Read Online The Academy - First Days by C. L. Stone - Free Book Online Page B

His white collared
shirt looked rumpled. He smoothed some of his wavy brown hair back away from
his forehead. “I was coming for you.”
    “I’m sorry,” I said. “Mr. Blackbourne...”
    “Oh. Yeah,” he said, smiling. “No need to say more. But next time
wait for me. I’ll come get you.” He moved next to me so we were walking
together.
    “Sticking together?” I asked.
    His slender frame seemed to move so elegantly next to me that I
felt clumsy even though I was just walking. “It’s what we do.”
    I smiled. “How was your morning so far?”
    He shrugged. “It’s not the Academy.”
    I blinked at him, surprised that he would say it out loud. “Isn’t
that supposed to be a secret?”
    “No one’s listening,” he said.
    What he said confused me. I couldn’t figure out what this secret
school must be like. I imagined dark hallways and masks and other students who
were just as intelligent and beautiful as the boys were. Compared to the
cracked tiles of the floor, the lack of variety in the classes, and the rambunctious
students of Ashley Waters High School, what would inspire nine people to bother
with trying to make it better?
    “So how was Mr. Blackbourne?” he asked.
    “I need to get a violin by tomorrow,” I said. “Or I can’t go
back.”
    He smiled. “Yeah, he’s strict. Can you get one?”
    “It’s kind of short notice but I’ll have to ask my parents. My mom
isn’t too happy with me right now.”
    His fire eyes flickered. “I can go get you one.”
    I shook my head. “Victor, you can’t...”
    “Is this the right way?” he asked. He turned his head, looking for
the right door. I had a feeling he knew it was the correct way but he had
wanted to change the subject.
    We had to walk outside and down the long sidewalk to the trailer
furthest away from the school, number thirty-two. While the crowd thinned out
considerably the further out we went, Victor still walked close beside me so
that his arm was slightly in front of mine. Anyone who gave us a glance might
have thought we were holding hands. Was this how other friends walked together?
    He opened the door of the trailer for me. North was already
inside, sitting in the back row. I grabbed the seat in front of him and Victor
sat in front of me.
    “I’m in the middle again,” I said. “If I didn’t know any better,
I’d assume you guys planned this.”
    North playfully tugged at a strand of hair hanging in my face.
“Baby, we plan everything.”
    I didn’t doubt this. Now their plans involved me, dictating where
I was sitting or who walked with me to class. Strange but I found some comfort
in it. I only wished I knew what they knew so I didn’t feel like I was in the
dark. Maybe it only took getting used to.
    Victor sat back in his chair. I admired the way his wavy hair hung
around his ears. The clasp to the cord at his neck looked to be hanging by the
edge.
    “Hold still, Victor,” I said, reaching to his neck.
    At my touch, he jumped, rubbing where my fingers brushed his neck
as if I had pinched him. “What is it?” His eyebrows creased together.
    “Sorry,” I said. “Your necklace. The clasp didn’t look like it was
holding on very well.”
    His cheeks went red. “I thought it was a bug or something.”
    I laughed, shaking my head. “I wouldn’t have touched a bug.”
    “Well thanks.”
    “Turn around and I’ll fix it.”
    He hesitated and he glanced at others in the room. With his face
still red, he turned around. I adjusted the clasp so the chain was secure.
    “You’re going to lose it,” I said. “Be more careful.”
    His fingertips smoothed over the surface of the medallion. I was
about to ask him what the symbol meant but the teacher walked in.
    Mr. Morris was a thin man, with a closely cropped head of dark
hair and small eyes. He stood at the front of the room, his arms crossed over
his chest and as straight as an arrow. “Good morning. I’m Mr. Morris. You can
call me Mr. Morris or sir. I respond