The Academy - Introductions (8 page)

Silence fell over the table as we ate. I finished my
sandwich and was nibbling on my fries as the guys finished up and started
talking again. I was half paying attention to what they were talking about. I
focused on people who appeared to be friends. I watched how they walked
together. Sometimes they touched. Sometimes they had hands stuffed into their
pockets and they bumped the other one in the direction they wanted to go
without talking.

Normal. This is normal. My mind whirled, worrying this day
would end too soon. Who knows when I would get another chance to just hang out
like this? Would they even care to invite me again? It probably didn’t matter.
After today, they’d get over of being nice to the new girl. Either that or my
mom would find out the truth eventually. I shoved those thoughts to the back of
my mind. I was being paranoid and it annoyed me. I was being as
self-destructive as my own mother thinking like that.

Motion across the walkway caught my attention. The guy with
the goatee and his friends were leaning against the wall of a video game store.
The guy with the goatee folded his arms over his chest and he made kissing
faces my way. At first my eyes widened but I tried to adjust myself, attempting
to look bored and disinterested. He laughed but I slowly turned my eyes as if I
hadn’t even noticed. I wasn’t sure if I was able to hide the blush I felt in my
cheeks. I pulled myself back into the conversation, forcing myself to nibble at
another fry even though I was full.

“You can’t be serious,” Victor was saying to Kota. “Not
another physics class. You’ve already taken all of them.”

“Not a particle physics one.”

“Tell me they don’t even offer that class,” Victor pushed a
palm at his eye, looking pained. “It’s so pointless. It’s theoretical. You
won’t use it.”

Silas shook his head. He caught me looking at him and
offered a grin. I shared one back, pointing the open end of my fries at him.

“You don’t want any more?”

“I’m stuffed,” I said.

He reached for the carton, his fingers brushing mine. A
spark started from my fingertips and then ignited in my belly. His fingers were
a little coarse, strong, but warm.

“Thanks,” he said. His voice was softer now. Had he felt
the same thing I did? “What classes are you going to take?” he asked.

I gave a small glance to Kota, who was engrossed in trying
to explain his desired classes that he hadn’t heard Silas. Was I now used to
Kota answering for me? “I think there’s prerequisites, aren’t there? I was
going to fill up on those.”

“You should take something you like,” Silas said. “It can’t
be all work. Unless you’re like Kota.” He jerked his head in Kota’s direction
and then stuffed his mouth with some fries.

I laughed, shrugging a little. “I don’t really know yet. I
only glanced at the catalog and some of the more interesting things I can’t
take yet.”

“Like what...”

“Oh my god,” Victor said, his voice rising. The fire
burned, his eyes narrowing. “Okay, I’m done. Sang, are you finished? I can’t
talk to him.”

Kota looked perplexed. “You were asking...”

“I’m not asking anymore!” Victor raised his hands in the
air, waving in defeat. “You win. We’re good. Let’s just do something else.”

I shared another grin with Silas, even though I wasn’t
totally sure I understood what was going on.

“I’m headed to the bathroom real quick. I’ll be right
back.” Victor stood, pushing his chair away. He grabbed his bag and starting to
walk off. He’d left his trash on the table.

Kota collected his own wrappers and Victor’s and put it all
on the tray. “I’ll be right back. Maybe I should go apologize.” He walked off
after Victor.

“Good luck,” Silas said. He stood up, grabbing the tray and
taking my empty wrapper to add to it. “I’ll get rid of this. Wait here.”

I smiled, shaking my head. The boys were interesting. Silas
looked around for a place to throw trash. He walked around groups of people waiting
in line for their kids at the carousel. He disappeared behind the swirling
horses.

“Hey, princess,” a voice behind me said. I turned around.
The guy with the goatee sat in Silas’s seat. His oversized red shirt billowed
around his lean frame. His lips curled like he was constantly kissing the air.
“Your boys left you?”

