First Days

  After a few minutes, he stopped. The silence that filled the room felt like it had swallowed us both up.

  “It’s an exceptional violin,” he said. He put the bow down and turned the violin over, tracing his hand over the wood.

  “You play beautifully,” I said softly. It was true. He was an excellent violinist.

  His eyes drifted from the violin to my face. I wanted to look away, but the silent command from his gray eyes held me in check. He cradled the violin in the case and approached me. He bent over until his face was level with mine. “I’m going to ask you a few questions, Miss Sorenson, and I want you to answer me as honestly as you can. And believe me, I can tell if you lie.” His eyes looked over my face, and his gaze landing on my lips. “Do you like the boys? I mean as friends?”

  How else would he mean? I nodded.

  “You should speak when you’re answering my questions.”

  “Yes,” I said clearly. “I want to be friends with them.”

  “And friends help each other,” he said.

  I blinked at him, not understanding if this was a question. “Yes.”

  “The boys have had an unusual lifestyle ever since they joined the Academy,” he said. “Loyalty is a big part of our curriculum. Once you’re a part of their team, anything you need, the Academy will provide it. It’s the way we work. We don’t have time to waste worrying about self-inflicted pride.”

  Hearing him talk about this mysterious Academy had me entranced. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to know about the school.”

  He stood up and crossed the room, putting his hands behind his back and pacing in front of the piano. “Our work requires strict secrecy. We’re exposing ourselves as it is being in this school. The school board and the principal only know we’re a private school. There is a lot they don’t know about it. We try to keep our students anonymous. I hope you’ll keep our secret.”

  More than just a private school. What did that mean? So this was more than just a favor from a private school for the public school system or else they might have asked a less enigmatic school for help. If that was the case, what was in it for them to be here? “I’ve never told anyone,” I said.

  His eyes darkened, narrowing at me. “You have to understand,” he said. “You can never talk about this. Not with family. Not with your friends. There’s more at stake here than this school.” He took a step toward me, motioning in my direction. “Kota’s taken a big risk even mentioning it to you at all. I don’t believe this is the best for the team, but I trust his judgment. However, I need your absolute word that you’ll never mention anything you hear us say to anyone else. It doesn’t matter how trivial you assume it might be. Lips closed.”

  I swallowed. This was more than I expected today, but I knew I would never tell anyone. I had no one to talk to besides Kota and the others. Didn’t he know that? Or was that why Kota felt he could trust me? Because I was friendless and wasn’t close to my family? Did he not tell that to Mr. Blackbourne? I forced myself to look him in the eyes. I wanted him to believe this as I felt it was important to emphasize that I wanted to earn their trust. “I’ll never say a word. Ever. If you want me to swear it to something, I will.”

  His eyes softened. He turned on his heels as he paced. “As I was saying, the Academy taught them to take care of one another.”

  “But I’m not in the Academy,” I said.

  “You are one of them now, though, or they consider you to be. That instinct to simply do what the other needs has been worked into them so fluidly. You’ll have to forgive this flaw. They don’t really think about what it means to someone like you, who may feel indebted to them. Trust me when I say you won’t ever have to. They’ll never ask.” His eyes sparked. “It’ll happen again. If you want to be friends with them, you’ll have to let them do it. I don’t think they’d understand if you rejected anything they give you. They possibly wouldn’t allow it at all.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “But...”

  “I hope you won’t take advantage of their kindness.”

  “I’ve been trying not to,”

  The corner of his mouth lifted a millimeter, softening his stern features. “If I had thought otherwise, I wouldn’t have allowed this.”

  My breath caught. Was he pleased with me?

  The door to the music room swung open. I peeled my eyes away from Mr. Blackbourne’s face. Mr. Blackbourne turned to address whoever it was, blocking my view. I stood up behind him.

