Agendas

by J. F. Jenkins

  “Halyn, chill. I was okay before, I'll be okay now. You know if we turn him in, he'll make up some lame excuse or lie to get out of being punished. I'm still not even sure what happened. I care more about if this is related to the tarantula from yesterday. Guess who was in the hall playing with these things?” Cheyenne lifted up the stone she found to show her.

  “You're not serious. Let me see it.” Halyn motioned for the stone and handed a damp cloth to Cheyenne for her fresh bite marks.

  Cheyenne put the cloth on her neck and carefully applied pressure to her wounds, wincing slightly. It hurt a lot more this time.

  “But I'm still confused. You need to tell someone,” Halyn said.

  “All we have is speculation. It could have been a dream.”

  “A dream we both had? Why are you defending him? We need to tell someone now.” She grabbed the phone, not letting Cheyenne fight her anymore.

  Cheyenne sighed. “All right, call Mrs. Orinda.”

  What did the stones, Denver, Jewl, and Lucien all have in common? What she could piece together was someone or something looking like Denver had sunk his teeth into her while she slept. None of it was substantial enough to make an accusation. She wasn't defending him, not intentionally. He was in a lot of trouble as it was, and she'd feel awful if he got expelled based on a possibility. Even if he was mean to her, she didn't have to stoop to his level. Besides, if he was kicked out, she'd never get her answers from him. And as much as she hated to admit it, she'd miss him.

  It took Mrs. Orinda five minutes to arrive. She immediately went to Cheyenne. “Let me see it.”

  Cheyenne sighed deeply and reluctantly revealed her fresh wounds. The original marks had been nearly healed over and were hard to notice if she put makeup over them. She could wear normal clothing in public again and not feel self-conscious about it. Now, she was back to square one.

  “These are deeper than they've been for a while. And you're not sure who did it?” Mrs. Orinda asked.

  “No, I didn't get a good look at him,” she said. “He was bigger than me and moved fast. I think it might have been the demon. He was in my dream.”

  Mrs. Orinda sighed and glanced at her watch. It was nine in the evening. Cheyenne hadn't realized how long her nap had lasted. She had completely slept through dinner, but she felt as though she’d barely had any sleep at all. If anything, she was more tired than before.

  “I'm going to work on your bedroom some. You'll be sleeping elsewhere tonight, someplace I know you'll be safe while I fix the wards. This shouldn't have happened,” Mrs. Orinda said.

  “If my own dreams aren't safe, then how can any other place be?” Cheyenne asked. She glanced over at Halyn. What kind of hole would they put her into for her own protection? She felt secluded enough as it was, now that she couldn't leave the main campus without an adult.

  Mrs. Orinda was trying to be reassuring, but it wasn't doing much good. “I know someone who takes good care of protecting their room from darkness. You'll be staying with him.”

  “Him?” both of the girls choked out.

  “Yes, Mr. Thantos. His room is like Fort Knox for a demon to break into. You'll both be safe there for the night until he's awake again and can completely repair the wards. I can do some, enough to keep intruders out and from hurting anyone else here, but I can't do it all.” Then she repeated, “This shouldn't have happened.”

  “Mr. Thantos?” Halyn squeaked out.

  What Halyn expressed was exactly how Cheyenne felt. She could accept needing adult supervision, but a male chaperone would be awkward enough as it was. Mr. Thantos was beyond uncomfortable.

  “But he's a he,” Halyn said.

  “You'll be in separate rooms,” Mrs. Orinda said as she grabbed the girls by their arms to lead them out of the dorm.

  “He's not going to like it,” Cheyenne said.

  “He won't be awake to care, and he'll understand. Your safety is the most important thing.”

  “Shouldn't I see a doctor?”

  “I can patch this up for you just as good as any doctor.”

  Arguing with Mrs. Orinda was a waste of time. She had a response for every excuse they thought up. Eventually, the girls accepted their fate and followed their teacher to the staff building. Few students set foot inside, let alone slept there.

