we do today?” asked Summer. She swallowed the hard lump of anxiety that was beginning to rise in her throat.
“We test the new people's wielding skills,” said a voice from behind her.
Ash sat down next to Summer and brought with him a large bowl of oatmeal.
“Ash,” said Tracy, not bothering to hide her surprise. “What are you doing here?"
He showed her his bowl of oatmeal. “Eating. Is that okay?”
“You always eat alone or with Petar. Are you actually trying to become friends with our new guest?”
Ash scowled as his cheeks turned red. “I'm just trying to be friendly.”
“Ash and friend don't mix,” said Tracy as she pointed her fork at him.
“I'm trying to be nicer to all the new students so they don't run away.”
Summer was starting to feel bad for him. He clearly wasn't a very social person and it took a lot for him to sit next to her.
She turned slightly and looked up at him. “I appreciate it. I'm not used to kindness.”
He tilted his head towards her, the blush returning to his cheeks. Tracy must have gotten the hint because she eyed him suspiciously but, didn't say another word. Shortly after an uncomfortable silence fell over them. Ash's presence must have been baffling because everyone at the table continued to stare with a confused expression.
Summer couldn't take the awkwardness anymore. She inhaled her food and shot up from her chair.
“I think I'd like to go outside.”
Tracy picked up her tray. “Let's go then. I'm done anyway.”
Troy said his goodbyes as Ash and Tracy walked next to Summer. They stood on each side like some over protective bodyguard. Now she was starting to become irritated.
“I don't need to be babysat all the time. This is getting ridiculous,” she grumbled.
Tracy looked at Ash with a raised brow. “We're going to the same place as you. We can walk faster if you want.”
She sighed and fixed her ponytail. “Whatever.”
The three of them marched in silence towards the field. A wave of anxiety suddenly hit Summer like a brick wall. She wanted to run, cry, and vomit at the same time. The only thing keeping her from leaving were Ash and Tracy by her side. Maybe they secretly knew she was going to freak out.
Point taken, she thought.
As they continued across the field Summer realized this was the first time she had come this close to the other wielders. She wished she could say just a handful were staring but, she was pretty sure every single pair of eyes were on her.
They stopped at the end where an older man and half a dozen students were standing.
He snapped his head to the right and scowled. “Did I stay to stop stretching?”
There were collective grumbles as everyone went back to stretching. Summer held her breath as the man approached her.
“Glad you can join us today,” he growled.
“I was-”
He waved his hand and walked away from her. “I don't care what your excuse is. You're here now and we'll begin training.”
Summer looked for Ash and Tracy and was surprised to see them walking away. They didn't even bother turning around when the man had accused her of doing something she had been ordered to do.
“Jerks,” she said under her breath.
“You should all remember my name by now but, I'll announce it again since we had someone who was too special to train with us.” He turned to Summer; his thick, long beard shifting with his daunting smirk. “I'm Mario. I'm also a pretty damn good dark wielder. And you?”
She could feel her cheeks heating up as the small group stared at her.
“Summer,” she managed to spit out through clenched teeth. “And I guess I'm a fire wielder.”
“You guess!” Mario snorted. “Girl, do you know where you are?
“Disneyland?”
The few snickers she did get were quickly quieted by the crazed stare from Mario. He looked around the group like a rabid animal and then stomped towards Summer.
She could see his nostrils flaring at he came inches from her face.
“We have a comedian here?
“We test the new people's wielding skills,” said a voice from behind her.
Ash sat down next to Summer and brought with him a large bowl of oatmeal.
“Ash,” said Tracy, not bothering to hide her surprise. “What are you doing here?"
He showed her his bowl of oatmeal. “Eating. Is that okay?”
“You always eat alone or with Petar. Are you actually trying to become friends with our new guest?”
Ash scowled as his cheeks turned red. “I'm just trying to be friendly.”
“Ash and friend don't mix,” said Tracy as she pointed her fork at him.
“I'm trying to be nicer to all the new students so they don't run away.”
Summer was starting to feel bad for him. He clearly wasn't a very social person and it took a lot for him to sit next to her.
She turned slightly and looked up at him. “I appreciate it. I'm not used to kindness.”
He tilted his head towards her, the blush returning to his cheeks. Tracy must have gotten the hint because she eyed him suspiciously but, didn't say another word. Shortly after an uncomfortable silence fell over them. Ash's presence must have been baffling because everyone at the table continued to stare with a confused expression.
Summer couldn't take the awkwardness anymore. She inhaled her food and shot up from her chair.
“I think I'd like to go outside.”
Tracy picked up her tray. “Let's go then. I'm done anyway.”
Troy said his goodbyes as Ash and Tracy walked next to Summer. They stood on each side like some over protective bodyguard. Now she was starting to become irritated.
“I don't need to be babysat all the time. This is getting ridiculous,” she grumbled.
Tracy looked at Ash with a raised brow. “We're going to the same place as you. We can walk faster if you want.”
She sighed and fixed her ponytail. “Whatever.”
The three of them marched in silence towards the field. A wave of anxiety suddenly hit Summer like a brick wall. She wanted to run, cry, and vomit at the same time. The only thing keeping her from leaving were Ash and Tracy by her side. Maybe they secretly knew she was going to freak out.
Point taken, she thought.
As they continued across the field Summer realized this was the first time she had come this close to the other wielders. She wished she could say just a handful were staring but, she was pretty sure every single pair of eyes were on her.
They stopped at the end where an older man and half a dozen students were standing.
He snapped his head to the right and scowled. “Did I stay to stop stretching?”
There were collective grumbles as everyone went back to stretching. Summer held her breath as the man approached her.
“Glad you can join us today,” he growled.
“I was-”
He waved his hand and walked away from her. “I don't care what your excuse is. You're here now and we'll begin training.”
Summer looked for Ash and Tracy and was surprised to see them walking away. They didn't even bother turning around when the man had accused her of doing something she had been ordered to do.
“Jerks,” she said under her breath.
“You should all remember my name by now but, I'll announce it again since we had someone who was too special to train with us.” He turned to Summer; his thick, long beard shifting with his daunting smirk. “I'm Mario. I'm also a pretty damn good dark wielder. And you?”
She could feel her cheeks heating up as the small group stared at her.
“Summer,” she managed to spit out through clenched teeth. “And I guess I'm a fire wielder.”
“You guess!” Mario snorted. “Girl, do you know where you are?
“Disneyland?”
The few snickers she did get were quickly quieted by the crazed stare from Mario. He looked around the group like a rabid animal and then stomped towards Summer.
She could see his nostrils flaring at he came inches from her face.
“We have a comedian here?
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