Silverwood Academy Book 1

by Jasmaine Groth

  After dinner we sat around the dormitory’s chatting about what we’d wear on Friday night, then headed to our last class. It was dark but with the lights of our notebooks on and the twinkling lights we could see just enough to get to class okay.

  We arrived in time, standing outside the classroom inside The Hub, I waited impatiently. Five minutes before class started Sterling Blackwell showed up, unlocking the door and letting everyone in. My hear jumped inside my chest at the sight of him. I didn’t understand why I was attracted to him. He wore his usual button up shirt with the sleeves folded up over his forearms, black pants and shoes.

  I walked into the classroom, taking a seat at the very back of the class, hoping to be forgotten up the back here. I didn’t know what to expect in this class.

  Once everyone was seated the lights switched off. Everything was black, my heart thumped in my ears, and I was finding it hard to breathe as the darkness swallowed me up, I felt uncomfortable about being somewhere this dark with Sterling after he traumatised me that night.

  “Tonight’s lesson will be in the dark,” he called from somewhere ahead, his voice echoed off the walls, making me jump. I looked around, not able to see anything, my breath catching in my throat. “You will have to try and clear the darkness with your mind to see through the darkness.”

  A shiver went up my spine, I felt like someone was behind me and turned around, all I could see was black, my heart started pounding and sweat made my palms slick, panic coursing through me. I tried to push out the darkness, focusing on what the room would look like during the day.

  I could make out the shape of the desk in front of me and Anna’s face, looking at her blonde hair in the dark made me calm a little.

  The week passed by quickly, we were still working on compelling on our insects, I failed my Night Vision classes, not able to see anything in the dark, but I wasn’t the only one. We kept getting yelled at for failing, Professor Blackwell accused us of not even trying.

  Control 101 was still as difficult as it was the first day, and it frustrated me that it wasn’t getting any easier. In our Enhanced Senses class, Professor Winters was still putting an ant on a xylophone, I was starting to get the hang of listening to the ant run across the xylophone.

  Compulsion 101 was finally getting a little easier, I could hold my concentration long enough for the praying mantis to walk around in three circles. I was getting further and further behind in Physical Exercise, I kept making it passed the finish line before the bell though, so that was good.

  Gifts and Powers was annoying, I still hadn’t gotten a handle on using my enhanced speed but I still tried anyway, it was fun watching the rest of the class attempt, every time someone got up to run over we all held our breaths, waiting to see if they’d get it, whether or not they managed to use their enhanced speed.

  Our Attack and defend classes were us practicing attacking and defend, it was fun; I worked with Grace and we’d throw each other around, landing real punches and kicks, getting our adrenaline flowing. We got lots of bruises from it, but it was so much fun, some of my bruises took a little longer to heal, but so did hers.

  On Friday, my packages came, and I headed down to pick them up after classes ended, going to the third floor in The Hub, heading to the door that was labelled “post”, I opened the door. A lady sat behind a desk and she looked up as the door opened, probably shocked that someone would come in this early. “What can I do for you dear?” she asked, a smile on her face.

  “I have some packages I would like to pick up,” I told her, handing her my notebook so she could get the information she needed.

  She pursed her lips and typed something into the computer, then tapped the shelf behind her, the whole thing rearranged, growing wider, a shelf forming out of nowhere, a giant box on top.

  Everything stopped and she handed me a huge box, several others stacked on top and I tried to balance it in one hand as she handed me a small device. “Thumb,” she said, gesturing to the device.

  I pressed my finger to it and a warm tingling sensation ran over my thumb as it scanned it. Once it finished, I pulled my thumb back and looked up at her. “Have a good day,” she smiled at me.

  “Thanks,” I said, leaving and heading back to the dormitories, the boxes obstructed most of my vision.

  As I walked through the courtyard someone bumped into me, electricity ran through my veins at the person’s touch, knocking the boxes from my hand. “Watch it!” I yelled, bending down to pick the box back up, I looked up and seen Professor Blackwell looking pissed, my heart thundered in my chest.

  “Watch where you’re going,” he growled.

