Forces of Hatred
The next month of Jinx’s time at Rhayn was surprisingly okay. She found herself busy with work and would be lying if she said it was easy, but it was interesting, and that was good enough. In fact, she actually looked forward to her technology classes, they were mid-way through the second project of the semester and the freedom Jinx had to tinker was absorbing her. All these materials and devices that would’ve made her Zaun-self swoon, just at her fingertips. The only problem was the dullness in what they were making… nothing that exploded or that could cause injury, still, it enlivened a part of her greatly. Especially when she could nick some of the materials for things she actually wanted to make. Namely a handful of door triggers that she attached to several ground floor rooms when left dormant. She’d attach the devise to the back of said door, crawl out the window and 20 minutes later a violent alarm would sound, petrifying innocent walkers who were early to classes.
She saw Ronan plenty, seeing as they shared two classes and frequently he would ask her to the library. She hated the library… but tolerated her company. She saw lots of Fleur and Maisie too, but rarely on purpose. The engineering class they shared together always fell before lunch, so Fleur and Maisie would just walk with her the whole way. And upon Jinx stealing away her food and trying to leave, Fleur always complained and pled her stay. Jinx would grumble but never failed to satisfy her request. She didn’t really mind, would rather of been alone but accepted it nonetheless. Fleur was easy to talk to, she just jabbered on, then Jinx would only say a thing or two that made her garble with laughter. Maisie was cool, but she was quite boring and just smiled a lot.
She would go down the Cairn often enough, when Ronan would ask her. He taught her Chess and when finding Fleur, she deigned it a decent idea to teach the two of them Pool. Chess they didn’t really have in the undercity, but Pool they did, Jinx never really cared for it though. Actually, she didn’t care for either of them. They were both too slow.
The Ping-Pong table was broken, and no one knew why. The day after the tournament it was found in quite literally pieces. People put the blame on drunk students who left the balcony door of the Cairn open, as there was a storm that night, it wasn’t entirely logical but it was the best presumption people could make. A new one was coming shortly but it took a while to get anything delivered so far out into the mountains.
Ekko did text her back eventually. Four days later. And his reply… well, was hard to read.
little man| well that’s what you get for pilties choosing your paths
Jinx opened it immediately… only to find she didn’t know how to respond. But eventually came to one idea.
Her terrible, ancient phone had very limited mechanics, but a crappy camera was one. So, she sent a photo she managed to sneak of Caitlyn wearing Vi’s pyjamas that she had since she was 16. They were quite literally rags, and Cait had never looked so out of place.
She snickered to herself as she attached it to her message.
Jinx| who? this girl here?
little man| yea
Jinx grumbled. Ekko a year ago would’ve said something funny or snarky or hell, something with personality to such an amazing photo. She really didn’t know how to get him back and it was vexing her greatly.
As for the blonde girl, well Jinx only ever saw her in Physics. In which Lux would always get there exceedingly early, so Jinx would just take her seat and not pay her any attention. She never saw her outside of their rooms and for that she was only relieved. Jinx truly hated her, she was an asshole, everything Jinx thought she would be and worse.
Actually, things had been looking up during that past month of October. She so rarely saw the devilish Crownguard that she wasn’t in a constant state of annoyance.
But, as everything in her life was, the state of pleasance was sadly short lived... It came to a crashing end upon the announcement.
The standard Monday rolled around, Jinx was fed up of the long day and just wanted it to be over, she bore the Physics class hardly any attention, resting on her hands and swaying her feet back and forth, watching her braids sway with them. Everything was dull and normal until Professor Fysik announced something hard to swallow. A group project.
“This isn’t the regular task you would think to have in a standard class. No, no. This is far more interesting. Not only will your project go towards your final grade for this year, 60% might I add, but those who I deem have the most remarkable project will… let us just say, be treated to something. Hopefully that perks your curiosity enough to give it a standard effort, eh? Anyways, your group will be of two, of which I have randomly assigned someone for each of you. It is up to the two of you to have it finished before the winter break and thus the end of this semester. None of our precious class time will be devoted to this, I’m afraid, we’re always behind schedule. Now, it will take 50 years of said precious time to read out all the names, so I shall continue going over thermodynamics whilst Miss Clara will hand each of you a slip with your partner, and next class we will go over the requirements of the project. Anyways, perpetual motion-”
The sound of his voice droned away as Jinx sat in contemplation. A group project? She cringed. She hated working with other people. Their minds were either too slow or too dumb and she could never explain what she meant in a way they’d understand.
