First Days

  Surprisingly, I felt jealous. I would give anything in that moment to feel the boys next to me. I missed Kota’s lap, Gabriel’s chop, and the others holding my hand and touching me. The morning bell seemed to take forever. I wanted to look at my phone to check the time. I wanted to get into class, thinking the time would move by faster if I was busy with school work.

  When the bell finally rang, I picked up my things and made a beeline for homeroom. Kota had made it clear to me that between classes, I was to do nothing but head straight to my next stop. The others would do the work of keeping up with me.

  I immersed with the crowded hallway. There was the usual amount of whistling and cat calls and random shouts. I ignored it all. At one point, the hallways crowded so much that I was forced to stop and wait as people sorted themselves out. I paused apprehensively, keeping an eye on the moods of everyone around me. Was he angry? Would he start picking on me? Was Mr. McCoy hiding around the corner and waiting for me to mess up?

  At homeroom, I felt a little awkward for not picking the same spot I usually did next to the door with North and Luke. I picked another desk near the back. I kept my eyes on the door as others filed in. My heart lifted a little as North and Luke entered. They dropped into their seats and North pushed his bag into the middle seat between them. I hid my grin, wondering why he was saving my seat when I wouldn’t be near them for a while. It was like some small amount of protest or like they wouldn’t let anyone else sit there if I couldn’t. Neither of them looked at me but I felt so much better now that I could actually see them.

  I admired how they looked in their new uniforms. North’s blue blazer looked out of place on him since I was so used to his black clothes. The tie, however, looked striking on him. Luke’s white shirt was half unbuttoned, no tie. His blond hair was tucked behind his head in my clip. They were always well dressed, but seeing them in the uniforms had my heart spiraling. They were gorgeous.

  Greg slipped into the classroom at the last minute. His eyes fell on the empty seat between North and Luke. He spotted me at the back. He flashed a grin. I tried to look bored and bent over to pretend to dig in my book bag for something I needed.

  “Hey there, Sang,” Greg said. He snapped his fingers at the girl sitting to my left. She flinched. He jerked his thumb at her. “Move over there, bitch, that’s my seat.”

  I shot the girl a sympathetic look, silently pleading with her to refuse. She frowned but moved to a seat closer to the front.

  Greg slid into the chair and hung over the edge of it. He didn’t have any books or notebooks with him. The scent of menthol cigarettes lingered like a cloud around him. “So did you break up with your boyfriends?” he asked.

  I kept my lips glued together. I pulled a notebook out of my bag and a pen and started writing random things just to appear busy.

  “Hey,” Greg said in a strong whisper as the teacher started calling roll. “Sang. Are you going to go out with me or what?”

  I focused on the notebook.

  “You mad at me?” he asked. “Am I not nice enough for you?”

  I glanced up at Mr. Ferguson, watching his jowls wobble as he tripped over names. It was an excuse to slide a side glance at North, who was looking in our direction. His expression was stony but I knew he was just waiting for me to tell him when he should intervene. I gave the slightest shake of my head to tell him to calm down. I could handle Greg.

  Greg leaned over the front of his desk and he poked the guy in front of him. “Psst,” he said. “Yo. Give me that.”

  I couldn’t see what he was demanding but a moment later the guy in front of him handed back a brand new number two pencil. Greg snatched it from the guy and held it out for me in front of my face.

  “Look,” he said. “I got you a gift.”

  “You’ve got a stolen pencil,” I said quietly. I had to back my head up as the pencil was right in front of my face. “I don’t want it.”

  “Unappreciative bitch,” he spat at me. His mouth twisted into a grin. “You playing hard to get, right? I like it. I like fighting for my girl.”

  I rolled my eyes, put my notebook away and sat back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest and ready to stare ahead until he stopped talking.

  Another one of the guys caught Greg’s attention and he leaned over his chair on the other side to talk to him. I was grateful he had a distraction. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation.

