The buzzer rang out, and the crowd cheered. I couldn't see any panel of judges, only countless cameras capturing every angle of every match. The anonymity of whoever these judges were creeped me out.
Luke was the first to make a move. He lunged and vanished just as he got close enough to touch his opponent. Kevin whirled around, his fists at the ready, expecting Luke to reappear behind him. I had seen Luke spar, and this was one of his tricks. Luke teleported above Kevin and slammed him down to the ground.
Kevin lay motionless for a second on the cushioned floor before bolting to his feet and teleporting to the corner of their square. He was bleeding from his nose.
"Yes!" Ryland said, clenching his fists. He edged forward on his seat. "Kevin was always such a whelp," He said.
I wasn't so sure. The screens showed closeups of the pair as they fought and I could see an intensity in Kevin's face that I hoped Luke didn't miss. He was angry and I could sense that this would be a tougher fight than Ryland thought it would be.
The crowd grew louder. The majority of them were west campus students, cheering for Kevin. East and south students were concentrated on the other squares and cheering for their own.
My eyes flicked to the telekinetic students. Their match had finished. One girl was nursing a split lip.
Ryland gasped, and I looked back to Luke's square. Kevin had Luke in a choke hold, pulling at his jaw. Luke managed to kick him off and stumbled back. Kevin wiped blood from his nose and shouted as he lunged again.
Luke nearly lost his footing as he vanished and reappeared at the opposite corner. Once he caught his breath, he teleported behind Kevin, grabbing him and throwing him to the ground.
"I can't believe it," Ryland said under his breath. "Luke is better than this. How is Kevin of all people giving him a run for his money? Pathetic."
Luke wasn't weak. He was more dedicated to training than anyone else in the academy. This struggle wasn't because of Luke's weakness, it was because of Kevin's strength.
When the buzzer rang, both boys were battered and bloody from the fight. A teacher came in to literally separate them. She used her telekinesis to seize them and pull them apart. Both were breathing hard and chomping at the bit to get one last punch in.
The announcer spoke over the crowd. "In the match of Luke Herrington North Campus versus Kevin Spooner West Campus. The judges have called a draw!"
Boos and hisses erupted from the west campus students.
Ryland shook his head. "Unbelievable."
I sank down in my seat, relieved that the match was over, and covered my face with my hand. My heart was pounding in my chest. Never before had I seen a sparring match where blood was spilled. I wasn't ready for this. No way. Mental tasks were one thing, but I didn't want to hurt anyone.
"Come on," I said to Ryland. "Let's go make sure he's ok."
"I was actually thinking I could take you back to my dorm room for a quickie before I have my task this afternoon." He grinned.
I glared. "You know I'd love that, but this really isn't the time." I worked my way through the aisles and down the steps to the main floor of the area. A glance over my shoulder confirmed that Ryland was following, albeit slow and under duress.
Luke was standing away from the crowd of west campus students and patting his face dry with a towel. His shirt was soaked with sweat and blood.
"Luke!" I shouted and ran the last few steps. "Luke, are you ok?"
Luke looked up and his eyes met mine. "Do I look ok?" He snapped.
I was taken aback. I stopped in my tracks, barely noticing when Ryland bumped into me. "Sorry. I watched your match. It was great. I wanted to make sure you were alright." My voice faded away.
"I'm fine." Luke threw his bloody towel in a bin beside the water fountain.
"Hey, just because you lost to Kevin doesn't give you the right to talk to her like that!" Ryland stepped between us.
Luke's eyes blazed. "I didn't lose." He fired back. "It was a draw."
"Yeah, a draw against a loser like him." Ryland snapped.
Luke clenched his teeth and shook his head. "I don't have time for this."
I recoiled under Luke's poisonous glare. I had never seen him so mad before. I stepped aside as he brushed past us and into the change rooms.
The west coast students were watching us. I looked their way, and they quickly avoided my glance.
Ryland glared at them. "What are you looking at?"