In the University of Piltover, she had to do a group project with this boy, she almost exploded him. Plus, she was certain that people in this academy were the more ‘be dumb but work hard’ type. Who would drag her out of bed at 7 am to go to the library all so she could explain the contents of an atom for six hours.
She didn’t really care who she got, supposing they’re all the same type of person anyway.
Until she did.
Fysik’s assistant approached, as she did with everyone else, and handed her the paper. On it read: ‘Jinx: paired with Luxanna Crownguard’
Of fucking course.
*
There’s no way. There is just no way on this earth it was her. Of all the people, her. Someone was playing a trick on her or something, slipping her the wrong paper for some dumb prank.
She read it again: “Luxanna: paired with Jinx Kiramman’ That stupid name. This stupid project. This stupid class and her stupid decision to choose it.
Lux was in denial, she wouldn’t let it happen, she couldn’t. It would be the very worst experience of her life.
The rest of the period was practically just noise. She spent it staring at the back of her blue head.
She never turned around, never acknowledged it, as though it was a fake dream.
Lux knew neither of them wanted this, she had to do something to stop it.
So she had a plan at the end of the class, which only provoked her more when she was bombarded with questions from Jarvan and any of the people nearby who were curious who everyone got. Lux had no idea what she told them, her mind was so full and so her mouth moved without any deliberation.
Somehow, the class ended, and Lux was still sat staring at her table whilst everyone left around her. Jarvan asked her a few questions, Lux said something, not knowing what, which just let him leave her alone.
“Sir?” She asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she crept up to the Professor, he was mid-way through an apple, looking at his pages with a certain concern.
She had to do her best to stay collected, he was a Professor and currently… well she was anything but calm.
“Ah, Miss Crownguard.” He stood up with a smile. He knew why she was there. “What can I help you with?”
“Sorry sir, only I was wondering if there was a chance I could have a change of partners concerning this project?” She asked as sweetly as a human could.
“Hm…” He sounded, his face pulled into thought, he then pretended to look at the files on his desk, but Lux could see that he was just moving papers around. “Ah, yes. You are paired with the new Miss Kiramman.” Lux nodded. “And so why would you want to change such a thing?”
She bit her lip for a second or two, biting away the response she wanted.
“We don’t get on…”
“Yes. And why is that?”
Sooooo many words flooded Lux’s mind. Crazy, psycho bitch? Was that enough for him? But he was a Professor, she had to keep her composure.
“We… tend to not see eye to eye.”
“Ah, well that is a shame. Hopefully this project will bring you closer.” He said a little too jollily for Lux’s liking.
“So there is no way you can change it?”
“None, I’m afraid.”
“There isn’t-”
“Miss Crownguard, that is all on the matter. Miss Kiramman is your partner and so it shall stay as such.”
Lux couldn’t keep it in, sounding a grunt of frustration and spilling out her thoughts.
“Why do you want us together so badly? You said the pairs were randomly selected. Can’t you randomlyselect me someone else.”
“Ah. That. Well, I think you’ll find that having Jinx as your partner is a slight less random than I was candid about. You see, I feel as though you having Miss Kiramman as a partner will be more beneficial…”
“And why’s that.” Lux spat through gritted teeth. She tried to remain composed but it was slipping.
“Well, now Luxanna, please do take this as professionally as you can.” He took a deep breath, looking away. “You hold a certain… charm over many of the students here. A charm which, in reality may be unhelpful, which may get in the way of the strength of your project.”
“Are you saying I’d distract them?” Lux said, creasing her eyebrows and with a tone of disingenuity. That’s a stupid reason.
“Not necessary, although that may be true. I mean… more that, they’ll… well be less honest about your insight.”
“My insight, sir?” She had to physically force the ‘sir’ out of her mouth.
“Your… ability. Your input.” He said as slowly as possible.
“They won’t call me dumb.”
Fysik winced, that was what he meant, didn’t sound great though.
“They may just let you do as you please, afraid to dishearten you. And well, Miss Kiramman seems as though that’s her very last fear. She’ll be blunt, whilst others…”
Lux scoffed, running a hand over her face and looking out the window at the pretty mountains.
“Luxanna, you are one of the brightest people in your year. I know that for a fact. You’ve started anew with this subject and yet here you are, doing better than a good lot of students who have studied Physics since they were 11 years old. I have no qualms about your performance, as long as you can recognise when you are wrong. But such might be construed if you were paired with… Miss Baine, for example.”
Lux took a moment. Trying to purge the anger from her stomach. Sucking her tooth and keeping her eyes away.
“If you’re worried about my performance in this project, Professor, then worry more. I doubt that two words can transpire between her and me.”
