I was late, having slept in after all the excitement of last night. Ryland hadn’t spent the night in my bed, possibly noticing my confused mood. After all that, I barely managed to get a few hours of sleep.
I glanced around, my eyes finding Phylicia’s vibrant braids easily in the crowd. She was sitting alone near the back. I squeeze through the aisle and sat down beside her.
“Good morning sleeping beauty,” Phylicia teased. “Didn’t think you’d make it.”
I wasn’t sure what I missed more: her early-bird humor or the coffee that would surely be cold by the time I got back to the cafeteria.
Major Griffiths made his way up to the podium and the buzzing conversation quieted down.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I whispered before turning my attention to the Major.
“Good morning students, I’m sure you’re all very disappointed to be missing your first class of the day, but there is some important news I wanted to share with you all.” He leaned against the podium, his hands gripping the wood tightly.
I glanced around, finding Luke. His eyes met mine, he didn’t look happy that I had missed checking in with him. He took his body-guarding role very seriously. I’d have to apologize after the assembly.
“As many of you are aware, the National Competition is coming up. First years, I’m sure you’re all wondering what the National Competition is.”
A murmur rolled through the crowd.
“National Competition?” I whispered to Phylicia.
She nodded towards the stage silently.
“The National Competition is a exposition for all of the Psychic Academies from coast to coast. As we were the host last year, I’m sure you will be thrilled to find out who the host for this year’s competition will be.” The Major explained. “The National Competition is the most important time of the year for those psychics who are due to graduate. It is a time to showcase your skills. It is a time to impress potential government employers or private companies who are interested in hiring young people with your unique and valuable skills.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. A showcase for young psychics? Was it like auditions or some sort of horrible test? I felt myself getting nervous.
Phylicia looked excited. “I’ve waited years for this,” She said. “Finally I can get out of here and find my place in the world!”
Other students looked equally as excited. I watched for Luke and Ryland’s reaction. Both of them were wearing a poker face. They looked serious and concentrated. Typical of the best students on campus.
“Now, without further ado, I would like to announce the campus who will be hosting this year’s competition.” Major Griffiths looked out into the crowd. Energy buzzed in the air like static. “That campus is,” He paused for dramatic effect. “West Campus, California.”
The room exploded with cheering. Everyone seemed overwhelmed with the idea of traveling to the west coast. Everyone except one person.
Ryland was sitting in his seat looking ahead blankly, not even noticing the people celebrating around him. He was as still as a statue.
My heart ached for him. He should be the happiest of any of us, getting to go back to his home turf. But, now that I knew the truth about his expulsion, I wondered if he would even be allowed to compete.
The Major finished with a few more housekeeping announcements before everyone was dismissed. I sat, waiting for the rest of the students to file out so I could join Ryland. He and Luke were standing in the row, not speaking.
“You coming?” Phylicia asked. “You have time for that coffee before second period.”
I shook my head. “No, I think I’ll be ok for now. I need to talk to someone.”
Phylicia looked over to the boys. “Still running with them are you?” She shrugged. “Ok, have it your way. I’ll save you a seat at lunch.”
“Thanks,” I said before shuffling through the seats to join Ryland and Luke. I could feel the tension. I put on my best smile. “So, this is exciting, isn’t it?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Ryland shrugged past us and left without looking back.
My mouth fell open. I was trying to comfort him and he ran off without so much as looking at me.
“Don’t worry about him, he’ll be ok.” Luke shrugged. “Obviously he’s going through a lot right now.” He rubbed his temples. The stress radiated from him. His shoulders were stiff.
I touched his shoulder gently, feeling him relax a fraction. “Why is this so important?”
“Didn’t you hear the Major?” Luke asked. “Top psychic recruiters are going to be there. Government agencies, scientific researchers, military, anything, you name it. If a psychic wants to escape civilian life, this is their chance.”
So, in other words, this competition was basically the SAT exam for psychics. I had never really thought about what would happen once I was trained. I had always assumed I’d go back to a normal life. Maybe some people didn’t want to be ordinary. “But it’s in California. He was expelled! Are they going to let him compete?”
Luke shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“We have to make sure they let him!” I hissed, grabbing Luke’s sleeve. “He’ll never forgive himself or the academy if he misses his chance.”
“Ryland and I are both set to graduate soon this year.” Luke’s voice was even. “Yes, he should be allowed to compete, but he decided his own fate when he fucked around with a teleporting student. He could have gotten that kid killed. I wouldn’t be surprised if he would never be hired.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Ryland and Luke were supposed to be friends, but they sure didn’t act like it most of the time. “So you don’t want him competing?”
“I didn’t say that,” Luke shot back. “We’re in different categories, his attendance will have no impact on my performance.”
“So we have to make sure he can compete!”
“Or maybe Ryland needs to learn his lesson. That rich kid has had it too easy. It’s about time that he learn about consequences!”
I was shocked. I stepped away from Luke and shook my head. I couldn’t argue with him. “Whatever.” I turned on my heel and stormed out of the auditorium without looking back.
