44 It was meant to be

"By the way Emilia..... Had your pearl changed yet?..." Grace asked.

"Hmmmm lemme check..." I replied reaching down my pocket to take a look.

"Nope....." I replied taking it out placing it on the table slightly frustrated at it.

"Maybe it's just faulty..." Daisy added.

"Hmmmm nope..." Jay replied with his wand out seemly casting some sort of spell, Daisy quickly back handed him in the arm giving him a look.

"What?.." He mouthed silently to her.

"It's alright Emilia it's meant to be!" Helen said to me.

Feeling defeated and down..... I just sat there playing with my food moving around endlessly thinking why I'm so cursed, 'how did I even get chosen to come here....'

"So what team do you guys want to be in?..." Grace asked.

"whats the distinguishing difference in them?.." Jay asked.

"Hmmm all I know is... there is one S Rank student per team.....All of the information is kept in house..." Grace replied.

"As long as we are all end up in the same team!" Grace replied with a giant smile.

"Emilia.... cheer up!.... it will be okay!" Helen tried to cheer me up.

"Huh?.." I replied finding it hard to concentrate on their conversation.

"There's nothing to be worried about!" she smiled.

"I know... but this along with Calista saying how I don't belong here... has really got me down." I replied.

"In elven society things happen for a reason!.... Just go with it!" Helen replied with a giant smile.

"Yeah! You're meant to be here! Emilia!" Daisy replied with a giant smile.

Quickly scooping up the pearl and placing it back in my pocket hoping that maybe it needed more time.

"I'm sure the professor can explain more once you go to see her again." Jay said trying to reassure me.

"It's a bit embarrassing, I must be the only person ever!" I replied slamming my head on the table.

"So what's the plans after dinner?....you guys wanna chill out at one of our dorms?..." Jay asked.

"Yeah sure that will be cool!" Helen answered.

"I also wonder where we will be going tomorrow.." Jay said wondering.

"For the Outing?.." Grace asked?.

"Yeah..." Jay replied.

"Hmmmm probably somewhere where we can encounter some creatures and practice combat... or helping people in need and stuff... some real world experiences.." Grace explained.

"That sounds pretty cool!" Jay replied.

Everyone around me suddenly went silent gasping in shock. "May I?" Paul's nostalgic voice spoke to me.

"Yeah of course!" Jay replied proceeding with the sound of shuffling chairs and feet.

"Emilia?... you alright?.." Paul asked me causing me to lift my head.

"Heyyy..." I hesitantly replied wondering why he came all the way here.

"You sure?... you're looking a little down....." He asked looking a little concerned.

"Yeah I'm okay...." I replied to him quietly.

Everyone in out vicinity was absolutely silent eavesdropping into our conversation, starring at him. "Home sick?..." He asked looking more and more concerned with each passing second.

"Just a little..." I replied.

"I'm sorry...." He apologized me to.

"Why are you sorry?...." I asked.

"That you're forced to stay here and I can't do anything about it...." He replied.

"It's not your fault...." I said to him.

"If there's anything... you need let me know okay?.." He said quietly to me patting me on the head.

"Yeah sure...." I replied nodding.

"Make sure you eat enough food! It's important to keep healthy." He said standing up.... "Anyways I'll get going.... looks like I caused a scene...." He said noticing everyone's reaction. "Thanks for the seat Jay! And good to see you again Daisy!" He said offering him a hand shake and smiling at Daisy.

"Later..." I said to him bidding him farewell.

"Take care Emilia! Jay and Daisy." He replied waving goodbye and began walking back to his table.

The instant he was out of sight the whole area busted with conversation. "You know Paul well?" Grace asked in shock.

"Yeah... we were friends a long time ago....." I replied.

"Ohhh..." She replied seeing my reaction.

"I'm sure he's not as great as everyone thinks!" Grace replied changing her attitude completely.

"So... let's do this!..... I'll take Emilia to Professor Meha's Class...to return the pearl.... then we can meet up and spend the night chilling out." Jay offered.

"Sure that sounds great!.... meet us at mine and Helen's room as it's probably gonna be bigger." Grace offered.

"Sure!... Let's go Emilia!" Jay said offering his hand to help me up.

"Okay... " I replied standing up.

"See you guys in a bit!" Jay said bidding everyone farewell and leading the way.

"Bye guys." I said to them following Jay making our way to Meha's office.

"By the way... sorry about earlier with the food.." Jay apologized as we traversed the maze of stairwells.

"It's okay really...." I tried to reassure him.

"It's just you know... I never really had friends.... and food was scarce... and my Parents would never take a bite of any food till I was full... so I used to eat as quickly as I could so my parents wouldn't wait so long....." He explained.

"Jay....." I said giving him a big hug causing him to tense up. "I'm sorry for making my small thing feel like the end of the world when you've had am much harder life...." I said.

"We all have our own hardships..... Come, let's get to Meha." Jay replied.

"Sure..." I said letting go and began walking again.

"So what is your relationship with Paul?.." He asked curiously.

"I dunno, it's complicated..... Friends I guess?.." I answered him.

"Ohh okay... He does seem like a decent person...." He replied.

"Yeah... He's a pretty good guy..." I replied.

"Here we are." Jay said knocking on a wooden door.

"Come in." Professor Meha's voice shouted from the other side of the door. Jay opened the wooden door creaking as it opened, letting me enter first. "Ohhh Miss Emilia" I was hoping you'd arrive soon!" Professor Meha greeted me with a smile. Jay still holding the door open unsure if he should come in, "Please come in as well Mr Miller." Professor Meha instructed him.

Taking a seat at her deck is fidgeted nervously not wanting to show her my pearl. "What's wrong? Miss Patel? Didn't get a result you was hoping for?.." She asked.

"Yeah kinda...." I replied to her quietly.

"Yeah..... Hers failed to change..." Jay replied.

"Really?.. That can't be possible... Show me." Professor Meha replied a little confused. Reaching into my pocket pulling it out and placing it into her palm. "Fascinating..." She replied looking at it carefully.

"Is it bad?..." I asked quietly.

"Hmmm... It's certainly rare..." She replied still inspecting it carefully.

I struggled to reply as the thought of what Calista said went racing around my head bringing me to the verge of tears.

"Ohhh... darling.... it's not bad...." She replied seeing my reaction.

"Really?..." I asked.

"I didn't believe it myself..... When it happened the first time." Meha explained.

"It happened before?.." I asked curiously.

"Yeah.... in all the years I've been teaching.... this has only happened one other time." She explained.

"It has?" I replied feeling more hopeful.

"Is it bad?.." Jay asked.

"Certainly not.... at first I would have said it was problematic, but the only other person that had this same reaction was none other than Paul the Black Dragon Slayer." Meha Explained.

Jay and I both looked at each other silently eyes wide open in shock.