by B D Grant
“Shall I invite her over next time?” Lena chuckles, gathering her stuff.
“I think we can do alright without her,” I chuckle along.
She hands me my book. “Well if you ever think about asking for a different tutor just remember, I got the majority of the brains in the family.”
“Is that including Mase?”
“Ab is the worst with school work but he isn’t far behind her.” She waits for me before walking towards the exit. “He knows he’s lucky they only judge Dynamar for physical ability or he would never make Valor.” We walk out the library together like friends. As we exit the building Lena jets off in the opposite direction without warning; so much for that.
I’m in my room when Boston finds me at the end of the day. He opens the door and sticks his head in the room. He throws a ball of paper at me then vanishes from the doorway. It hits me in the shoulder before falling to the ground.
I pick it up and go to throw it in the trashcan by my desk before noticing it has writing on it. I un-crinkle the ball. It reads, “My room in ten minutes. Don’t tell ANYONE where you are going. Bring this with you.” I ball it back up. What’s Boston up to now?
Sure enough Mick walks in as I’m on my way out. I retreat out of the doorway so he has room to come in. He tosses his backpack on his bed.
“Where are you headed?”
“I’m going for a walk,” I say, opening the door. “Clear my head,” I add so that he doesn’t try to join me.
Once in the hall I walk a little ways before I bend down to retie my shoelace. I purposefully take a long time doing it so if Mick comes out of our room I can act like I am going downstairs instead of to Boston’s room in the opposite direction of the stairs. There’s only one stage three in the hall with me. When he shuts the door to his room I stand up. I’m in Boston’s room in a flash.
Boston is lying on his bed when I bust in his room shutting the door silently behind myself. I stare back at him. “What the hell is so hush-hush I couldn’t tell Mick?”
“You have my note?”
“Yeah.” I take it out of my pocket. Boston gets off his bed, walks over, and takes it from me. He goes to his desk where he tears it into tiny pieces then wipes the pieces off the desk into a bowl. He sets the bowl on the desk then goes in the bathroom. He returns shortly with a lighter in his hand.
I take a step back. “Are we allowed to have those?”
He gives me a coy smile. “Nope.” He proceeds to light the shredded pieces of paper on fire.
I step closer to get a better look at the flames rising out of the bowl. “You’re really starting to freak me out.”
Boston looks at me with a normal, “no-big-deal” expression. He asks, “You know how tomorrow is competition day?”
“Yeahhh…”
“Since Howard left, I’ve been tied up for the majority of the day as Valor.”
I only recently was told by Boston that Seraphim that maintain Valor status for more then one Competition Day are pushed harder than the rest. It makes Competition Day even more dreadful because for Boston, who is the Veritatis Valor once again, he has to be available all day. On the previous Competition Day Boston was only given a twenty-minute lunch. For the entire day he was either questioning, being questioned, or waiting to be questioned by other stage three Veritatis competing for his spot as Valor. In fact, if you want to see Boston voluntarily silent you should catch him the day after Competition Day. He hates it. Zoey, on the other hand enjoys bragging about her Valor boyfriend.
“So do you think you could do me a favor?” He asks.
“Of course,” I say without hesitation. I owe him. Anne’s friend is a Veritatis and wanted to get pointers from Boston so, with Zoey’s permission, he told me to invite them to join us last week for lunch. While this lunch was happening Anne complimented Zoey on her red earrings. She told Zoey and I how much she missed being able to go out and get girly stuff like that. Days later, Boston gave me a pair of the exact same earrings in blue to give to Anne.
She almost cried when I gave them to her gushing, “You’re the best brother I never had.”
Boston wouldn’t take anything for them. So I owe him for the earrings and for talking to Anne’s friend.
“Part of this favor involves no questions,” he tells me with complete sternness.
“Ookay.”
“You sure?” he asks, opening the top drawer of his desk.
“I guess. The longer you trot around telling me what it is you want the less likely I am to do it.”
“Don’t worry. It’s simple but no one can know what you’re doing.” He takes out a thick, folded paper.
I play along. “It sounds top secret.”
He unfolds the paper on top of his desk and randomly sticks some Post-It notes across it. He smiles. “Exactly. Ignorance is bliss around these parts.” He motions for me to move closer. The paper he unfolded is a map. Not a roadway map but a map of the surrounding area’s terrain with the school’s structures penciled in.
The entrance road is marked followed by the fencing with spots marked red around the fencing where I’m guessing guards are located. The marsh on the opposite side of campus is shown. A sticky note is on the edge of it. Other sticky notes are scattered on the map around the wooded areas keeping me from seeing something. He points, “This is where I need you,” to the woods Northwest of the barn. “by eight o’clock in the morning.”
On competition day, eight is when the faculty is busy getting everything finished to start the different competitions. The students that aren’t participating in the early morning’s competitions are normally using the time to practice. Anyone seeing me walking around will assume that is what I am doing.
“And what am I going to do out there?”
Boston tears a sheet of paper out of the notepad lying next to the map. He hands it to me.
I read it then look up at him. He’s across the room, opening his bedroom door. “See you for lunch tomorrow, if I get one,” he tells me insinuating that our secret meeting is over. He takes the paper from me as I walk out the door.
