I Killed The Main Characters

Next to him sat Ariana Snow, her blonde hair catching the late afternoon sun filtering through the bus windows.

Noah had agreed to tutor Ariana on some of the more complex material from Professor Sharon's course.

She had been struggling with it for a while, and since Noah had managed to figure it out, despite not being the most focused in class, he thought it would be helpful to share what he knew.

'Sigh...I'm not even sure why I agreed to tutor her...I myself I'm not caught up with my studies.

We'll just figure out something along the way...'

The bus came to a halt at the Town Center, a lively area just outside the academy grounds where students often came to shop, eat, and unwind.

Noah stood up, stretching his arms.

"Let's get off here," he said, turning to Ariana.

"Why?" she asked, curious but also willing to follow.

"I want to grab something from a shop I know. It'll just take a minute."

Without much explanation, Noah led the way off the bus, Ariana trailing a few steps behind.

As they walked through the crowded streets of the Town Center, Noah seemed to move with a clear destination in mind.

They passed by a number of high-end bakeries and cafés, places where most of the wealthy noble students from Ravenwood liked to frequent.

However, Noah ignored those, leading them down a quieter, less traveled side street.

At the end of the street stood a small, humble bakery with a wooden sign that read "Sweet Delights".

The paint on the sign was peeling, and the windows looked a little dusty, but Noah's face lit up the moment he saw it.

This shop, hidden away from the fancier establishments, was his little secret.

"This is it," Noah said with a grin, pushing open the door.

Ariana followed, the smell of freshly baked goods filling the air as they entered.

Inside, the bakery was cozy, with wooden shelves lined with all sorts of pastries and sweets.

The scent of sugar and warm dough immediately hit them.

The shop owner, an elderly woman with a warm smile, stood behind the counter, arranging a tray of cupcakes with delicate blue icing.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite customer," the shop owner said, her eyes twinkling as she noticed Noah.

"How've you been, dear? Been a while since you came by."

Noah nodded, his usual quiet self, but there was a trace of a smile on his face.

"Yeah, been busy with classes. How's everything with you, Mrs. Eldra?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," Mrs. Eldra replied, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Busy, but that's a good thing. Keeps me young.

And who's this young lady with you today?"

She asked, glancing at Ariana and raising an eyebrow teasingly.

"Your girlfriend?"

Ariana jumped, her face flushing a deep shade of red.

"Oh, no, no!" she stammered, shaking her head quickly.

"I'm just his coursemate. We're just studying together."

Mrs. Eldra chuckled.

"Of course, of course," she said, not entirely convinced but clearly amused.

Noah, ignoring the teasing, stepped up to the counter.

"I'll have a box of the Blue Star cupcakes," he said, pointing to the cupcakes with the light blue icing.

They were his favorite—a treat he allowed himself whenever he visited this shop.

The delicate sweetness of the icing, combined with the fluffy cake, made him feel like he was floating on air.

Mrs. Eldra grabbed a small box and carefully packed six of the cupcakes inside.

"Here you go, same as always.

These will have you floating out the door," she said with a smile.

Noah picked up one of the cupcakes, peeling back the paper wrapper and taking a bite.

Immediately, his eyes fluttered closed, the taste as perfect as he remembered.

The sweet, cool icing and soft cake were a perfect combination.

For a brief moment, all the stress of exams, assignments, and tutoring melted away.

He opened up his student watch, tapping it to pay Mrs. Eldra the required amount in Raven coins.

The watch beeped, and a small notification popped up, confirming the transfer.

"Thanks, Noah," Mrs. Eldra said, giving him a warm smile.

"You keep doing well in those classes, okay? Don't let them stress you out too much."

Noah nodded, but before they left, he turned to Ariana.

"Do you want to get something?" he asked.

"It's on me."

Ariana stammered, clearly not expecting the offer.

"Oh, no, thank you. Maybe some other time," she said, her voice a little flustered.

"I don't really have much of a sweet tooth."

'...Liar, you love lollipops...'

Noah thought but didn't say it out loud.

Noah shrugged and closed the box of cupcakes, carrying it under his arm as they left the shop.

The streets were still busy, with students and townspeople bustling about, but the little detour had put Noah in a better mood.

It was nice to escape the academy's pressures for a bit, even if it was just for a quick visit to his favorite shop.

As they walked back toward the bus stop, Ariana broke the silence.

"You really like that place, don't you?" she asked, glancing at the box of cupcakes he carried.

"Yeah," Noah admitted.

"It's one of the few places that doesn't feel like it's trying too hard, you know?

Plus, those cupcakes are the best.

Better than anything you'll find at those fancy noble shops."

Ariana smiled softly, though her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere.

"I'll have to try them next time," she said, though she wasn't sure when that would be.

She wasn't exactly used to these kinds of places, but seeing how much Noah enjoyed it made her curious.

They reached the bus stop just as the next mana-powered bus arrived.

Noah boarded first, and Ariana followed, finding seats near the back as they continued their journey to the halls.

The hum of the bus was steady, and the view of the academy's grand buildings returned as they headed back toward their destination.

As the bus moved along, Noah glanced over at Ariana, who seemed lost in thought.

"You still worried about Professor Sharon's course?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Ariana looked up, startled by the question.

"A little," she admitted.

"I just… I don't want to fall behind.

And after seeing how easily you solved that problem in class, I figured I could learn something from you."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't say it was easy."

'To be honest I just slithered my way into an answer...then again it was as if it came naturally,' he said to himself inwardly.

"Well, you made it look easy," Ariana replied, fidgeting with her hands.

"I've never been good at those kinds of calculations, and I really don't want to struggle in the placement exams."

Noah leaned back in his seat, thinking.

"We'll figure it out," he said.

"We can go over the material together. It's not as complicated as it looks, once you get the hang of it."

Ariana nodded, though there was still a hint of doubt in her eyes.

The placement exams were looming, and even with Noah's help, she wasn't sure if she could match up to the standards expected of her.