by April Marcom
“No, look. Here they come.” Nadine pointed her finger at something behind me.
Several women in dark dresses with tattered edges came through a door and brought platters of food to us. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, white and dark gravy, corn on the cob, and an assortment of pies were laid before us.
“Thanks,” Nadine said before ripping a leg right off the turkey and shoving it against her mouth.
The woman who’d set it down gave her an odd look and turned her nose up before she left.
“You can’t thank a Cinder,” Harmony whispered to her. “It’s rude.”
“Right, I forgot,” Nadine said through a mouthful. “Their idea of rude is so backwards, though. It’s hard to remember.”
The rest of us began loading our plates as my con began to ring, so I had to stop and reach in my bag for it.
Once it had risen and opened up, Roman smiled at me. All his gloom from the night before was gone. “Hey, sweetie. We’re about to land, but ya’ll left early, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I was about to start eating.”
“Well, I’ll join you as soon as I can. I just wanted to tell you to save me a seat.”
“Sure.”
He winked before the screen went dark and began folding up.
I leaned my head back to stare at the dark ceiling. “Aw, man. I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with him until tomorrow.”
“Break up with him already,” Harmony said.
“How can I break up with someone I’m not even going out with?”
“Tell him that. How long are you going to put yourself through this?”
“Until he figures it out.”
“In other words, you’ll let this go on until you’re married and have kids with the guy.”
“I sure hope not.”
Harmony shook her head and turned back to her food. I tried not to think about it as I ate. Instead, I turned my thoughts to why in the world everyone had been looking forward to coming here so much. So far it seemed dark and kind of demented. Everyone here hated us. I hoped it would get better.
When the entrance doors finally opened and North Haveners began pouring in, one of the Cinder staff, clad all in black, stood and went to shake Headmaster’s hand. His snowy white hair reached halfway down his hunched back. I realized it must be his brother when he spoke with the same voice, except that it was void of all emotion. “Hello, North Haven High School. Right on time, as always.”
“So good to see you, Brother,” our Headmaster said, “but why is it so dark in here?” Both voices were magnified somehow, like they were speaking directly into a microphone.
“Because we like it that way.”
Headmaster ignored him and walked over to the wall. Light flooded the room. Gasps and protests came from the front. Cinders shielded their eyes and leaned over in an effort to escape it. Our students looked relieved as they took their seats and began eating.
“Headmaster had them installed several years ago,” Harmony whispered to me. Both headmasters went to stand under the flags from all over the world hanging on the wall in the back of the room. “Having to live by light of fire only was driving us all crazy. The Cinders still do, though.”
When I saw Roman looking for me, I slumped down, hoping he wouldn’t see me. I had officially reached the point of being sick of him, just friends or not. But when he saw Harmony, he started heading my way. “I missed you all day,” he said, kissing my cheek and wrapping both arms around me when he sat down.
“Thanks.” I really wished he would go away.
“So, we gather together to celebrate another season of competition,” the Cinders’ headmaster began. “As we are the ones playing host this year, I expect all my students to behave as such and to be courteous and respectful of our guests.” A hint of a smirk crossed his thin, wrinkled lips before he went on. “We welcome you all, North Haveners, and are grateful, as always, to share our home with you for a time. You’re welcome to whatever you may find here, but make no mistake. You’re here so we can beat you, and win we will. I promise you that.”
Half the room erupted in cheers, as students beat fists and feet against the tables and floor. A sinister smile spread over their headmaster’s face.
Our headmaster laughed softly, letting the uproar die down before he spoke. “Thank you, Tobias, for that um...warm welcome. We’re grateful to you for having us here, as well. And I expect the same behavior from my students. We must put all this rivalry aside while we coexist at Southland Cinder High School. Save it for the games.
“My students will continue with physical fitness each weekday morning, meeting in our designated gym at eight-thirty. If you’re competing, you’ll be doing whatever your coach has planned for you until your sport is finished in the competition.
“The annual dance will be held next month. We’re hoping to have it on the twenty-fifth, Christmas Day, but we’ll have to give you a definite date when it gets closer. Our activities committee will also be putting on an end-of-season party sometime in the week following the last competition.”
“What?” Harmony said, clapping her hands over her mouth after it slipped out, because everyone had heard her.
“North Haven students generally stick to the second floor when inside. You’ll find everything you need there, aside from food and training. It is complete with a game room and recreational area, similar to the ones back home. If you’re planning on going outside, the adult who looks after your hall in North Haven will be able to provide you with proper attire.
“Let’s see, was there anything else...Staff will be meeting with me every Friday night at seven p.m., and students...please, never hesitate to come to me whenever you’re in need of anything.” Headmaster reached up and touched something on his neck, a microphone I assumed, before he and his brother went to sit down.
Harmony turned to me with her hands still over her mouth, muffling her voice a little. “We have to put on the dance and a big party...for all these people?”
“It’ll be fun.”
“It’ll be a lot of work.”