I wake up the next morning to find a package waiting for me in my closet just as Boston’s instructions told me. Mick has already left for competition day so I don’t have to hide it. The package is small and light weight. When I shake it gently causing something to rattle softly inside. I get dressed with only ten minutes left to make it to the woods.
I have to remind myself to act normal on my way out. With how nervous I am every time someone makes eye contact or tries to exchange morning niceties with me I’m paranoid that I am going to give myself away.
I run into Evan on his way to the field. I haven’t seen much of him since my schedule changed.
“Morning, Kelly,” he says when he sees me. I nod, not saying a thing. “Yeah, I feel ya man. I hate Competition Day too,” he says with a nervous laugh. “I recommend throwing up before it’s your turn.” I give him a look like he’s crazy. “I’m serious. I already have, twice,” he says adamantly. “It makes you feel better and you’re less likely to blow chunks afterwards.” The rest of the group are waiting for Evan outside of the field entrance.
“Got to run, man,” he says, taking off in a sprint.
“Thanks for the advice,” I finally spit out.
“Don’t mention it,” he says over his shoulder.
At least I am not the only one battling with anxiety this morning. It takes all of a minute to locate the tree Boston wants me to hide the package in. I take my time, not wanting to get caught. I don’t run straight up to it and dump the package in case I’m not alone.
I do some lunges and stretches just like I do before every competition. Once I feel sure that there’s no one else in my vicinity I make my way to the tree. I shove the package between where the two large limbs split. I jog away to the small trail that winds its way from campus through the woods to the marsh on the Southeast end. I step off the trail and stretch some more when I hear other joggers
coming towards me.
“You’re warming up too?” Zoey asks as her and Abby jog by.
“Yup. Someone has to give Mase a run for his money.”
Zoey laughs, “Good luck!”
“Pff,” Abby says. Shortly behind them are Lena, Jessica, and another stage three Dynamar.
“You out here by yourself?” Lena asks.
“I am. Do you ladies need any company? I hear there’s been a panther sighted out here.” Running behind them would be a welcomed distraction. The girl in the back slows a little and looks around suddenly hyperaware of her surroundings. The other two aren’t falling for it though.
“You’re funny and not just looking,” Jessica says. The girl on the end speeds up after her.
“Is that a no?” I call after them.
They don’t give me an answer but the girl in the rear looks over her shoulder at me. I wink at her causing the red in her cheeks to deepen. She doesn’t think I’m funny looking.
12
K. Valors announced
All day I was waiting for something to happen. All night I lay in my bed watching the light from the hallway under the door. Every noise, no matter how small, sent my heart racing. My fear was that at any moment the door would burst open with men rushing to drag me out.
The next morning Valors are announced. Boston maintains his Valor status for stage three Veritatis. Lena’s announced as the female Dyna Valor. I bet Miss Smarty-Pants is going to be extra snooty tonight for my tutoring session. I clap extra loud when Glensy’s announced Valor.
“Nice job,” Dr. Baudin tells me as he passes out the day’s assignment to the class.
I have no idea what he’s talking about. My name wasn’t mentioned in any of the announcements. I look at Mick beside me who returns my confused expression.
The past few classes Dr. Baudin has been looking especially rough. He only talks to the class when he absolutely has too. The majority of our classwork has been assignments he hands out at the beginning of the period for us to work on during class and turn in at the beginning of next class. Most of us take it as a free period seeing as how we aren’t required to have it finished right away. Dr. Baudin has shown no sign of caring when we talk and cut up. He normally sits with his feet propped on his desk and his head positioned behind his computer monitor. I’ve heard him snoring on more then one occasion from behind the monitor. So far today he seems to be functioning fairly well but him congratulating me when I haven’t done anything to warrant it causes me to question his sobriety.
“Pardon?” I ask.
“You heard me. Mr. Grad informed me that you were close second for Valor. Keep it up.”
He finishes passing out assignments. Then he makes his way to the front of the class. “Okay, listen up,” he instructs, “I’m going next door to grab a couple things. If I hear so much as a loud cough it will be painful for you all. I enjoy stomping children’s dreams by holding them back a year so don’t tempt me.”
The room goes silent as he walks out. I think he’s managed to catch all of us off guard with his suddenly strictness.
He’s never failed a student. It’s a fact Mick has already made me aware of due to his frequency of threatening to do so in the past. Nonetheless we are fairly quiet the remainder of the period. Dr. Baudin reappears five minutes before the period ends with stapler in hand. I’ve already put everything in my backpack, as have most of the other students. Dr. Baudin walks to his desk, looks at the stapler that is sitting on it, and then proceeds to replace it with the new one. He puts the old one in the bottom drawer of his desk. The bell rings ending class. Everyone files out.
“Oh and Kelly,” Dr. Baudin calls as I’m walking to the door. I stop and look at him. His cheeks are flushed and he grins easily at me. “Don’t think you can slack off your school work just because you had a good competition day.”
“Yes, Sir,” I say before walking out the room. I hear the thud of his shoes hitting the top of his desk.