His pungent cologne that mixed with menthol cigarette smoke
drifted from across the table and my nose wrinkled. “They’ll be right back,” I
said.

He nodded in a sharp. The way he did it made his chin
angular and thin. “What’s your name, sweetie?”

I just looked at him, not sure what to say. His friends
were still across the hallway, watching the two of us. Why did he care? Why did
I get the feeling I shouldn’t talk to him? I mean I knew he bumped into me but
should I judge a person for being careless?

“I said what’s your name?” he asked again.

“I’m Sang.”

“Sang? That’s just fucking weird. Do you sing?”

I shook my head, blushing. My heart was pounding but not in
the same way it had been with Silas and the others. This was different. The bad
feeling inside of me had my mind whirling echoed the negativity my mother
whispered to me about what happened to girls when they went out.

“I’m Greg.” He patted a hand on his chest, and tilted his
chin toward me. “We should go out. What’s your number?”

“I’m sorry. I should go.” I stood up, pushing my chair in.
My hand flew up to my chest, rubbing over my thudding heart. Silas was still
missing. Where did they go?

Greg stood and followed me. For a refuge, I sought out the
restrooms. If the guys weren’t around, I was going to dart into the girl’s
bathroom where he couldn’t follow.

I broke away from him and walked around tables, heading
toward the opening to the hallway where there were signs for restrooms. As I
got to the hallway, Greg continued on my heels. “Hey, I was asking you out. Why
are you walking off like that?”

“I’m already out,” I said, my hands turning into fists
reflexively, feeling cornered.

“Who did that to your hand?” he said, pointing at my bandages.
He leapt forward and closed the distance between us. “Those guys hurt you?” His
voice was grating, varying in pitch and then there was the sharp way he ended
his questions. Compared to Kota’s power, Victor’s smooth baritone and Silas’s
deep voices, Greg’s made me shiver cold.

I stepped away from him, forcing some distance between us.
I met with a wall, smacking up against it. I gasped, trying to slip to the side
to get out of his way. My heart was racing, feeling trapped.

Greg drew closer, putting his forearm over my head against
the wall above me and looking down at me. He wasn’t that much taller than me,
maybe only a couple of inches. “You shouldn’t let those guys do things like
that to you. Unless you like pain? Is that your kink?”

My mouth dropped open. “Seriously, I’m not interested. I’m
sorry.”

His mouth went up a fraction at the corner, smirking. “Is
it because you’re dating one of those guys? Which one?”

I shook my head, not sure how to answer.

“It’s the tall one, isn’t it? I could tell. You fuck him
yet?”

My mouth was dry and I choked out a no to respond. Why did
I think I could get back here and escape him? Where was Kota?

He laughed and leaned in to me. “Come on. How about this.
Kiss me, and I’ll leave you alone. I bet you’ll leave that guy and walk out of
here with me.” His mouth was close to mine and nearly gagged as I could taste
the menthol on his breath. My heart raced and I had my head backed up. I wanted
to push him away but I didn’t want to touch him, either.

“Why are you moving away?” he demanded. His fingers wrapped
around my chin, holding my face still. His fingers dug into my cheeks and I
gasped because it hurt. His eyes fixed on my mouth and he lowered his head.

A hand landed on Greg’s shoulder, yanking him back. Greg
flew into the air. He toppled, falling. His body hit the far wall and he slid
down until he was sitting on the floor, looking dazed.

Kota stepped between us, his hands positioned in a stance
I’d seen in karate movies.
Holy crap, Kota knows Kung Fu.

My mouth opened to say something but I couldn’t form the
words. Victor materialized next to me. He took one look at Greg and then
grabbed for my good hand. He wrapped his fingers around my palm and pulled me
out of the hallway without a word. Kota remained behind. Would he get hurt when
Greg recovered? Could Kota defend himself?

