.
.
.
It tasted like what the worst fart would smell like, mixed with a faint taste of spoilt eggs. My face squeezed up, and my throat was blocked, refusing to let the liquid in.
"Swallow it, sweetums," Valen urged, his heart-shaped face shining with sweat. His voice was a smooth echo, a lovely radiance that sounded like a loved one calling down to me from the skies. His potion was marvelous.
"You got a ten, Valen," Janine walked to the potion rack, placing his at the highest.
Finally, I swallowed, and gagged, bending to place my hands on my knees weakly, as my breathing came out slow but ragged through my mouth.
Was I going to turn into a rat now?
Was I going to shrivel up and die?
My heart was pounding, my eyes going from left to right. Valen placed his jeweled fingers on my shoulder.
"Are you okay?" He asked, and I took my time to let my breathing stabilize.
"Perez," Janine began, and I stood straight.
"I'm…CROAK!"
Sharp, horrendous gasps tore through Valen and I, as the loudest and most disgusting croak ever stretched past my lips.
There was silence for a while, before Janine's eyes crinkled at the sides, and then all at once, she burst out laughing, clapping her hands.
I looked at my hands and feet instantly.
"Relax, Perez, you're not turning into a frog," she said, taking my potion, shaking her head, and at the bottom of the rank, it was the only one toying with a zero.
"Detention now. Out of my class," she said, although with a smile, and I looked at Valen, tears gathering in my eyes.
That was impossible. I wasn't a big, old, ugly frog! I didn't just turn my voice into that. It wasn't as serious as my brain wanted to paint it as. If it was serious, Janine wouldn't laugh. She'd freak out, and take me to whatever hospital they had here.
We took off our aprons, hung them, then took our bags.
The moment we stepped out, soft breeze whizzed around us, cooling the sweat on our skin. School hours were over an hour ago, so there were just a few people walking about in the corridors, shuffling their feet lazily.
They were possibly scholars who loved to read, or lovers who wanted to stay back, or people who also had detention.
"AmCROAK!" I let out, and the few people in the corridors turned to look at me. Funny how they quickened their steps, their eyes holding alarm.
I took out my phone, typing furiously, as we walked down the stairs.
More people came into view.
_am I going to be like this forever?_
"No, not forever."
_how do I speak to anyone?_ I typed again, as we came down into another large hall where barrels of students were just rolling out of a class, talking in cacaphony of voices, and strings of laughter.
"That shouldn't be your worry. What if you go to the Mysia Welcome tomorrow, and you're sounding like this? What will your date say?"
"GOSH CROAK! CROAK! CROAK!"
A thousand eyes on me.
"Stop!" Valen shouted, looking around, as he held my shoulders, while I held my chest in shock.
"CROAK CROAK CROAK CROAK CROAK!"
I couldn't stop.
Everywhere, laughter was doubled as the croaks blasted out of my throat.
Eventually, Valen had to cover my head with his schoolbag, leading me away.
<<<
Nothing was worse than detention—staring at the blank walls, hearing the clock tick lazily and annoyingly. It felt like it was drilling a hole in my skull.
Finally, the clock struck eight, and Valen and I stood, lifting our bags.
The night breeze outside was cool when we stepped out.
Students were already scattered across the school grounds in fresh clothes, and full bellies.
Two giggling girls brushed past us, "Valen!" They called, batting their eyelashes at him.
"Not interested."
"She's your new interest?" Their voices faded the farther they got.
"What's your name?" Valen asked me, then quickly, his hands flew to my mouth, "Don't speak!"
I smiled faintly, as we began out walk to the dormitory.
"Do you want me to walk you to your dorm step?" He asked, taking out his phone, sliding to the camera.
"Hm?" I hummed, and a disgusting sound erupted from my chest to my throat.
He laughed, and placed his arm around my shoulders, raising his phone in selfie mode, "Cheese!" He said, and I tried to smile, but I only ended up looking weird.
I watched him go straight to Tilktorc, and wanted to say, 'I didn't know mythicals used Tilktorc.'
He posted the picture and captioned it, 'Mood after my new friend realizes she sounds like a literal frog.'
"What THE CROAK!" I was laughing, but my laughing froze as everyone turned, wondering what sounded. We ended up giggling, as we made our way into the dormitory, taking the elevator.
_narrate the story if my dorm mates ask. Please come in with me._
"Wait, you stay on the highest floor?" Valen leaned against the elevator wall, his leg angled with his foot against the wall, "Wow. Do you know those really cute friends who also stay there? You should see them in their element. Everyone thinks they're bound to be prefects. They're probably gonna be made spies for school, and all. Have you seen them?"
I nodded.
"Woah, have you talked to them?"
I smiled, and nodded.
"There's a really hot boy among them with red hair. He's a Phoenix."
"FauxCROAK!"
"Woah! You know him! Damn, he's so cute. And then there are the Marcell twins! The first is an Alpha, and the second…jeez," he shook his head.
Valen's face went dark.
I squeezed his arm.
"Just some rumors about him, and girls still force themselves on him."
I squeezed his arm further.
He looked at me.
"Whatever. It's fine since you're not his roommate."
I was HIS roommate.
Staying in his room.
I squeezed him harder.
The elevator doors opened, and we stepped out.
He looked around.
There was a girl in blue track shorts, coming out of her room, swishing her ponytail back and forth, as she walked away, her selfie stick up as she took photos.
Valen stopped, and said in a small voice, "Rumors say… he's a murderer."