roots, such a turn on," Girl Three hummed.
"Nah, the guy on the right is the sexiest. Do you know how hard it is to find a guy who can rock red hair at that length?!" Girl Two argued.
"Both of you are blind! The guy in the middle. Look at his black hair and oh man, those red eyes are to die for," Girl One purred.
"Are those guys all freshmen? Shit, talk about a powerful bunch,” a guy commented. I ignored them as we got checked at the front in my confident mode, showing our IDs.
The girls crowded around the gated entrance of the estate squealed, many of them trying to get pictures of us with their phones to post on the Brighten web. I could already imagine the headline "Brighten's Sexy Seven."
I ran my hand through my short hair, the purple and red highlights more vibrant than before. I decided since we had to dress to impress, I might as well look like I put some extra effort in my attire.
After my talk with Logan, we had another make out session before we went upstairs to find the chaos the brothers had made and Maximus shouting about how they always broke everything.
I figured all four of them must have been close and known each other prior to arriving to Brighten seeing as Maximus knew what their favorite colors were and what would match them perfectly.
Maximus said I looked hot in red or purple and decided I should rock red tonight during the party. I wore black jeans and a red dress shirt with a black tie, wanting to keep it classy and simple. I didn't know what the current fashion trends were for men and taking time to try and meet those standards could have been a hit or miss seeing as fashion trends changed all the time.
I changed my eye color to my natural red, deciding to claim I was wearing contacts for the night if anyone asked. I didn't need to wear glasses unless I was studying for long periods of time or had to read a lot of spell magic circles, but I didn't want to stand out too much with my gold eyes. Red still stood out but blended well with my look at least.
The others wore similar looks, Nixon also going with the black and red theme but had on a leather jacket and his hair was braided to his left side. He had a gold earring with a ruby stone in the middle that I hadn't noticed earlier.
Braxton was wearing blue jeans and a bright green shirt, being one of the few wearing a brighter ensemble for the night. It worked well regardless, maybe because of his greenish gold eyes or his gold to red hair.
Logan wore dark blue jeans and a gold dress shirt, his hair brushed to one side and the younger brothers both wore black pants and dress shirts, Zane sporting navy blue and Kage a dark purple which made them look opposites. I didn't know if Maximus planned that on purpose but the contrast worked with their hair.
Maximus was in light brown khakis and a white dress shirt, his caramel brown tie was loose on purpose and his hair was straightened out and gelled back, taming its normally wild appearance.
I hadn't been to a party for high society students before and it was top notch in all things. The decorations, food, flashing lights, and epic DJ; this wasn’t your average block party. As we made our way through to the main living room to look for food, there was a whole bar section with some brands of alcohol we couldn't even find in Natala.
I promised Logan I wouldn't drink too much, not knowing how I'd react as a guy and if it would be different than when I was a girl. Sure, I could handle alcohol to a point, but I doubt anyone aside from Logan could handle my drunk self. I was doing them a favor by NOT drinking, but Alice kept saying that as a drunk male, I'd be a seductive beast. Yup, supportive familiar for the win.
Alice was staying home, beginning to read through Kage's oversized manga collection; I had NO idea how he brought all those books with him. Magic must have been involved somehow.
We decided to split up and blend in. Braxton was going with me, Zane and Kage would stick together, Maximus doing his own thing and Logan and Nixon ended up together.
I had to confess that the men here were gorgeous and wore their best attire, like in those after show award parties. Most of them seemed to be trying to impress the ladies here who, no offense, wore the most boob-revealing and pussy-flashing clothing I'd ever seen.
One girl had a bikini on so thin that the air conditioner’s breeze could potentially rip it off her. At least she could use the excuse that there was a pool in the backyard but again, she might as well come here naked for all she wore.
Braxton and I went over to the bar and each got a beer. I decided to try one of the imported ones that I hadn’t seen before, but beer had never been my favorite. However, as a guy, it actually did taste really good for some strange reason. I personally loved sweet and throat burning drinks, but as a starter, this wasn't bad at all. We relaxed, sitting on a pair of stools with our back to the bar while we watched the crazy behavior that always happened during parties like this.
"What are the chances the wind will pass by and that bikini goes flying with it?" Braxton asked and I grinned, taking a sip of my second beer.
"120%. Notice the guy in the green shirt?. He's a wind user." I turned my head to indicate the guy across from us on the far right. Braxton followed my gaze and nodded when he spotted the black haired guy in the green shirt and ripped jeans.
"That bikini's a goner,” he declared.
"Definitely. Let's see how long till-" I began when a gust of wind rushed through the room and there went the bikini as if someone untied the extremely loose knots of her top and bottom and flicked it away. The girl let out a little shriek and Braxton and I sighed, getting the full backside view of her naked body. She quickly turned, thinking she was hiding from everyone but ended up giving us a full frontal view.
"At least her shape is nice," Braxton complimented.
REFLECTIONS OF YOU (Brighten Magic Academy Book 1) Page 15