The ethics class was in a standard lecture room. I was early, so early in fact that the teacher hadn’t even arrived. I picked a seat all the way at the back to avoid any “let’s quiz the new girl” or stares from my other classmates. I flung my notebook and pencil case down on the table and leaned my forehead on my arms. Six a.m. classes might just be the death of me.
Slowly, other students began to pile in. The lecture room had about forty tiered seats; I looked up to watch them silently as the students filed in and found their seats. I knew Phylicia wasn’t in this class, so I wondered if anyone else I knew would be.
Ryland? I shoved down the fiery hot thoughts that accompanied his name. Why was someone who was so sexy such a jerkface? I mean, I knew the answer, but it didn’t stop be from being disappointed. Why couldn’t there be a guy with well-defined abs and a good personality? Was that too much to ask?
“Hey Bianca.”
Speak of the devil.
I looked up at the familiar voice. Luke. I smiled. We hadn’t had any time on the sparring mat since the incident at prom, so I hadn’t been able to see him. “Hey, I didn’t think I’d see you here. This is a first-year course.”
Luke shrugged. “There wasn’t room on my schedule last year. Besides, don’t get too caught up on first-year versus second-year stuff. People enroll at all sorts of different ages, depending on when their powers show up. The classroom training isn’t exactly linear.” He ticked his chin at the seat beside me. “Can I join you?”
“Sure!” I scrambled to pile up the pens that had rolled out of my pencil case so he’d have space. There was a moment of silence and then I spoke. “Actually, I think I’ve learned more about psychics outside the classroom so far.”
Luke nodded. “Yeah these classes are just for the theoretical stuff. Take notes but don’t take it to heart. Everything changes when you’re in the real world.”
Remember what I was saying about abs and a good personality? Luke had it; the unearthly angelic glow around Ryland just made me forget it sometimes. Luke made me feel warm and happy. He never made me think I was stupid or weak.
I realized I was staring at him and quickly looked away to hide my red cheeks.
The teacher walked in and my jaw fell to the floor. It was the one and only Professor Sexy, also known as Professor Turner. He wore a navy blue suit with no tie. His hair and beard were smooth and flawless.
I sat up a little straighter as he pulled down the white boards to prep for the lecture. Maybe this class wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
Luke nudged my hand with his. “Hey, Bianca,” He said.
The warmth of his touch snapped me out of my daydreams. “Yeah?”
“I was wondering,” Luke’s eyes locked onto mine. His nice guy temperament never watered down is confidence. “Do you maybe want to do something tonight? After dinner?”
His words caught me by surprise. Like a date? My stupid mouth betrayed my brain. “You mean, like a date?”
Luke smiled. “I’m ok calling it that if you are.”
The feeling of butterflies erupted in my stomach.
“Alright class, let’s get to work,” Professor Turner said as he twirled a dry-erase marker between his fingers. His eyes drifted around the classroom until they fell on me. “Ah, I see we have a new student today, why don’t you introduce yourself to the class?”
I groaned inwardly and bit my cheek. So the sexy teacher had an evil streak. I forced myself to sit up straight. “Uh, hi everyone,” I said but only really looked at him. I didn’t want to make eye contact with anyone I didn’t know. “I’m Bianca. Happy to be here.”
“And what is your psychic talent, Bianca?” Professor Turner prompted.
“Telekinetics.” I replied. That answer seemed to satisfy his curiosity, so I slouched back down in my seat. Now was a time I wished that I could just teleport out of here.
Luke leaned over and whispered. “So I’ll meet you in the first floor lounge at seven?”
#
I arrived at the first floor lounge right at seven o’clock; I didn’t want to be early or seem too eager. I was never really good at navigating this whole dating thing, that’s what I needed Jessica for. The realization made my chest ache. I missed my friends.
Luke was already there. He wore distressed jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt. I had never seen him in casual clothes before and I was very impressed. He smiled when he saw me.
