he can handle the idea of a girl being able to do things like that.
He snorts and kind of hangs his head, then starts to laugh.
‘What’s so funny?’
‘I think I’m starting to understand why Arkarian only gave me three weeks.’
I don’t exactly follow, but somehow I sense it’s a compliment.
Chapter Ten
Ethan
Training Isabel proves easier than I imagined. She can do just about everything physical. She’s absolutely driven. It turns out she’s a sports maniac. There’s nothing she hasn’t done. It has me wondering, though, why a girl (or a boy for that matter) would do all those sports. It’s like she needs to prove something to herself, or someone else maybe. She’s strong, no denying that! She threw me so many times in karate this past week I think maybe she should be teaching me ; but her small stature holds her back in other ways. Though she has the skills to wield a medieval sword with accuracy, it has her arms aching after only a few minutes. So working with weights has become an integral part of her training. The other major aspect to her training is in the metaphysical world. Isabel’s a healer, and though she managed accidentally to heal herself, doing it on call, forcing it to happen, isn’t working. Even using her meditative karate skills is proving no help. Still, we practise every day. Until we break through this block, any other paranormal skills she has will probably elude us. In this area we have heaps of work to do.
We’ve met every day for the past ten days, mostly after school and nearly all weekend. Our time together hasn’t gone unnoticed, even though I’ve tried avoiding Matt as much as possible, to the point of ditching the two classes we have together. But he’s bearing down on me now as I aim to jump the back school fence.
‘Hey, Roberts!’
I almost make it. But running would make me appear guilty of something, arousing his suspicions further, which could only make him hound Isabel for answers. If only he wasn’t so protective of his sister, and so negative on me.
Turning around, I see his girlfriend is with him. Great! This is all I need.
‘Hello, Ethan,’ Rochelle says softly.
‘Hello, Rochelle,’ I say, and then it happens again. My breath catches somewhere in my throat, making me gulp for air.
And as usual when Rochelle is present in my company, Matt stiffens like a board. ‘We have to talk.’
‘About what?’ As if I don’t know where this conversation is heading.
‘You know what. My sister.’
‘Is she ill?’
‘Don’t be a jerk, Ethan.’
‘What’s your problem, Matt?’
Rochelle’s eyes, as they always do, slide over me from head to foot. They come back up and she slowly smiles, sliding her hand through Matt’s hooked elbow.
‘I’ll tell you what the problem is, you’re spending too much time with Isabel. What the hell is going on between you two?’
For a second I don’t reply. Firstly, I’m insulted.What’s wrong with Isabel spending time with me anyway? And why is he so upset? Does he think Isabel still has a crush on me? That was when we were kids. She’s over that now. Today we’re just friends. And this past week, training together, has proved just how good friends we can be, though it’s just as well he doesn’t know that.
So for Isabel’s sake I’m not going to make this situation worse. ‘I’m not doing anything with Isabel. We’re studying, working on our history assignment together. That’s all.’
‘You’re lying.’
‘No, I’m not.’ And I’m not, really. History is exactly what we’re working at. ‘Where do you get off calling me a liar, anyway?’
His jaw does that sideways shift again; this time I hear his teeth gnash together. ‘That’s easy, ’cause you are one. Remember, I know you from way back, and you haven’t changed one bit.’
He’s too much, but I’m not looking for a fight. If I had to I could flatten Matt with ease. No worries. But a punch-up is the last thing I want right
He snorts and kind of hangs his head, then starts to laugh.
‘What’s so funny?’
‘I think I’m starting to understand why Arkarian only gave me three weeks.’
I don’t exactly follow, but somehow I sense it’s a compliment.
Chapter Ten
Ethan
Training Isabel proves easier than I imagined. She can do just about everything physical. She’s absolutely driven. It turns out she’s a sports maniac. There’s nothing she hasn’t done. It has me wondering, though, why a girl (or a boy for that matter) would do all those sports. It’s like she needs to prove something to herself, or someone else maybe. She’s strong, no denying that! She threw me so many times in karate this past week I think maybe she should be teaching me ; but her small stature holds her back in other ways. Though she has the skills to wield a medieval sword with accuracy, it has her arms aching after only a few minutes. So working with weights has become an integral part of her training. The other major aspect to her training is in the metaphysical world. Isabel’s a healer, and though she managed accidentally to heal herself, doing it on call, forcing it to happen, isn’t working. Even using her meditative karate skills is proving no help. Still, we practise every day. Until we break through this block, any other paranormal skills she has will probably elude us. In this area we have heaps of work to do.
We’ve met every day for the past ten days, mostly after school and nearly all weekend. Our time together hasn’t gone unnoticed, even though I’ve tried avoiding Matt as much as possible, to the point of ditching the two classes we have together. But he’s bearing down on me now as I aim to jump the back school fence.
‘Hey, Roberts!’
I almost make it. But running would make me appear guilty of something, arousing his suspicions further, which could only make him hound Isabel for answers. If only he wasn’t so protective of his sister, and so negative on me.
Turning around, I see his girlfriend is with him. Great! This is all I need.
‘Hello, Ethan,’ Rochelle says softly.
‘Hello, Rochelle,’ I say, and then it happens again. My breath catches somewhere in my throat, making me gulp for air.
And as usual when Rochelle is present in my company, Matt stiffens like a board. ‘We have to talk.’
‘About what?’ As if I don’t know where this conversation is heading.
‘You know what. My sister.’
‘Is she ill?’
‘Don’t be a jerk, Ethan.’
‘What’s your problem, Matt?’
Rochelle’s eyes, as they always do, slide over me from head to foot. They come back up and she slowly smiles, sliding her hand through Matt’s hooked elbow.
‘I’ll tell you what the problem is, you’re spending too much time with Isabel. What the hell is going on between you two?’
For a second I don’t reply. Firstly, I’m insulted.What’s wrong with Isabel spending time with me anyway? And why is he so upset? Does he think Isabel still has a crush on me? That was when we were kids. She’s over that now. Today we’re just friends. And this past week, training together, has proved just how good friends we can be, though it’s just as well he doesn’t know that.
So for Isabel’s sake I’m not going to make this situation worse. ‘I’m not doing anything with Isabel. We’re studying, working on our history assignment together. That’s all.’
‘You’re lying.’
‘No, I’m not.’ And I’m not, really. History is exactly what we’re working at. ‘Where do you get off calling me a liar, anyway?’
His jaw does that sideways shift again; this time I hear his teeth gnash together. ‘That’s easy, ’cause you are one. Remember, I know you from way back, and you haven’t changed one bit.’
He’s too much, but I’m not looking for a fight. If I had to I could flatten Matt with ease. No worries. But a punch-up is the last thing I want right
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