  “Yo,” the guy said to Greg. “Friday Fall.”

  “I know, it’s going to be sweet. We picked anyone out yet?” Greg asked. “My girlfriend and I are gonna be there to watch.” He jerked his head in my direction.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “When is it?” The guy asked, seeming dismissive of me.

  “Wait for the signal,” Greg said.

  What was Friday Fall? Some kind of school event?

  Their conversation turned to what they were going to do that weekend, and that mostly consisted of boasts about how much they would sleep all day and stay up all night. Trivial. The conversation lasted until the bell for dismissal to the next class.

  I picked up my things, crossing the room with my head down now, trying to escape without Greg coming after me.

  North remained in his seat but as soon as I started to pass him, he held out something behind his back. I reached for it, taking what felt like a packet from his hands. The slight touch of his fingers sparked warmth that spilled through my body. I clasped the paper packet in my hand, feeling the keys inside as he had promised.

  In English class, I slipped inside before any of the boys entered. I picked a seat at the far back near the door. I dropped my things under the desk. I checked the packet North gave me. It was a neatly folded piece of notebook paper with my name scrawled over the front. I opened it up to pull from it four keys, including the original. The inside of the paper had a note:

  Do you like me? Yes [ ] No[ ]

  My throat closed up and it took the strongest effort so far that morning to blink away the tears. I took out my pen, drew a heart over the yes, and below it I wrote:

  Miss you all already. Do you like me?

  As soon as I finished, I thought it was too much but I had written it in pen so I couldn’t take it back. I refolded the note and stuffed it into the pocket of my book bag.

  Luke, Gabriel and Kota sat together on the other side of the room, with Gabriel taking my seat. Class started and we got back our graded poems. Ms. Johnson had us start on an essay project. I was focused on my notebook, willing for time to tick by as I scribbled notes for the essay. I sensed motion around me and dismissed it at the sound of the pencil sharpener grinding a pencil.

  I was adding another line to my essay when I felt a presence near my desk. I looked up in time to see Gabriel walking away with a freshly sharpened pencil and my finished poem that he grabbed from my desk. The glint in his eyes betrayed his stony, disinterested mask. I smirked, looking back down, hiding my blush with a palm as I tried to remember the lines of my poem and if it sounded stupid.

  Close to the end of class, the person in front of me dropped a folded note on my desk. I blinked at it, unsure what to do. Was it meant for me? I checked it quickly, looking at the handwriting. My name was spelled wrong. I stuffed it into the bottom of my bag quickly. The boys knew my name so it wasn’t from them. Anyone watching and hoping for an answer might think I was going to read it later but would be sorely disappointed when I didn’t reply.

  When the bell rang, I was heading out the door and back outside toward the building. I felt something slip into my hand and I closed my fingers around a thickly folded note. I looked up in time to see Kota stepping double time ahead of me and disappearing into the crowd. I smiled, pushing the note into my palm. I’d read a note from Kota any time.

  I was the second to get to geometry class. I knew North would be right behind me. Nathan sat in his spot in class, keeping the seat in front free for North. I took the note out meant for North and dropped it on the desk befo
re I passed around the back to sit on the other side of the room.

  Nathan had grabbed the note and he was unfolding it when North walked in. He crossed the room quickly, snatching the paper out of Nathan’s fingers. Nathan said something to him but North fell into his seat, looking at the page. His dark eyes softened and he pulled a pen and a notebook out of his bag, stuffing the note into his pocket.

  From the place I was sitting, I had an easier time glancing at North and Nathan casually without making it too obvious, or so I thought. I caught Nathan looking over at me on occasion. We’d share a look. He’d make a face. I’d wink at him. He’d grin and bend his head over his book again.

  When I thought I could, I unfolded Kota’s note.

  I like your poem better.

  I rolled my eyes, stuffing the note into my geometry book. I couldn’t help the small smile on my face.

  A couple of notes fell into my hands during class. I checked them just to see if they were from North. When I didn’t recognize the names, I dropped them into my bag, unanswered.

