Starr Academy: Year One

Part 38

Thirty-eight


    I smiled as I wandered the grounds of the school. At the moment I was gracing my fingers over a few calla lilies. Everyone was in class so it was quiet out here.

    This was my last day of my recovery. These last few days have been difficult to stay away from class. Headmistress Alexi even had to stop me and turn me away when I tried to sneak into class. I went to the library instead which got her to grin. Theo even came in to see what I was up to.

    I smiled more as I remember hearing that Professor Gilliett was teaching his class again. That he decided to forgo his break from the semester to get back to normal. I found out that it was because of his students showing their love for him that made him want to teach. That he felt a new renewed energy for teaching.

    I stopped and tilted my head slightly to one side. I had come to the pond in the center of the garden. Leaning against the tree was Zander. He was lazily tossing pebbles into the pond. It wasn’t like him not to be in class. Well... I haven’t seen him for a few days now. He hasn’t even looked at me since the incident either.

    I walked over and silently sat down next to him. I heard him sigh heavily and throw several stones out into the pond. The water rippled and broke the reflection of the partially cloudy spring sky. The day was such a beautiful one. I was sad that Zander looked so upset.

    “You’re not in class.” I said not looking over at Zander.

    “No, I’m not.” His voice didn’t sound like the confident guy he is. He sounded upset even more than he looked.

    “Why’s that?” I asked softly.

    He sighed again as he picked up more pebbles. “I don’t deserve to be here anymore. Not after what’s happened this year.” He swallowed as he tossed a pebble hard into the pond. “Not after my part in all this.” His voice cracked.

    I placed my hand on his as he started to draw it back to throw another. In this position he had just to glance over to me for a moment to look me in to eye. And as I thought, he did for the briefest second.

    “Why do you think that? I don’t blame you. I don’t blame Professor Gilliett. Neither of you did it. Yes you were taken over, but it wasn’t your fault.”

    He groaned as he dropped the pebbles from his hand and stood up. “Please don’t.”

    I frowned at him. “Don’t what?” I looked at him confused.

    He pointed at me. “That. You forgive. You shouldn’t forgive me. It’s my family’s fault that you were hurt not once, not twice, but four times. One whole because of me.”

    I rose and took a step toward him but he put his hands up to stop me. “He was influencing you. You didn’t have control over everything you did.”

    “But...”

    I marched up to him and took his hands. “No buts. He made you fixate on me. What happened in my room was fueled by him. I’ve forgiven you that one a long time ago.”

    He thrusted his hands out of mine. “See. You forgive way too easily. You’re too nice and sweet. The world is harder and will hurt you if you don’t stop forgiving everyone.” He was ranting and pacing in front of me. His hand gong through his hair roughly.

    “Zander.” He stopped pacing and his shoulders slumped as his head hung. He was breathing heavy from his rant. I placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re my friend. Please don’t leave. Not because of what happened. You’ve been a very good friend to me especially after he left you. I judge you based on that.”

    He shrugged off my hand. “How can you be like this?” He put a hand over his face. “Why can’t my counterpart be like you?” He dropped his hand and looked at me. “You’re my ideal girlfriend yet you’re taken.”

    I frowned at him. “I bet the one for you is still out there. Just keep your eyes open.”

    He took a small step to me and cupped my cheek. “But I can’t see anyone but you.”


    “Oh Zander. There must be another for you. You can’t hold your breathe for me. I don’t want you to get hurt by me. By waiting for something that may never happen.”

    He smirked. “Never say never my sweet.”

    I smiled. “Now that’s the Zander I know.”

    He sighed as he looked out over the pond. “You still haven’t gotten through to me.”

    I playfully bumped his shoulder. “Please stay. As penance to me?”

    He chuckle smiling. He pulled me over and hugged me. “You are sneaky and perfect.” He looked down at me. “Fine. I’ll stay for you.”

    I smiled happily. “Thank you.” Then I cocked my head. “Will you still stay my friend?”

    He laughed as he hugged me lifting me up and spinning around. “You think I would stay and not be your friend.” He set me down on my feet. He cupped my cheeks. “You have to be crazy. And I know you are because you want me to stay.”

    He moved a strand of my hair behind my ear as I noticed his thoughts were shifting. “I wish I could spend time with you this summer.” He sighed. “But I need to help with my family. The high council wish to see if Cedric has jumped into anyone of them. He couldn’t jump into anyone else as the time and magic necessary wasn’t present when he left Professor Gilliett. I’ve been looked at and he didn’t come back. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t in someone else.”

    I hugged him. “It’s okay.” I pulled back and smiled. “You’ll keep in contact though, right? We can send each other notes.”

    “You bet.”

    We both looked at the school when the class bells rang signaling the end of morning classes and lunch time. Zander pulled back and offered his arm. “Shall I escort you back?”

    I giggled as I slipped my arm in his. “Then you shall escort us both back.” He smirked as started us up the path to the school grounds.

    For the first time ever, Zander sat with us at the lunch table. Marek raised an eyebrow and I kissed his cheek. That seemed to ease him. He accepted Zander into our group. For the time being anyways.

~
    Time through the last bit of the last bit of the school year seemed to fly by in a blink of an eye. Before long, I was starting to say goodbye to everyone here. Friends I’ve made. People I’ve gotten to know.

    Danielle and Zera stayed in my room one night so we could have an end of year slumber party with just us girls. We watched movies and talked. They were my best friends and was going to miss them over the summer.

    But there was one person who I was going to miss. Marek. He wished that he hand his family weren’t going over seas for the summer. He even asked if I wanted to go with them, but I couldn’t. I didn’t have a passport for one. He had sighed defeated.

    I would have one friend with me this summer. Franklin had said he’d look out for me. That helped Marek feel a little better. Marek asked Franklin that if anything happens this summer to me, to tell him. Franklin put me in a playful head lock and said that Marek didn’t need to worry, he was going to look out for me.

    We all mainly stayed together till the main airport where we all had to split up. Franklin and I went to our gate for our flight. Marek had to go to his. Danielle, Zera, and Zander to theirs.

    Before Marek and I split, everyone turned away as we kissed goodbye. After a moment he pulled back and put our foreheads together looking deep into my eyes. “I’ll send notes to you when I can. Every second if it were possible.”

    I smiled at him. “You could send me pictures of where you go.”

    He chuckled. “You got it. Just one thing this summer?” I nodded. “Don’t let your family get to you. You’re so much better than they are.”

    I smiled and kissed him as the announcer came on. “That’s your flight. You better get going.”

    “Till the end of summer.”

    I grinned. “Till the end of summer.” He kissed me before he gathered his carry-on and walked off to his gate.

    Franklin draped an arm around my shoulder. “Don’t worry. You still have me.” I smiled at him as he guided us to our own gate.

    As we sat and waited for our flight, I wondered how my summer would be this year. I bet it would be so much better. I had friends and was different. I was happier and knew I would never be alone. Not really.