Boarding School 101

Chapter 10 - Katydids

Chapter 10 was written by Katydids

Nathan

I rolled my shoulders and tilted my head from side to side. Taking off my shirt and putting sweats on was sweet torture. My sore muscles pulled with the movement, and I sank onto my bed, stretching my back as I lay staring at the ceiling. I needed a massage.

Kota broke the news that we were getting an addition to our team. A girl. Why the hell would we need another team member? I thought it was a shitty move by the Council. We were one of the best teams and about to all be graduates. We worked well together, and now they were tossing in someone else. A girl. I closed my eyes and tried to think on other things, but couldn't. What did she have that they thought we needed? I could see a major shitstorm coming with this. Maybe she's a lesbian. That would solve some potential problems. I closed my eyes, determined to get an hour of sleep.

It wasn't going to happen. Someone started bouncing something off my door. I gritted my teeth waiting for Luke, or whoever the hell it was, to stop.

They didn't.

I got up and yanked my door open, ready to throttle them, and a tennis ball hit me just below my navel and bounced off. A stunned girl stared back at me from the opposite side of the hall, sitting on the floor, against the wall. The tennis ball bounced a few times and rolled around between us. A blush shot up her neck and face as she glanced at my bare chest. I automatically flexed, and my muscles screamed. I'd chopped the firewood for Mrs. Kane by hand yesterday, thinking using the splitter was for sissies. I couldn't help but think that maybe being a sissy wasn't always a bad thing. No way could I keep flexed to impress.

"Don't move," I ordered, and went back into my room, grabbing a t shirt. I yanked it on and turned back to the hall, hurrying before she bolted. I knew who she was, and this was my chance to figure out why she'd been added to our team. I could grill her without anyone interfering. I pulled up short and grinned. She hadn't moved from her spot on the floor, although she'd looked ready to run. I shut my door and sat down across from her, thinking of a way to break the ice. My foot tapped the tennis ball. I picked it up and bounced it to her. "You must be Sang."

She caught the ball and nodded then paused a moment before bouncing it back to me, her face getting redder. "You're Nathan?"

"How'd you know?"

(Bounce)

She shrugged. "I was given a list."

(Bounce)

"Was I at the top or bottom of the list?" I teased.

(Bounce)

She paused. "I don't remember."

She was a terrible liar. But she had good hand-eye coordination. "Hear you'll be on our team."

She nodded.

"Do you know why?" I asked.

"No."

"Do you have some super secret ability?"

"No."

"Are you spying on us?"

She bounced the ball at me. "Would I tell you the truth if I was?"

I laughed. "Probably not."

Her shoulders relaxed a bit as we played with the ball. "So why were you at my door?"

She gave me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I thought everyone was gone."

"Dammit."

Her brows shot up. "What?"