Galdoni (6 page)

Brie's eyes widened; I looked away. She took
a step forward. “You don't really believe that, do you?”

She tried to hide the hurt she felt, but I
could hear it in her voice and hated myself for it. I lowered my
head. “I believe it for you, for all of you. You shouldn't have
gotten caught up in this.”

“
We chose to, and we
accepted the risk. We aren't kids, Kale. We know what we're doing.”
At my glance, a faint blush stole across her cheeks again. “Well,
at least most of us know what we're doing.” She sat down on the
couch and motioned for me to join her. Her gaze was soft and
trusting. Knowing what she did of my background, I wondered why she
dared to be in the same room with me, let alone ask me to stay. I
frowned but took a seat against my better judgment.

She sighed and toyed with a small beaded
bracelet around her wrist that I hadn't noticed before. “Can I tell
you something?”

I gave a small, guarded nod. “Yes.”

She looked at me carefully. “Promise you
won't tell Jayce?”

“
You have my
word.”

“
Our parents, well, my
step-father.” She hesitated, but I nodded encouragingly. She looked
down at her hands. “He has a drinking problem and he gets violent.
I want to get my sister away from them.”

“
How old is she?” I had
never tried alcohol; it was a banned substance at the Academy for
obvious reasons, but I had read about its uses and
effects.

“
Eight. When my parents
divorced, my father won custody of Jayce and me, but Allie was so
young that they let her stay with my mom. I almost didn't go with
Dad because I was so worried about leaving her, but Jayce talked me
into it. He said if we could establish that this was a better place
for her, we would eventually be able to take Allie away from it
all.” She glanced at me and I could see the worry in her eyes. “But
when I spoke to Mom on the phone yesterday, she mentioned that Rob
lost his job.”

“
And you're worried his
drinking will get out of control,” I finished her thought. She
nodded, her eyes bright with concern. I knew I should reassure her,
but her reasoning made sense. “Does your sister know how to reach
you if things get out of hand?”

“
She has my cell number,
but it's a two hour drive. Dad’s gone for the next few days on a
business trip and I worry about something happening while he’s
gone.” She rubbed her eyes tiredly. “Maybe I worry too much. Jayce
thinks everything's okay.” Her voice dropped softer. “But he never
really felt there was a problem in the first place. Even when Rob
was beating on Jayce, he figured it was better than Rob beating Mom
or me.”

“
But now there's no one
else to beat on,” I replied.

She nodded. “It keeps me up at night. Jayce
thinks I worry myself sick for nothing, but I can't help it. I
can't wait to get her out of there.”

“
I can’t blame you. You’re
a good sister to worry.”

She gave me a grateful smile. “It’s nice to
have someone else to talk to about it. Thanks for
understanding.”

But I didn't, really. I had never been
concerned for another person besides myself. At the Academy, it was
fight or die. There wasn't room for chivalry or mercy.

“
What’s it like, having a
family?” I asked, curious.

She gave a slight frown. “Mine isn’t the
best example, really. My dad’s away on business all the time. We’ve
practically lived here at Dr. Ray’s since the divorce, but it’s
better than living at my mom’s. Jayce, Nikko, and I have pretty
much become our own family.” She glanced at me. “But it’s nice to
have someone you know is there when you need them.”

“
I’ll bet,” I replied
quietly.

She gave me a kind smile. “I know you don't
have the whole family problems thing, but you’re a good listener.”
She rose and offered me her hand. “You need more sleep, and I could
use some myself. Tomorrow'll be a big day.”

I took her hand and made it to my feet.
Though I didn't need the help, she led the way to the bedroom and
opened the door. I crutched past her and eased down on the bed.

“
Be careful,” she said with
a teasing twinkle in her eyes. “You might get comfortable
here.”

“
We wouldn't want that,” I
replied, only half-joking. I reached for the shirt and shorts Nikko
had given me to sleep in.

She grinned and started to close the door
behind her, then paused. “Kale?”

“
Yeah?”

“
I'm glad you're here.” She
shut the door behind her and left me in a darkness that didn’t seem
quite as thick as usual.