  No one seemed to notice the difference in where I was sitting in class. I thought that was a good sign. Maybe they thought the boys and I were casual friends, but we weren’t joined at the hip. Maybe this plan would work out after all.

  I did catch a whisper from two girls nearby.

  “Watch out. It’s Friday Fall.”

  A warning? Were the boys hearing this same thing? What was going on?

  When the bell rang after class, I crossed the room. North was stretching in his seat and when I got close, he flipped a note in my direction. I caught it, holding it in my hand. Nathan had one too, and he quietly held it out for me. I smiled, pushing both of the notes into my palm as I walked out and headed to music class.

  I read the notes on the way, knowing I wouldn’t get a chance to read them with Mr. Blackbourne.

  Nathan’s note was complaining how bored he was in geometry and that I should come over that weekend. He wanted a promise that I would call him later.

  North’s had just one word:

  Yes.

  T rouble

  Mr. Blackbourne was standing near the piano again when I entered. I stood quietly on the other side of the room, holding the violin case in my hands.

  “Miss Sorenson.”

  “Mr. Blackbourne.”

  He nodded at me. “I trust everything is working out?”

  “It’s been a mostly quiet morning.” I stepped forward, putting my things down in a chair nearby.

  The slight lift in the corner of his mouth softened his stern face. “Maybe for once we can actually have a normal violin lesson.”

  I bent over to the violin case. I’d barely touched the thing since I’d gotten it. I’d looked at it, appreciative of the beauty and thinking of Victor having bought it for me. I barely knew how to hold it and didn’t know what to do with it. It’d been a trinket I’d carried around.

  A knock sounded at the door before I could lift the straps holding the violin in place. I paused, turning toward the entryway.

  Principal Hendricks stuck his head in and looked at us. “Mr. Blackbourne,” he called. “Could I borrow Sang Sorenson for a moment, please?”

  The air seemed to shift as the steel glare of Mr. Blackbourne landed on Mr. Hendricks. “Is this important?”

  “I’ve got a reporter here who wants to talk to one of our special students,” he said. His gaze slipped to me and he frowned. “Why isn’t she in a uniform like the others?”

  Mr. Blackbourne shook his head. He stepped forward, standing as a barrier between me and Mr. Hendricks. “This is inappropriate. Miss Sorenson declines being interviewed.”

  From around Mr. Blackbourne’s shoulder, I could see Mr. Hendricks stepping further into the room and frowning. His bald head shimmered under the lights. His eyes narrowed at us. “We made an agreement.”

  “I agreed that the boys will do many things for this school,” Mr. Blackbourne said sharply. “The boys only. Not her.”

  Mr. Hendricks jerked his head back, as if struck in the face. “You’ve slipped in one of your little minions into my school without my approval and now when I’ve been gracious enough not to call it out, you’re denying my request for something as insignificant as an interview?”

  “You might isolate the boys by pointing them out as part of your special program,” Mr. Blackbourne fired back. “You can ask them to wear uniforms even at the risk of their safety. Miss Sorenson will not be part of it.”

  My heart thundered in my chest. Mr. Blackbourne’s words were awkward. He wasn’t flat out denying that I was one of his students. The way he was wording it made it sound like I was of the Academy but just under different circumstances. Why would he let Mr. Hendricks continue to assume I was a part of their team? I thought the whole point of separating myself was so someone like Mr. Hendricks would know I wasn’t part of them. There must be something to this. Maybe they didn’t really want to qualify their assumptions, but they didn’t want to stop them entirely. What was the point?

  Mr. Hendricks squared off his shoulders. “Should I call the school board?”

  “You should,” Mr. Blackbourne barked back. “And it won’t change the situation. Miss Sorenson will not be giving interviews.” He took in a deep breath and then spoke in a cold tone. “You might consider one of the others for this interview. Dakota Lee, perhaps. He should be in his physics class. Room 245.”

