Alex Armstrong: Awakening (12 page)

Alex looked at the diamond sitting on his desk. “Yes sir.”

“Start whenever you’re ready.”

Alex’s diamond spun to life and whistled through the air to the upper left corner of the room. It passed through the bracelet-sized ring and immediately banked to the right and made for its next target. Alex swiveled his head and tracked his diamond as it sizzled around the walls. In less than half the time it was back at his desk, still spinning.

Alex noticed the redhead on the far left side of the front row had fallen asleep. He glanced at Professor Startsman and grinned. His diamond jumped to life again and then arced across the row and hovered directly above her head. He tapped her left shoulder. She awoke with a snort and a shudder and looked left. Alex tapped her right shoulder. She snapped right. The class started laughing. Alex bopped her twice on the head. Her neighbor laughed and pointed at Alex, but by the time the redhead turned to look, the diamond was back at Alex’s desk.

Professor Startsman laughed louder than anyone. “Impressive. Very impressive. Oh, Chris will like that.”

Alex smiled and looked down. Eva kicked his foot.

“But you know what would be truly impressive? If your friends could do the same. Because they’re obviously not picking it up through osmosis.” He shot Patrick a playful smile.

“Yes sir.”

“Help them out. Teach them. Get them to your level. Now
that
would be something.” Professor Startsman moved up the aisle.

“I hope you have a lot of patience,” Patrick said.

“I do. Who wants to get started?”

“Me,” Nate said. His rings turned end-over-end a foot above his desk. “Start with how you got your diamond moving that fast.”

****

“Okay, everyone. Class dismissed!” Professor Startsman sat on the edge of his table, legs dangling.

“Good, I’m feeling a nap coming on,” Patrick said.

“Mr. Armstrong.”

Alex was half-standing in his seat. Oh no. What now?

“How about giving me a hand?” He placed two plastic bins on his table. One was marked
Borts
. The other was marked
Rings
.

Alex noticed that most of the students had stopped in the aisle. His friends were still at his side.

“I usually start with the rings.”

It took every bit of Alex’s effort to keep from pulling his eyebrows. Why was Startsman making him do this in front of the other students? Why couldn’t he just meet with him after class if he wanted to test his powers?

“Need some help?”

“No sir.” Alex took a deep breath and instantly every graphite ring in Blue101 floated into the air, all the way to the ceiling. They hung there for a second, spinning. And then, one-by-one in rapid succession, they made straight for the plastic container,
tick, tick, tick, ticking
as they stacked neatly in place.

Another deep breath and now every ugly little diamond arced into the air and congregated above Alex’s head so that together the group was the size of a basketball. Alex kept them tight and, with an invisible hand, palmed the whole thing and slammed it home into the plastic bin with a loud
CRASH
. A few of the borts bounced into the air, but there was no spillage.

“With gusto!” Professor Startsman said, clapping. “Well done.” He noticed that the other students weren’t moving. “Standing there in the aisle with your mouths gaping is not a good look. Go get some food. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Patrick put a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “You’ve got a lot of tricks to show us.”

“Not you, too. Jesus, I’m starting to feel like some kind of freak show.”

“Hey, that’s not a bad idea,” Patrick said. “You start coming up with new material, and I’ll start charging people an admission fee.” He held an imaginary microphone. “Step right up, step right up! Come see the Amazing Alex Armstrong perform tricks that are sure to mystify and stupefy even the most—”

“Cut it out,” Nate said, laughing. “Don’t pay attention to him, Alex. Everyone at this school’s a freak show, remember? Come on, let’s go get lunch. I’m starving.”

“Uh oh,” Patrick said. “His veggie tank’s running on empty. To the broccoli!” He hustled to the aisle, bumping a few students on the way.

“What a goof,” Eva said. “You guys go ahead. I need to use the restroom.”

“Alex’ll hang with you,” Nate said. “We’ll see you guys over there.” He turned and left Alex and Eva standing at their seats.

“I’ll only be a minute. It’s on the way.”

Alex nodded. He followed her up the aisle and down the hallway.

“Can you hold this?”

Alex shouldered her backpack and leaned against the wall. It was the first time he’d been alone with her since the dream. He had been dreading this moment, convinced it was going to be awkward. So far so good, though. Still, his heart beat faster than normal.

