We bundled sweatshirts, our backpacks and anything else we
could find to try and get the least bit comfortable. It didn’t work. I couldn’t
fall asleep on the hard floor and soon I had to put on my sweatshirt so I
wouldn’t be so cold. Sam started snoring at about 2:50 and I was about to start
kicking when Drew spoke.
“You awake Jess?”
I considered for a moment if I wanted to be or not. We were
all spread out. Collin was on the other side of the chairs, Sam was in the
middle, I was by the window and Drew was along the wall.
“Yes,” I said finally.
“I know you heard me earlier.” I didn’t know what to say,
something that was becoming more frequent every day.
“I don’t… I don’t care. I mean, not that I don’t care it’s
just… You don’t have to be embarrassed or anything…” I shouldn’t have said
anything.
“Thank you,” said Drew.
She was quiet again and then, “I’m okay really, it’s just
that… Things now, are a lot more complicated. Especially for me…” She was
apparently having a hard time finding words as well. “It’s just that, all my
life I’ve been living in someone else’s shadow. All the time. Whether from
sisters or my mom, my dad, everyone’s accomplished something big. I thought
then, that I wanted the spotlight, but now I have the chance to really make a
difference and… I’m scared.”
“We’re all scared. I mean, we really don’t know what we’re
doing, we’re going halfway around the world and we’re pretty much on our own.
Who wouldn’t be scared?”
We were both quiet for a minuet. “Something my dad used to
say is ‘when in doubt, just take the next small step.’ That’s part of what helped
me to choose to come to the Academy. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.
Magic powers… It sounds crazy. But with that small step, look what’s happened?”
Drew laughed a little, “That’s funny, because I grew up with
my powers. Magic was so normal in my house. We all have it and my mom… well
it’s not important.”
“Did you hear that?”
“What?” I listened again.
“It sounds like…”
Footsteps were echoing down the hall. It was a security
guard checking all around like he was looking for something, or someone. I
kicked Sam, who was the most exposed. He rolled over but didn’t wake up. The
guard was getting closer. I grabbed Sam’s leg and dragged him backward until he
was right by the window. He was starting to wake up now. Drew clapped a hand
over his mouth as he began to open it. His eyes darted around until he
registered who had woken him. He sat up and Drew released him.
“Gosh, what’re you trying to do scare me to death?” He
whispered.
I held my finger to my lips and pointed out the guard. He
was checking every row and would soon reach ours. Drew gestured for me to wake
up Collin. I crawled over to him and hesitated. Then decided he would have more
sense then Sam and keep his mouth shut without help. Collin breathed deeply
when I shook him. He sat up and ran his hands through his hair. Then he caught
sight of me and dropped low.
“What’s going on?” he whispered.
I motioned for him to follow me back to where Drew and Sam
were waiting.
“What do we do mister team leader?” Said Sam in a loud
whisper.
“Who’s there?” Came the voice of the guard.
We froze until he continued down his row.
“First of all, if you don’t know how to whisper, shut up,” said
Collin. “Second, I’m not sure we’re braking any rules by being here, but a
bunch of teens without parents might look suspicious so lets send a decoy.”
He unzipped his backpack and pulled out a small, round…
something.
“I designed this myself,” he said proudly before he threw it
across to the hall at the other end of the room. A voice from that direction
said loud and clear “quick this way!”
The guard turned, “who’s that?” He walked down that way.
“I believe a high five is in order,” said Collin smiling
holding out his hand. Drew slapped it “excellent.”
“Not so fast.” The guard was hovering over us.
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