  Hera’s Hall was much more modern than the student dorms. On the outside, it modeled the same architecture as the rest of the school: old, beaten, worn, and classic. Inside, however, was a contemporary setup. They walked into an entryway with fine white marble on the floor and a grand staircase before them. Trees and flowers decorated the foyer, and a large crystal-and-gold chandelier hung overhead. It reminded Cheyenne of the inside of a luxury hotel. It didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the school, which had a much more personal and homey feel.

  Mr. Thantos's bedroom was nothing like Cheyenne would have imagined. It was messy. For some reason, she had it in her head that he would’ve been the type to keep a pristine and orderly room. Everywhere she looked, she found stack upon stack of books. There was hardly space on the floor outside of a carefully designed pathway leading around the room. Mr. Thantos had constructed a maze with all the books. One branch went to the bathroom, another to the kitchen, and another to the couch, and so on and so forth throughout the room.

  The next surprising element was the massive electronic system in his living room. He had never struck her as one to be interested in modern entertainment. He gave off such an old-fashioned vibe. On the shelves near the television were hundreds, if not thousands, of video game cases. Odd, but she supposed if she had to stay up all night and day, she’d need a lot to do, as well.

  Finally, he had cats. There were two of them as far as she could tell—two young, fluffy, longhaired cats, one a black-and-white tabby, the other a black-and-orange tabby. Both of them watched Mrs. Orinda and the girls from their perches on top of the books.

  “And where are we supposed to go? Where's Mr. Thantos anyway?” Halyn asked, taking the whole sight in.

  “It's his day off. He's sleeping in his bedroom. The couch pulls out. I'll leave him a note so he knows you're here when he wakes up, just in case. Last I checked he's started wearing pants when he goes to bed, at least,” Mrs. Orinda said.

  Cheyenne wasn't sure how Mrs. Orinda knew so much about Mr. Thantos's bedroom, but she knew the explanation was probably not anywhere near as interesting as whatever she imagined. Mrs. Orinda and Mr. Thantos had an interesting relationship, but Mrs. Orinda was married and Mr. Thantos didn’t look at her with any interest. He didn’t look at any woman like that, almost as if he wanted to be alone. If what Anj had said about him not being able to touch had been true, she couldn't blame him.

  The two girls exchanged a glance and made their way to the couch to try to figure out how to make it expand into a bed. Halyn then proceeded to attempt to call over one of the animals. She tapped her fingers together and made kissing noises at them, but they remained uninterested from atop their piles.

  Mrs. Orinda returned with a stack of blankets and pillows for the two. “Shi, Tora, you need to be nice to them and make them feel safe, okay? Give them whatever they want. They're not going to bug you.” It took Cheyenne a moment to figure out Mrs. Orinda was talking to the cats. Both of the animals stared up at her before going over to sniff at Halyn's eager and outstretched hand. “They're a little shy around the students. I guess they had some bad experiences with teens when they were younger.”

  “Poor things,” Halyn cooed as she pet the orange one. “Shi and Tora?”

  “The one you're petting is Tora. The other is Shimauma, but we call him Shi for short. If he does something bad, call him Moo Moo. He doesn't like it.” Shi meowed at her. “Hush you,” Mrs. Orinda told the cat as she spread the blankets out and covered the girls up. Would she tuck them in too? Childish, but Cheyenne wouldn't have minded the motherly touch.

  Halyn giggled as she cuddled with Tora. “He acts like he knows what you're sayi
ng.”

  “He does,” Mrs. Orinda said with a small smile. “A—Mr. Thantos has always trained his pets well. It's hard to explain, but he gets them.” She smiled and picked up Shi to bring him over to the bed. “His first rule for his pets is always to treat every human with respect and do as they're told unless the human has given them a reason to do otherwise.”

  Shi trotted on the bed toward Cheyenne and gave her hand a sniff. She didn't have much experience with cats, so she wasn't quite sure how to behave around them. Shi must have sensed this hesitation in her, and in an effort to make her more comfortable, he rubbed his body against her face. She was pretty sure that meant he wanted to be petted, so she obliged.

  Mrs. Orinda did tuck the girls in, and then she moved the television remote so it was within arm’s reach. “You can use anything you want. Just make sure to put it back exactly where you found it when you're done. Not doing so is probably the fastest way to get on his bad side. If you're hungry, there's food in the kitchen, but don't eat the pixie sticks.”

