The Academy - First Days (32 page)

I nodded, nervous now that the phone could do something like that.
I made sure to turn the screen off before putting it back into place in my bra.
I didn’t want to hit one accidentally. “What about the boys? Could they reach
me?”

Dr. Green smiled softly. “I haven’t added you. I don’t think
they’ll be calling you in an emergency.”

That was probably true, but it was disappointing. I liked to think
I could help in some small way. I smiled at him and collected my things from
the floor.

“Where are you going?” Dr. Green asked, looking curious.

“Kota and Nathan are waiting outside for me. I’m supposed to walk
around the building a few times and find a place in the courtyard opposite of
where they’re usually sitting.”

Mr. Blackbourne shook his head. “You should try talking to other
people.”

“I’m just trying to get through Friday without any more
incidents,” I said.

The corner of Mr. Blackbourne’s mouth dipped. “Are you sure you
can handle this?”

“I’ve managed this far,” I promised.

That didn’t seem to be the answer he was hoping for but he nodded
shortly at me. “Call if you need anything,” he said. He opened the door for me.

I stepped out into the hallway with my heart pounding. The moment
the door was closed behind me, it felt like the end. My hand fluttered to the
base of my neck. I straightened and moved forward. Kota and the others would be
nearby, I kept telling myself. I needed to think calmly and be aware of others
and keep my head down.

Out in the hallway, I flitted my eyes around at the many faces but
Kota and Nathan had disappeared into the crowd. I waited only for a moment to
make sure they had noticed I was out. I picked a direction and headed through
the throng of students.

The feeling was so familiar to me. I kept my eyes straight ahead,
not looking right or left to avoid attention. I walked at a slower pace, too. I
took a loop through the main hallway, and proceeded through side doors that
lead down another hall toward the cafeteria. Chattering filled my ears. Was that
my name being spoken? Were they watching me walking alone? Did they think
something was out of place? Did anyone care at all?

The cafeteria was busy. The tables were full and I weaved my way
through them. A couple of whistles sounded. I felt my heart racing, hoping they
weren’t aimed at me. I ignored it and no one stopped me. I did my best to look
as if I was heading to somewhere specific and didn’t have time to bother with
them. At certain points I was worried I might lose Kota and Nathan as I was
surrounded by people.

I made the turn around again to the main hallway and opened the
door to the courtyard. I caught sight of Victor and Gabriel in the corner. I
felt their gazes on me as I turned in the opposite direction for a bench on the
other side of the courtyard.

I found a bench where a thin boy with bad acne had his head buried
in a book, trying to look as small and inconspicuous as I was trying to go for.
Perfect, I thought. It was where I would belong. The no-name, nobody-special
spot.

I plopped my things down at the foot of the bench, pulled the book
out that we were supposed to be reading for English. I tried to appear focused
on it but I couldn’t help but glance up on occasion. I could easily see Kota
and the others across the courtyard. I tried not to stare and draw attention.

I recognized a handful of the people that hung around the
courtyard. There were some gamer geeks on the next bench over. The conversation
revolved around Halo and other video games and some talk about weekend plans.
There were a couple of hippy groups sitting together in the grass. For the most
part they were quiet. One of the boys had his head buried in a girl’s lap and
appeared to be asleep.

Surprisingly, I felt jealous. I would give anything in that moment
to feel the boys next to me. I missed Kota’s lap, Gabriel’s chop, and the
others holding my hand and touching me. The morning bell seemed to take
forever. I wanted to look at my phone to check the time. I wanted to get into
class, thinking the time would move by faster if I was busy with school work.

When the bell finally rang, I picked up my things and made a
beeline for homeroom. Kota had made it clear to me that between classes, I was
to do nothing but head straight to my next stop. The others would do the work
of keeping up with me.

I immersed with the crowded hallway. There was the usual amount of
whistling and cat calls and random shouts. I ignored it all. At one point, the
hallways crowded so much that I was forced to stop and wait as people sorted
themselves out. I paused apprehensively, keeping an eye on the moods of
everyone around me. Was he angry? Would he start picking on me? Was Mr. McCoy
hiding around the corner and waiting for me to mess up?

At homeroom, I felt a little awkward for not picking the same spot
I usually did next to the door with North and Luke. I picked another desk near
the back. I kept my eyes on the door as others filed in. My heart lifted a
little as North and Luke entered. They dropped into their seats and North
pushed his bag into the middle seat between them. I hid my grin, wondering why
he was saving my seat when I wouldn’t be near them for a while. It was like
some small amount of protest or like they wouldn’t let anyone else sit there if
I couldn’t. Neither of them looked at me but I felt so much better now that I
could actually see them.

I admired how they looked in their new uniforms. North’s blue
blazer looked out of place on him since I was so used to his black clothes. The
tie, however, looked striking on him. Luke’s white shirt was half unbuttoned,
no tie. His blond hair was tucked behind his head in my clip. They were always
well dressed, but seeing them in the uniforms had my heart spiraling. They were
gorgeous.

Greg slipped into the classroom at the last minute. His eyes fell
on the empty seat between North and Luke. He spotted me at the back. He flashed
a grin. I tried to look bored and bent over to pretend to dig in my book bag
for something I needed.

“Hey there, Sang,” Greg said. He snapped his fingers at the girl
sitting to my left. She flinched. He jerked his thumb at her. “Move over there,
bitch, that’s my seat.”

I shot the girl a sympathetic look, silently pleading with her to
refuse. She frowned but moved to a seat closer to the front.

Greg slid into the chair and hung over the edge of it. He didn’t
have any books or notebooks with him. The scent of menthol cigarettes lingered
like a cloud around him. “So did you break up with your boyfriends?” he asked.