I hoped I looked as good as his expression hinted that I did. I hadn’t brought too many casual clothes with me, so I chose a pair of dark jeans and an airy baby-doll-style blouse. I smiled back at him shyly.
Luke pushed off of the door frame to meet me halfway. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I said, relieved. I left my hair down after being unable to get it in an acceptable ponytail. I tucked my long black hair behind my ears. I glanced in the lounge; it was full of students watching a movie or doing their own thing. “So, what did you have planned?”
Luke began to walk. I followed him. “Well, the lounge isn’t conducive to a private conversation, so I figured we could go outside. Have you explored the grounds yet?”
I shook my head. “Only where Ms. Blackwell took me on the first day.”
“Great,” Luke said with a grin. “There’s a lot to show you then.” He opened the door and the evening air hit us. The sky was painted pink and blue above us; it would be dark in a couple of hours. It smelled sweet, and it felt like freedom.
We were silent for a little while. Luke showed me a walking path near the dorms that led around the larger facility buildings and to a garden. It was like a mini oasis complete with a pond and a small grove of trees. I instantly felt at peace when I saw it.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed.
Luke nodded. “I wanted to show it to you. It’s my place to escape the stress of training. It’s the campus’ best kept secret.”
A moment of silence stretched between us. It wasn’t awkward. It was content. The pond fountain bubbled in the background. We stopped at a bench and sat down.
“Bianca,” Luke said and turned to face me. “I just want you to know that I can’t stop thinking of prom.”
I felt my cheeks getting warm. Was he talking about the kiss or the psychic attack that I screwed up?
“The entire night was wonderful,” Luke said as if answering my unvoiced question. “It helped me feel normal, even if it was just for a few hours.”
I relaxed and smiled. I couldn’t contain my feelings, because he was saying the exact same thing I had been that night. “Me too,” I said. “Well, at least until it all went south.” I laughed.
Luke chuckled. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. You were stunning. Your friends were nice. It was like I was a normal kid again.”
I leaned in and brushed the top of his hand with mine. “I’m guessing you’ve been training for a while?”
“Since I was sixteen,” Luke said. “I’ve been here for three years honing my skills. Teleportation takes longer to master than most other talents.”
“But you’re amazing at it. I’ve seen the speed in which you work when you’re training. It’s incredible!”
“Incredible for someone who hasn’t seen it before.” He glanced at me, with a no offense expression. “Yeah, I can do short distances better than anyone here, but it’s the long distance that takes time to master.”
“Long distance?” I repeated.
Luke chuckled. “Yeah, like, if we weren’t stuck here in the academy, I could teleport you to Chicago for some real deep-dish pizza in the blink of an eye.”
“I’d like that.” I admitted. Pizza was my favorite, but everyone liked pizza. I wanted him to whisk me away to a city I had never been to in an instant. The thought was exhilarating.
“Well, if you like pizza, then once I master it, I’ll take you to Italy.” Luke held my hand.
I leaned in closer to him. “All the way to Italy?”
Luke nodded.
“That’s what I’m stuck on. Teleportation across large expanses of water is as difficult as it is dangerous.”
“So, let’s just stick to Chicago for now.” I smiled. The pull between us was growing stronger. I wanted him to kiss me like he had at prom: pure unbridled passion. I craved his taste, his smell, and his touch.
Luke wrapped an arm around my shoulder and ran his fingers through my hair.
I eased into the crook of his arm, allowing myself to surrender to his strength. I felt safe and secure, and most of all, comfortable. My heart was pounding but not in the same way that Ryland had made me feel in the gym last night.
Ryland and Luke. They were like two sides of a coin. Light and dark. The sun and the moon, yin and yang. How could I choose between them? I couldn’t have it both ways.
I shoved away that thought. It was much too early to be worried about choosing or even anything long term. I had to stay in the moment. I rested my head against his shoulder and let the relaxing sound of the fountain wash over me.