The thin blond boy who had fought against Luke pushed through the crowd. He smirked at us. "Well if it isn't Ryland Williams. I'm surprised they let you back on the grounds after what you did last winter." He sneered. His face was washed and free of blood, but his nose was bruised. "How dare you show your face around here after you nearly killed me!"
Ryland braced himself. "I didn't try to kill you!" He fired back. "Your weak ass just couldn't teleport properly. It's your fault you almost ended up in limbo."
"I know you were playing with my thoughts. Telepathic people like you can't be trusted once you get in our heads."
Ryland growled low in his throat. "I wasn't doing anything. I've told my story a thousand times. You were weak. That's it." He turned on his heel.
"Am I really?" Kevin called after him. "Pretty sure I kicked your friend's ass back there."
Ryland whirled around. "You got lucky."
"Do you think I'd be lucky again? Want to try me? A lot has changed since I saw you last. It might be interesting."
"You're not worth my time." Ryland spat.
"Oh so you're scared then? I bet you couldn't face me in the arena." Kevin continued to dig into him with his words. "Afraid to lose in front of your girlfriend?"
"I don't lose." Ryland hissed. "I can take you any time, any place."
"Hmph, alright. Then meet me here after hours and we'll see who's better." Kevin said. He grinned and put his hands on his hips. The other west coast students watched and waited like a pack of hungry coyotes.
Ryland hesitated. He stared back at them, his jaw flexing as he weighed his options.
"Ryland, you can't, if you get caught," I tried.
Ryland held up his hand to silence me. "Fine by me," He said. "I'll meet you here tomorrow night. No crowds, no cameras, just us."
Kevin chuckled. "Oh, I look forward to it." He took a step back and vanished into the crowd of students.
I had a bad feeling about this. "Ryland, you shouldn't have let him get to you." I put my hand on his shoulder but he shrugged me away.
"Don't worry about it, this is between me and him." His voice was dark. "I'll finish this once and for all. Kevin Spooner will regret the day he met me and fucked up my life. I guarantee it."
#
I spent the rest of the day on my own. Both boys were too caught up in their mental battles to want company, and truth be told, I couldn't stand being near either of them when they were like that.
I went to the mess hall for lunch and sat alone. I didn't want to bother with anyone right now. I needed to focus on what was next. I ate my rice and beans slowly, wondering who I was going to be paired up with for sparring. Up until recently, I hadn't even thrown a punch before. Although I knew that I had what it took to kick ass, it didn't mean I wanted to do it on a regular basis. I still had nightmares of the night that I fought those Rogues. Knowing they were still out there only made it worse.
I pushed the rice around with my fork, suddenly losing my appetite as the stress took over. My next event was scheduled for tomorrow morning. Maybe I could drop out of the competition? It wasn't like anyone would be interested in hiring me, anyway. I couldn't control my powers as well as my peers. Sure, I was strong, but so was a wildfire. Strong but uncontrolled and dangerous. That's how others saw me. Which seemed to be all that mattered in this place.
My eyes wandered around the mess hall. Groups of students huddled together while they ate and talked. No campuses were intermingling. I looked down at my blue bracelet that marked me as a student of the north campus
. While I had originally hoped that I could meet some cool people, the competitive attitude made me want to hide.
A blond girl with a blue bracelet walked by. Zoe. The one from the opening ceremony who had been totally upstaged by the pyro boy. She walked fast, with purpose and sat down with some other girls from our campus. I recognized one from my class with Ms. Blackwell, but I had forgotten her name.
I tapped my fingers on the cold metal table. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to talk to them? Wait, no. She was telekinetic, which meant we were rivals here.
One of them must have caught me staring. They whirled around and glared at me.
I tried to look away, but it was too late.
"Do you have a problem, girl?" Zoe snapped from a few seats over.
"Nope." I sighed, picking up my tray and standing up. "Just leaving."
"Ha, good. Learn your place. If you end up facing me, you're going to wish you were dead." Zoe shouted after me.