  Mr. Hendricks shot accusing glares at Mr. Blackbourne but pursed his lips and walked out.

  I let out the breath I had been holding. My palm fluttered up, touching Mr. Blackbourne lightly on the shoulder. I don’t know what made me do it. It was too much time with the other boys and I simply associated him as one of them.

  When my palm pressed to his shoulder, Mr. Blackbourne spun around on me as if I had scaled him. His eyes were fierce, as steel and as sharp as a knife.

  I cringed, drawing my hand back to flutter my fingers at the base of my throat. I’d gone too far.

  When he saw my face, his eyes softened and he frowned. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. He swallowed and his shoulders dropped a fraction. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “If you need me to be interviewed,” I said softly, “I’ll do it. I don’t want you to get into trouble with the school board.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted a millimeter. “No, my dear Miss Sorenson. Mr. Hendricks assumes I would be in trouble with the school board. The only person he can damage here is himself. I have no problem with taking my boys right out of this school if it comes down to it. He can fight us if he wants, but we aren’t here for him.”

  They’d leave any time they wanted? That alone put me on edge. What would it take for them to leave? I knew they were only there for a year but I didn’t realize it could be infinitely shorter. He could remove them now if he wanted. Could one day Mr. Blackbourne change his mind? “Who are you here for?”

  His steel eyes found mine, his gaze glistening. “For students like you.”

  To calm my nerves, Mr. Blackbourne played a melody on his violin for the rest of class time. It was a Norwegian tune, he told me, and he promised one day he’d teach me how to play it, too. He also made me promise to use my phone in case Mr. Hendricks showed up in any other classes. I was to deny any questions and any demands for an interview and to notify Mr. Blackbourne at once if I were asked.

  History class: Three unwanted notes from random students, one shared smile with North, four times caught staring at Victor. He looked so quiet and solemn from the other side of the room and his fire eyes lit up each time I looked over.

  One whisper overheard about Friday Fall.

  “Upstairs. Sometime after lunch. Friday Fall. Stay out of the hallways,” warned a girl to the boy in front of me.

  Something was happening in the school. The rumors were crawling with Friday Fall updates. I couldn’t get a clear picture of what anyone was talking about. All I knew was the whispers were warnings. Whatever it was, it was hap
pening today, and it was going to happen in the upstairs hallway. Were the boys hearing the same thing? I wondered how many students they wired and if they were listening to them now. Or were they too busy watching over me?

  Lunch was complicated. I brought nothing with me to eat as I knew I would be too nervous to attempt it. I did one circle around campus, cutting through the cafeteria alone and around through the main hallway before changing direction into the courtyard. I knew North and Victor were tailing me since our last class. I tried to make it quick so they could relax and eat without worrying about me.

  There was an empty bench across the courtyard. I wondered where the little thin boy with the book had gone off to. I sat down on the edge of the bench, hoping I wasn’t going to distance him if he wanted a quiet space to read. I opened my book, intending to get through a couple of chapters.

  About halfway through lunch time, a voice called out. “Hey there, sexy.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. Mike might have been a flirt, but he seemed harmless.

  I stood up as Mike came across the courtyard in my direction. I was ready to get this part out of the way. This time he had three friends with him tagging along. Mike waited until he was close to me before he got on his knees. “Hi,” he said, a wide grin on his face.

  “Hello Mike,” I said softly.

  His eyebrows shot up. I supposed he didn’t think I knew his name. “Hi,” he repeated. His freckled hands reached for mine and he held them together, close to his lips. “Will you marry me?”

  I smiled apologetically and shook my head. “I can’t marry someone I don’t know.”

  “I’m Mike,” he said, his chubby cheeks pushed out as he smiled. He jumped up from the ground.

  “I know,” I said.

  The three friends behind him were giggling but came forward. One of them, a tall boy with curly black hair and at least three days unshaven spoke, “Mike, you’ve asked her already.”