“Bianca, I really like you,” Luke said after a minute. “I feel like I can be myself around you.”
I looked up, and he kissed me. I leaned forward and found myself in his lap with his arms around me. Reality melted away; all I felt was his touch and his familiar scent of mint. My eyes locked onto his as I forced myself away from the kiss. I drummed my fingers against his wide shoulders. “Luke, that was,” I trailed off.
“Amazing?” He finished for me.
I nodded. “I know what you mean when you say that you feel like yourself when we’re together. Everyone here seems on edge, like they all have something to prove. But you’re so… normal?”
Luke chuckled and kissed me again. “Bianca,” He said as broke away from my lips and brushed against my cheeks. “We’re not that different. I know what ts like to just wake up with powers one day. I’m not from a prestigious home like Ryland. My mother is psychic, but she didn’t think I had any powers, so she never told me about it. It was a rude awakening the first day I randomly teleported.”
I didn’t miss the far off look in his eye, as if he was reliving the memory all over again. It probably haunted his dreams the same way the fire in the museum haunted mine. The confusion. The fear. It wasn’t something that could easily be forgotten.
“Luke, I — ” I was cut off by the screeching sound of alarms.
Luke jumped to his feet and set me down on the bench with a single fluid motion. He was at attention now; the relaxed boy had vanished.
“What is that?”
Luke held up a finger for me to be silent. After a moment he spoke. “That’s the emergency signal at the teleportation point.” He motioned towards the direction of the training facility. “Something isn’t right. Come on!”
I chased after him as fast as I could. I made a mental note to keep up my treadmill practice so I wouldn’t get left behind in the dust once I was cleared for field training. I supposed that I should be grateful he ran instead of teleporting and leaving me all alone in the dark.
I followed Luke to the building. Alarms were blasting at full volume and bright security lights flashed. At the back of the building there was a chain-link fence enclosing a patch of pavement. It didn’t quiet match the rest of the landscaping. It stuck out like a sore thumb.
There was a woman laying still on the pavement. I squinted and realized it was Ms. Blackwell in black and gray field training gear. She was face down and I couldn’t tell if she was breathing. Her hand was inches away from an emergency button that she must have pressed before passing out.
Luke sucked in a breath and teleported into the enclosed area. Just as he did, two teachers appeared. One I didn’t know and the other was Professor Turner. They ran out of the building and threw open the enclosure gate.
“What happened here?” Turner shouted over the alarm as he punched in a code to disarm it.
Luke helped roll Ms. Blackwell over. “I don’t know. I was outside on the walking path when I heard the alarms.”
The other teacher, who was an older woman with gray hair and a petite frame, examined Ms. Blackwell. “She’s unconscious, but other than that she seems fine.”
The alarm and flashing lights finally slowed to a stop.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Professor Turner looked directly at me and I straightened up. Was I supposed to be watching this? I felt awkwardly out of place.
“She’s in field gear. Where was she assigned? Where is her student?” The other teacher fired off questions at Turner.
Professor Turner shook his head. “Give me a second.” He pointed at Luke. “Young man, we don’t need your assistance. Take our little spectator home.” He gestured in my direction.
Luke nodded and teleported out of the enclosure and to my side. “Come on, Bianca,” He said. “Let’s go back to the dorms and let the teachers sort this out.”
I hesitated, unable to tear my eyes from Ms. Blackwell’s limp body. Sure, she worked me like a dog during our training sessions, but I’d never wish any harm on her. What happened? I needed to know. But the expression on Turner’s face was enough for me to know that I was not wanted here.
“She’ll be fine. Let’s go.” Without warning, Luke grabbed my hand and teleported us back to the safety of the dormitories.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Attention students. There will be a mandatory assembly today at thirteen hundred hours. Do not be late.” A crackling voice echoed through the halls.
I looked up at the speaker and wrinkled my nose. “Thirteen hundred?”
Phylicia laughed. “That means one o’clock in the afternoon. The Major still uses way too much army talk.”