I emptied my uneaten food in the garbage and walked out of the mess hall as quickly as I could.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Apparently, the word got out that we had a pyro match. Something that hadn't happened in years. It was the last match of the day and the other sections had been emptied just in case. Pyrokinetic power was as dangerous as it was rare. Everyone had turned out to watch the match on the second day of the competition.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please focus your attention on square 3." The announcer's voice was loud enough to shake my bones. I gripped the edge of my seat. Everyone had turned up for this sparring match. Everyone except Ryland. I couldn't see him anywhere. Luke sat on one side of me, while Katie and her group of goth friends were a few rows over.
I had never seen Phylicia in action before. I was half excited and half terrified. Her braids were bundled into a giant bun. She wore a full body catsuit of black flame resistant material. It shimmered under the arena lights. If I had to pick a word to describe her, it would be: badass.
The person opposing her was also dressed in flame resistant clothes. He was standing with his arms crossed over his chest. He had tanned skin and dark brown hair. His body was lean, strong, and he was incredibly handsome.
"We have a very rare match up for you today. May I present Phylicia Booker of north campus and Julian Alviar of east campus.” The announcer continued.
Someone from behind me was talking to their friend. "I don't think he should be allowed to compete. You know he's an exchange student from Europe? There's no way this is fair!"
I resisted the urge to look over my shoulder at the girl who was speaking. Exchange student? That meant there were other campuses all over the world for psychics? The thought was nearly unfathomable. I shrugged it off and glanced at Luke.
He looked exhausted from his match. A dark bruise blossomed on his cheek. Luke sensed my gaze and glanced at me. He forced a tight-lipped smile, but said nothing. Everyone was on edge. Even friendly and dependable Luke. Katie didn't seem much better off. She was always quiet, but there was an unusual energy about her today. The entire mood was unsettling, to say the least.
The announcer spoke again. "Here we go!"
Geez, this was like a effing boxing match! Everyone else was excited, but I was terrified. I fixed my eyes on Phylicia. She looked cool and calm. She stood with her hands on her hips. Her expression was unreadable from this distance.
A buzzer rang out, and the fight began. Phylicia made the first move. She raised her palms to the ceiling and flames burst from her hands.
Julian matched her ferocity, balling his fists and summon flames that swirled around his hands.
Pyrokinetics was one of the lesser understood physic phenomena. Those with the power to manipulate the environment to produce a flame at their will seemed something out of a fantasy novel and not real life.
There was a brief moment of stillness before they lunged at each other.
Nine minutes. That's all they had to last for. Nine minutes and it would be over. If someone didn't get killed first. I chewed my bottom lip, watching them shoot fire back and forth. They were both fast and agile, a perfect match.
Phylicia dodged the flames and flipped off the plexiglass wall. I could see her taunting him with a huge grin on her face. She was moving with confidence and grace.
Julian didn't get worked up by her attitude. He remained in control of his fire.
The heat reached the audience now. The arena's exhaust fans kicked on to clear the smoke and reduce the heat. A bead of sweat rolled down my neck.
Neither of them landed a single hit. They both kept their distance. Fire was not a weapon for close contact sparring. I began to wonder who would run out of energy first. Phylicia's stamina was impressive, but her flame was waning.
Julian saw his advantage and sent a fireball towards her, catching her side as she dodged. Her fireproof bodysuit was undamaged.
I fought the urge to look away. The time limit was quickly approaching. Just a little longer and it'd be over. My nerves couldn't take it. I gripped the edge of my seat until my knuckles turned white.
Luke was tense, leaning forward to get a better look and holding his breath whenever one of them struck.
The noise of the crowd had fallen away now. The only thing I could focus on was the match. It felt as if the world was in the background. I had tunnel vision. The only thing I cared about was Phylicia coming out of this unscathed.
The buzzer rang out to signal the end.
Phylicia and Julian both attempted one last shot before backing away from each other. They were covered in sweat and smeared with soot from the arena floor, which had barely endured the ordeal. The heat warped the plexiglass walls.
The crowd cheered and shouted for more.
"The judges have determined that this match is a draw." The announcer said over the speakers.