“Maybe when it gets closer we can get more people on board to help out. I bet some of them’ll be looking for something fun to do. What’s more fun than throwing a party?”
She finally let her hands drop. “You’re right. We’ll just have to make it fun.”
“So, do we have to wait to be dismissed, or can we go to our rooms when we’re done eating?”
“We can go whenever, but we better wait on Nadine.”
I looked across the table at Nadine, who was leaning over her plate eating a piece of apple pie.
“Maybe we could do something tonight,” Roman said. “I’ll probably be training most of tomorrow and the next day. Winter Competitions kick off Friday, but we don’t compete for another week. Coach’ll be pushing us pretty hard until then.”
“I would, but don’t you think we should get settled in? Usually we’d have an hour until lights out, and we need to unpack and shower.”
“I know, but—can’t you give me half an hour?”
“Yeah, but I’d really rather see where I’ll be sleeping for the next three months and give you more than half an hour another time.”
His face was rigid as he said, “Fine, I’ll walk you to the girls’ quarters, then.”
Chapter Fifteen
~ Knight ~
When Nadine was finished eating, Roman took my hand and we all headed for the entrance doors. “We sleep on the next floor up,” he said.
“The boys and the girls?”
“Mm-hm.” I hated the smile he gave me.
“A staff member’s always in between them to keep watch and make sure they don’t get into each others’ quarters, though,” Nadine said.
In the dark hallway, we turned left and saw a group of boys in dark wife-beaters and loose-fitting jeans walking towards us. With the light from the torches dancing all over their bodies and the cold eyes they each possessed, they looked threaten
ing. A part of me wanted to turn around and run. But I did what the people around me were doing and stared silently ahead, trying to pretend they weren’t even there. I still felt anxiety build as they came closer...and closer...and closer. And then they were walking past us, and it was over.
“Kristine?” a voice that seemed familiar said from behind us.
My shoulders tensed as I turned around. That voice...it was the voice of a Cinder, but even as I searched the faces, I felt happiness tug at my heart and a rush of memories working as hard as they could to open themselves.
“It is you,” the voice said again. The boy with black hair spiked all over his head moved toward me.
And when I saw his heavy eyes and those long black eyelashes, the memories broke through. Years of joy and laughter and playing and pretending flooded through me. “Luke!” I pulled my hand away from Roman to reach both arms up and wrap them around my old friend’s neck.
I felt his arms wrap around my back and my feet come right off the ground. “I can’t believe it,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, and finding you here is crazy.”
“I know.”
“Well, look who it is, Roman Armstrong,” one Cinder said, staring past me to my friends. “I’d like you to meet our school’s newest Snow Rider captain, Knight.” He put a hand on Luke’s shoulder. It took me a second to remember that Knight was Luke’s last name.
Roman was already glaring at him, but now he took a step closer to us. “He’s it?” He snorted as he gave a sarcastic laugh. “I could beat this moron in my sleep.”
Luke went to stand right in front of him. “Is that a challenge?”
“Maybe, it depends on whether you agree to stay away from Kristine or not.”
“Roman,” I said.
Luke pushed Roman, who swung his arms around as he caught himself. Then he ran at Luke with his shoulder aimed at his chest, letting out an angry cry that echoed through the hallway. Luke moved to the side and pushed Roman over as he came at him.
Roman fell at my feet and jumped up, but I grabbed his arm when he reached back to punch Luke. “Come on, Roman. We’re supposed to save the fighting for the competition, remember?”
His eyes remained locked on Luke’s. “He started it.”
“Who cares, let’s just go.” I tried to pull him toward Harmony and the others, but he didn’t budge until he wanted to. It hurt to walk away from Luke like that. I wanted to stay and talk to him, because being with him was a little like being with my mom again. I couldn’t even look back because half of what was driving Roman away was me pulling his arm, and looking back wouldn’t have helped. I have three months to find Luke and talk to him again, I told myself.
“Hey, Kristine,” Luke called.
I couldn’t decide if I was happier or more frustrated as I stopped and turned around. “Yeah?”
“How about you meet me here tomorrow when you’re done with physical fitness?”
“Okay.” I smiled excitedly.
“Kristine,” Roman hissed.
“What?”
He yanked his arm away from my hand to grab mine and start pulling me away the same way I’d been pulling him. “Why did you say yes?”
“Because I wanna catch up. Luke used to be my best friend. We practically grew up together and I haven’t seen him since I was sent to that orphanage.”
“Well I’m your boyfriend and I say you can’t.”
I stopped short. My poor roommates kept having to stop and start and keep quiet as they watched all the stupid drama.
But if Roman was going to be like this, it had to end. “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t talk to. Luke’s probably the closest thing I have to family in this world. We have more memories together than we have with anyone else. No matter what’s happened in the years since I last saw him, I know him inside and out and he’s the same way with me. We couldn’t say that about anyone else. So for you to tell me I can’t talk to him is cruel and ridiculous—I am done talking to you about this.” With that, I jerked my arm away and walked off, not caring if anyone followed or if I got lost. I just knew I wanted to get as far away from Roman as I could. Our little fictional relationship was done. I wasn’t playing along or keeping my mouth shut anymore.
