Maverick (Maverick Academy Series)

by Layman, Tate

  “You won’t be alone long though, Whit. You already have a friend – Rory. She seemed like an interesting and friendly girl. She even asked you to come by her room tonight. I bet by this time tomorrow, you’ll have bunches of new friends.”

  “I hope so.” Whit glanced at her watch, which read 6:24. Mona saw her look and knew it was time. She hugged Whit tightly before getting up from the table.

  “It’s almost 6:30. I have to go.”

  “I know. I love you, Mona,” Whit said softly as she hugged Mona once more.

  “I love you too. We’ll talk tomorrow, right? You’ll let me know how everything’s going?”

  “Yeah, I’ll call you tomorrow night,” Whit said, nodding. Mona squeezed her hand once more before walking to her car and getting in. Whit watched as Mona backed out of the parking space and slowly drove away. She waved in response to Mona’s hand shooting out the window to flutter, then turned around.

  Maverick loomed in front of her like a big scary monster, but really what concerned her were the monsters that it held.

  Chapter 7

  The cafeteria was exactly how Whit remembered it – shaped like a stop sign, with lots of windows. She’d almost decided to skip supper, but she hadn’t wanted to go back and be alone in her room. As she looked around the cafeteria, several students eyed her curiously, and she wondered how often Maverick got new students. Most probably came in at the beginning of the year, not mid-semester. That made her the odd man out, she suspected. The only new girl here.

  Turning, she examined the line choices before opting for the taco bar. She tried to avoid eye contact with others because she was afraid of what they might be saying about her. As she grabbed a tray and a plate, someone bumped into her from behind. Whit glanced over her shoulder and came face to face with black polo guy. She caught her breath as she was reminded just how good looking he was. She remembered him from her dream and the visit to Maverick, but she’d forgotten just how gorgeous he was.

  “Sorry ‘bout that,” he said as he gestured over his shoulder toward a group of boys pushing each other. “They’re a bunch of asshats.”

  Before Whit could respond, a boy grabbed black polo boy in a headlock. Whit knew she’d been completely forgotten. She slid her tray down the line, grabbing food that she wasn’t sure she could stomach. She didn’t really feel hungry, but knew she would need her energy tomorrow for her first day of class.

  Once she was at the end of the food line, Whit looked around for a table to sit at. This was one of the hardest things about being the new kid – sitting alone at lunch, or dinner in this case. Before Whit could move, someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and once again found herself making eye contact with black polo guy.

  “Sorry about that. He heard me call him an asshat, and decided to get revenge,” he smirked. “So you’re new here?”

  “Yeah, moved in today,” Whit replied with a nod. She finally spotted a table in the corner that was empty, which would mean she didn’t have to introduce herself to anyone else. With a smile and a wave toward black polo guy, she walked toward the corner table. Before she could sit down, someone sat a tray down next to hers. She glimpsed a male body out of the corner of her eye and knew immediately who it was. Either he was following her or this was his normal table. She thought it was probably option two. No way such a good-looking guy would sit with her.

  “Sorry, I can move if this is your table,” she said as she picked up her tray.

  “Why?” he asked with a frown. “Did you want to sit alone? If so, I can move.” He shrugged. “I just thought you might like some company.”

  “Oh. Thanks,” she replied before pulling out a chair and sitting down. He smiled shyly in her direction before flopping down next to her.

  Just as Whit started to introduce herself, the three other chairs at her table were pulled out and filled with the guys that had been pushing each other in the taco line.

  “Nolan, who’s your friend?” one of them asked.

  “I haven’t gotten around to finding out yet. You keep interrupting me,” black polo boy answered with a roll of his eyes. He turned back toward Whit, shrugging. “So, this your first night at Maverick? You scared?”

  Whit didn’t know how to respond to that. Would they think she was a wuss if she told the truth? Then again, every one of them had been in her shoes at some point.

  “Yeah, pretty much,” she said with a nervous laugh. When all four boys laughed and smiled, she felt more relaxed. That had been the right answer after all.