“That looks good on you,” Eva said. “I’ve always liked guys in pink.”

“Then you’d love me with my purse. It’s quite fabulous.”

“Oh really? You have shoes to match?”

“High heels. It’s a Saturday night thing.” Alex kept a straight face.

“You’re funny. Come on. Let’s go.” She took her backpack.

“You were doing better at the end there,” he said. He pushed open the door and she crouched under his arm.

“Thanks. I was struggling at the beginning, though.”

“You were? I didn’t notice.”

“No one did. Thank goodness for Patrick drawing all the attention.”

“Yeah, he’s got a knack for it.”

“But really, though. I couldn’t do it until you started helping us at the end. When he first started up with Patrick, my diamond was on the table, too.” She shrugged. “Maybe the Professor just likes me more.”

“Well, you’re definitely more likable than Patrick.” They neared the Dining Hall.

“Yeah I guess. But I was thinking…‌could you help me? Maybe take me with you the next time you go hiking?” Eva looked down and started kicking something with her shoe.

Alex’s chest tightened and his cheeks grew hot. He started picturing the backseat but one hard blink and he forced the image from his mind. He smiled and nodded as he answered, “Definitely. I’d like that.”

She looked up and found his blue eyes. “Good. It’s a date. When do we start?”

“How about Wednesday?” He paused at the front door of the DH.

Eva smiled. “Perfect. I’ll bring some snacks.” She leaned forward and gave him a short, tight hug. She turned and walked toward the dorms.

“Wait a minute. Aren’t you going to eat lunch?”

“I’m not hungry.”

Alex looked at the door and then back at Eva.

“I’ll be fine. Call me when yall are headed for dinner.” She waved and went on her way, a little bounce to her step.

Alex stood there, watching Eva’s hair flash gold in the sunlight. Part of him wondered if she would glance back. Another part wondered what it was he was feeling right now.

And then green met blue. He smiled. No more wondering.

13 - Flight Training

13

Flight Training

Patrick craned his neck and huffed a cloud of vapor. “Kinda chilly this morning.”

“Kinda? It’s
freezing
. Can we please walk faster?”

Alex looked at Eva and grinned. She wore two jackets and a pair of neon green running gloves.

“I don’t know. Patrick, you still stuck on cruising speed?” Nate said.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, the dodgeball incident. Dude, don’t even act like you don’t remember. You were hobbling around for a couple days last week.”

“Oh, yeah,” Eva said. “Did you wear a cup today?” Alex and Nate laughed.

“Ha, ha. Very funny. But you guys underestimate my mental fortitude. I’ve moved on. Bigger and better things today. I’ve got the eye of the tiger.”

“Yeah, okay, tiger. You don’t even know what the lab’s gonna be,” Eva said.

“Well it’d be a good bet that it’s something involving balls and a target.”

“Like last week, when your balls were the target,” Alex said.

“Touché. You know what I meant, though. There was the basketball one…‌the ping pong lab…‌and then last week with the, well…‌you know. Anyway, today’s redemption day. From now on, the girls will no longer know me as that short kid that got hit in the balls. They’ll know me as—”

“That short kid,” Alex said. Nate and Eva laughed.

“I was gonna say ‘that stud that came up with my new favorite saying,’ but you might be right.”

“Eva, you hearing this?” Nate said. “My boy needs some lovin. Can’t you hook him up with one of those girls up there? Put a good word in?”

“Yeah, yeah. Tell em that even though I’m short that I’ve got huuuge shoes,” he said, spreading his hands.

“I am
not
saying that. Besides, I don’t talk with any of them. Yall are the only ones I hang out with.” She pursed her lips and thought about it. “I guess I’ve never really had many girl friends. Guys are just nicer. Girls are—well a lot of them are kinda mean.”

“So? Mean’s okay,” Patrick said.

Eva shook her head and sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“That’s what I’m talkin about! Don’t you worry. I’ll make your job easy. It’ll be a good showing today. Like I said—” Patrick stopped talking and squinted at the field near the Blue building. “Well that’s random. Looks like the yoga girls have been replaced by a couple dudes wearing motorcycle helmets. And it looks like they’re beating the crap outta each other with those sticks. What the hell…‌Oh!” He turned and slapped Alex on the shoulder. “I know what that is! It’s called Smash. It’s a game the Greyjeans play.”

