Chapter 53 Mia's Return [Pt 1]

Mia would be returning the next day?!

Mia! Mia! Mia! Mia! MiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMiaMia!!!

The name kept ringing in Ciara's head.

When she was sleeping the previous night she had no idea her world could take such a huge turn overnight.

The rumors, and now Mia's return... that couldn't be a coincidence, right?

"Are you the one behind this... Mia?!" Ciara's thoughts raged angrily.

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Samuel and Serah got to class late that morning; something about Serah forgetting to do her assignments and having to spend a lot of Samuel's time working on it together that morning before heading to class.

Ciara decides to push all her worries away. There was only one thing she could do. When Mia arrived the next day, she would confront her, and end her game entirely.

Samuel and Serah encouraged her, and so Ciara felt a little better. She thought about going to Richard, but what if confiding in him proved fatal for her?

He was first and foremost a lecturer, after all. That meant that his allegiance was to the Institute.

If she revealed to him that she was indeed a Tier 3, he could rat her out to the Institute's authorities. She couldn't have that.

While she trusted and respected Richard a great deal, this was something she just couldn't risk... not until she could know for sure.

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The day ended without a hitch, and Ciara further addressed the students concerning the rumors they heard. She couldn't pretend as if they didn't hear anything.

"As for the rumors you've all been hearing about... I plead with you to give me more time to process it. I promise you that I'll give you my side of the story as soon as I'm done dealing with this matter on my end. I ask that you once again put your trust in me." Ciara pleaded with her classmates.

They all responded positively, showing they trusted her, and respected her decision. Some even felt for her.

Such were their reactions, proof of the strong bond she had formed with her classmates and the strong relationship she had with them.

Ciara dreaded it, but she had no choice. She walked back to her room, and just as in the morning, the whisperings and gossiping continued.

She was relieved when she entered her room without any incident. She sighed, falling on her bedside, and took a deep breath.

"It'll be fine..." She said to herself.

"It'll be fine"

"....."

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Ciara woke up late the next day.

Due to her worries the previous day, she had slept late. When she woke up, she drowsily checked the time, and after realizing how late she was, she hurried to her lecture hall.

Ignoring the side talks, comments, and gazes on her, Ciara went her way.

As the Class Rep, she could never be late to class—no, even apart from that—as a student, she hated being late!

As she opened the door to the hall, she looked around. Most of the students were already present. She made it barely in time. She rushed to her seat and sat down quickly.

She looked around and greeted everyone with a smiling and exhausted face. Then she looked at her side, at the other end of her seat row, she saw her.

"Mia..." Silent whispers escaped Ciara's lips.

Mia sat at the corner, and as usual, no one sat anywhere close to her.

Mia seemed to be in a world of her own. She was reading a book Ciara recognized. Richard had lent it to her at a time, it was on certain principles of Runes.

Since Mia was an expert in Runes, it would make sense that she was reading the book, but when they were still friends, Ciara had never seen her with any book.

"It's a front" Ciara concluded to herself.

'You can't fool me, Mia!'

Before she knew it, homeroom started, and then after that, the lectures began.

Ciara found herself distracted by Mia, who was attentively paying attention to the lectures, writing notes, and seemingly understanding the lectures.

Her previous nonchalance was nonexistent, her playful demeanor and roguish smile were absent.

If Ciara didn't know any better, she would think Mia was a serious student. She was so identical to how Ciara behaved.

The sight of that alone disgusted her.

'You still haven't changed. Pretending, hiding... acting like you're something you're not.' Ciara gritted her teeth as she glared at Mia.

Back when they fought, she had felt pity for Mia. But, after everything she had experienced at the Institute, she felt more and more repulsed by Mia's past actions.

Plus, with the rumors flying around, and her suspicion of Mia, it just pushed Ciara over the edge.

She couldn't stand seeing Mia so cool-headed and calm.

After the lectures, during the break period, Ciara couldn't control herself anymore. Serah and Samuel had advised her not to confront Mia until after the lectures for the day, but Ciara just couldn't hold it in further than she had already.

She walked to Mia's seat and confronted the silent girl.

"Why did you do it?" Ciara harshly spoke.

Her voice was loud, and her sudden action attracted the attention of the students present in the hall at that time.

Mia, who was reading her Rune book, didn't respond to Ciara, but kept on reading.

The students, who had been anticipating Ciara's reaction to Mia's return watched the event attentively.

"I'm talking to you, Mia... Why did you do it!" Ciara"s voice rose and she took away the book Mia was reading in order to get her to respond.

There was an unbearable silence everywhere. The silence was deafening. Everyone waited to see what would happen.

Mia pursed her lips, and slowly looked up. Her eyes were downcast and dead-looking. There was no expression whatsoever in them.

They were just blank.

"...It back..." Mia's silent voice came out slowly.

"What did you say?!"

In contrast to the low tone of the seated girl, Ciara raised her voice. Her burning glare remained as she awaited Mia's response.

"My book... Give it back..."

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[A/N]

Well, this is quite the development.