by R. J. Rogers
I laugh again and say, “but of course. I’ll see you shortly.”
Chapter 6
What the hell were you thinking? Dominic berates himself once he made it inside his apartment. Out of habit he runs his hand through his hair a couple of times trying to tame a dark wavy lock that keeps falling into his eye out of frustration. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Nic says aloud, scolding himself.
He flops down onto his desk chair and then slouches low, rubbing his hands over his face as he does so. “How could I let that happen. Kissing her like that.” He stands suddenly, making his desk chair slide across the floor as he does so. I think I need some fresh air. And with that thought, Dominic walks back out into the crisp fall night, slamming the door accidentally as he leaves.
~
“God, I hate you so much Alina!” Ella exclaims, a hint of jealousy in her voice. I laugh at her as shock rolls across my face, “um, are you forgetting something?” I ask with wide eyes.
She looks at me dumbfounded. “What?”
“Really? How can you be hating on me when you’ve already got a boyfriend, El?” I ask in between chuckles.
Ella shrugs her shoulders, “I’m not allowed to be a little jealous that my best friend has managed to snag the hottest guy in the entire Academy?”
“Yeah, whatever,” I smile dreamily. “I haven’t snagged him. We just shared a kiss. It won’t happen again. It can’t happen again!”
“What?” Ella stares wide eyed at me, in disbelief. “Why won’t it happen again?”
“Because El, he’s an instructor and I’m a student. I don’t want him to lose this job because of me. That’s just not cool.”
“Yeah, ok, whatever you say Ali.” Ella states with an eyeroll of her own. “I see the way you two look at each other. You guys’ got it BAD for one another. I bet you ten bucks it will sooo happen again and besides, you’re going to be 18 in three days; you know, a legal adult. Anyway, he doesn’t count as a teacher yet, he’s an intern, better yet an observer!” She offers a cheeky grin before getting off my bed. “Well love, it’s after eleven, I better head off to bed so I can look as though I am a functional being in class tomorrow.”
“Bye. I’ll meet up with you in the morning before combat.” I offer a little wave and she shuts the door behind her as she leaves. Settling into bed myself, a happy sigh escapes my lips. I close my eyes and let the happiness take hold as I drift off to sleep.
*
Gasping, I wake up choking. My room is filled with smoke and I can barely see my hands in front of my face. Panic is making its way through my body as I try to comprehend what’s going on. Looking around the room, I try to figure out what could possibly be causing the smoke. Nothing catches my eyes at first but as I fling my comforter off of my body, I see flames. I would say I’m surrounded by fire, but that really isn’t the correct way to say what is occurring.
Blue flames are flickering from my body, but I am not burning. And what I first thought was smoke, is a blue haze that is billowing off of me, making my room appear cloudy. Um, was I drugged? Am I hallucinating? What in the world is going on? I lift my right arm to take a look at said blue flames and the flames burst free from my palm, hitting the wall across the room. I squeak an ‘eek’ and clench my fist closed tight as my mouth falls open in utter disbelief.
I am one known not for cursing but seriously, “what the hell!” I pick up my cell to call Ella, cause I’m so freaking out at the moment! As I click her name, I feel an electrical current flow between me and the phone. The next thing I know, my battery is completely drained, and I am left staring at a black screen. Mere seconds later I am struck by an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion, my eyes are so heavy that it feels like they are being held down by bricks. My body is shutting down and I can’t seem to stop it from happening.
Chapter7
As the sun breaks the horizon Thursday morning all memories of the incident that occurred hours prior feel like nothing more than a dream. I honestly have no conscious memory of it and I find myself wide awake, giddy and eager to start the day. Well okay; not necessarily wanting to start the day per-se but wanting to get to combat class.
Every Monday, which you are already aware of, and every Thursday are training days for those of us who are in the elite class. Now though, all the girls and probably a couple of the guys have a bonus to look forward to; Dominic! Ah, happy thoughts.