Chapter Five

The scent of books, old carpet, strange
food, and a smell similar to workout socks met me when we stepped
into the school. I stared at the flow of students rushing around us
and jostling each other as they made their way to their classrooms.
Two students bumped into me, then stumbled away laughing and
holding onto one another. Brie touched my arm and smiled. I took a
steeling breath and followed them into the chaotic throng,
reminding myself that we were safe as long as no one figured out
what I was.

The anxious glances Jayce, Nikko, and Brie
exchanged as we made our way down the hall toward our first class
weren't lost on me. To my surprise, the black trench coat Jayce
gave me to hide my wings didn't raise any eyebrows. He said it was
an older style, light enough to blend in with the rainy weather,
and short enough that it didn’t bring to mind a mass murderer,
which he stated with a humorous twinkle in his eyes. I was tall
enough that with my wings bandaged tightly against my back, there
was only a slight bulge against the loose cloth. I hoped the casual
observer would take it as just an odd fit of the coat.

Jayce kept glancing around as if worried
about something. I put it off as concern about sneaking me into
school, but the look on his face and the way his eyes darted down
each hall we past put me on edge. He caught my look and leaned
over, “I kissed a girl last week and now her brother’s out for my
blood.”

The words sent a thrum of anticipation
through my veins. We were almost to the classroom when a tall
student with short red hair spotted us through the crowd. My
muscles tensed at the look on his face, but he ignored me, his eyes
on Jayce. Two students, obvious acting as his backup, followed him
toward us. “Jayce, I’m gonna-“

I stepped in front of Jayce, grabbed the
student by the shoulder and shirt, then threw him headfirst against
the lockers. He crumpled to the ground in a motionless heap. Jayce
stared from me to the unconscious student, then grinned at the
student’s two wide-eyed companions. They turned and ran back up the
hall.

“
That’s right!” Jayce
yelled after them. “You’d better run if you don’t want to end up
like Dane!” He slapped me on the shoulder, awe bright in his eyes.
“Thanks man, that was awesome!”

Brie’s brow was creased and she opened her
mouth to say something, but a shrill bell rang above us.

“
Come on,” Nikko said in an
exasperated tone. He threw another glance at Dane. The student had
pushed up to his hands and knees and stared at the thin carpet as
if wondering how he had gotten there. The locker above him was
dented. Nikko shook his head and entered the classroom with Brie
close behind.

Dr. Ray nodded at me on our early entrance
to his class. We took seats on the furthest row and I watched the
other students file in.

“
That was awesome,” Jayce
said breathlessly from the seat in front of me. “He didn’t even
touch you! I need you around more often!” He held out a hand palm
up.

I stared at it, uncertain what he wanted me
to do.

“
Give him a high-five,”
Nikko said dryly from the chair behind me. “Not like he deserves it
or anything.”

Jayce glowered at him. “You know she kissed
me first. Dane overreacted, like usual; at least I don’t have to
worry about him anymore.”

“
Unless he seeks revenge,
or Kale gets expelled. A great move for a first day,” Nikko
argued.

Jayce rolled his eyes. “You know Dane’s not
going to blab to the principal. He’s already lined up for a
suspension if he’s in another fight.” He held out his hand again.
“You high-five like this.” He slapped his palm with his other one,
then held it up again for me to do the same. I slapped his hand and
he grinned.

Brie shook her head from the seat next to
me. “Boys,” she said before turning back to her book.

Dr. Ray watched us with lifted eyebrows. I
dropped my gaze and ran a hand along the cold table, tracing the
names carved into the top.

It felt surreal to meet the semi-interested
gazes of the other students, only to be dismissed as just another
newcomer. My heart hammered at the secret I hid. Jayce threw me a
glance when the bell rang and everyone was settled; I realized he
felt the same way.

Human anatomy rushed by in a blur of facts
spoken in Dr. Ray’s calm tones. We waited for the rest of the class
to file out at the bell; I rose feeling like I had conquered
something.