Harmony jogged to catch up and hugged my arm. “Good for you,” she whispered.
I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn’t look back until we reached a dead end with a wide stairway going off to the left and right. An old woman I didn’t recognize sat in a chair between the two with her chin hanging down against her chest, snoring. Sassy and Nadine stood behind me. No sign of Roman.
“Girls to the right, and boys to the left,” Sassy said. We took the stairs on our right up to a door that looked like something from a castle out of the Middle Ages, just like every other door in the place, and walked into a giant room with rows of bunk beds lining both sides of the room. Two black suitcases sat against the end of each one.
“Everyone sleeps in the same room?” I asked. It was just like the orphanage.
“Yeah, it’s the same way for the Cinders when they visit us,” Sassy said, walking through the center of the rows of beds. “Since it’s only temporary, we don’t really go all out for each other. But the beds have these curtains, if you want some privacy.” She walked to the head of one of the beds and pulled the forest green curtain hanging on one side out to show me. Three circular lights had been bolted into the headboards of each one, too.
“Here we are,” Nadine said from a bed on the right side of the room. I walked over to her and saw a wooden sign on the end with the same pointy golden letters on it that were hanging on the outside of the school, spelling out NADINE RODRIGUEZ. The top bunk had Sassy’s name on it. And next to those were Harmony’s and mine.
I wasn’t thrilled about being forced to share a room with so many other people again, but I was grateful for the curtains. It was still a lot better than anything I had before North Haven. And I had to be grateful that we had real overhead lights instead of torches in our room.
Setting my purse on my bed, I pulled the curtains closed. They wrapped all the way around the sides and end, so you really did have complete privacy. Then I climbed inside. It was completely dark. “These curtains are really good, but how do you turn the lights on?”
I heard a zipper and then Harmony’s voice. “There’s a switch on the side.”
With both hands, I felt around the sides until I found it on the left. When I pushed it up, the lights came on and I was in my own little space. It was actually kind of nice. “Can you see the lights from out there?” I asked.
“It’s not dark enough to see right now, but at night you can see it around the edges. If it bothers anybody, they can close their curtains to block it out. So don’t ever feel bad about turning your lights on. No school means we can stay up as late as we want. And if we all want to climb into one bunk and play a game or something, we can.”
“Cool.” I pulled my curtains open and turned off the lights.
The others were all putting things into the tall dressers at the sides of our beds against the wall. “If anyone has any extra space, let me know,” Sassy said.
“I will,” Nadine said.
“I’ll probably have a drawer left over you can use,” I added.
Harmony climbed onto the bed above mine to hang her dress for the dance on a hook in the wall. “How do you know that Luke guy?” she asked me.
I could see Nadine and Sassy stop to look over at me out of the corner of my eye.
“He used to live with his foster parents in the same apartments where I lived. They weren’t the best people, but they made sure he never went hungry and had decent clothes to wear. He moved in when we were about eight and we started walking to school together, since we were in the same class. Then he started coming over to make cookies and play games with my mom and me. And everything kind of clicked. It felt like we belonged together, so we did everything with each other.
“He used to come over in the middle of the night when he was having a nightmare or feeling scared and we would fall asleep watching cartoons on the couch together. His parents—” I stopped myself, realizing I was in danger of revealing some pretty personal stuff that I probably shouldn’t be. His parents were brutally murdered right in front of him, so he had a lot of bad nights. “Anyway, his foster parents didn’t care, because they knew my mom didn’t mind and that he was safe at our house...But that doesn’t really matter. I could go on forever, because there were a lot of little things like that.
“But when my mom died and I got sent to that orphanage, I tried to talk to Ms. Wendy about seeing Luke and she said he’d been sent to another foster family in a different part of the state. She said we weren’t allowed to associate with boys under any circumstance, anyway, so I was wasting my time. I spent months crying myself to sleep at night over losing him and my mom. Obviously, I want to see him now that we’re both here. I can’t believe Roman told me not to.”
“He wasn’t completely out of line,” Nadine said.
“What?”
“Catching up with him’s fine, but...”
Harmony jumped onto the floor and finished for her. “We don’t associate with Cinders.”
“But he’s not a Cinder to me. He’s Luke. He’s my best friend, a tie to my mother and all the fun we had together and with her. School rivalry can’t get in between that. I thought we all got together to have fun competing and make new friends.”
Nadine and Harmony looked at each other. “I know it’s hard, but it can’t work,” Harmony said. “We get together to compete. That’s all. We always have a blast, but we do it separately. North Haveners never mix with Cinders.”
I let out a sigh. Luke and I couldn’t be friends. And I’d finally gotten him back when I never thought I would. I felt the same pain I’d felt years before as he was taken away just like that. I realized I should have seen it coming, since even the grown-ups of each school felt such apparent loathing for each other.