  “Mr. Blackbourne,” called a familiar voice and I peered around Mr. Blackbourne’s shoulder. Principal Hendricks stood on the other side of the music room. His large hands curled into almost-fists as he advanced toward us. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”

  “I’m fairly busy,” Mr. Blackbourne snapped at him. “I have a student.”

  Principal Hendricks’s eyes popped open and he tilted his head, spotting me. “Hello again, Miss Sorenson.”

  Mr. Blackbourne stiffened. Did he think I was a troublemaker? Or did he think I was friendly with the Principal and would tell him things he just made me swear to keep private?

  I managed to nod at Principal Hendricks. What was going on?

  “I needed to talk to you about why the boys aren’t wearing uniforms,” Mr. Hendricks said.

  Mr. Blackbourne frowned. “I emailed you that they don’t have any. The Academy isn’t...”

  “You don’t understand,” Mr. Hendricks’ voice deepened into a menacing tone. “The school board is after me to make sure the boys become the ‘ideal’ students for this school. If they’re going to set the standard, they have to be the standard. I’ve already talked to the board and they agree. We have to show these kids what will be happening in the next couple of years. They can either stick with it or get out.”

  “You’ll isolate my students, Mr. Hendricks,” Mr. Blackborne replied. “There will be a lot more trouble if you insist on this.”

  “Isn’t it your job to handle that?” Mr. Hendricks asked. “Didn’t we hire you to...”

  “I think we should discuss this somewhere else,” Mr. Blackbourne retorted.

  “Why?” he asked. “She’s one of yours, isn’t she?”

  My head tilted back, an eyebrow going up. He still thought I was from the Academy?

  Mr. Blackbourne shifted until he was standing completely in front of me, like a shield against the principal.

  “I said just seven students,” Mr. Hendricks said. “If you thought you could wriggle one past me...”

  “I’ll see what I can do about the required uniforms,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “But I’m warning you. By separating my students like this, it makes them walking targets. They won’t be responsible for what happens. They won’t be the example you expect if they stand out.”

  Why didn’t he say I wasn’t his student? Was he going to let Mr. Hendricks continue to assume? Is that why Hendricks and McCoy seemed to be almost following me around school?

  Mr. Hendricks rocked back on his heels a bit, looking satisfied. “I want to see uniforms on those kids by Friday. We’ve got the board members coming by to see this for themselves.” I peeked around to watch as Mr. Hendricks nodded to Mr. Blackbourne and turned his eyes on me darkly. “Have a nice day, Miss Sorenson.”

  I swallowed as Mr. Hendricks turned and left the room. The air pressure in the room seemed to lift but only just.

  “Miss Sorenson,” Mr. Blackbourne said quietly, still looking at the door after Mr. Hendricks. “I trust you can keep what you’ve just heard to yourself?”

  “Yes,” I said quietly. Who would I tell? Did he mean Kota and the others, too? Would they be made to wear uniforms? How could the principal seem to want this so badly? If they’re that different, Mr. Blackbourne was right. Other kids would pick on them. Fights may ensue. It was almost like Mr. Hendricks didn’t care, or even wanted that to happen.

  And why did Mr. Blackbourne not tell him who I really was?

  “Good.” Mr. Blackbourne turned slowly toward
me, his eyes cool and calculating. “If he talks to you again, direct all questions to me. Just to me, not the others. Understand?”

  I nodded. “I will.”

  He studied me for a moment and nodded. From under his breath, he whispered something. I don’t think I was meant to hear it but in the quiet of the room, I heard every word. “Let’s hope Kota knows what he’s doing with you.”

  N otes a nd P roposals

  Victor was waiting for me outside of the music room. His eyebrow rose when he spotted the violin case. “Well?”

  I blushed, shaking my head. I still wasn’t sure if Mr. Blackbourne meant I should keep secrets from them. Just in case, I opted for silence. I would give Mr. Blackbourne control of how much information he wanted to tell them about what happened. “Someone did something when I told him not to.” I was trying to sound stern but I couldn’t stop the smile on my face. I knew that was what he was asking about anyway.

