Perk Mage.

I sat down, feeling the weight of the situation pressing on me. Before I could even get comfortable, Tisiah turned to me. "What's going on?"

"Jamal," I muttered.

"Did he do something?" Tisiah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," I said. "He tried to jump me and Greg."

Tisiah's eyes widened, a flicker of real concern crossing his face. "What? Are you serious? You guys okay?"

"Yeah, we fought them off," I said, shaking my head. "But they were weird. One of them had metal arms, and they sprayed something at us."

Tisiah looked at me, his voice barely above a whisper. "What kind of reinforcements does Malachi have?"

"I don’t know, but Jamal’s got a surprising amount of power," I said, feeling the weight of everything settling in. "But look, it’ll be over once we tell Nikki."

"T-Tell Nikki what?" Tisiah asked, his voice cracking.

"That Jamal likes her," I said, frustration creeping into my voice. "That idiot wanted me to be the wingman, but I didn’t want her with him. But now Greg and I are getting ambushed by his so-called 'assassins,' so... we have to."

Tisiah rubbed his chin thoughtfully, processing the situation. "Well, Nikki could just say no, right?"

I sighed heavily. "Yeah, that’s what Greg said. But still, it’s complicated."

"You want me to text her or something?" Tisiah asked, looking unsure.

"Text who?" A voice suddenly interrupted us. We both froze, and I turned to see Malachi standing there, arms crossed, his usual confident smirk plastered on his face.

Tisiah blurted out without thinking, "Nikki." I stared at him, wide-eyed, trying to process why he’d say that.

Malachi’s smirk widened. "Oh, did Jamal send you to do his dirty work?" he sneered. "I didn’t think he’d sink that low. The guy can’t even talk to women on his own."

Tisiah kept a straight face, but I could feel the tension in the air. "Wait, you know?" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around how deep this went.

Malachi chuckled darkly. "Of course I know. The whole group knows. I’m honestly surprised the entire school doesn’t."

I shot a look at Tisiah, and he nodded, confirming my suspicions. "Great," I muttered under my breath.

"Speaking of which, have you guys been preparing for Mage Football?" Malachi asked suddenly, his tone shifting.

"Tryouts?" I asked, brow furrowed. "I thought we were supposed to be preparing for them."

Malachi waved his hand dismissively. "No, no. Tryouts are like a public game. Have you guys ever even been to one? Did you read the pamphlet?"

"I did," Tisiah chimed in, looking a little sheepish. "Though I didn't realize you didn't know."

I was completely lost. "What are you talking about?" I asked, impatience creeping into my voice.

Tisiah leaned forward and explained. "Tryouts are basically a public game. Judges and an audience watch your gameplay, and based on that, you get an email if you made the team."

Malachi grinned. "And if you make the team?"

Tisiah looked proud. "You're in. I never made it because my grades were too low, but I’ve got C’s now, so I’m in."

Malachi’s smirk grew. "What makes you think you’re guaranteed a spot?"

Tisiah gave him a curious look, as if not understanding the question. I couldn’t help but add, "Yeah, what makes you so sure?"

Malachi’s voice deepened with authority. "Do you know who I am? If they want morale, I’m their best bet. I’m sure the athletes will be confident with me leading the charge."

"Yeah, real easy for you, huh?" I said, sarcasm heavy in my tone.

Malachi narrowed his eyes. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

I glanced at Tisiah, who just looked as confused as I felt. We turned back to Malachi, who stood there, still unbothered.

"Anyway," Malachi said, his smirk never fading. "Make sure you’re ready. It’ll be fun watching you try to play."

I nodded, swallowing hard as the knot in my stomach grew.

***

17:00

The next class came faster than I expected. As I walked into Master Tiphe's class, I spotted Nikki immediately. She looked amazing in a white tucked-in shirt, a sleek black skirt, and black boots. Her hair was styled in soft curls, giving her a retro vibe that made her look like she’d stepped out of the '60s.

Just as we settled in, September walked in, followed by Malachi. I reminded myself why I was here and tried to stay focused.

Then Mari walked in. She had a large bandage on her head, her ponytail high, and was dressed in a short brown jacket, black shirt, and crocs. I swallowed nervously.