  Urgh! “You’re the one who bumped into me!” I exclaimed. “How the hell didn’t you see me?”

  He glared at me. “I don’t have to answer to you.”

  “Argh!” I exclaimed, dropping down to pick up the boxes. “You are such a jerk!”

  “You know I’m your professor, right?” he questioned, bending down, looking me in the eyes as he helped stack the boxes, an eyebrow raised.

  “Yes!” I replied, looking him in the eyes. “Still doesn’t mean you’re not a jerk.”

  He laughed. “How am I a jerk?” he questioned, leaning back on his heels, raising both eyebrows, looking amused.

  “Well, you make us run laps in the hot sun,” I told him, standing as I picked some boxes up, he stood up, picking up another set of boxes. “Then you also run into me while carrying boxes and then growl at me for bumping into you.” Looking at him expectantly.

  He looked at me, then shook his head. Looking down at the boxes. “What do you even have in here?”

  I blushed, and he raised his eyebrows, looking even more intrigued. “Just clothes.” I shrugged.

  “Oh really? Then why’d you just blush?” He smirked at me, grabbing the tape from off the top of the box and my heart stopped as he peered into it. “Well look at that, there is clothes in here.”

  “Oh thank goodness!” I blurted.

  Sterling turned to me and raised his eyebrows and laughed. “I don’t think I want to know what you thought I was going to find in here.” He shook his head. “I’ll help you with these, so you don’t run into anyone else.”

  I bit my lip. “Thanks.”

  We walked toward the vampire dormitories in silence. “Any plans with your friends tonight?” he asked as we walked through the woods.

  I shrugged. “Just going out for some drinks.”

  He chuckled. “Are you going to get as drunk as last time?” He smirked. “And tell people you’re biteable and delicious?”

  “Well I’m going to get drunk obviously.” I sighed. “Did you see that bullshit Selene posted about me propositioning you?” I averted my gaze from him, a blush creeping up my cheeks.

  “Yeah,” he replied.

  “Well I wasn’t.”

  Sterling looked at me. “I know.”

  “Good.” I held his gaze, stepping out of the woods and into the clearing of the dormitory. We reached the door and I turned to him, cocking my head to the side. “Thanks for helping.”

  Sterling smiled, it brightened his whole face, revealing a small dimple in his cheeks, his brown eyes glittered golden in the sunlight. “Am I still a jerk?” he questioned.

  I threw my head back and laughed. “Only just a little,” I admitted.

  His whole face lit up in a smile. “You’re impossible.”

  My heart thumped hard at seeing him smile, and I grinned at him, his smile infectious. “Not really.”

  Sterling placed the boxes on top of the ones I was already holding, moved aside and opened the door for me. “Have a good night then.”

  I stepped inside, biting my lip, turning around and the door swung shut quickly in my face, I laughed and headed upstairs to my room, looking through my boxes of clothes, glad that he never seen my new lacy underwear and thongs, and the matching push-up bras I had gotten. I put it all away, hanging the dresses and skirts up.

  ***
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  Sophia and Anna sat on the end of my bed later that afternoon as I held up a strapless black mini dress and my spaghetti strap red dress, trying to decide which to wear. The black had a plunging neckline, the red dress had a nice amount of cleavage and was lightly longer and had a slit going up the right thigh, stopping just above the hip. The red was a silky satin, and the black was a soft polyester blend. “Red,” Anna told me.

  “Black,” Sophia told me at the same time as Anna.

  I groaned. “No help,” I told them, standing in my black thong and strapless bra, my hair hanging down my back in waves, while pulling the red dress on, zipping it up as it clung to the curves of my body. My makeup was applied and looked great, gold glitter eyeshadow was placed in the centre of my crease, blending out to a nice brown, the same brown shadow smudged in my lower lash line, a winged eyeliner and mascara. I pulled on my black pumps and turned to them.

  Sophia was wearing a light blue dress, that complimented her hair and skin tone, the sleeves were off the shoulders and it had a floral design.

  Anna wore a simple pink strappy dress that clung to her body and stopped high on her thighs, she had white pumps on, showing off her long legs.