“See it as added challenge.”
“Added challenge?! I don’t need any more challenge! This subject is very much too challenging already.” Her composure was currently skidding off a cliff.
“I think you won’t find this project as demanding and you might, Miss Crownguard. Besides, Miss Kiramman is undoubtably one of the brightest I have in this class, I have high hopes about what the two of you will produce.”
“Her intelligence doesn’t matter. She’ll make me fail it on purpose, she’ll find that more funny and worth the bad grade!”
“Miss Crownguard, if you are having actual problems, you can always come to me, but as of now nothing has started, you haven’t even heard the problem yet. Perhaps have a little more faith in your new peer.”
Lux tsched and looked away again, knowing a whole lot more than faith was going to be needed to get her through the next few weeks.
“Now, since I have you here, I might as well discuss your latest test. You’re getting much better Luxanna, I am very pleased, but intermolecular forces is a little… rough.”
*
Jinx laid on her stomach playing her Gameboy, trying to forget about the worst news she had ever gotten.
She had just texted her sister, all the Kiramman’s and Ekko the exact same sentence. ‘I’m actually going to kill myself.’ And just let her phone ping away as they desperately texted her back. That was the only enjoyment she got from this horrible situation.
Her plan was to avoid Lux, if she did it herself, well, they’d probably fail since she was so dumb, but they wouldn’t have to interact, and that was enough. That was Plan A, and she did like it a whole lot, but it was easy, and she didn’t know how persistent Lux would be in trying to get a hold of her. However, there was another idea, a far funnier one.
Blondie was as dumb as a coat hanger, so, Jinx could just feed her absolute gibberish and she’d not know the difference, absorbing it as though it was the most valuable intelligence and then being completely gobsmacked when they inevitably fail. That would be quite funny, and maybe worth the skin-itching time in her presence.
As the ideas spun around her head and prevented her from choice, there came three very aggressive, very impatience slams upon her door. Speak of the devil.
She couldn’t exactly ignore the girl if she was forcing herself into her room. There goes plan A.
With a stretch, Jinx climbed off her bed and slumped to the door. She opened it, not even looking at what stood before her.
“What do you want.” Jinx stated, looking out the window. It wasn’t a question.
“To not have you as my partner.”
“Same. Goodbye.” And she closed the door in angry blonde’s face. It didn’t slam though, as someone stuck their ugly foot between the frame. Lux then shoved the door aside.
“Look, I don’t want this any more than you do, but we don’t have a choice.”
“Well, we could always just not do it.” Jinx said, still looking away.
“No… were you listening? Probably not. Are you capable of listening to anyone except yourself? It goes towards our final grade.”
“And?”
Lux grunted.
“You want kicked out? Will the Kiramman’s not send you back where you came from if you tarnish their reputation.”
“Piltover isn’t Demacia.”
“What do you know? You’ve lived there a year.”
“And how long have you lived there?” Jinx finally looked at Lux. “And why would I get kicked out if a do slightly bad in one module. I’m not as dumb as you, I’m actually good at my classes.”
Lux dug her nails into her palms.
If anything was to transpire, she had to be the bigger person. Why was it that she always had to be the bigger person.
“Look, Jinx. Arguing is going to get us nowhere. If you’re still mad about Ping-Pong, then get over it. We can’t help this, so stop being such a whelp.”
“Great way to get me to work with you, Luxie. Anyways, don’t waste your breath there’s no way in hell I’m going to bother my time with having to deal with you.”
“It’s 60% and you’re just going to throw it to the wind?”
“Yep.”
“All because you don’t like me?”
Jinx didn’t answer.
“Do you know the word, petty, Jinx?”
Jinx rolled her eyes.
“Just do it yourself and tell that Fysik guy I did nothing.”
“I can’t do it all myself.” It pained Lux to admit. With any other subject she’d be fine… why was it this one she had to be paired with her.
“Oh right of course… I forgot you were an idiot.”
Jinx thought for a moment, putting her hands on her hips and letting her tongue run around her mouth. I suppose I can go with plan B…
“Alright, fine, Blondie. I’ll do the stupid project. Only so you stop crying.”
Lux would just take that, saying something snarky would not be the best idea then and there.
“Right. Okay, give me your phone.”
Jinx rose one eyebrow and backed away from her.
“Uh, you know, I’m all good, Lux.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Just to put my number in.”
“Why would I ever want to text you?” Jinx mustered up the most disgusted tone she could.
“Take a wild guess, smarty-pants.” Lux said as she whipped out her phone and started scrolling through it, her other hand outstretched with its palm facing upwards.
