screen with two As scissoring each other with Alchemist Academy written underneath them.
Jackie squinted at hers and turned it sideways.
“Oh, can each of you place your hand on the screen? It makes it yours,” Lola said.
I placed my hand on the glass and a red line ran down the screen.
“Great.” Lola walked to the door and put her back against it. “This is my favorite part.” She struggled to keep her brilliant whites from showing. “Are you ready to join us? Are you ready to be alchemists?”
“Hell, yeah. Let’s do this,” Jackie said. “I can already make stones like a beast.”
Lola crunched her mouth to one side. She touched the door and it swung open. “Well, then, say hello to the Academy.”
I leaned to the right, trying to see beyond the door as it opened. The first thing I noticed was more white. But then I saw faces. Too many faces, and all wearing the same stupid grin as Lola. They formed a half-circle around the door, maybe ten people deep. Each of them was wearing white with varying degrees of skin showing. Even some of the men were showing off their midriffs.
Interesting choice.
The first step toward the awaiting, smiling faces felt as if my leg weighed a hundred pounds. Mark took a couple of steps and then held. I wanted them all to stop looking at me, but they all had waiting faces, as if I’d just tapped on a glass at a wedding. I turned and Mark put an arm around me.
“Come on,” Mark said, and pulled me out of the door. He laughed. “Hello, everyone. I’m Mark, and this is Allie. And back there is Jackie.”
Jackie seemed downright dumbfounded, and she reached for her pocket. Searching for a stone, I was sure. If I had a stone, I’d definitely be armed at the moment.
Hellos and hi’s spread through the crowd. Then one girl with a long black braid started a slow clap. A few others joined in and then a few more. In a matter of seconds, they were all clapping in unison and with increasing speed.
Jackie crossed her arms and positioned herself closer to the door.
“Three… two….” Lola yelled a countdown. “One.”
They stopped clapping and yelled at once, “Welcome to Alchemist Academy!”
My mouth hung open and I didn’t know what to say, or even how to feel. The students rushed toward us with laughter, hands extended. Jackie ran to the doorway of the orientation room, glaring at the oncoming smiling faces.
Mark reached out to greet them. Some touched his shoulder and shook his hands. Many also went to me, greeting me with smiles and friendly words. Some shared their names and how excited they were to have us here with them. A few hugged me.
Through the crowd, I spotted a group of people standing near a tree. The only reason I saw them was because of the greenery behind them. They were huddled in a small group and kept glancing in our direction.
“So happy to have you with us, Allie,” the girl with the long braid said.
But I knew that tone, and I narrowed my sights on her. She sounded just like Bridget when she used to compliment me on… anything.
“Thanks,” I said.
She moved away and I heard her mumble something, but I couldn’t make it out as the next person replaced her with an enthusiastic welcome. Lola was bouncing over in the corner, just as excited as she had been before she opened the door. She greeted people and patted shoulders as the students walked away from us. Soon, the last few students had greeted us and turned to leave the area.
My heart was pounding in my chest. I had never met so many smiling people in my life, and so many completely excited strangers. No, that isn’t right. I had felt the same feeling from the people in room twenty-eight at the Dark Academy. They had nearly mauled me when we won. But at least then I’d felt as if I’d earned it. This felt unwarranted.
I sighed, thinking about room twenty-eight. I imagined the Reds in there at this moment, suffering a defeat from the Blues and then the subsequent abuse they’d
Jackie squinted at hers and turned it sideways.
“Oh, can each of you place your hand on the screen? It makes it yours,” Lola said.
I placed my hand on the glass and a red line ran down the screen.
“Great.” Lola walked to the door and put her back against it. “This is my favorite part.” She struggled to keep her brilliant whites from showing. “Are you ready to join us? Are you ready to be alchemists?”
“Hell, yeah. Let’s do this,” Jackie said. “I can already make stones like a beast.”
Lola crunched her mouth to one side. She touched the door and it swung open. “Well, then, say hello to the Academy.”
I leaned to the right, trying to see beyond the door as it opened. The first thing I noticed was more white. But then I saw faces. Too many faces, and all wearing the same stupid grin as Lola. They formed a half-circle around the door, maybe ten people deep. Each of them was wearing white with varying degrees of skin showing. Even some of the men were showing off their midriffs.
Interesting choice.
The first step toward the awaiting, smiling faces felt as if my leg weighed a hundred pounds. Mark took a couple of steps and then held. I wanted them all to stop looking at me, but they all had waiting faces, as if I’d just tapped on a glass at a wedding. I turned and Mark put an arm around me.
“Come on,” Mark said, and pulled me out of the door. He laughed. “Hello, everyone. I’m Mark, and this is Allie. And back there is Jackie.”
Jackie seemed downright dumbfounded, and she reached for her pocket. Searching for a stone, I was sure. If I had a stone, I’d definitely be armed at the moment.
Hellos and hi’s spread through the crowd. Then one girl with a long black braid started a slow clap. A few others joined in and then a few more. In a matter of seconds, they were all clapping in unison and with increasing speed.
Jackie crossed her arms and positioned herself closer to the door.
“Three… two….” Lola yelled a countdown. “One.”
They stopped clapping and yelled at once, “Welcome to Alchemist Academy!”
My mouth hung open and I didn’t know what to say, or even how to feel. The students rushed toward us with laughter, hands extended. Jackie ran to the doorway of the orientation room, glaring at the oncoming smiling faces.
Mark reached out to greet them. Some touched his shoulder and shook his hands. Many also went to me, greeting me with smiles and friendly words. Some shared their names and how excited they were to have us here with them. A few hugged me.
Through the crowd, I spotted a group of people standing near a tree. The only reason I saw them was because of the greenery behind them. They were huddled in a small group and kept glancing in our direction.
“So happy to have you with us, Allie,” the girl with the long braid said.
But I knew that tone, and I narrowed my sights on her. She sounded just like Bridget when she used to compliment me on… anything.
“Thanks,” I said.
She moved away and I heard her mumble something, but I couldn’t make it out as the next person replaced her with an enthusiastic welcome. Lola was bouncing over in the corner, just as excited as she had been before she opened the door. She greeted people and patted shoulders as the students walked away from us. Soon, the last few students had greeted us and turned to leave the area.
My heart was pounding in my chest. I had never met so many smiling people in my life, and so many completely excited strangers. No, that isn’t right. I had felt the same feeling from the people in room twenty-eight at the Dark Academy. They had nearly mauled me when we won. But at least then I’d felt as if I’d earned it. This felt unwarranted.
I sighed, thinking about room twenty-eight. I imagined the Reds in there at this moment, suffering a defeat from the Blues and then the subsequent abuse they’d
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