“Congratulations on making Valor status,” I say enthusiastically to Lena when she joins me at our table in the library. She takes her backpack off her shoulder and sets it on the table. She takes her usual seat scooting her chair to the table, and she finally makes eye contact with me.
“Oh,” she says, seeming to realize I was talking to her. “Thanks.” She takes her books, notebook, and mechanical pencil out. She opens the book then stares absentmindedly at the unopened notebook.
“From what I hear I almost got Valor status too. Could you imagine how peeved Glensy would have been with me if I would have taken it from him?”
She opens the notebook. Without looking up she says with no enthusiasm, “Good job.”
“Thanks. What do you think Mase will do when he finds out?”
This is the first time in a while he is not the Dynamar Valor. If he didn’t hate me enough before today he will when he finds out he didn’t even come in second place.
Lena mumbles to herself.
“What was that?” I ask. It sounded like, “Who cares?”
She looks up from her notebook. “I wasn’t listening. Do you have a question about your homework?”
“No… I was-”
“Can we keep it to strictly homework questions today?” she asks in total seriousness.
“Okay.”
She returns to staring at her notebook while I begin working on my physics assignment. I steal glances at her every now and again. She asks me if I need help when she catches me looking at her so I know she isn’t mad at me. She’s acting oddly down, depressed. I wonder if she’s an ugly crier like most girls. She finally focuses on her schoolbooks and flips through the pages. The next time I look over at her notebook page there are random, small doodles that begin below where she wrote her name. Mick’s a much better artist than she is. I’m about to mention her lack of creativity but think better of it. She looks up at me again and I drop my gaze. I can’t figure out what is up with her. If she ends up crying in front of me I am for sure asking for another tutor, a male one.
It feels like this study hour is lasting all day. I manage to finish all my classwork without needing any help. Lena and I return all of our things to our backpacks. Jake walks by heading out of the bookshelves, for once beating us out.
“Congrats on getting Valor,” he tells Lena.
I’m stunned when she gives him a kind smile. Suddenly upbeat she answers, “Oh, thanks, uhh…”
I help her out. “Jake.”
“Right, Jake. I knew that,” she says sweetly. The sweetness is throwing Jake off too. He looks at me, confused by her nice facade before heading for the exit.
Lena and I get up when the bell rings.
“Next time I’ll be the one he’s congratulating,” I say smugly, puffing my chest out a little.
Her mood flips. “No,” she says quickly. I stop in the middle of putting the backpack strap over my shoulder. “I mean..,” she says, trying to backtrack but stops. She looks around. There’s no one close by. She steps closer to me. “Be good enough to get by. That is all you need,” she whispers, “Keep your head down and your eyes open.”
Unexpected laughter from students walking out causes Lena to jump. I realize she isn’t depressed; she’s scared. I adjust my backpack and follow her out of the bookshelves. On the way out I glance at her. She’s smiling at everyone she makes eye contact with but I know it’s fake. Her eyes are anything but happy. We separate once outside, Lena to Abby and her girlfriends, and me to Boston and Jake.
At supper that evening it’s only Jake and I. I look for Anne as we head to our table but she isn’t there. The last time we spoke she told me that her and some other stage two girls had volunteered to help with the little ones while the faculty is short-handed. Eating lunch with Jake is peaceful. We people-watch and eat. I’m normally so wrapped up in Boston and Zoey’s discussions that I don’t notice Jake much. Seeing how he blends in without truly taking part in what’s going on around him makes me think of what Lena told me.
“Keep your head down and your eyes open.”
“How did you do yesterday?” I ask.
“Not much for Sensaa to do on competition day, but I’m ranked at the top,” he says, proudly, “of the bottom third.”
“Not terrible.”
I can imagine Jake would be the poster child for what Lena was telling me. People mistake silence for ignorance or lack of interest but that’s not the case with Jake. He’s good at not making eye contact with people, acting like he’s in his own world, but from what I can tell he’s listening to everything. When he lets his guard down around me he’s a really cool dude. It’s normally short-term though because Zoey is typically around and will proceed to ask him something personal that causes him to shut down.
Some guys at the table behind us are talking about the barn. One of them is recapping to his friends how he broke up with his girlfriend.
“What did she do after that?” He is asked.
“That’s when she pushed me,” he exclaims. His friends start laughing. “That’s not even the good part. She caught me off guard when she pushed me and I tripped over my own foot.” The laughing grows. “I fell right into a big pile of manure. I can still smell it.” The table explodes in laughter. Jake and I laugh too.
The only other talking that happens at our table is when I ask him for his pudding that he hasn’t touched. He hands it to me obligingly.
“Later,” he says, when he’s finished eating.
I walk alone to the stage three building. There’re more adults lounging around campus than normal this time of day. There is double the regular staff inside the stage three building. Two girls are questioning one of the adults by the staircase. She tells them there has been an increase in students sneaking out.
“It will not be tolerated,” she tells them.
Upstairs, I am halfway down the hall when Boston walks out of my room. He continues down the other side of the hall to his room without looking in my direction. He had to have seen me. He shuts his door behind him. He’s probably also aware of the increase in security. I wonder if he’s as worried about being caught as I am. At least I don’t have a map of the school like he does.