Jinx grumbled, but did as Lux asked and went for her phone. As she passed it to her, Lux made a face.
The Kiramman’s are having a bit of money trouble, huh. Lux thought. But refrained, not the best start to this whole project thing.
With the numbers exchanged, Lux was ready to leave and Jinx ready to be rid of her. But Lux held onto Jinx’s phone for a second, perhaps a second too long, and Jinx reached for it back, but like two toddlers fighting over a toy, Lux swung it away from her hand.
“Just testing it to see if it works.” Lux sighed, texting with both phones in hand.
Does this girl have OCD or something?
“You really want people to know you’re going to kill yourself, huh.” Lux said before Jinx immediately snatched the phone back, cheeks flushing.
“Surely they teach you not to snoop in Crownguard studies.”
“Well you read my letter. It’s not like you care about boundaries.”
Jinx puffed, looking away.
“Only text me about this stupid project. Nothing else.”
“I won’t be texting you at all.” Jinx answered, and with that Lux left the room. Finally.
Jinx had no idea how she was going to stand this. It was only the first of November and they only broke for the winter holiday in late December. A solid month and a half she had to endure this girl…
She needed to start scheming. The only way she could survive their encounters would be if it was funny to watch Lux eat up the absolute rubbish Jinx fed her, but she couldn’t be completely ridiculous, even her pea-sized brain would catch on if Jinx was spewing complete nonsense.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a very jarringly loud buzzing in her hand. Jinx jumped, as that noise would naturally prompt any person, then realised it was only Caityln calling.
“Geez took you long enough.” Jinx started as she accepted the call. “I would’ve done it by now.”
“Don’t joke about those things.”
Jinx did not miss that accent.
“No hello? How are you? I’m hurt Caitie.”
“Well saying you are going to end your life somewhat erases the need for niceties.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Jinx played with her braid thoughtlessly, falling back onto bed.
“What’s wrong Jinx?”
“So much!” She yelled, her attention snagged again. “Okay well, first things first! Have you heard of a particular family that may be a tiny bit famous… and eh, from Demacia?”
“Jinx…?”
“The Crownguards. You’ve heard of ‘em, right.”
“Well I have ears.”
“Okay, good…”
“And why?” Jinx could hear the concern in her voice.
“Well y’know they have this daughter…”
“Jinx if you’ve done anything to disturb the Crownguards, you are not getting home in one piece.”
“Well I haven’t done anything! She’s the evil asshole.”
“Jinx, seriously this is not a joke. What have you done to that girl.”
“Nothing! Relaaaax. The thing is, is that she’s a narcissistic dumbass and I have to do a group project with her.”
“Hold on, Luxanna Crownguard?”
“Ugh her stupid name. Yeah.”
“Jinx she’s lovely!” The concern was completely lost in her voice, replaced with a warm high-pitched tone. “I met her a few years ago. Oh I forgot she went to Rhayn… Anyways, if you have a problem with her than its really in your head, she a simple sweet girl.”
“Oh you’re just like the rest of them.” Jinx scoffed, lolling back her head to hit her bedframe.
“What did you do to Luxanna Crownguard to make you think that?”
“What did I do to her?! She’s vile! She pretends to be all nice and then is actually a monstrous hag. She said all these things Zaun… she’s the biggest classist ever and talked about the Kiramman’s… not the way the Pilties do.”
“Uh-huh, and what is this based on, Jinx.”
“Every interaction I’ve had with her!”
“Alright, is there an actual problem you have, other than not getting along with a classmate?”
“Did you not hear… I have to do this dumb project with her! And she’s an actual idiot Cait, it’ll be like teaching a rock to play fetch.”
“Jinx you sound quite prejudice.”
“No this is my judgement after I’ve met her. So its 100% true.”
“You know, most people tend to be polite about your… disposition, Jinx. Just because she might be a little less forgiving doesn’t entirely put her in the wrong.”
“Huh? What does that even mean?! She hates me only because I’m not in love with her like everyone else.”
Caityln’s breathed a long, droning sigh down the phone line.
“If there continues to be an issue, talk to me again, but for now try to be a little more… open-minded.”
Jinx scowled and sighed as loudly as she could.
“Anyways, what exact dates are you home for Christmas. Just so I know when to book flights.”
But their conversation aggravated her, she was in no mood to play nice, so she hung up and threw her phone on the bed.
She had work to do but was in no state of mind to do it. Instead she looked for a reply from Ekko.
little man| don’t let the Pilties win
Jinx| the voices r gonna win soon
Actually, she should probably not joke about that.