Choosing Love

Academy

       Owen frowned as he looked us over, his grey eyes roaming between us and the older man in the room. I felt Sean bristle beside me at the obvious judgement in the other boy's eyes.

       "You said you found me a team, Dr. Roberts. Not a baby sitting assignment."

       The older man sighed, but Sean was already out of his seat and in the other boy's face.

       "What makes you think we would ever need you for anything?" Sean growled. "Maybe we don't even want to be in a 'team' with you."

       Owen's eyes steeled over, becoming cold as he stared dispassionately up at my brother. "All I know is that I certainly have no need for you. There's no reason for me to be here, I told you Dr. Roberts, I have no need for a team."

       Before I even knew what I was doing I was opening my mouth. "The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour. You don't know us, there's no need to be rude."

       Sean turned to squint at me, amusement sparking up in his eyes. "Seriously Pookie, quoting proverbs again?"

       I could feel my cheeks turning pink as they all stared at me, but I tried to look unruffled. Trust Sean to tease me in front of perfect strangers.

       "Pookie?" Owen repeated sceptically, though as he looked over at me I felt as though there was a gleam of interest forming in his eyes.

       "That's Miss Green to you, and she just called you an eternal snob, so don't get fresh with my sister." Sean sneered, sitting back in his chair and leaning over to present his palm to me for a high five, seemingly unaware of the scathing look Owen was boring into the side of his head.

       I rolled my eyes, blatantly ignoring Sean's expectant look as well as the hand he was still waggling in my direction. "Can we please hear about why we're here now?"

       Dr. Roberts leant forward in his chair, folding his arms across the desk before him. He leveled the three of us with a steady look. "I would like to officially invite you to join the Academy. Owen is a provisional member, as we have yet to find the appropriate team to support him. The Academy functions on trust, cooperation and goodwill. We are an institution which values academics and skills as much as we value kindheartedness. Considering your close ages, as well as the scope of your abilities, the Academy board has proposed that the three of you might make a good team."

       I could see Owen shift uncomfortably in his seat a little at the mention of being a provisional member, but otherwise he made no sound. I guess he might need us after all, and probably more than we needed him.

       "So is the Academy a school? Why not just ask our parents, if you want us to attend?" Sean asked.

       "The Academy is... a life choice. While you will learn a lot, it's not a school. Our aim is to help people who need help. That might be mowing the lawn for someone who can't, doing tutoring, stopping a bully. You might already do those things, but the Academy will not only focus you to create the greatest impact for your good deeds, we'll also increase your capacity to do so. Consider the choice yours, not your parents'."

       That sounded super dodgy to me. Was he suggesting not even letting mama know? He'd said he was friends with our parents, but this seemed like he was going behind their backs... But Dr. Roberts didn't seem like a bad person, and what he was saying certainly didn't seem bad. It's just-

       "Cool," Sean said with a grin, "we're in."

       I sputtered uselessly for a moment, drawing a raised eyebrow from Owen and a small smile from the doctor. In the end I settled for gaping at Sean in what I'm sure conveyed my 'what the absolute heck?' quite sufficiently.

       He shrugged. "Are you seriously telling me you'd pass up the opportunity to be a super secret agent?"

       My brain short circuited for a moment. Well, when he put it that way... It did sound kinda cool...

       Sean raised his hand quickly, preempting my thoughts. "Mom never has to know, right Dr. Roberts?" He shot that last part at the happy doctor.

       "That's completely up to you, children. Consider it an adventure camp. Make friends, make a difference, become a better person. Your parents would be proud of you, but they might not understand what you're doing, or why."

       Owen sighed from his seat. "Are you in, or not?" He met my eyes and shifted a little. "I mean, it could be okay, being in a team and all."

       I looked to Sean again, seeing that glint of excitement that entered his eyes when he prepared himself for a challenge. I couldn't deny the spark of excitement fluttering to life in my belly either.

       "We're in." I said firmly, smiling at the grey eyed boy.