“Oh,” I said with a sheepish chuckle. I felt dumb for not knowing that. I shrugged it off and drank the last of my water. “I guess I’m going to miss some training.” My stomach twisted nervously.
My training was supposed to be with Ms. Blackwell and I hadn’t heard a word about her condition all morning. It didn’t help that Luke was missing from class first period either. His absence weighed heavily on my mind. I forced myself not to think about it. I was making connections where they were none. Stupid anxious thoughts and nothing more, I reassured myself.
Phylicia glanced at my plate. “You’ve barely eaten anything, what’s up?”
I didn’t tell her about what happened last night. I didn’t want to accidentally let loose any rumors about Ms. Blackwell. I shrugged. “Homesick.”
Phylicia narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure it’s not boy trouble?”
I didn’t even have to lie this time. “I’m certain it’s not boy trouble.” I kept my voice as light as possible to elevate her worries; she didn’t press further. “Anyway,” I said after a moment. “I’m going to get changed for training so I can go directly to the facility after the assembly.”
Phylicia nodded.
I hoped that I didn’t offend her. I just couldn’t say anything until I knew for sure what happened.
I ran into Luke at the cafeteria doors. “Luke!” I exclaimed as I literally ran right into him.
Luke caught me by my arms. “Whoa, slow down, Bianca!” He laughed. “I was just coming to find you.”
“Oh? Why?” The feeling of butterflies returned.
“Major Griffiths wants to see you,” Luke said. “Well, see us, I suppose.”
The butterflies curled up and died.
#
Major Griffiths office was dark and made me feel claustrophobic. I kept my eyes on the carpet as Luke and I waited for him. Luke didn’t know what the meeting was about either, which only added to the feeling of dread.
The door opened with a creak and Major Griffiths walked in. Professor Turner followed him.
“I suppose you might know why you’ve been called in today.” The Major said as he sat down. Turner stood behind him with his hands behind his back.
My chest went tight. Was it because Luke and I were out roaming the grounds past dinner? No, that couldn’t be it. It had to be
about Ms. Blackwell.
“Is Ms. Blackwell alright?” Luke voiced my fears.
The Major nodded slowly. “Injured, but we suspect she will recover.”
Luke and I let out a mutual sigh of relief. “Thank goodness.”
“But, there is a more serious matter at hand. We do not know how she was injured last night.” The Major continued. “You two were at the scene first. Do you remember seeing anything suspicious?”
I shook my head and glanced at Luke.
“We didn’t,” Luke said. “When we arrived, she was alone and unconscious. It would be my guess that she used her last ounce of strength to teleport back to the academy.”
Professor Turner frowned. “Why would you think that?”
The Major held up his hand to prevent an argument. “Mr. Herrington is one of our finest students. He works with Ms. Blackwell on advanced teleportation. However, I suppose we will have to suspend that until she is feeling well again.”
Luke sank back in his chair. The disappointment on his face was undeniable.
“At the meeting today we are going to share some of this news with the students. But not all of it,” The Major said. “Effective immediately we will not allow any teleportation in or out of the academy without explicit permission from myself. We cannot take any risks.” He waited for a nod from Luke before continuing. “Unfortunately, the student who was on fieldwork with Ms. Blackwell has disappeared.”
Luke’s mouth fell open in shock. “Are they in limbo?” The look on his face was enough to tell me that whatever limbo meant to psychics, it was a very bad thing.
The Major shrugged, which seemed very out of character for him, but he must have been more shaken by the news than either of us. “We don’t know. His tracker was disabled. I have informed the authorities. There is nothing else we can do now but wait.” He paused. “That’s why I need to stress the importance of the teleportation ban. I trust that this information is safe with the both of you.”
Luke and I exchanged glances and nodded. “Understood.”
Psychic Secret: An Urban Fantasy Academy Romance (Psychic Academy Book 1) Page 10