I giggle to myself. I didn’t even know I could act like the typical teenaged school girl but then again, I’ve never really been attracted to any of the guys here at the Academy to know whether or not I had the capability. So, apparently, I can… I meet up with Ella right outside the entrance and we head into the training room together, silly grins plastered from ear to ear.
We all take a place on the mat, once again waiting for the arrival of Instructor Jay. A few minutes later both Jay and Dominic walk in. Nic scans the room until his eyes fall upon mine. I see a twinkle in his eyes and my heart skips a beat and then my heart rate speeds up and we smile at each other. Not outwardly mind you, because no one can know what is happening between us, not that anything is ‘happening’ though. Really! Ella jabs her finger into my side causing me to jump and an ow, to squeak out of me. She laughs silently and then I scowl at her, giving her the “meanest” glare I can muster.
Honestly, I can’t believe that in just four days I have fallen completely and utterly head over heels in love with him. I never knew how incomplete I felt as cheesy as that sounds, until I had the feeling of being whole when I’m with him. My other half. When he isn’t around the total emptiness of being so incomplete consumes and scares me.
Not to mention the KISS! Talk about swoon worthy. Just thinking about the kiss has my legs shaking as we stand to take partners. “Ok guys, today we will be doing hand to hand combat training. Everyone, go ahead and grab a partner. You will rotate every ten minutes to another partner to keep you alert and on your toes in this practice session.
Thankfully Jay didn’t call on me to work with Dominic first because honestly at this current moment, I’m not sure I’d do well fighting him. Ella and I start off together and we begin with warm up swings and punches. Ten minutes later Jay shouts, “time!” and we switch to the next person. A half hour later I come face to face with Nic. Of course, he would be the one I end up fighting against for the last ten minutes of class, I think to myself.
Nic catches my eye and gives a small shy smile. “Hey.” I watch him run a hand through his thick black hair which I have come to conclude is a nervous habit.
I smile back at him just as shyly. “Hi.”
We continue to gaze at each other as everyone around us fall into their maneuver routines. “Um, shall we begin?” I ask him hesitantly, realizing that everyone is starting to notice our lack of movement. We move around each other, neither wanting to throw the first punch. Finally, I just swing because people are truly starting to stare at us.
Nic blocks, stepping in and grabbing my arm at the same time, flipping me over his shoulder and flat on to my back. My breath is taken from me, momentarily shocking me still. What in the world is wrong with me? How did he get the better of me? Oh, it is so on now! I do a back-spring to quickly hop to my feet and the dance begins.
A kick, a jab, side step right, jump to miss a swooping leg, lunge forward, block with both arms and a knee to his chest knocking him back a few feet. The ‘in it to win it’ mentally has taken over both of us and I see a determined smile spread across Nic’s face. I’m pretty sure I heard Jay shout that class is over, but Dominic and I are so absorbed in our battle that we pay no mind to our surroundings. Our dance continues for about five more minutes and then I’m able to step into a swing of his and flip him over my shoulder. I misjudge my step though and go down with him, again. How do we keep ending up in this position?
We are both breathing hard, trying to catch our breath from the physical exertion and then before I realize what I am doing, I am kissing him. I am kissing him with a pa
ssion and fierceness I didn’t know I possessed. As the kiss heats up, Nic flips us so that he is on top and proceeds to deepen the kiss. Suddenly we hear a door slamming and separate as fast as we are able. Now breathing even harder than before, I lie on the mat, turn my head so I can look over at Nic and laugh. “I thought we weren’t going to do that again.”
He laughs too as he gets to his feet. Taking my hand, he yanks me to my feet where I am standing right in front of him. We can both see the blue chord start to wrap around our interlocked hands. He then says; “rules were meant to be broken,” I watch a cheesy grin make its way across his beautiful, full, soft lips and then he leans forward, and I am willingly ready to accept that he is going to kiss me again. BOOM! The door is slammed against the wall as it is flung open. We break apart as quickly as humanly possible.
“So, Alina, 6 o’clock back here at the training center to pick up where we left off?” Dominic says as Instructor Jay enters the room once again. Jay glances up as he enters and looks at me in surprise.