"Okay, Nikki. Connor told me that he and Greg were ambushed by Jamal's friends," Tisiah said, breaking the silence.

Nikki’s eyes widened. "Wait, they're what—"

"Shushhh," Tisiah quickly hushed her, glancing at me with an urgent look. "Connor has something to tell you."

I shot him a look, exasperated. "Didn’t need the intro, but sure. Anyway—"

"Who attacked you?" Mari cut in, her voice sharp.

I froze for a second. I was almost ready to grab my mallet when Nikki spoke dryly.

"You were stuck in the nurse’s office," she said, her tone dismissive. "I wouldn't really expect you to... know."

"I observe everyone," Mari said sternly. "Now, tell me."

Tisiah cleared his throat. "We think it's Jamal. He's been on Connor because—"

Mari interrupted again. "Anyone else with him? Who else was there?"

"I don’t know their names," I said, my voice stiffening under her intense gaze.

"Their clothes, faces—anything like that?" she pushed.

"They knew I was there," I muttered. "One of them was a girl—ponytail, black hoodie, beige cargo pants, red Converse. She chased us while Greg was riding me—"

"Oh, interesting," Nikki said with a raised eyebrow, clearly entertained.

"Home," I finished, rolling my eyes at the unnecessary comment. "Then Jamal’s other two friends stopped us. One was a girl with white hair and a jean jacket, and the other was a guy all in black. His arms turned into metal."

"And they lost to you two?" Mari asked, a faint smirk on her lips.

"Obviously," Nikki shot back. "Why else do you think he’s here?"

"Okay... good to know," Mari said, still processing the information. "Continue as you were."

I turned back to Nikki. "So, the reason I’m telling you this is because Jamal likes you. Or at least, he thinks you like him." Nikki’s eyes narrowed, and I could see her processing my words.

Then, suddenly, she burst out laughing—loud, uncontrollable laughter that made everyone freeze. "That’s hilarious! How low can you get and still expect to be accepted?" she gasped between laughs. "I’m not touching that... disease."

I exchanged a shocked look with Tisiah. Even Mari raised an eyebrow at Nikki's bluntness.

"Where is he? I’m dying to tell him this," Nikki said, still snickering, eyes gleaming with mischief.

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I had done my part, and no one needed to know what happened with Mari. But one question still lingered: Why wasn’t Mari mad at me?

17:45

After class, we stepped outside for Recreation. Nikki scanned the area, her eyes darting back and forth.

"Where does Jamal usually hang out?" she asked, her voice low.

I didn’t need to answer. As soon as her gaze froze, I knew she had spotted them. Jamal, Maddie, and Elf stood nearby, eyes locked on us.

Jamal smiled as he walked toward Nikki. "Hey, how have you been?" His voice was soft, almost hopeful.

"Great," Nikki replied, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Just almost died from laughing. You’re a comedian."

Jamal’s smile faltered, confusion creeping into his face. His eyes flicked to me, silently asking, What did you tell her?

"I’m not even laughing at the fact that you liked me," Nikki continued, her tone icy. "I’m laughing at the thought that you believed I was interested in you. That’s the real joke."

I felt a pit form in my stomach. Jamal’s face turned red with rage, though he fought to keep his cool.

Nikki wasn’t done. "And the fact that you harassed my friend to get me involved with you? No. Absolutely not. And you can take that wand of yours and—"

"I think... he gets the point," Tisiah interjected nervously, sensing the growing tension.

Jamal’s expression stayed frozen, but the storm in his eyes was clear. His friends behind him were on edge, clearly itching to start something.

"Besides," Nikki added coolly, "I’m already interested in someone else."

The goons perked up, eyes wide with curiosity. "Who?" they asked in unison.

Nikki glanced at me for a long, nerve-wracking moment before her gaze shifted to Tisiah. She tilted her head slightly, and suddenly the goons’ eyes widened in shock, as if witnessing a miracle.

Jamal chuckled, but his heartbroken expression told a different story. He gave me one last disdainful look, then turned and walked away, his pride shattered.

No words were needed. The message was clear: I was in for a world of trouble.