Academy of The Holy Order

Chapter 6

Ciro stayed after Adela got out of the shower, he waited as I had mine. For some reason Adela thought she’d be able to sort out my hair, so after I’d had my shower, she positioned me in a chair in front of the mirror.

Sure she’d done a better job than I thought she would have, but my hair is still a mess, it’s just all the same length now.

“It looks nice.” Ciro smiles, “It suits you.”

I sit back down on my bed next to him, “My hair is shorter than yours I think.”

He runs his hand through it, “Maybe I need a haircut.”

Adela sighs, “So when are you leaving?”

“Right” Ciro smiles, a little sadly if anything. “I should leave.”

Although I want to tell him to stay, Adela is right, he should leave. For one thing boys weren’t allowed in the girls’ dormitory or vicar versa, so if he was caught it would end in a week’s detention for all of us, but the real problem is that I’m finding myself liking him more and more. Of course ‘liking’ isn’t the right word, but it’s the closest thing I’ve got, and although I can trust him now the element of danger that surrounds him hasn’t gone.

As soon as he’s gone Adela is on me,

“That was awful.”

“What?”

She smiles, “If you’re going to flirt with someone, don’t straight out insult him, or point out something like, ‘your hair is longer than mine’.”

I laugh, “What?”

“Come on, I know you’ve liked him since you met him, even after the paint thing.” She grins, “You couldn’t help yourself, you’re attracted to broken things.”

“Broken thing- what are you talking about?”

She throws a pillow at my head, “Don’t try and hide it. Even after he led you along you still liked him.”

I sigh, “Is there something wrong with me?”

She shakes her head, “Nah, you’re just all gooey with love stuff. Don’t worry about it.”

I nod, letting my head fall onto my pillow, “I hate everything.”

She laughs, “No you don’t. Your just feeling conflicted because you’re in love with someone who you should probably hate.”

“I’m not in love with him.” I say, burying my face in my pillow.

She laughs again, “Whatever you say Magpie, but I can see how the two of you look at each other-”

“I’ve known him for a week, how could I be in love with him?”

She sighs, “I don’t know. You think I have all the answers?”

I go to sleep, thinking that Adela is wrong, but at some point in between the time when I fell asleep and when I wake up, the idea that perhaps I do love Ciro becomes more likely. But that idea becomes completely illogical when I finally gather my senses. I’d barely known him a week, the very idea of falling in love was so stupid I shouldn’t even bother thinking about it. That is I shouldn’t, butthat didn’t necessarily mean that I wouldn’t.

Every morning from now on we have form time for fifteen minutes before lessons start, Mr. Hunt approaches me, a sheet in his hand,

“Your timetable Magda” He puts the sheet in my hand, “Tell me. How are you feeling?”

I smile, “Fine thank you.”

He nods, “Good, well I’m sure you get those sorts of questions all the time so I’ll leave you to it.”