“Hey Alina. What are you still doing here?”
Thinking quickly, I respond with the first thing that pops in my head. Thankfully it was close to the truth. “Sorry Jay. Nic and I were having such a great sparring session that we had to see who the winner would be, F.Y.I., it was me.” I look to Nic and grin tauntingly at him.
I glance at Jay one more time before looking to Nic again, smile and add, “Yeah that will be fine.” I run over to the far wall, grab my gym bag and dash out the door, my soul soaring.
*
“Hey Ali, you want to go over to my parents’ house with me for dinner tonight?” Ella looks at me as I lounge on her oversized crushed velvet, grey fabric bean-bag chair.
“What? Oh, um, I can’t” I say as I shake myself from my current thoughts of a certain someone.
“Why in the world not?” She asks, stunned that I have said no. “Do we have plans that I have forgot about? I can call mom and tell them we’ll come over another night instead.”
“No, we don’t have plans. I signed up for extra practice at the gym and this is the only night free for me to go.” Ella looks at me, squinting her eyes suspiciously at me, like she can’t quite tell if I’m being completely honest with her. I don’t ease her suspicion either because I just give her a sly grin.
“Whatever, I’ll just go by myself. I don’t know why you’d want to spend extra time at the gym but go right ahead. I’ll be eating lasagna and garlic bread and thinking of you while I do so.” Ella says with a smirk. I know she’s trying to get me to change my mind because she knows darn well lasagna is my absolute favorite meal ever, but she doesn’t know that I have something WAY more enticing waiting for me at the gym!
“You can’t change my mind by bribing me with food, Ella. I really need to get this extra practice in.”
“Yeah right, you need extra practice like I need a bullet in my head,” She exclaims. Clicking her phone, she sighs; “well I guess I’m heading out. Mom likes to eat by six o’clock.” I follow her out, tell her I will see her later and head to my room a few doors down from hers.
*
My heart pounds vigorously in my chest in anticipation of my secret rendezvous with Dominic. As I near the training room, I hear someone shout; “Alina!” For a brief moment I think it’s Nic but as I look around, my smile fades and my face falls in disappointment. “Mother? What in the world are you doing here?”
“I was just about to ask you the same thing. Why are you roaming around campus so late in the evening?”
“Um, I-I”, I stutter as all logical reasoning escapes my mind. “I was just going to get some extra training practice in. Why are you here?”
“Not that I need to explain myself to you daughter, but your father and I are attending an Association meeting in the auditorium. We have heard rumors that there is a Coven trying to infiltrate the Academy boarder, so we are going to assess the situation and plan from there.”
“Oh, well that sounds fun. I guess I’ll see you later then?”
“I will call you tomorrow to touch bass on the order of events for your masquerade ball.” And with an abrupt nod of her head, Beth disappears down the corridor heading to the auditorium.
“Phew,” I exhale loudly. I press my hand to my chest for a second as my anxiety is at a fever pitch. I dash into the training room ready to explain away my lateness to Dominic only to find the gym pitch-black. “Nic?” I whisper loudly trying to spot him in the darkness. He is nowhere to be found.
My heart plummets to the floor. I look at my phone to see that the time is only 6:15 p.m., I sit on the blue floor mat that appears black in the darkness. I will wait fifteen minutes and if he doesn’t show up, then I’ll leave…
The minutes seem to move at a snail pace, and I try to wait patiently as I drum my fingers against my legs. Anger is slowly creeping over me as I realize I am being stood up. “Whatever!” I exclaim in a huff to no one. Stuffing my phone into my back pocket, I stomp off, storming across the campus and back to my dorm room.
~
For the third time in less than five minutes Dominic glances at his I-watch to view the time. Looking around the auditorium, he sits in one of the theater style seats trying to figure out how he found himself in the dimly lit room waiting for Beth Hopkins to speak instead of in the training room with Alina.
Wishing to himself for the thousandth time that he had gotten Ali’s cell number, so he could have been able to let her know that he wouldn’t be able to meet up with her, he sighs and tries to turn his attention back to what Mrs. Hopkins is ranting on about.