I pushed through the halls and didn’t stop until I reached the Major’s office. My fist was trembling, but I knocked as politely as I could.
“Hello, come in.” His secretary called me in.
I opened the door and got straight to business. “I need to talk to the Major.”
“I’m sorry,” The secretary said, obviously flustered. “He’s meeting someone right now.”
“Please, it’s urgent.” I begged.
She shook her head. “You can sit here and wait, but he’s currently in a meeting.” She was interrupted by the sound of the office door being flung open.
Ryland stalked out. I had never seen him so angry before. He walked right past me, not even acknowledging me, and slammed the door behind him.
The Major stepped out next, looking just as pissed off. “Hold my calls!” He spat and shut his door again.
The secretary and I both looked at each other in shock. Whatever had happened, it wasn’t good. I spun around and ran after Ryland.
“Ryland!” I called. The halls were empty now. I caught a glimpse of him turning a corner. He was on the way to the training facility. I ran after him, sprinting with a speed I had never thought I could reach before. “Ryland!”
I caught up with him in the courtyard. “Wait, Ryland.”
He spun around, his icy eyes glaring at me. “Didn’t I tell you to leave me alone?” He looked away, jaw flexing. “I just need to be alone.”
“If this is about the competition, we can fix it,” I said, trying to catch my breath.
Ryland frowned. “You can’t,” He said. “I know you think you can fix everything, but you can’t.” He put a hand on the door but didn’t open it. He was fighting a war in his mind, wanting to talk to me and wantin
g to leave. I could see that he was arguing with himself.
I put my hand over his. “Will you at least let me try?”
Ryland closed his eyes and exhaled. There was a long pause. “How?”
I smiled. “Leave it to me.”
#
I put on my best damsel-in-distress voice. “Please, Ms. Blackwell, you have to let Ryland come with me to the National Competition. He’s been keeping me safe, how can I travel with peace of mind if he’s not there?”
Ms. Blackwell considered my words for a moment. “Luke Herrington will be in attendance,” She said.
Shit, I hadn’t thought of that. “Yes, of course Luke is a wonderful guy, but I know that he won’t be able to cover me all of the time. That’s why I need Ryland to come too. The Major isn’t letting him attend, but there must be some way to convince him.”
Ms. Blackwell leaned back in her chair and tapped her fingernails on the armrest. “Well,” She said slowly. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she thought about it. “I suppose we could make a case for him.”
I sighed in relief. “If you could try, that would be great.”
The teacher smiled slowly. “Bianca, you’re not just asking me because you want him to compete are you?”
I blushed and lost my nerve. “What? No! Why would I?”
Ms. Blackwell chuckled. “Because you know how important this is to him. Plus, he has a lot more personal interest with it being at his old campus.” She paused. “Tell me, do you know why he was expelled?”
I nodded.
“And do you know the seriousness of his actions?”
I nodded again. “Yes, ma’am. But I also believe in second chances. I would hate it if he lost his opportunity to show his talents. Besides, once he graduates, he’ll never be the Major’s problem again.”
Ms. Black laughed at that. A true laugh, not one of her refined snickers. “Well, you have a point there.” She smiled, her face lighting up. “I’ll speak to the Major on Ryland’s behalf,” She said. “If you promise me something.”
“Of course, anything,” I said.
The teacher leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Just promise me you won’t attract too much attention to yourself at the National Competition. You never know who’ll be watching.”
Something in her tone sent a chill through my body. I nodded. “I understand.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Students will form two lines.” Ms. Blackwell was pacing in front of us, looking more like a drill sergeant than a professor. “We will teleport in groups of two: one teleporting student to every pair. It is important that you stick with your group at all times. The teleporters have been briefed on the location of the campus, so you need not to worry.”
I glanced at Ryland, who was looking ahead. “We did it,” I whispered.
“I can’t believe you did.” He glanced down at me before returning his gaze to the front of the line.
In less than a few days, everything had been prepared for us to leave. The students with teleporting abilities that were strong enough would take us cross-country in an instant. It was no easy task for anyone, but it was the most efficient and safest way to travel.
I stood close to Ryland. He was the other half of my pair. Ms. Blackwell has single-handedly convinced the Major and the dean of the west campus to allow Ryland to compete. I thought the idea of letting him compete was much more favorable to the idea of him saying under the academy roof for another year, and I was right.
I adjusted my backpack. I wasn’t sure how much stuff to bring so I brought everything I could think of. I was pretty sure I over-packed, but I’d rather be prepared.
The line shuffled forward as the groups of students began to teleport out of the campus. With over one hundred students attending, it was going to take a little while. Ms. Blackwell and some of the other teachers kept everything running like clockwork.
Soon, it was our turn.
A girl about my age was the next teleporter in line to take students. She took one look at us and her face went red. She staggered back, tapping Ms. Blackwell’s shoulder. “I can’t take them. He’s…” She trailed off, her eyes wide.
Ryland sighed and looked away. It seemed his reputation had reached everyone.
Luke shouldered past the blond girl. “I’ll take them.” He said gruffly.