“
See, piece of cake,” Nikko
said.

“
I could use some cake
right now,” Jayce replied.

I didn’t know how he could think about food;
my stomach was in knots with nervousness.

“
Just breathe,” Brie said
at the look on my face. “It’s going to be alright.”

Dr. Ray nodded at us when we walked past his
desk. “Have a great day, guys,” he said with a humored look.

Students rushed past us to their next
classes while Brie showed me where my locker was and Jayce
unceremoniously dumped the book Dr. Ray had given me inside. Nikko
kept looking around; I knew he was concerned about Dane.

“
I’m not worried about
him,” I said quietly on our way to the next class.

“
I know,” Nikko said,
throwing another glance over his shoulder. “But Dane doesn’t mess
around. Once he has you in his sights, he never lets
up.”

I shrugged. “I can take care of myself.”

He gave me a frank look. “You’re not the one
I’m worried about.”

I fought back a smile at his tone, but Brie
grabbed the sleeve of my jacket and pulled me to the side of the
hall so the students heading to class could flow around us. “We’ll
catch up,” she said to Jayce and Nikko. They walked far enough down
the hall to not overhear, then waited near a drinking fountain.
Brie sighed and turned back to me. “Look, you can’t do that
here.”

“
Do what?” I asked,
surprised.

“
You can’t fight, and you
can’t hurt students the way you did Dane.”

“
He’ll be okay,” I replied,
my brow furrowed at the intensity of her tone. “I was protecting
Jayce.”

“
Jayce deserves what he
gets,” she said. My eyebrows rose and she sighed. “Fighting isn’t
how we resolve things around here. It’s not civilized.”

Her words sent a stab through my heart. I
wondered how words could hurt so much; I fought to hide the
emotion. “Then how should it be resolved when Dane’s obvious
intention was to hurt Jayce?”

She glared up the hall at Jayce. “By talking
it out or not doing the deed in the first place. Jayce knew better
than to kiss Janice, but he loses his mind around pretty
girls.”

“
So he needs to work it out
himself?” I hazarded.

She gave a slight frown. “It’d be a good
lesson for him, but I’m afraid Dane won’t give up. You’ll have to
watch your back.”

“
I’m used to that,” I
replied.

She nodded and I followed her to Jayce and
Nikko. Jayce and Brie left down the next hallway to math, and I
followed Nikko to the biology class we shared.

Long white tables scattered with microscopes
filled the room. Posters of dissected cartoon animals, a diagram of
photosynthesis, and slides demonstrating mitosis lined the walls. A
whiteboard covered in rough sketches of plants stood behind a long
wooden desk.

The teacher, a slightly balding, tall,
skinny man with glasses and a sincere smile motioned at us from
across the room.

“
Mrs. Bean said we had a
new student.” He glanced around the room and pushed his glasses up
the bridge of his nose with a finger. “We don’t have any free
microscopes, so you’ll have to work with Nikko. He can fill you in
on what we’ve done so far.”

He motioned for us to take our seats, then
picked up a sheaf of stapled papers from the corner of his desk and
raised his voice so the class could hear, “Today we’re studying the
fourth stage of mitosis which is anaphase. The chromosomes will be
moving to opposites sides of the cell so that it can prepare to
split. Look in your microscopes, identify any cells in anaphase,
and draw them on your paper. You should have the first three phases
already identified.”

I glanced at Nikko; he grinned and
whispered, “Don’t worry; it’s easier than it sounds.” The teacher
dropped a stack of papers on our table. Nikko picked them up, took
the top two pages, then passed the rest down to a girl with long
red hair pulled into two braids.

I studied the paper for a minute before
scooting the microscope closer. The images were blurred, but Nikko
showed me how to adjust the focus. Little circles suddenly
appeared. A smile pulled at the corners of my mouth as I looked for
the cells in anaphase.

***

I met Brie outside of the English class we
shared. She gave me a smile. “How’d it go?”

I hefted the biology book. “I’ve got a ton
of catching up to do, but Nikko says he’ll tutor me. I did like the
microscopes.”