Read Online The Academy - Introductions by C. L. Stone - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: C. L. Stone
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hit the far wall and he slid
down until he was sitting on the floor, looking dazed.
Kota stepped between us, his hands positioned in a stance
I’d seen in karate movies. Holy crap, Kota knows Kung Fu.
My mouth opened to say something but I couldn’t form the
words. Victor materialized next to me. He took one look at Greg and then
grabbed for my good hand. He wrapped his fingers around my palm and pulled me
out of the hallway without a word. Kota remained behind. Would he get hurt when
Greg recovered? Could Kota defend himself?
Victor pulled me back out into the food court and we weaved
our way around tables. My mind was everywhere; Greg’s bad breath lingered in my
nose, reviewing Kota flipping him over, Victor’s palm pressed into mine.
Silas was leaning against our table. He took one look at
Victor’s face and he stood up. “Where’s Kota?”
“In the hallway. He’s got it. We’re leaving.”
Silas’s eyes scanned the food court for the hallway. “I’m
going to check. We’ll meet you at the car.”
Victor held on to me as we nearly jogged out of the mall.
His thumb brushed at the crevice between my thumb and forefinger. My palm
started to sweat and I was embarrassed about it but he didn’t seem fazed. The
silence between us left room to worry about Kota and Silas and I wished we
could go back and check on them.
Victor didn't let go of me until we got to his car so he
could take his keys out. Victor handed off his plastic bag to me as he unlocked
the car.
“Get in behind me,” he said. “I’m going to pull up to the
curb so they can get in quickly.”
What if they got hurt? I hadn’t seen Greg’s friends around
but they must have noticed he went in there and Silas going in after them. I
held the plastic bag up to my chest, folding my arms over it and trying to
breathe slowly. This was my fault. I should have stuck with Silas.
Victor started the car and made a loop around the parking
lot until he pulled up next to the curb in front of the department store doors.
We waited. My breath caught every time the doors opened and it wasn’t the guys.
“Come on...” Victor urged under his breath, his hands
twisting at the wheel.
Two minutes later, Silas and Kota both appeared at the
doors and stepped out. They tried to look casual but they were walking double
time and went right for the car. Silas climbed in back with me and Kota took
the front seat.
I kept my eyes glued to the door of the mall as Victor
pulled away. I turned, putting my knees in the seat and facing backwards to
look out the rear window, watching for any sign of Greg or his friends.
“Are they out there?” Victor asked.
“I don’t see them,” I said.
“I think we lost them,” Kota said, sounding breathless,
leaning against the seat. “Only I got worried when we made a circle in one
department store trying to shake them.”
“Sang, it’s alright. You can sit,” Silas said. His finger
jab me in my side. Unfortunately it was the side that was bruised and I wasn’t
expecting it. I winced and cried out an ouch before I could catch myself.
Silas’s eyes widened. His large hand pushed me back up
against the seat, holding me there. He lifted my blouse away from the top of my
skirt. I could feel cool air on the bruise and I shivered.
“Where did that come from?” he demanded.
“I...”
He let go of me, turning his body to face the door. His
hand clutched the handle. “Turn the car around.”
“Silas,” Kota started.
His fists clenched and he spoke through his teeth. “I said
turn it around.”
“It wasn’t him,” I said quickly. I felt eyes fall on me
again. I swallowed, feeling my stomach twisting. “That’s from yesterday. Greg
never touched me.”
The car fell into silence. I turned around, sliding into
place and sitting back.
“Was it from Max?” Kota asked in a quiet tone.
I averted my eyes, focusing on the back of Victor’s seat.
“Yes,” I said quietly. I felt my lip quiver and I bit at it
down until he was sitting on the floor, looking dazed.
Kota stepped between us, his hands positioned in a stance
I’d seen in karate movies. Holy crap, Kota knows Kung Fu.
My mouth opened to say something but I couldn’t form the
words. Victor materialized next to me. He took one look at Greg and then
grabbed for my good hand. He wrapped his fingers around my palm and pulled me
out of the hallway without a word. Kota remained behind. Would he get hurt when
Greg recovered? Could Kota defend himself?
Victor pulled me back out into the food court and we weaved
our way around tables. My mind was everywhere; Greg’s bad breath lingered in my
nose, reviewing Kota flipping him over, Victor’s palm pressed into mine.
Silas was leaning against our table. He took one look at
Victor’s face and he stood up. “Where’s Kota?”
“In the hallway. He’s got it. We’re leaving.”
Silas’s eyes scanned the food court for the hallway. “I’m
going to check. We’ll meet you at the car.”
Victor held on to me as we nearly jogged out of the mall.
His thumb brushed at the crevice between my thumb and forefinger. My palm
started to sweat and I was embarrassed about it but he didn’t seem fazed. The
silence between us left room to worry about Kota and Silas and I wished we
could go back and check on them.
Victor didn't let go of me until we got to his car so he
could take his keys out. Victor handed off his plastic bag to me as he unlocked
the car.
“Get in behind me,” he said. “I’m going to pull up to the
curb so they can get in quickly.”
What if they got hurt? I hadn’t seen Greg’s friends around
but they must have noticed he went in there and Silas going in after them. I
held the plastic bag up to my chest, folding my arms over it and trying to
breathe slowly. This was my fault. I should have stuck with Silas.
Victor started the car and made a loop around the parking
lot until he pulled up next to the curb in front of the department store doors.
We waited. My breath caught every time the doors opened and it wasn’t the guys.
“Come on...” Victor urged under his breath, his hands
twisting at the wheel.
Two minutes later, Silas and Kota both appeared at the
doors and stepped out. They tried to look casual but they were walking double
time and went right for the car. Silas climbed in back with me and Kota took
the front seat.
I kept my eyes glued to the door of the mall as Victor
pulled away. I turned, putting my knees in the seat and facing backwards to
look out the rear window, watching for any sign of Greg or his friends.
“Are they out there?” Victor asked.
“I don’t see them,” I said.
“I think we lost them,” Kota said, sounding breathless,
leaning against the seat. “Only I got worried when we made a circle in one
department store trying to shake them.”
“Sang, it’s alright. You can sit,” Silas said. His finger
jab me in my side. Unfortunately it was the side that was bruised and I wasn’t
expecting it. I winced and cried out an ouch before I could catch myself.
Silas’s eyes widened. His large hand pushed me back up
against the seat, holding me there. He lifted my blouse away from the top of my
skirt. I could feel cool air on the bruise and I shivered.
“Where did that come from?” he demanded.
“I...”
He let go of me, turning his body to face the door. His
hand clutched the handle. “Turn the car around.”
“Silas,” Kota started.
His fists clenched and he spoke through his teeth. “I said
turn it around.”
“It wasn’t him,” I said quickly. I felt eyes fall on me
again. I swallowed, feeling my stomach twisting. “That’s from yesterday. Greg
never touched me.”
The car fell into silence. I turned around, sliding into
place and sitting back.
“Was it from Max?” Kota asked in a quiet tone.
I averted my eyes, focusing on the back of Victor’s seat.
“Yes,” I said quietly. I felt my lip quiver and I bit at it
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