Bleed Black: An Academy Novel

Chapter Sixteen

     Katie stood in  the sweat smelling training room alone and listened to Sam's footsteps as she followed Julian. Katie stood in silence listening to the sound of other people training and talking. After what felt like an hour, Katie found her will to walk out of the spot she seemed glued to. Walking with her head down Katie left the room and walked out of the main building. Once she was outside, Katie ran to her room trying to beat her tears. Once she saw her door she bolted in, shut, and locked the door and cried. Covering her eyes she sobbed in her hands. Everyone knew that it was her fault Hero was hurt, and could possibly die. She felt like a monster. She was worse than Zec. Sliding her back agents her door she fell to the floor and cried out a loud scream of agony. She hardly knew Hero, but she was the kindest person she had met there, and had treated her with nothing but kindness. Sniffing and huffing Katie tried to catch her breath, and after a minute she did. Standing up, Katie wiped her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. 

     Sitting on her bed, Katie held herself and tried to remake the feeling of safety her mother could. It was obviously not the same feeling, though she knew it was the closest thing she would be getting to actual love. Standing up and letting herself go, Katie fixed her makeup and walked back outside. Walking down the pavement Katie let  the wind blow into her face, hiding her tear stained face. Walking to the infirmary Katie listened to the sounds of peoples voices and steps. Fiddling with her fingers she got to the infirmary quicker than she thought she would. With a shaking hand, Katie pushed the door open and stepped into the cold room. It seemed like just stepping into the room made her side burn and ache. Trying to ignore it the best she could, Katie walked over to where Hero was lying. Sitting on the light brown wood stool that was placed beside the bed, Katie looked at her friend. Her ginger hair had fallen into her face, dried blood sitting on the tips. Taking a strand of her hair, Katie felt that it had crusted over. "She isn't dead yet, why didn't they clean you up?" Katie whispered to no one but herself. Dropping the strand Katie touched her friends hand. Holding tears back, Katie held the cold hand of her friend. "I'm so sorry Hero, I never wanted you hurt. I didn't want anyone hurt. Okay, maybe I wanted to punch Julian, but that's it." Katie said, as if a joke would wake her up.

     Letting her hand go Katie stood up and walked out so no one would see her in there. When she got outside she saw that everyone was walking to the main building. There were no classes today, so it was lunch time. Practically dragging her feet she followed the crowd of people and went into the main building and walked straight into the dining hall. Once she entered she could smell different types of soups and breads. Getting in line she grabbed a tray and waited her turn. After she got her plain chicken soup and buttered bread, Katie looked a the table where she usually sat. Sam still sat next to Nick, but Julian was now on her other side and not Blake. Blake was sitting beside where Katie usually sat, Lilith was no where to be seen. After thinking about it for a second, Katie walked over to the table and sat down beside Blake. "Where's Lilith?" Katie asked trying to break the silence that had been going on for who knows how long. "Her room crying." Julian said his voice dark sounding. "Why?" Katie asked, not caring if he yelled or snapped at her, he never failed to do it before. "I broke up with her for doing drugs again." He sad bluntly. Katie felt her eyes widen in shock, he was so calm about it and hardly seemed to care. "I've told her drugs would kill her before a demon or something would and that it would be wise for her to stop. She didn't listen to my advice and did them behind my back. So I ended it." He explained tearing up his piece of garlic bread.

     "Are you not upset at all?" Katie asked, getting mad that he seemed so calm and collected. "Yes I am, but I just do not show it. That's what being here can do. Though, I'm mainly concerned about how being partners will be messed up." He said, using the same term Sam did to describe Nick. Partner. "What the hell is a partner?" Katie asked annoyed since she still knew so little. "A partner," Sam started "Is when two people, who work together well and trust each other bind themselves together since they're a great team. They do a ceremony where they must dress in all white, cut their palms open and bleed into a cup slightly. Then they pick where their gems go, mines on my throat and Nick has on the back of his neck. Once the gem changes to the color they chose, we chose red. They drink each others blood, and I know it's gross. then they put their cut palms together and let they blood touch. Then you're partners." Sam finished. "Can you just take the gem off? Then you won't be partners." Katie asked. "No, the blood you drink that's theirs go to the gem and powers it. If you take it off, you'll die." Sam said sharply. Katie could just make an O shape with her mouth. "We'll just have to get over it. We're partners whether we like it or not." Julian said with a shrug. "Is this what this place does? Makes you heartless?" Katie asked, her eyes locked onto Julian's. "No, it just makes things easier to process." He said looking her in the eyes. Blake made a small noise, as if making sure his friends knew he was there. "Sorry Blake, I know when we talk about partners you get upset." Julian said, emotion in his voice for the first time of the whole conversation. Sam reached her hand over the table and took Blake's. Nick gave him a smile and ruffled his newly pink hair.