  Victor smirked. “Oh, you meant it?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Thank you, Victor.”

  His hand found mine, giving it a small tug to indicate we should get going. His thumb smoothed over my skin on the back of my hand. It seemed to make him so happy that I accepted his gift.

  We rushed out to trailer 32 and slid inside. North was waiting in a chair in the back, his arms crossed. His shoulders relaxed when he spotted us. He didn’t seem surprised by the violin case.

  When I slid into the seat in front of him, he leaned over his desk and whispered to the back of my head. “Finish your homework?”

  “Uh huh,” I said, unsure if I should turn, fearing I might bump into his face. I twisted around slowly so I wouldn’t spook him.

  He sat back a little but his face was still close to mine that it felt awkward. “Let me see it?”

  I fished out my essay in my book bag and handed it over.

  He scanned it and passed it back. “Good girl.”

  I pulled a face. “Checking for spelling errors?”

  He turned for his satchel bag, picking out a notebook. “You didn’t have any,” he said.

  I blinked at him. He only had my paper for a minute. How did he know so quickly?

  Mr. Morris asked for our homework but only half the class turned in anything. The papers were collected and Mr. Morris had us open our books, telling us to read the first chapter.

  “I want eyes on pages, lips closed. You can take notes if you want. I recommend it. You’re going to have a test next week on chapters one and two.”

  North and Victor grunted but neither said anything. I had to agree. Was he teaching the class or was he just going to have us read from the book and write essays?

  Twenty minutes later, my eyes were glazing over the page. I wasn’t tired but it was a boring book and the first chapter was exactly what I had written about in my essay, so it felt repetitive. I spent most of the time writing down dates and details in my notebook just to keep myself awake.

  I felt a nudge on my arm and turned, half expecting it was North. The girl next to me held a folded note out to me, looking annoyed that she was doing so. I glanced around. Mr. Morris was bent over his desk reading the essays.

  Before I could reach out to take the note, North snatched it from the girl’s hand. The note disappeared into his pocket. I glanced back at him, looking confused. His eyes darkened and he tilted his head at me, his expression telling me to never mind and to get back to reading. He could have been the teacher, his gaze was so demanding. I turned back in my seat, bending over my notebook and blushing. Was it meant for me or someone else and I was supposed to pass it on? I felt sorry for whomever it was meant for and whoever wrote it.

  When the class was over, I lingered back with North and Victor. Other students were almost running to get out the door and down the sidewalk toward the building. We trailed behind everyone else, including the teacher, on their way to lunch.

  “North?” I asked him. He was walking to my left and so close that our arms were brushing. “What was the note?”

  “Nothing for you to worry about,” he said, his face transfixed ahead of us.

  I slid a glance to Victor, who seemed distracted. He had his hands in his pockets. I had the urge to reach for his hand like he’d done so many times with me but I couldn’t get myself to do it.

  At lunch, I actually missed Nathan and felt sorry that I had teased him about the taco soup. I felt like he was missing out, even though it was only school. I was probably the only one who felt the lack of him. I sat on the bench between Luke and Kota. At the bench facing us, Victor, Gabriel and Silas sat together. North sat cross-legged on the grass between us.

  No one else said a word about the violin case. It was just like Mr. Blackbourne had said. It seemed they all expected me to have one. They got whatever they needed.

  Kota opened his book bag, pulling out the thermos.

  “So you did have leftovers,” I said, smiling.

  Kota nodded to me. “My mom said you’re supposed to come over sometime this weekend if you can.”

  “Am I in trouble? Did I leave a mess?”

  He laughed. “Nothing like that. She wants your recipe.”

  “What do you have?” Luke asked. He had bought a candy bar from the vending machine and was chewing on it.

  The others perked up when Kota pulled out some plastic cups. I helped him as he poured out lukewarm taco soup and passed it around.