  We walked across campus towards The Hub to get our blood for the evening before we headed down the driveway to the bus stop, the bus trip was short.

  Sitting in a small bar, we ordered a round of pink drinks and chips. “I can’t believe I got through the week,” I told them, sipping on my drink.

  Sophia and Anna laughed. “Same.” Anna replied.

  “It’s been so hectic,” Sophia sighed.

  “I never expected everything to be so exhausting,” I admitted.

  “Me too,” Sophia and Anna replied at the same time.

  I ate another chip, licking the salt from my fingers. I finished my second drink off, standing up. “Another?” I asked the girls and they nodded, sipping their drinks faster. I headed over to the bar, waiting in line.

  A guy walked up to me from behind the bar with a big smile. He had short curly brown hair and brown eyes, broad chest and shoulders. “What can I get you?” he asked.

  I smiled. “Just another round of those pink drinks.” I pointed to where Sophia and Anna were sipping on their drinks.

  He nodded. “Coming up.” He turned around pouring a bunch of things in a tumbler, shaking it with a smile. I tapped my fingers against the bar to the song, my veins buzzed with electricity and I could feel the alcohol pulsing through my veins.

  Looking around the room, my eyes immediately found Sterling who was sitting at a table across the room, he was wearing a blue shirt, the sleeves hugged his bulging biceps, and I couldn’t help looking at him up and down. He wasn’t alone, Melissa was with him.

  Of course he likes blondes. She smiled brightly at him, I rolled my eyes, feeling a pang in my chest, unsure as to why. Sterling Blackwell looked up, his dark eyes catching mine, and I turned away from his gaze as three cocktail glasses were placed in front of me. “Here you go,” the bartender said.

  I picked up the first one, swallowing it in three large gulps, placing it back down on the table with a sigh, picking up the second one, draining it and setting it back down on the table, the alcohol electric as it slid down my throat.

  “Can you make three more?” I asked, setting my card down on the table, picking the third glass up and downing it.

  He laughed. “Sure thing, babe.” He winked at me.

  I giggle forcefully, a hand found its way around my waist and I turned to see Oliver smiling down at me. I grinned. “You look so good,” he told me.

  Looking him up and down, he wore a black shirt and jeans. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

  He chuckled. “Three bourbons and coke,” he told the bartender. The guy making my drinks nodded, eyeing Oliver’s hand around my waist.

  I felt eyes boring into me and turned to see Sterling looking at me and Oliver’s hand around my waist. Smiling, I leaned into Oliver’s broad chest, watching Sterling as I did, and Oliver’s grip tightened on me. Sterling’s eyes narrowed slightly.

  I looked up into Oliver’s eyes, he was smiling down at me, looking like he won the lottery. I smiled back at him. The bartender set my drinks down on the table and went to take my card.

  “No.” Oliver reached out and gave him his card. “A lady doesn’t pay for her own drinks.”

  The bartender smiled, nodding as he handed me my card back. I shrugged, placing it back in my clutch.

  He swiped the card, setting it back down on the bar as he turned and grabbed three glasses, adding ice, bourbon and coke, placing them on a tray on the bar, along my drinks.

  “Have a good night,” the bartender told me, smiling down at me, not looking at Oliver.

  I smiled back politely, “Thanks.” I grabbed the tray of drinks, turning and headed back to the table.

  Isaac and Nic were sitting there chatting with Anna and Sophia. I placed the drinks on the table, feeling slightly tipsy.

  “What took so long?” Anna asked, a smile on her face.

  I shrugged, looking at her innocently. “I accidentally drank the first lot and he had to make more.”

  “Tash!” Sophia exclaimed, smacking me playfully with a laugh.

  I grabbed a pink drink from the tray and took a sip. “I’m going to go dance.” I turned around, heading for the other side of the room where there was a makeshift dancefloor. Standing in the middle, music filling my ears as I swung my hips back and forth to the beat, sipping on my drink, losing myself in the music, drinking my pink drink at the same time.

  Anna walked over and danced beside me, her hands in the air, her hips swinging from side to side, I put my empty glass down on the nearest table as Camila Cabello’s Havana came over the speakers and sashayed back to where Anna was.