“So those two are…”

“Greyjeans. Yup.”

“How do you know that?” Nate said.

“I read it. It’s like in chapter twenty-two or something.”

“I didn’t know you could read,” Eva said.

“Very funny.”

CLACK. CLACK. CLACK
. Alex watched the two upperclassmen swinging away, their wooden swords colliding in a steady rhythm. A rubber ball floated between them. “Too bad lightsabers don’t exist.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Nate said.

“You guys are such nerds,” Patrick said.

“The Force is not strong with this one,” Alex said.

“Mmmm. Weak-minded, he is,” Nate said, using his best Yoda impression.

“Good Lord. Why do we hang out with them?” Patrick said.

Eva smiled.

“Well, you guys can have Star Wars. I wanna learn how to play that game. It’s got my name written all over it.”

“Dude, you wouldn’t be able to
reach
anybody with those little arms!”

“What? Oh, it’s on. I don’t know when it’ll be, but whenever it is that we have our own game of Smash, you’re goin down.”

Nate just smiled. The four of them stood there and watched. The one wearing the purple helmet dropped to his knees and took a hard swipe at the other’s ankles. When that guy jumped back, Purple Helmet sent the little rubber ball straight into the other’s stomach, drawing a loud “Oooofff!”

“Yikes.”

“Having second thoughts?”

“Pssh. Never. Step aside, Broccoli. Time for me to strut.” Patrick bumped Nate out of the way and pushed open Blue’s door.

“He’s on a mission,” Eva said.

“He’s on
something
,” Alex said. “Shall we?”

****

Alex could tell this lab was going to be different. The gleaming silver tables that they hadn’t seen since their pill-swallowing day were back, large plastic bins sitting atop each one. There wasn’t a ball in sight.

“Go ahead and find a workstation,” Professor Startsman said. He wore his usual short-sleeved button-up and khakis. “Lab’s a little different today. I’ll explain it once everyone’s here.”

Patrick quick-stepped to the first open table and slung his backpack against the wall. He stood on his tiptoes and peeked into the plastic bin.

“What is it?” Nate said.

“Legos!” Patrick was smiling.

“Legos? Man, I haven’t played with those things since I was a kid.”

“Same here,” Alex said. “Should be interesting.”

“Should be
awesome
,” Patrick said. “I’m like a Lego savant. I wonder how many bricks he’s got in this thing.” He leaned against the table and started to reach his hand inside the bin.

“Not so fast, Patrick!” Startsman’s voice stopped him mid-reach. He shrank away from the bin, his face red and his eyes down.

Professor Startsman stood at the front of the lab and tucked his shirt and tightened his belt and stuffed the remainder into his pants. He counted the students. “Okay, I think everybody’s here. Let’s get started.

“What lies before you is my personal Lego collection: a collection that’s taken me
years
to accumulate. As you can probably imagine, I am quite fond of it. One week a year, I bring them to school, away from the safety of my home.” Professor Startsman grabbed a few bricks from the nearest table and shook them in his hand as if they were dice. “Now, this is usually the part of my speech when I tell you to treat each and every Lego brick with respect; when I threaten you with bodily harm if anything goes missing.” His hard stare softened a bit. “But not this year.

“Since you represent my final freshman class, this Lego lab will be quite different. We will not be treating these pieces with any respect. In fact, I’m hoping to obliterate some of these bricks in spectacular fashion.

“I will keep the instructions brief. You are to use my Legos to build an aircraft, although I use that term loosely. What you deem an aircraft is entirely up to you. My only rule is that it must be at least four inches wide and six inches long. And of course you can’t use your hands.

“Any questions? No? Good. You will have one hour. After that, we’ll move next door for our contest. That’s where the real fun begins.”

****

“Why don’t you try to dress it up a little? You know, use something other than black,” Nate said.

“Probably not a bad idea,” Patrick said. “Unless you were going for the ‘retarded crow’ look. Cause if you were, then by all means leave it alone. You nailed it.”

Eva sighed. It did sort of look like a crow.

“It’s not that bad,” Alex said.

“No. It is. It’s really ugly,” she said.