  “What’s your name?” one of the nameless boys asked.

  “Whit,” she answered. “And you guys are …?”

  “The coolest people at Maverick,” one replied with a chuckle as he high-fived another.

  “I’m Nolan,” black polo guy said and then continued by introducing his three friends. “That’s Mark, Christopher, and Sam. Although I’m the only one worth knowing. The rest of them are dorks, like I told you in line.” That remark caused an uproar, which ended with a glob of sour cream being thrown across the table. Nolan quickly dodged the glob and pushed Whit away from the table before the sour cream could get on her. The boys were definitely taking her mind off being alone in a new place.

  “Thanks,” Whit said softly to Nolan. She grabbed a napkin that was close by and quickly wiped up the sour cream before she somehow got it on her clothes. The guys were laughing and joking, but they continued to throw glances toward her, filled with curiosity.

  “What year are you?” someone asked. Whit was unsure who was who at this point, as the only one she remembered was Nolan, so she decided against trying to use any names.

  “I’m a sophomore. What about you guys?”

  Nolan and the boy sitting on his left – Mark, Whit thought was his name – were sophomores as well, they said, while the other two were juniors.

  “What do you think of Maverick so far?” Nolan asked right before taking a huge bite of taco.

  “I don’t really know yet. I haven’t seen much or met very many people, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see,” Whit replied with a shrug.

  “Who have you met so far? Your roommate?” Mark asked.

  “Yeah, I met my roommate for a second this afternoon. Her name’s Nalini. We didn’t get to talk very much,” Whit answered. She noticed the guys glancing toward Nolan and then at each other when they heard the name Nalini. Whit was starting to think that Nalini might not be the nicest person.

  “Do you know my roommate?” she asked curiously, wondering why everyone got that look on their face when she mentioned her.

  “Yeah we know her,” Nolan said with a shake of his head.

  “And?” Whit glanced around worriedly.

  “She just starts things sometimes, but mostly it’s her best friend Darby that causes all the trouble. Just watch your back around those two, New Girl,” Sam warned. At least Whit thought he was the one named Sam.

  “Sam, stop scaring her. Whit, they really aren’t that bad. Darby is actually cool most of the time,” Nolan soothed.

  She caught several frowns from the other guys, but didn’t feel like questioning it further since Nolan was defending the girls. Whit wondered if there was something going on between Nolan and Darby from his reaction.

  She decided a change of subject might be best. “I also met some other people. They helped me move in. Their ring leader was a girl named Rory. She seemed nice.” That statement caused the boys to burst into laughter.

  “Rory and nice don’t belong in the same sentence. She’s nuts,” Mark laughed.

  “I thought she seemed sweet,” Whit stated, which just caused another round of laughter. She looked around, confused.

  “You don’t need to defend Rory, Whit. We’re friends with her,” Nolan explained with a quick look in her direction.

  “Was her gang of tall boys with her?” Christopher asked.

  “Yeah, there were three guys with her, but I can’t remember their names.”

 
“Were they Tavis, Alec, and Darian?” Nolan asked with a grin.

  “Yeah, that’s them. They all helped me move in, which saved me a lot of time and stairs,” Whit said with a smile. The guys nodded, before they started telling her about Tavis and Darian. Whit remembered that Tavis was large and very muscular, and now thanks to her dinner companions she was about to find out why. Mark explained that Tavis was something called a scavenger or bonecrusher. When Whit asked what that was, her table companions looked shocked that she didn’t already know.

  “Whit, what exactly do you know about Maverick?” Nolan asked with a frown.

  “I know students who attend Maverick are special. I know some of the talents or specialties, but not all of them,” she answered honestly.

  “Okay, we can help you out here. First off, at Maverick no one hides their talent or gift. Be proud of what you can do. It’s just part of being here. We all have something different about us,” Nolan said with a wink before continuing. “So we’ll start with me. I’m a caster, or I guess ‘spellcaster’ is the correct term. I specialize in fire. However, some casters deal with water and ice, others in lightning and energy. Mark, your turn.”