  “Since when did you cook, Kota?” North asked, putting a plastic spoon into his soup and scooping out a little.

  “It was Sang,” Gabriel said. He had his hand out waiting for me to pass one to him, looking anxious. “She made it last night. It’s fucking good, too.”

  Silas grinned at me. North and Luke sniffed at their cups.

  “It’s not poison,” I said.

  “Not this time, huh?” North asked. He almost did a fraction of a smile. He dipped his spoon in and took a bite.

  Luke nudged me with his elbow between bites. “Okay. You’re cute and you can cook.” He spoke up, looking at the others. “That’s it. We’re keeping her.”

  I beamed. After the highly emotional morning so far, this little bit of peace with the guys was just what I needed.

  The taco soup was gone within moments. Silas was holding the thermos, looking longingly at the opening as he held it upside down over his cup. I kept my grin to a minimal and got up, crossing to where he was sitting on the bench. I held out my half-finished cup of soup.

  Silas glanced up at me. “You should eat,” he said.

  “I’m not really hungry.” In truth, I really wasn’t. I was too excited to eat. I held out the cup to him again. “Give me your empty one.”

  He smiled at me as he swapped his empty cup for mine. “Thank you.”

  I picked up his spoon from his cup. “Do you want your spoon?”

  He shook his head, taking my spoon out of the cup and used it to take another bite. I tried to hide how it made my heart melt that he didn’t mind using my spoon. I didn’t quite understand why.

  I held my hand out to North and Victor, who were still holding their empty cups. “I’ll go toss them,” I said.

  Victor handed his over. North continued to sit but reached for the cups in my hands. “I’ll do it,” he said.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “I’ve got it. The trash’s right over there.” I pointed to where there were two next to each door on either side of the courtyard. “I’m not going far.” It surprised me that I was just assuming he meant he didn’t want me going alone. I was getting too used to them following me. Was it really only the second day of school?

  North smirked and handed over his cup. I collected everyone else’s, too, as Kota reclaimed his thermos and the guys started talking about classes.

  I crossed the courtyard with the cups in my hand, making a beeline for the trashcans. A shiver ran through me as I felt more eyes on me than just the boys’. When I dumped the cups and turned around, there was a group of guys laughing and walking toward the doors
that I was standing near.

  One of them spotted me, smiling. He was a big guy with red hair and broad arms. His freckled cheeks puffed out as he grinned. “Hey, pretty lady,” he called.

  I tried to ignore it, but I had to walk around their group and it forced me to make a wide circle to avoid walking through them. The red haired guy altered direction and moseyed toward me. He grabbed my hand, got on one knee and in a loud, but very sincere tone, he asked, “Hey sexy, will you marry me?”

  I gasped and my head jerked back, as if I was positive he wasn’t really asking me, but someone behind me and I was in the way.

  The boys around him started laughing. One of them shouted, “Mike, you scared her.”

  Mike earnestly looked up at me from his knee. “Will you?” he asked. “Please?”

  Was he being serious? What would he have done if I said yes? I knew for the most part he must have been teasing me.

  I came back from my disbelief and shook my head. “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “Damn,” Mike said. He jumped up from the ground, releasing my hand and shrugged. “I’ve gotta find me a wife.” He rushed by me, his friends following him and laughing.

  I stared after him, speculating. I sensed someone behind me and turned, nearly bumping into Luke. He was close enough I could smell the sugar and vanilla of his cologne. He grinned and wriggled his eyebrows at me, his blond locks falling in his eyes.

  “What?” I asked him. I hadn’t gone far and he followed me. I wondered how long he had been standing there. Would they always come after me?

  “Never gone on a date and you’ve just been asked to get married,” he said. “I think that’s a first.” He grabbed my hand, turning to walk back. “Let’s go before he comes back with a ring.”

  My face was on fire when we got back to the others. Luke held on to my hand as we stood there. He did it so bluntly that my heart was thundering and I half stood behind him.