They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 24: Don't Move Any Closer

Look out for the <>!!

Gray POV

"Gray, do you have a moment?" Else asked as she walked up to me in a small private training room at Churchwell Academy.

I nodded as I placed the staff I held in my hands on the ground, knowing exactly what she wanted me for. We had been at Churchwell for two weeks and my new life settled in place. Although I still didn't feel like I belonged here. I had made no friend, no people tried to talk to me, I was just as lonely here as I was in Jackson. People here saw me as an outsider, even though I was from here. But that didn't matter to them because I had been away for too long. I wasn't truly one of them when I spend years living on earth.

Else never fully addressed why we were here and why we had to leave so quickly from Jackson. I tried to bring it up a few times, but she always brushed it off to the side as if it wasn't important and as days melted into a week and more, I started to believe she didn't even know why we were here. Maybe it was some news she got, and she had no choice in it.

"We are meeting with the Royal family again. Are you ready?"

I nodded as I ran my hand through my hair to smooth it out, then slipped on a coat. The last meeting we had with them flew through my mind like an unwelcomed guest, causing me to frown. The Royal family were constantly fighting with one another and they could never agree on a plan of action, even though we were on a brink of war with the Darklings. It was exhausting. And as much trouble as they were, I started to think the Royal family was not worth dealing with. "I am."

She nodded with a smile as she walked out the door to the outside.

The bright light of the sun shining directly above me caused me to squint, but I made her to keep up with her. "Why do we have to go again?" It was a valid question that I would like to know. The royal family was a waste and even she knew it because she always looked exhausted when we returned from the meetings.

She threw me a look as if to say to stay quiet and that I knew better. Her silence was her answer as she walked towards her car, which was always parked past the tree line, out of sight of the students and outside the protection barrier around the school.

"I'm just saying that I find the Royal family useless," I spilled out, unable to stay silent any longer.

"Gray, please. This is standard protocol. They have always been involved in any wars."

Her comment caused me to freeze in mid walk. Other wars? I had only been aware of the one my father made, but she spoke as if there were so many more. "What other wars have there been?" I asked, realizing that I knew very little about Churchwell. We had history classes painted with rose-colored glasses, but she made me think Churchwell wasn't as perfect as students thought. I knew there were secrets of Churchwell, but I never thought about wars. If there were such a thing here, where did they fight? Suddenly, my mind was full of so many more questions.

She let out a tired sigh as she got her keys from her pocket. Already she knew she said too much and her silence was her answer to drop it as if she wasn't allowed to speak of such things herself.

I frowned at her, not liking her response. "And why do we drive? Can't you just get someone to teleport you?" There weren't many cars here at the school, but she always took hers everywhere. I didn't understand it when traveling by other means was so much faster.

"I enjoy driving," she said as the car came into view.

As we made our way to the car behind the tree line, rain started to fall. The big heavy drops hit my face with force, causing me to duct under a tree branch to dodge it for a moment. I could remember a time when I was stuck in such a heavy rain. It was years ago, but the memory still hit me like it just happened. I never thought I would leave Churchwell in such terrible weather. It was as if it wanted me to leave, and I believed it. But now I was back and I wouldn't let some rain scare me off like it did when I was young.