I kept my lips glued together. I pulled a notebook out of my bag
and a pen and started writing random things just to appear busy.

“Hey,” Greg said in a strong whisper as the teacher started
calling roll. “Sang. Are you going to go out with me or what?”

I focused on the notebook.

“You mad at me?” he asked. “Am I not nice enough for you?”

I glanced up at Mr. Ferguson, watching his jowls wobble as he
tripped over names. It was an excuse to slide a side glance at North, who was
looking in our direction. His expression was stony but I knew he was just
waiting for me to tell him when he should intervene. I gave the slightest shake
of my head to tell him to calm down. I could handle Greg.

Greg leaned over the front of his desk and he poked the guy in
front of him. “Psst,” he said. “Yo. Give me that.”

I couldn’t see what he was demanding but a moment later the guy in
front of him handed back a brand new number two pencil. Greg snatched it from
the guy and held it out for me in front of my face.

“Look,” he said. “I got you a gift.”

“You’ve got a stolen pencil,” I said quietly. I had to back my
head up as the pencil was right in front of my face. “I don’t want it.”

“Unappreciative bitch,” he spat at me. His mouth twisted into a
grin. “You playing hard to get, right? I like it. I like fighting for my girl.”

I rolled my eyes, put my notebook away and sat back in my chair,
crossing my arms over my chest and ready to stare ahead until he stopped
talking.

Another one of the guys caught Greg’s attention and he leaned over
his chair on the other side to talk to him. I was grateful he had a
distraction. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation.

“Yo,” the guy said to Greg. “Friday Fall.”

“I know, it’s going to be sweet. We picked anyone out yet?” Greg
asked. “My girlfriend and I are gonna be there to watch.” He jerked his head in
my direction.

I rolled my eyes.

“When is it?” The guy asked, seeming dismissive of me.

“Wait for the signal,” Greg said.

What was Friday Fall? Some kind of school event?

Their conversation turned to what they were going to do that
weekend, and that mostly consisted of boasts about how much they would sleep
all day and stay up all night. Trivial. The conversation lasted until the bell
for dismissal to the next class.

I picked up my things, crossing the room with my head down now,
trying to escape without Greg coming after me.

North remained in his seat but as soon as I started to pass him,
he held out something behind his back. I reached for it, taking what felt like
a packet from his hands. The slight touch of his fingers sparked warmth that
spilled through my body. I clasped the paper packet in my hand, feeling the
keys inside as he had promised.

In English class, I slipped inside before any of the boys entered.
I picked a seat at the far back near the door. I dropped my things under the
desk. I checked the packet North gave me. It was a neatly folded piece of
notebook paper with my name scrawled over the front. I opened it up to pull
from it four keys, including the original. The inside of the paper had a note:

Do you like me? Yes [ ] No[ ]

My throat closed up and it took the strongest effort so far that
morning to blink away the tears. I took out my pen, drew a heart over the yes,
and below it I wrote:

Miss you all already. Do you like me?

As soon as I finished, I thought it was too much but I had written
it in pen so I couldn’t take it back. I refolded the note and stuffed it into
the pocket of my book bag.

Luke, Gabriel and Kota sat together on the other side of the room,
with Gabriel taking my seat. Class started and we got back our graded poems.
Ms. Johnson had us start on an essay project. I was focused on my notebook,
willing for time to tick by as I scribbled notes for the essay. I sensed motion
around me and dismissed it at the sound of the pencil sharpener grinding a
pencil.

I was adding another line to my essay when I felt a presence near
my desk. I looked up in time to see Gabriel walking away with a freshly
sharpened pencil and my finished poem that he grabbed from my desk. The glint
in his eyes betrayed his stony, disinterested mask. I smirked, looking back
down, hiding my blush with a palm as I tried to remember the lines of my poem
and if it sounded stupid.

Close to the end of class, the person in front of me dropped a
folded note on my desk. I blinked at it, unsure what to do. Was it meant for
me? I checked it quickly, looking at the handwriting. My name was spelled
wrong. I stuffed it into the bottom of my bag quickly. The boys knew my name so
it wasn’t from them. Anyone watching and hoping for an answer might think I was
going to read it later but would be sorely disappointed when I didn’t reply.

When the bell rang, I was heading out the door and back outside
toward the building. I felt something slip into my hand and I closed my fingers
around a thickly folded note. I looked up in time to see Kota stepping double
time ahead of me and disappearing into the crowd. I smiled, pushing the note
into my palm. I’d read a note from Kota any time.

I was the second to get to geometry class. I knew North would be
right behind me. Nathan sat in his spot in class, keeping the seat in front
free for North. I took the note out meant for North and dropped it on the desk
before I passed around the back to sit on the other side of the room.

Nathan had grabbed the note and he was unfolding it when North
walked in. He crossed the room quickly, snatching the paper out of Nathan’s
fingers. Nathan said something to him but North fell into his seat, looking at
the page. His dark eyes softened and he pulled a pen and a notebook out of his
bag, stuffing the note into his pocket.

From the place I was sitting, I had an easier time glancing at
North and Nathan casually without making it too obvious, or so I thought. I
caught Nathan looking over at me on occasion. We’d share a look. He’d make a
face. I’d wink at him. He’d grin and bend his head over his book again.

When I thought I could, I unfolded Kota’s note.

I like your poem better.

I rolled my eyes, stuffing the note into my geometry book. I couldn’t
help the small smile on my face.

A couple of notes fell into my hands during class. I checked them
just to see if they were from North. When I didn’t recognize the names, I
dropped them into my bag, unanswered.