  “What?” Cheyenne asked. “Why?”

  “Just don't, trust me. Is there anything else you two need before I go?”

  Both of the girls shook their head. She still felt a little uncomfortable, but Cheyenne could see why Mrs. Orinda had thought to put them here for the night. There was something calming about Mr. Thantos's living arrangements, as if they had been placed into a special, impenetrable bubble of protection. It took a while to fall asleep, but the excitement and drama of the evening finally wore off and she slept pleasantly. Neither girl would awaken again until late the next morning—to the sound of quiet singing.

  Chapter Fifteen

  One wouldn't think it by looking at him, but Akuji Thantos had an amazing voice to listen to. Despite his lack of emotion, it was gentle and pleasing to the ears. Cheyenne had a hard time focusing on his lectures because his voice lulled her far too easily into a trance. She was captivated. When he sang, the effects were multiplied. His song was quite possibly the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard.

  She didn't know what he was singing. In fact, she wasn't even sure it was a real song. It seemed as though he made up the words for his simple tune as he went. Either way, she wouldn't complain about the lovely awakening. She could even smell some kind of breakfast cooking somewhere off in his kitchenette.

  He walked into the den where the girls were resting, holding Shi in his arms. Cheyenne had a difficult time trying not to stare at him, as he was wearing nothing but a pair of blue jeans, socks, and a simple white-gold cross necklace, which hung low on his chest. She didn’t want to see her teacher like this, especially when his body was so perfectly chiseled. Even with his pale skin, he wasn’t hard on the eyes. Mr. Thantos clearly either did something to stay in good shape despite all of his other strange physical conditions, or he was simply blessed with a perfect body. His broken black wings completed the image well. In fact, she was starting to feel disappointed whenever he hid them. The more she got used to them, the more she wanted to see.

  “Yes, Miss Loveless? You are staring” He raised an eyebrow.

  Cheyenne tried hard not to blush and to think of an excuse for why she could have been looking at him so long. “You're holding a cat with your bare hands.” That seemed like a good enough reason to her.

  “And what would you prefer I hold my pets with? My feet? Even I am not that talented,” he said as he sat in a nearby chair. His eyes never left Cheyenne, and more specifically her neck wound, which was still bleeding. “Why are you here and not in the infirmary getting your mark examined by a trained professional?”

  “It wasn't our idea. I'll go soon, I promise,” she somehow managed to say, though even she could barely hear it.

  “There is no hurry, as all I have planned for the day is grading for all of my classes. However, it would be best for you to leave at a reasonable hour.” He scratched Shi lightly behind the ears. The cat loved this, extending his head up for the affection and purring loudly.

  Cheyenne almost wanted to pinch herself, because she never would have imagined Mr. Thantos being so tender to a cat, let alone to anything.

  “I have already taken care of repairing the wards on your room and strengthening them so you have no more intrusions, and really Miss Loveless, it is very rude to stare. What is so intriguing about me petting a cat? I thought this was a common thing among you humans,” he said.

  “It is, I just...” she stammered. She hadn't realized she’d been staring, again. “I didn't think you could touch anything with your bare hands without killing it. I mean, that's what I heard and…” She trailed off, feeling silly. “I guess I didn't think you'd have pets.”

  His jaw tightened as he listened to her. “I see. I am surprised you would take rumors to be so factual. I cannot touch skin. All the animals I have kept over the years have always had a great abundance of fur. I can touch that, just like I could easily touch your hair or your clothing. I would not, however, simply because I have no need to demonstrate the point.” He paused and smiled ever so slightly at Shi. “Companionship is not something only humans desire. I should not have to explain further.”

  “You talk a lot,” Halyn mumbled into her pillow with a groan.

  “As do you. I have made some food if you decide you are hungry. I would imagine after having been asleep for so long you would be. Since you have missed a meal, I thought it would be kind to provide one. The lunch hour begins in one hour and fifteen minutes, however, so you may wait until then, as well. Do not bother to clean up after yourselves before you leave.”