  “I’m called a bonecrusher, same as Tavis. I’m not as large as him yet. Bonecrushers are extremely strong. We can rip someone apart with very little effort. Our arms and legs are also super powerful. We can run faster, and jump higher and longer than anybody. Our bodies are made for survival. Basically I’m awesome.” He grinned, then winked. “Sam, your turn.”

  Whit knew her mouth was hanging open, but she just couldn’t absorb what Nolan and Mark had told her. Before Sam started explaining his talent, she held up both hands to stop the conversation.

  “So,” she said pointing a finger in Nolan’s direction, “you can start fires or shoot fire out of your fingers?”

  Nolan grinned. “Yeah, just a few of my many talents.” He opened his palm toward Whit and before she could blink, a little fireball appeared in his hand. He blew it in Sam’s direction, and the next thing Whit saw was Sam’s tray on fire. Whit jumped up from her chair and looked around for some water, but the boys remained seated and watched as the fire got smaller and then went out.

  “What happened?” Whit asked.

  “I put it out. I controlled the fire because I started it. Anyway,” Nolan said with a shake of his head, “do you want us to stop? I mean, you’ll have an orientation meeting tomorrow about some of this. It’s okay if you want us to shut up. We know it’s a lot to take in.”

  “No, don’t stop! Tell me about the other talents. I’ve been curious about this since I first visited the school, but I never imagined there were actually people who could do this stuff. It’s just hard to believe.” Whit turned her attention to Sam. Finally, someone was telling her about the gifts. And they weren’t exactly what she was expecting. She had thought vampires and werewolves, but bonecrushers. Who even knew those existed? And casting? That seemed really cool. Why couldn’t she have that gift instead of those horrible dreams? Whit glanced at Sam, who was next and she had to admit that her curiosity was definitely edging out her fear.

  “I‘m classified as a stalker. My five senses are way beyond those of a normal human. My eyesight is similar to that of an eagle. I can see from long distances, and zoom in on things like a camera does. I can smell and hear things from a mile away. My hearing is why I have to wear these special hearing aids around school.” He leaned toward Whit so she could his ears. “They help filter noise so I don’t go crazy. My sense of touch is also receptive to certain types of information. I can tell by touching things what they’re made of or if someone has altered them in some way. Last, but certainly not least, is taste. I taste foods and smells in the air to a greater effect. I can track people easily, but demons … well, not so much. They have a certain stench to them, see. I’m still learning about demons and how they affect me. And why. I’m definitely a work in progress,” Sam finished with a small laugh. “But if someone is awesome, it’d be me.” He laughed as he shoved Mark.

  “So, there are things out in the world, bad things like demons?” Whit asked with a look of horror.

  “Yeah, there are bad things.” Nolan looked straight into Whit’s eyes. When she started to ask more about the bad things, Nolan shook his head and Whit knew that particular subject was closed to her. Or at least not something that Nolan wanted to talk about.

  She glanced around the table until she came to the guy sitting on her left side. Christopher had been quiet throughout dinner, and Whit wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear anymore tonight. Maybe it would be best not to make him talk about it. She glanced at her watch and read the time: 8:03. From the school information sheet, Whit knew the dorms were locked at 8:30 on Sundays, and all students were required to be inside at that time. If nothing else, it gave her a convenient excuse.

  “Guys, I hate to run off when you’re being so helpful, but it’s already 8 and I need to get ready for tomorrow.” Whit felt somewhat relieved to be escaping further explanation of the gifts. She didn’t think she could handle much more in one day. She gathered up her trash and the remains of her food, stood, and said good night. As Whit left the cafeteria, she heard Nolan shout her name and watched as he ran to catch up with her.

  “I’ll walk with you back to your dorm, if that’s okay?” Nolan asked.