  Lifting my arms above my head and swinging my hips from side to side, dipping them low. I slowly danced down Anna’s body, until I was crouching on the ground, swinging my hips back and forth, my hair falling down around me, I flicked my head back, arching my back up and turning my back into her as I rose upwards, my back arched into a perfect curve. Anna giggled and smacked my ass. I laughed, throwing my head back, looking up at the ceiling, losing myself in the music.

  As I looked back down from the ceiling, my eyes found Sterling automatically, he was watching me from the other side of the room. Melissa sat next to him, saying something as she looked at us.

  A thrill of electricity went through my body, I didn’t understand why. I danced beside Anna, looking at him as I ran my hands down the sides of her face, down her neck and the curve of her body, making my hips swing lower as I danced my way down her body, his eyes watched me, a small smile at the corner of his lips.

  He sighed, turning away from me and I felt like I got kicked in the chest, his attention turned back to Melissa as she said something to him and she laughed a little too hard.

  Hands wound their way around my waist, tugging my body against theirs. “You’re so hot,” Oliver whispered in my ear.

  I laughed, watching as Sterling’s hand ran up Melissa’s thigh, jealousy coursed through my veins. I ground my ass against Oliver, pulling his arms around me so they wrapped around my stomach, he chuckled.

  Sterling whispered something in Melissa’s ear, she giggled, twirling her long blonde hair around a finger. Jealousy slithered through me, wrapping itself around me as I watched him. I unwound myself from Oliver, smiling up at him. “I’m going to the bathroom,” I told him, turning away from him and walking across the room, passing Sterling and into the bathroom.

  The door shut behind me and I took a shaky breath, looking in the mirror at my flushed skin, turning the handle of the tap, watching as water spilled from the faucet, putting my hands underneath the cool water. Running my wet hands down my flushed neck and across my chest, enjoying the cool feeling against my skin, trying to get my heart to come back to normal and get my flesh to cool down so it wasn’t so hot. A pink flush in my cheeks was n
oticeable through my makeup. I ran a cool hand over my forehead.

  What’s wrong with me? Where did this come from? He’s my teacher! My skin burned; I felt like I was standing in the middle of a fire. The alcohol swimming around beneath my flesh, mixing with my blood. My reflection stared back at me, my neck flushed pink, my eyes wide and sparkling. I shut the tap off and exited the bathroom, the door swinging shut loudly behind me, causing me to flinch.

  Sterling was sitting closer to Melissa, whispering in her ear. I strolled towards the bar, a stinging behind my eyes, my heart pounding so hard I could hear my own pulse. “A shot,” I called to the bartender, looking at Sterling as Melissa giggled loudly. “Make that four!”

  “Rough night?” he asked. I looked up at him as he placed a line-up of shot glasses in front of me, his eyebrows raised.

  “Something like that,” I muttered, placing my card on the bar as he finished pouring the clear liquid into them. He took the card and tapped it against the eftpos machine, the beep signalling it went through, I took it back from him putting it back in my clutch.

  Grabbing my first shot, I lifted it in a salute and tipped my head back, swallowing it whole. I put the empty shot glass back down on the table, looking up to see Sterling watching me his brows furrowed, I grabbed my next shot, downing it, and turning my back to him.

  “You sure know how to drink,” a guy, sitting at the bar said to me, a smile on his face. I looked him up and down. From his tanned skin, brown eyes and dark messy hair.

  I put the empty shot glass back on the table, grabbing my next, downing it. “I know,” I told him, my eyes glazing over as I inhaled the sweet, delicious smell of blood beneath his flesh. The monster inside me yearned to taste it.

  My eyes roamed over his muscly arm, grabbing my next shot and downing it. I walked over to him, putting my shot glass down on the table, grabbing his beer, looking at him through my lashes with a smile, as I sipped it. “Do you want to dance with me?” I asked him, watching as his throat bobbed, his eyes glazing over as I licked my lips seductively.

  He nodded, I grabbed his hand and led him out to the dance floor, sipping his beer and putting it down on the nearest table.