it off
when I caught a look Nikko threw Jayce.
“ What?” Jayce
whispered.
Nikko sighed and gestured to the
whiteboard.
‘ The Galdoni Impact on Our
Economy’ was written across the top in red marker. Bullet points
and a graph showing the jump in tax money collected since gambling
was legalized for the show fifteen years ago were drawn in blue and
green. I glanced at Brie and saw her reading the bullet points, her
lips a tight crease.
“ Alright students,” began
the teacher, a woman with tightly-curled, short blond hair and blue
eyes hidden behind cat-eye glasses. She smoothed the front of her
calf-length brown dress. “We have a new student in class. Some of
you may have met him already, but please say hello to Kale
Matthews.”
She motioned to me and a few boys said
disinterested hellos while several girls turned to look at me; I
felt for a moment like a bug under inspection. Three girls gave shy
smiles with little waves while a pair in the front corner turned
back and started giggling.
The teacher ignored them and jumped into her
lecture. “As we began to discuss yesterday, the Galdoni impact has
been more markedly felt in the past month and a half since the
program was discontinued. Because of this and the government’s
steps to take care of those individuals that misused the funds set
aside for the program, the Arena is being reopened. There are some
who feel that closing the Arena for this short stint of time was
planned. Does anyone have an answer as to why that might be?”
A boy with short black hair and stars buzzed
into the sides of his head raised his hand. “Supply and demand,” he
said.
“ That’s right,” she
continued. “As the supply runs out, the demand increases. I expect
that when the Arena airs again, twice as many people will be
inclined to gamble on the outcomes.”
A girl with chin-length brunette hair raised
her hand. “Isn’t it illegal for the government to hold a monopoly
on the program?”
The teacher shook her head and began a
discussion on needs versus wants and their places in the economy. I
zoned out her high voice, lost in the mind-numbing thought that the
Arena was reopening. Reason dictated that it was only a matter of
time, but the time had come quicker than I imagined. I didn’t hear
the bell ring and Nikko had to nudge me when the class was
over.
***
The intermediate algebra class I shared with
Brie went quickly. Math had always come easily to me; it was taught
at the Academy to calculate variables, increase attack efficiency,
and for better energy management and preservation during a fight. I
was actually able to show Brie a few shortcuts on the problems and
it felt good to at least know something in one of my classes.
Jayce and Brie held back smiles when they
left Nikko and I at Mr. Derby’s Art class. I took a seat at one of
the long white tables next to Nikko and promptly found out why.
“ A new student!” the
teacher said. He was a skinny man with wild brown hair and red
glasses. He adjusted a white apron covered in paint splatters, then
held out a hand. “Mr. Derby, at your service.”
“ Uh, Kale,” I said,
glancing at Nikko. He just grinned and sat back to
watch.
“ Kale, you are welcome to
our class!” He waved an arm to indicate the entire classroom which
was very slowly filling with students who only seemed to perk up
when they noticed the teacher with a new student. “Here we learn
how art and color coincide to create magic.” I lifted an eyebrow
and he laughed. “Exactly, my boy!” He turned to the rest of the
class and clapped his hands. “Places, places. Let the magic
begin!”
Nikko pulled out a rough charcoal sketch he
was working on of an old barn next to a magnificent oak tree.
“ You did that?” I asked,
amazed.
He nodded, sliding a plain sheet of paper
toward me. “Make whatever you want. Mr. Derby isn’t specific. He
just says to make it magical.” He rolled his eyes with a barely
suppressed smile as Mr.
when I caught a look Nikko threw Jayce.
“ What?” Jayce
whispered.
Nikko sighed and gestured to the
whiteboard.
‘ The Galdoni Impact on Our
Economy’ was written across the top in red marker. Bullet points
and a graph showing the jump in tax money collected since gambling
was legalized for the show fifteen years ago were drawn in blue and
green. I glanced at Brie and saw her reading the bullet points, her
lips a tight crease.
“ Alright students,” began
the teacher, a woman with tightly-curled, short blond hair and blue
eyes hidden behind cat-eye glasses. She smoothed the front of her
calf-length brown dress. “We have a new student in class. Some of
you may have met him already, but please say hello to Kale
Matthews.”
She motioned to me and a few boys said
disinterested hellos while several girls turned to look at me; I
felt for a moment like a bug under inspection. Three girls gave shy
smiles with little waves while a pair in the front corner turned
back and started giggling.
The teacher ignored them and jumped into her
lecture. “As we began to discuss yesterday, the Galdoni impact has
been more markedly felt in the past month and a half since the
program was discontinued. Because of this and the government’s
steps to take care of those individuals that misused the funds set
aside for the program, the Arena is being reopened. There are some
who feel that closing the Arena for this short stint of time was
planned. Does anyone have an answer as to why that might be?”
A boy with short black hair and stars buzzed
into the sides of his head raised his hand. “Supply and demand,” he
said.
“ That’s right,” she
continued. “As the supply runs out, the demand increases. I expect
that when the Arena airs again, twice as many people will be
inclined to gamble on the outcomes.”
A girl with chin-length brunette hair raised
her hand. “Isn’t it illegal for the government to hold a monopoly
on the program?”
The teacher shook her head and began a
discussion on needs versus wants and their places in the economy. I
zoned out her high voice, lost in the mind-numbing thought that the
Arena was reopening. Reason dictated that it was only a matter of
time, but the time had come quicker than I imagined. I didn’t hear
the bell ring and Nikko had to nudge me when the class was
over.
***
The intermediate algebra class I shared with
Brie went quickly. Math had always come easily to me; it was taught
at the Academy to calculate variables, increase attack efficiency,
and for better energy management and preservation during a fight. I
was actually able to show Brie a few shortcuts on the problems and
it felt good to at least know something in one of my classes.
Jayce and Brie held back smiles when they
left Nikko and I at Mr. Derby’s Art class. I took a seat at one of
the long white tables next to Nikko and promptly found out why.
“ A new student!” the
teacher said. He was a skinny man with wild brown hair and red
glasses. He adjusted a white apron covered in paint splatters, then
held out a hand. “Mr. Derby, at your service.”
“ Uh, Kale,” I said,
glancing at Nikko. He just grinned and sat back to
watch.
“ Kale, you are welcome to
our class!” He waved an arm to indicate the entire classroom which
was very slowly filling with students who only seemed to perk up
when they noticed the teacher with a new student. “Here we learn
how art and color coincide to create magic.” I lifted an eyebrow
and he laughed. “Exactly, my boy!” He turned to the rest of the
class and clapped his hands. “Places, places. Let the magic
begin!”
Nikko pulled out a rough charcoal sketch he
was working on of an old barn next to a magnificent oak tree.
“ You did that?” I asked,
amazed.
He nodded, sliding a plain sheet of paper
toward me. “Make whatever you want. Mr. Derby isn’t specific. He
just says to make it magical.” He rolled his eyes with a barely
suppressed smile as Mr.
Similar Books