More cheers and boos bubbled up from the crowd. I leaned back in my seat and let out a long breath. It was over. That was possibly the most intense nine minutes of my life and I was grateful that Phylicia was on my side. I'd hate to fight a pyro after seeing that.
#
I went straight back to my room after the match. The boys (Ryland and Luke) were both nowhere to be found and I didn't have time for their mind games. They were obviously too focused on the competition to even bother with me. Especially Ryland. I hadn't seen him since the argument with Kevin. I wanted to tell him not to go through with the fight, but he'd never listen to me. There was no doubt it my mind that no matter what I said, Ryland was going to show up to the arena after hours and destroy Kevin, as well as possibly get kicked out again.
I sighed into my pillow and rolled over. The blank ceiling stared back at me, cold and indifferent. The room was nice enough, but the homesickness was getting harder to ignore.
The door opened with a bang and Phylicia walked in. She smelled like smoke and ash.
"Phylicia!" I bolted up in my bed. "Are you ok?"
"Fine," She said with a shrug. "Just in need on a shower." She sniffed her clothes, which no doubt smelled like smoke too.
The crazy thing was, I believed her. Phylicia was never once to mix words or try to save face. She had never told me anything but the truth. She seemed pumped, energized even, after her fight. "You were incredible." I said.
"Thanks," She grinned. "I haven't had a fight that good my entire life." She was positively beaming.
"So, is he taking you out on a date after that?" I asked, leaning forward so I wouldn't miss a word of the story.
Phylicia shrugged and smiled. "I don't know. He didn't ask. But, wow he is so sexy up close. Like, I swear his looks distracted me more than his fire." She giggled like a little girl.
"If he didn't ask, then you should," I said.
Phylicia's eyes widened. "Oh my god, no. I couldn't do that." Her voice trailed off as she considered the option. She shook her head. "Maybe. We'll see." She opened her suitcase. "So, what are you wearing tonight?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
&nbs
p; "Tonight is the gala." Phylicia's mouth fell open. "Wait, you mean, no one told you about the formal event?"
My face burned red. "No. It seems that people forget to tell me a lot of things lately." I shrugged. "It's fine," I lied. "I just won't go. I can't. All I have is training clothes."
"No way! The gala is the best part of the competition. It's the only time we have to be normal before the rivalries take over and people are too beat up to look good in pictures." She laughed at my horrified expression. "I'm joking. Kinda."
"I have nothing to wear," I said.
Phylicia flashed me a crafty smile. Her dark brown eyes glittered. "Honey, you just leave that to me."
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
I don't know how she did it, but Phylicia actually pulled it off.
In her suitcase, among the dozens of potential outfits, she had a stretchy convertible maxi dress. She draped the amethyst-colored fabric around my waist and tied over my shoulders like a halter top before wrapping the excess around my waist. The X shaped fabric across my torso was the only thing keeping my boobs from making a surprise appearance.
"You small-chested girls can always get away without a bra," She sighed wistfully. "There, what do you think?"
"Phylicia, it's amazing, thank you." I looked myself up and down in the mirror. It was simple but elegant and fit like a dream. No one would have guessed that it wasn't my dress.
"Girl power," She winked. "We gotta stick together, right?" Phylicia had chosen a fitted cocktail dress in a brilliant sapphire blue with pumps to match.
I slipped my feet into my ballerina flats, thankful that the dress was long enough to hide them. In less than an hour, she had transformed me from an exhausted paranoid student to an elegant woman. I was literally speechless.
'Well, let's get going. I'm sure the west campus is itching to show off more of their fancy facilities." Phylicia rolled her eyes. "Let's make the most of it."
#
Phylicia hit the nail on the head.
The ball was held in a literal ballroom that had been built onto the main building, especially for this event. It was modern and white, like everything else, with countless tables for people to sit and a dance floor to mingle. A purple glow emitted from the low lights and candles flickered on the tables encased in ultra-modern silver centerpieces.
Psychic Lies: An Urban Fantasy Academy Romance (Psychic Academy Book 2) Page 10
