Behind the Walls. NOVEL By Claire Darcy.

18. King of the Ruby.

ACE.

I couldn't help but tense up as I waited outside building 25.

My second class of the day (and consequently, my time here at the Academy) was Weapons Training.

After breakfast, I'd parted ways with Josh and Frankie and gone to my first class, mathematics, and now I was waiting outside the Weapons Training building in line with a huge group of other teens I didn't know.

It was easy enough to find where the classes were, and I had nothing better to do than go to them. After all, the nurse had said laying low was a good idea, and I kind of believed her. Making trouble could wait a while. Escaping could wait a while. It was still on the agenda, it always was, but maybe for later.

A bell sounded, and the bustling students pushed their way inside the building. I followed, keeping up with everyone.

The room was bigger than I'd expected, and the seventy or so teenagers could easily fit. That, I was grateful for. Looking out at crowds was one thing, being part of one was another.

One wall was lined with stands like in a theatre, and everyone filed up to those. I followed and took a seat near the back, watching everyone. As of yet, I couldn't see anyone I knew. Josh and Frankie were both in different classes, and goodness knows where Tyler or Rowan were.

"Hey, isn't that the one they dropped off the building?" I heard someone whisper behind me.

"Where?" another voice whispered back. It was two boys, sitting somewhere behind me. They obviously didn't know I could hear them.

"Right there. The pretty one in the grey shirt and red boots."

I laughed a little at his use of the word, 'pretty.' It was uncommon; innocent in a way that most teen boys didn't care to be. I turned around and flashed a bright smile.

"Surprisingly boys, I'm not deaf."

The two boys who sat there stiffened and the one on the left's cheeks got red. It was the one on the right who spoke first.

"Of course not. And now that we've spoken, I better introduce myself. The name's Dallas; Dallas Romeo Rodriguez. And you are Ace, the one everyone's talking about."

He stuck out his hand and I gingerly shook it. He was a ridiculous-looking creature with an upturned nose and unruly light hair. His skin was dark tan, and his clothes were black as night and spliced with purple.

"And I'm Andrew Phillips. Everyone calls me Andy."

I shook hands with the second boy more comfortably. He didn't look as despise-able as Dallas. And, he had blue hair. How could I not be friendly to someone with blue hair?

"Well, Andy... I appreciate being called 'pretty', it's a compliment, I must say."

Andy's cheeks grew red and he cleared his throat. He was very skinny and small, almost pretty-looking himself. He wore black and pastel colours, his hair all brushed forward in a long fringe that hid his huge brown eyes. I immediately liked him.

"Well... ah, yeah. No worries."

I smirked and turned back around, ignoring the boys, but Dallas wasn't finished.

"So, if you're Ace. That means you know old Josh-mate...?"

I swung back around at the mentioning of his name.

"You've met Josh?" I asked, an eyebrow raised.

Dallas grinned, "Of course! When Andy here told me and the boys about all the decent stuff you guys had done, we were pretty impressed."