  She was surprised, but tried not to let it show on her face. “Yeah, that would help me actually. Without you I’d probably get lost and end up walking around all night.” She forced a laugh and then tried to force her eyes away from his deliciousness. Whit’s heart was beating so fast, she was sure he could hear it. Goodness, her hands were starting to sweat, so she tried to wipe them on her jeans without drawing his attention. Nolan interrupted her thoughts when he grabbed her arm and saved her from running into a bush.

  “Thanks, I’m in a daze,” she said trying to come up with an excuse and hide her blush. “My brain’s working overtime trying to put together everything you guys told me tonight. It’s a lot to take in.” She noticed that Nolan’s hand was still on her arm. At that moment, she remembered her dream about Nolan and her walking down the hall laughing. She didn’t know if it was thinking about that dream or his hand on her arm, but suddenly she started feeling bit better.

  “Now that you know all about me, will you tell me what your gift is?” he asked as he stepped back from her.

  She took a deep breath, trying to get her hormones under control. He was just a guy, she told herself. After a moment of silence, Whit realized he was waiting on her to answer. Since she hadn’t heard the question, she asked him to repeat it, mentally shaking herself.

  “Now that you know all about me, will you tell me what your gift is?”

  Whit hesitated for a second, but decided it was only fair. “I have dreams that end up happening, so I guess that means I’m psychic, or I’m going to be one once I learn to control the dreams,” Whit explained with a shrug, finally feeling like she had her reaction to him under control.

  His face lit up. “Cool, so you see the future! Did you dream about Maverick?” he asked.

  “Some things about it,” Whit blurted out before she could stop herself. Thank goodness her mouth shut before she embarrassed herself and told him about the dream he was in.

  Nolan frowned when Whit stopped talking. “I’m sorry if we scared you tonight. I just remember what it was like when I was new a couple of years ago. I remember being scared.” He glanced at the ground. “Guess I wanted to make sure you felt welcome instead.”

  As they made their way up the front walkway to the girls’ dorm, Whit thought about how lucky she was to finally meet a guy with potential. Nolan was gorgeous, sweet, and just seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Plus, he had flirted and seemed like he might be interested in her. Could it be that it was that easy to meet someone? She turned to Nolan with the intention of thanking him and asking if maybe he wanted to meet her for breakfast tomorrow, when all of a sudden a girl ran by and all but tackl
ed him to the ground. Whit stepped back in surprise. Nolan grabbed the girl and turned her toward Whit.

  “Sorry about that, Whit. This is Caroline,” he introduced offhandedly with a grin.

  “Nice to meet you,” Whit said, feeling a bit awkward. Was that his girlfriend? “Well, good night,” she said as she turned with a wave and headed into the dorm. Thank goodness she hadn’t asked him to breakfast. Of course he had a girlfriend. A guy that good looking always had a girlfriend. But what really bothered Whit was the way her flirted and made her feel like he was interested.

  As she opened the door, she couldn’t help glancing back over her shoulder at the couple, who were now caught up in a pretty heated make-out session. Good grief, she thought, at least go behind a bush or something. She rolled her eyes. Before the door could close all the way, she thought she heard Nolan shout out something that sounded like, “Good night Whit.”

  She didn’t bother to answer.

  Chapter 8

  The climb to the seventh floor exhausted her even more. By the time she reached her room, her breathing was strained. As Whit slowly opened her door, she overhead voices and knew that someone was with Nalini in their room. The conversation stopped immediately when the two girls saw Whit. Whit noticed that Nalini had changed into her pajamas, which was a tank top and short set. The other girl, who was laying on Whit’s bed, was simply too beautiful for words. She looked like a model, with her long, dark hair and flawless pale skin. Whit didn’t particularly like anyone messing with her stuff or laying on her bed, but she didn’t want to cause trouble the first night. The beautiful girl turned and looked over Whit before returning her gaze to Nalini. From that glance, Whit knew that the two girls had been discussing her, and it made her feel uncomfortable. Before the silence became too long, the beautiful girl focused back on Whit.