     The time to eat lunch passed quickly during the conversation they had about partners, and none of them touched their food. Other than Julian and his torn garlic bread. Katie picked her tray up, and dumped the soups broth down the drain they had put in for liquids and the chicken and vegetables in the trash. She put her tray and bowl in the dirty pile and walked out, her friends following behind. Sam, Julian, and Nick were talking about something, but Blake was silent. Katie walked to her room and opened the door. Before she could shut it the four friends were in with her. "I didn't know you'd all be coming in." She said surprised. Sam sat on her bed and the other three stood. "We should redecorate your room." Nick said, as he looked around her room. That had been something Katie had wanted to do for a while when she was still at her house. But, now it made her want to cringe at the thought of changing even one aspect of it. "No, I like it how it is. Maybe some new clothes though." Katie said, she had been jealous of how everyone she had talked to had these amazing clothes that suited them so well. She felt out of place in her plain pastel colored shirts and jeans. "Yeah let's go to the mall." Sam said in a voice that made it sound like it was the best idea she had ever heard. "You like the mall?" Katie asked with a small giggle. "It isn't my favorite place but it's better than hear at the moment." Sam she with a shrug, it amazed Katie at how she was able to go from a total wreck to normal in an hour or two. "Katie, can you drive?" Julian asked, in a softer tone than she had hear before. "No, I was going to get my license in a couple months." She said with a shrug. "Then you ne-need to sit o-on th-the back of a -b-b-bike." Blake stuttered on for the first time all day. "Blake, you're still hungover you aren't driving at all." Sam said with a small snap. "Fi-fine." He said without a fight. "I can't drive with someone on the back of mine. You guys know that." Nick said embarrassed. "Katie, will ride on the back on mine." Julian said surprising everyone. "Okay, let's go then." Sam said as she opened the door and walked out. "Julian, why do you want to ride with me?" Katie asked in a soft voice. "I've been an ass to you. I want to make it up to you." He said not looking at her.

     The walk to the parking lot was quiet the rest of the way. Everyone got on to their bikes and Katie and Blake climbed on the back of Julian and Sam's. It felt odd going somewhere without Lilith, but she did not dare say so. Julian was being nice to her, or trying to at least, she had no intention of messing it up. Wrapping her arms around his waist when he started moving, Katie shut her eyes and hoped the ride was not to long. Though she felt safe, it felt strange clinging to him and not Sam. Who she only driven with before. Keeping her hands locked on his sides, the wind picked up and fluttered her shirt and the hair that was sticking out of the helmet. Katie opened her eyes and looked to her right. She saw Nick on his bike, and Sam and Blake on hers. To her left was trees, that passed by so fast it started making her sick. She shut her eyes again and focused on the spots of light the sun was creating on her eye lids. The bright spots danced around, grew, and shrank. As the bike, stopped and went, her eyes never opened, but focused on the beautiful spots. She felt her lips tug up into a smile, and a small laugh escape her mouth and throat. Turns started up and her hands clenched down harder, still scared she would fall right off. After few more, stops, and turns, Katie felt the bike stop and the motor die. Opening her eyes up, the sun blinded her for a second. Looking around she saw the huge double story building which she and her old friends had been to many times, the mall. Sliding off the bike, Katie took the helmet off and fixed her hair the best she could without a  mirror. Her legs felt weak, and her side ached from sitting for so long. After everyone had parked they started walking to the entrance. Katie felt herself limp most of the way, trying her best to hide it, so no one would offer help. A blast of cold air greeted them when the doors opened and they stepped into the large hall of the building. "Where to first?" Sam asked, turning to Katie. "Show me where you guys shop." Katie said, though she already had a  small idea of where that was. A wicked looking smile crossed their faces and they started walking, leading her to their usual store.