Victor pulled me back out into the food court and we weaved
our way around tables. My mind was everywhere; Greg’s bad breath lingered in my
nose, reviewing Kota flipping him over, Victor’s palm pressed into mine.

Silas was leaning against our table. He took one look at
Victor’s face and he stood up. “Where’s Kota?”

“In the hallway. He’s got it. We’re leaving.”

Silas’s eyes scanned the food court for the hallway. “I’m
going to check. We’ll meet you at the car.”

Victor held on to me as we nearly jogged out of the mall.
His thumb brushed at the crevice between my thumb and forefinger. My palm
started to sweat and I was embarrassed about it but he didn’t seem fazed. The
silence between us left room to worry about Kota and Silas and I wished we
could go back and check on them.

Victor didn't let go of me until we got to his car so he
could take his keys out. Victor handed off his plastic bag to me as he unlocked
the car.

“Get in behind me,” he said. “I’m going to pull up to the
curb so they can get in quickly.”

What if they got hurt? I hadn’t seen Greg’s friends around
but they must have noticed he went in there and Silas going in after them. I
held the plastic bag up to my chest, folding my arms over it and trying to
breathe slowly. This was my fault. I should have stuck with Silas.

Victor started the car and made a loop around the parking
lot until he pulled up next to the curb in front of the department store doors.
We waited. My breath caught every time the doors opened and it wasn’t the guys.

“Come on...” Victor urged under his breath, his hands
twisting at the wheel.

Two minutes later, Silas and Kota both appeared at the
doors and stepped out. They tried to look casual but they were walking double
time and went right for the car. Silas climbed in back with me and Kota took
the front seat.

I kept my eyes glued to the door of the mall as Victor
pulled away. I turned, putting my knees in the seat and facing backwards to
look out the rear window, watching for any sign of Greg or his friends.

“Are they out there?” Victor asked.

“I don’t see them,” I said.

“I think we lost them,” Kota said, sounding breathless,
leaning against the seat. “Only I got worried when we made a circle in one
department store trying to shake them.”

“Sang, it’s alright. You can sit,” Silas said. His finger
jab me in my side. Unfortunately it was the side that was bruised and I wasn’t
expecting it. I winced and cried out an ouch before I could catch myself.

Silas’s eyes widened. His large hand pushed me back up
against the seat, holding me there. He lifted my blouse away from the top of my
skirt. I could feel cool air on the bruise and I shivered.

“Where did that come from?” he demanded.

“I...”

He let go of me, turning his body to face the door. His
hand clutched the handle. “Turn the car around.”

“Silas,” Kota started.

His fists clenched and he spoke through his teeth. “I said
turn it around.”

“It wasn’t him,” I said quickly. I felt eyes fall on me
again. I swallowed, feeling my stomach twisting. “That’s from yesterday. Greg
never touched me.”

The car fell into silence. I turned around, sliding into
place and sitting back.

“Was it from Max?” Kota asked in a quiet tone.

I averted my eyes, focusing on the back of Victor’s seat.
“Yes,” I said quietly. I felt my lip quiver and I bit at it to stop it. How to
ruin a friendship in less than a day? Lie about your injuries and get the guys
into trouble over some stranger. I felt the anxiety clutching my chest. This
was it. They’re going to get rid of me the first chance they got.

“Let me see it again,” Kota said. The power disappeared
from his voice, replaced with something assuring, gentle. “Sang, let me see.”

I got up like I had been before. Silas assisted me with
raising my shirt up a little. He tucked two fingers into the top hem of my
skirt and pulled it down an inch to reveal the splotch of purple.

Kota made a face. “Sang, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

I shook my head at him. “No, it’s just a bruise. There’s
nothing to do about it. Just wait for it to heal.” With my pale skin, I knew
the bruise probably stood out more.

He made sweeping looks at Victor and then at Silas. Silas
was unreadable. Victor continued to twist the steering wheel as he drove. I
quietly moved back into my seat, reaching for the seat belt to strap it in.