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Finding My MateFinding My Mate
By: Webfic

CHAPTER 15

KATHERINE. The professor started the class with a lecture on the fundamentals of elements and I listened with rapt attention, wanting to keep my attention on anything other than the golden-haired boy next to me. That wasn’t easy to do though because my gaze had absent-mindedly drifted to him more than three times ever since the class started. Now, as he furiously scribbled something in his note, I wondered if he knew who I was. A tap on my back made me glance over my shoulder and Josie leaned forward, stretching a folded piece of paper to me. I raised my brow as I collected it before gesturing at myself, silently asking if the note was for me, and she nodded. I then faced forward and opened the note. 'Dave and Pri are going on a date after class. Should we go to the mall? Katherine: Yes/No Lenore: Yes/No.' The corner of my mouth turned up at the idea as I underlined ‘Yes’ and leaned forward to give the note to Lenore. Before I could tap her though, Priyanka plucked the note from my hand and turned around with a frown that immediately receded once she saw I was the one passing the note. “Oh,” she mouthed before sliding the note to Lenore. “Okay, that’s that,” Professor Embers stated as she dropped the marker she had been using to write on the whiteboard before turning to address the class and I sat upright once more. “For the next part of the class, we’ll be performing our usual activity,” she added with a clap and immediately the students at each desk turned their seats so they were facing each other. “Uh, what’s happening?” I asked no one in particular when Blake also turned his seat with a bored look on his face. “Gauging where our partner is with their elemental abilities,” he replied and I stared at him blankly. “...I have no idea what that sentence means.” “Turn your seat,” he said while gesturing for me to do it and I complied. “Is this like a test?” “No, it’s not,” came a voice from behind and I glanced over my shoulder to see Professor Embers staring down at me. “Oh, uh–” “Katherine Roxley, right?” she asked, a small smile on her face, and I tensed because now the people around me knew my last name which meant they most likely knew who I was. Priyanka already knew and didn’t have an issue with it but Lenore and Josie didn’t, and as Professor Embers stared at me, waiting for an answer, I hoped they wouldn’t react negatively either. Then there was Blake… “Uh, yeah?” “Relax.” She placed a hand on my shoulder. “It’s not a test. It’s a simple activity for you to sense the magical currents flowing through your partner. I just need to know what level you are with your element so I know how to help. Do you already have an element?” she asked and I shook my head sideways. “That’s fine. You might be a late bloomer, so no pressure. A lot of students didn’t know they had elements till after a couple of classes and a lot of students don’t have elements at all. You’re alright either way. Mr Fogarty will guide you on how to do the activity. If you need help with it, just let me know.” “Okay,” I said, returning her smile, and she gave me a nod before she continued going around the class to assess what the other students were doing. “Roxley?” Blake stated, drawing my attention back to him, and I set my mouth in a hard line, preparing myself in case he wanted to say something harsh regarding my pack, but thankfully, he didn’t. “Eyes on me.” “Okay.” I fixed my eyes on him and shivers ran down my spine as I met his golden gaze. His eyes were the most mesmerizing I had ever seen. This was the first time I had stared into them this long and it felt like he could see everything and read my thoughts as they pulled me in deeper. After quite a while of staring at each other without saying anything, I began to fidget under his gaze. I then wondered if he was messing with me but a quick glance at Josie and Dave told me he wasn’t and when I returned my attention to him, he gave me a little smirk. “The first step is to stare into each other’s eyes.” “What does that accomplish?” Except for making me feel unsettled… Not in a bad way though. He shrugged before holding his hand out, his palm facing me, and I raised a brow. “Now we have to hold hands and feel each other’s pulse.” ‘Oh God…’ I subtly wiped my hands on my jeans and held my hand up while my heart rate picked up at the thought of holding his hand. I internally screamed at my palm to not start sweating as he moved his hand towards mine and the moment our palms collided, I immediately choked on a sharp inhale while the tips of my ears grew hot. His hands were bigger than mine while his fingers were calloused and rough, and my heart began to race even faster before he intertwined our fingers. The action sent a small frisson skittering down my spine, something small and electric passing between us that sent my gaze careening anywhere else. “Aren’t you a second year? Why are you in this class?” I asked, trying unsuccessfully to will the blood from my cheeks as I busied my gaze with Josie and Dave who seemed to be having fun while doing the activity. “Did you just indirectly call me dumb?” My gaze snapped back to his. “I– What?” “I’m kidding,” he replied, grinning, and my shoulders relaxed a bit. “I didn’t write the exam last year.” “Oh… Why?” “I had some things to deal with,” he muttered before his hand suddenly jerked against mine like he wanted to pull away. “Sorry, it’s a tic,” he explained before I could react and I nodded while his hand pressed more firmly against mine, making me suck in a breath. “Now, the next step. Take slow, deep breaths.” I did exactly what he said with my eyes closed because I didn’t think my heart could take another second of me staring into his eyes while holding his hand, and waited for something to happen. I didn’t have to wait long because after a couple of seconds, a strong bolt of energy suddenly shot through my arm and I jerked my hand away with a gasp, my eyes flying open. Blake tipped his head to the side and gave me a questioning look while I blinked at him in surprise. “Your element must be pretty strong,” I said, still feeling a faint tingling in my arm. “I’m not an elementalist.” I furrowed my brows. “Really?” I asked and he nodded before I frowned and shook my arm like that would get rid of the tingling. “You’re most definitely a late bloomer.” He clicked his tongue but didn’t say anything else and held his hand up once more so we could resume the activity.

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