Ms. Blackwell nodded. “Thank you for volunteering.”
Luke shrugged. “Not the first time. Won’t be the last.” His eyes moved from Ryland to me. “Ready?” He asked.
I nodded at the same time as Ryland. The three of us joined hands. How many times had we done this before? I let my mind go blank. The energy burst around us, teleporting us across the continent in just a few seconds with a pop.
When I opened my eyes again, I was dizzy and nauseous. I leaned against Luke for support.
Ryland groaned beside me. He hated teleporting.
“I have to go back, please stay out of trouble.” Luke had to teleport many pairs of students, seeing how skilled he was. He disappeared before I could reply.
It was then that I noticed how hot the air was. It was hot and dry, the sun beaming down on us. I looked to Ryland, who had an unreadable expression on his face, and then turned around to take in my surroundings.
We were somewhere in the desert. The campus was made of square concrete buildings with tall metal walls surrounding the perimeter. It had a much more military style than the campus in Michigan. It was larger too, probably twice the size.
The students from our campus were being led to a large building that looked like a dormitory.
A man dressed in black was ushering students towards the line. “Welcome to the west campus, if you follow me, we’re going to show you to your rooms.”
Ryland and I joined the line, with Ryland looking down and away from all the west campus staff. He was tense and walking stiffly, like a robot.
“Hey,” I grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t be nervous. I’m here with you.”
Ryland glanced at me and his expression softened. “Thanks, Bianca. Really.” He gently let go of my hand. “Let’s not be too public here though, ok? I don’t want you getting dragged into any drama.”
I pushed down the disappointment that rose up in my throat and nodded. “I get it. No problem.”
Once we arrived at the dormitory we were directed to different stairs. “Ladies to the right, men to the left.” A student wearing a volunteer badge shouted out.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby in an hour?” I said to Ryland, who nodded before being sent down the left hallway. I gave him a little wave before turning to the right.
A girl was standing at the mouth of the hall. “Name?” She said. She was tall with bushy brown hair and a splattering of freckles across her face.
“Bianca Hernandez.”
“Room 214, near the end of the hall.” She said and then motioned for the next person to approach.
I found my room unlocked. The door swung open and I was surprised to see two beds in the room. I flung my bag onto one of them and looked around. Whoever my roommate was, they weren’t here yet. I hoped it was someone from my campus.
“Hey girl!”
I turned around to see Phylicia. “Phylicia! Hey, please tell me you’re my roommate.”
Phylicia grinned.“Yeah, it’s me. They keep us with our own crowd for the most part.” She had two suitcases in tow.
I glanced at her luggage. “That’s a lot, we’re only here for a week.”
Phylicia flipped her braids over her shoulder. “Yeah, I decided to pack light.” She giggled at my expression.
I glanced over at my backpack, which had been filled with only the essentials. “I guess I’m a bit of a minimalist.”
Phylicia didn’t respond, busy unzipping her suitcases and organizing her things. She had countless outfits, three make up bags, hair supplies, shoes, and the list went on. She hummed to herself as she unpacked.
I watched her while I
unpacked my training gear, ballet flats, and a small bag of toiletries. It didn’t take long, so I pulled back the curtains to get a better look at the grounds. I could see nothing but desert past the tall metal fences.
“We’re in the Mojave desert,” Phylicia said. “Southern California.”
“It’s the middle of nowhere.” I wondered aloud.
“The closest town is Lancaster, but it’s a pretty boring place if you’re used to the big city. This area was used for military training at one point. Now it’s the largest psychic training academy in the country.” Phylicia explained, sounding more like a Wikipedia article than her usual self.
“How do you know all this?” I asked.
“I did my research ahead of time. It’s smart to know what you’re getting into. The competition is always fierce, but the students here are something else entirely.” She snapped her smaller suitcase shut and tucked it under the bed. The larger one sat propped against the wall.
“Really? What makes them so different?”
Phylicia shook her head and laughed. “You’ve met Ryland haven’t you?” She asked sarcastically. “Just trust me, these students are as hardcore as the desert that surrounds them and their Dean makes the Major look like a fluffy kitten. They had the most wins last year. I wouldn’t doubt that they’re going to go all out on home turf.”
I nodded quietly. I plopped down on the bed and stretched. “Either way, I hope they feed us soon. I’m starved.” I had abstained from a large breakfast, knowing how nauseous teleporting made me feel.
“Same,” Phylicia said while checking her hair in the mirror. “I think I’ll go explore. Want to come with?”
I perked up at the thought of getting out of this cramped dorm room. “Absolutely!” I jumped off the bed and slipped my running shoes back on. “Actually, I was supposed to meet Ryland downstairs, maybe he can give us a tour?”
“Sounds good,” Phylicia said in a voice that wasn’t quite sincere.
I wasn’t sure what her opinion was on Ryland. She didn’t seem to hate him like some of the other students and she most definitely didn’t fear anyone. Maybe if she got to know him, they’d realize they had a lot more in common than they thought.
Psychic Lies: An Urban Fantasy Academy Romance (Psychic Academy Book 2) Page 7