  Cheyenne was pretty sure he was kicking them out and trying to be as polite about it as possible.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled and lay back in bed. She had slept well. Mr. Thantos peered at her from his chair, causing her to shift awkwardly. “I think you're the one who's staring now.”

  “I am staring at your wounds,” he said. “I am trying to decide if I should send you straight to a nurse or if I have the materials needed for it here. Though I think there is little to be done. I do not sense any infection, and as much as I would like to heal it for you, I no longer have those abilities.”

  She sighed and once again felt overprotective of her neck. “It's fine now. It doesn't hurt as much. I'll put some Neosporin on. It got better last time. It'll get better again.”

  “Yes, I am sure,” he said and stood up. Shi wiggled around in his arms a little and mewed. “Fine, I will put you down if you are going to be so stubborn,” he mumbled to the cat. “And I will leave you to make the best decision for your body. After all, I certainly do not know everything.” He stretched widely, which didn't help Cheyenne much with her staring, and his tattered wings flickered a bit as he walked away.

  After they heard the door close to his bedroom, Halyn climbed out of bed. “What a weirdo. I'm so glad I don't have a class with him. I couldn't stand it. He certainly acts like he knows everything.”

  “He's an angel. I guess after being alive for a long time, he would know a lot,” Cheyenne said. She felt a little bad for him. He sounded so lonely while he talked about the cats.

  “Well, let's see if he knows how to cook, 'cause I'm starving.”

  The two made their way through the maze of books and eventually found a path leading to the kitchen. There were fresh waffles, bowls of strawberries, and hand-whipped cream. She couldn't resist and found it tasted amazing. In fact, it surpassed her expectations.

  After eating, the girls gathered up what few things they had brought with them. Cheyenne made sure to leave a note expressing her gratitude before she and Halyn quietly left the apartment and returned to their dorm.

  At first, Cheyenne was afraid to enter. The demon had gotten into her head once, and he could do it again. But upon walking in, she could feel a drastic change from before. She hadn't noticed the negative energy earlier, but she could feel the lack of it now. Whatever the teachers had done, it worked. She went back to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. She owed the twin
s a call. As she picked up the phone, she noticed there was voice mail.

  Anj had beaten her to the punch. “Cheyenne, it's ten in the morning, I'm currently outside the dining hall. I’ll be at our table with everything we need for the next hour. After that, I’ll eagerly await your call in my room. I'm wondering if there’s a chance you'll actually meet me to work on our project. Please talk to me soon. I'm worried about you.”

  She glanced up at the clock, biting her lip. It was just about eleven-thirty, and according to his message, he'd be back at the dorm now.

  “This is Anj.” His voice was quieter and slower than usual. He sounded exhausted.

  “It's me, Cheyenne,” she said, just as quiet. “Sorry about this morning. I got a little tied up in some unexpected stuff last night.”

  “Oh.”

  “I wasn't trying to blow you off.”

  “I know. I'm aware.” He paused long enough to let out a deep and heavy sigh. “If you're feeling hungry, come to lunch. We'll be there, and then we can talk afterward about things. There’s a lot to do, especially seeing as how we’re now four days behind on our work.”

  “All right.” She felt guilty about missing their work session again. They had plenty of time to finish their project, but Anj was obviously an overachiever. Still, she’d promised him over and over that they’d meet up, but nothing seemed to work out.

  “We'll see you then.” His tone lightened, but there was still something off about him. He sounded almost shaken up. “I have to go. Zes needs the phone and I still have to do a few chores, but how about we plan to meet up at twelve-thirty at our usual spot? I'm sure you've got some settling in to do.”

  “Yeah,” she said. They exchanged goodbyes and then hung up. No one else had called her, thankfully. The twins no doubt had an idea something had happened. Why else would he sound so different on the phone? She couldn't remember how many of the students had seen her during her search for Denver, but she was certain Jewl would have made a mention of it. If she was talking to the boys that is, although she couldn't keep away from her ex. Cheyenne wouldn't put it past her to use the drama for personal gain with him. Who could blame her? Anj was one of a kind.