“How is this even possible?” Beth demands answers from the other members of the Association. The members all begin shouting questions as well; “How could a witch infiltrate these grounds?” “Yeah, I thought in-depth screenings were mandatory before anyone could access entry to the Academy?”
The President, a bean-pole of a man, balding and very bird-ish in appearance, stands on the stage and speaks to everyone. As he does so, Dominic actually starts to pay attention to the voices upon hearing the word ‘witch’.
“It has not yet been confirmed as to whether we actually have witches among us or not. We are doing all that we can to fix the situation. In the meantime, precaution is to be held with any ‘visitors’ that try to enter the gates.”
As the President continues to speak, Dominic begins to shift in his seat uncomfortably. He felt that if he were to look around the room, he would see everyone staring at him with accusatory looks upon their faces. Slinking low into his chair, he exhales a breath that he had unknowingly been holding. With a final nod out to the crowd, the President had pretty much dismissed them all from the meeting.
Chapter8
Friday morning the sun shines through my window in all it’s wonderful glory and I want nothing more than to hate the beautiful day and revel in my grouchiness, I am still pretty mad/upset that I was stood up by Dominic. Why would he do it? I wouldn’t have thought he would have been that guy. I was contemplating whether I should just text him and ask or not, when I realized I never asked for his phone number. As this thought sinks in, my anger eases up and I realize I should probably give him the benefit of a doubt since he didn’t have my number to contact me either. My thoughts slowly transition to slightly more important ones as it hits me that in less than 24 hours I will be turning 18. I will officially be an adult! Ugh, I have so much to get done, I think to myself. And yet, I don’t get out of my bed. I stare blankly at my ceiling, the whiteness of it putting me into a trance like state; momentarily making me immobile.
A knock at my door jerks me back to reality. For a quick second I hope that Dominic is waiting on the other side to explain why he hadn’t shown up last night. I quickly jump out of bed to answer but a sudden wave of dizziness washes over me, making me fall backwards on my bed. God, I hope I’m not getting sick! The knock comes again, and I shout out; “yeah, hold on. I’m coming.”
“Hurry up Ali!” I hear Ella shout
through the door impatiently. My hope dive bombs into my stomach as hope turns to sadness because Ella’s voice isn’t the one I wanted to hear coming from the other side. Just as I flip the deadbolt, my door flies open and I am forced to jump out of the way, so I won’t get hit by it. “Good God, Ella; are you trying to kill me?” She giggles as she bum-rushes me, wrapping me in a bear hug. “Sorry Al, I’m just dying to see your costume. You promised I could see it today.”
Her big golden eyes look pleadingly into my green ones. She looks like a puppy waiting excitedly for a treat. “I didn’t mean at the butt-crack of dawn for you to come charging into my room to see it.” Laughing to see her face go from chipper to disappointment in point zero two seconds; I walk over to my closet and pull out my outfit.
“Oh wow, Alina. It’s beautiful! You will definitely be the bell of the ball.” Glancing at me she asks; “Cinderella, right?”
I swear, the biggest smile ever, is plastered upon my face. “I’m so glad you recognize the dress. I was afraid people would think I wasn’t wearing a costume.”
“Um, hello. It’s like an exact replica of the one from the movie. How would I not know?” Ella looks at me like I am crazy. Suddenly a mischievous smile finds its way to her lips and then she asks; “so… do you think Prince Charming will come?”
I’m sure if I had looked in a mirror at that moment my face would have looked like a tomato. I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, so I know I’m not too far off from my assumption. Ignoring her question, I lean into my closet where I then produce a pair of ‘glass’ slippers.
“No way!” Ella gushes. “They aren’t really glass, are they?” She asks as she moves closer to inspect them. I chuckle, “Lord no, they’re made of plastic, I think.”
“You’re going to be absolutely gorgeous Ali.” Glancing at her watch just then she says; “Crap Ali, class starts in ten minutes. You better get ready.”
