When I woke up to the sound of my alarm, I groaned and rolled back over. I did not want to get up this early on a Saturday, even if I did have to meet with the Headmaster.
The Headmaster! I had to meet with him today! Crap.
I sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. After stuffing my feet into shoes and throwing a jacket over my PJs, I shook Devi and Kelly awake frantically.
"Headmasters' office! We! There! Go! NOW!"
Minutes later, we stood outside the huge doors. Still in our PJs, but still. We were there. A second later, we were standing in the huge office, clutching bowls of buah to our chests as the Headmaster organized papers on the huge desk.
"Girls, welcome. Please, sit," We groaned as we found ourselves sitting on the beanbags. I could feel the buah in my stomach lurch.
"This teleportation is making me queasy," said Kelly, clutching her stomach. Devi and I nodded our agreement.
"Well, then just walk around my office," said the Headmaster. "But you know I'm not here to talk to you about my magical abilities. I'm here to talk about the Scarlet Snakes." The three of us shared a look, then dropped our gazes to our laps.
"Girls, I don't want to worry you, but the situation is getting worse by the day. I am worried the school might not be the safest place for you, Fiona. I might have to send you back to your apartment."
Devi nearly choked on her buah. "Headmaster!" she exclaimed, once she had swallowed her food, "I think the school is a lot safer. The only way in or out is through the portals, and it has all of the magical enhancements surrounding it. Fionas' apartment, however, " she paused, casting me a sidelong glance, "has no magical capabilities. And..." Devi dropped her gaze back to her lap.
I looked confusedly at Kelly, then it dawned on me. I made the 'o' shape with my mouth as I gazed at Devi.
"And, my family is no longer in the apartment. Only my brother," I finished.
The Headmaster was astonished by this news. "What!? Your family...they moved away? But-but they have to notify the school! So now, you live in the dorms..."
"She basically already did," interjected Kelly. "She never slept in that apartment. The dorm was more of a kediaman for her than the rest of her family ever was." I stared at Kelly in shock.
Kediaman, she had said. Kediaman, the sacred word for home.
"And whats' more," she rambled, "Is that her parents didn't even know she had gotten sick! They don't care enough about her to check on her, or even be home! So I don't think sending her back to such a place will be much better, Headmaster. I think keeping her here, with magical protection and people who care about her, is such a better solution for Fee."
Kelly took a deep breath and slumped against her beanbag, breathless after her rant. She took a small nibble of buah as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. Devi nodded her agreement, and the Headmaster sighed.
"Well, then I'll have you stay at the school, under maximum security. Fee, you and your roommates managed to still take additional classes, correct?"
I sighed and nodded. Although the captains had said to avoid everything except Base Classes, my friends and I had managed to smuggle textbooks and workbooks out of the Additional Class classrooms, so our grades did not fall behind.
"Well, I will now have to absolutely forbid that, girls." We all gasped. Devi dropped her buah but suddenly found it clutched back in her hand.
"But Headmaster!" I cried. "But, we can't abandon all non-craft studies because of the possibility of a threat! I mean-"
"That's final, girls. I'm sorry, but it's true - I can't lend you any more support than I already have given you; maximum safety and minimal risk are the smartest options right now. Your grades will be set at what they are right now if that's what's worrying you. Am I understood?"
We groaned and nodded. The Headmaster nodded once, and waved his hand. We looked around confusedly.
"Well? Earlier, you complain about how the magic makes you queasy. Now, you act like walking out is such a chore? Honestly!" the Headmaster angrily waved his hand, and we found ourselves outside the office, clutching each other for support as our stomachs pitched and rolled.
*****
"Devi! Think fast!" I called. I turned and lobbed a microphone at her. Devi took a deep breath and sang a G-flat. The microphone paused in midair, then mimicked the sound.
It seemed hard to believe that just yesterday, we had been lectured in the Headmasters' office. Now, we were jerked back to the world of the school; just now we were helping Devi prepare for her Quarter Exams, a test that pushed a Performers' vocal and physical abilities to their limits.
"Go!" yelled Kelly, starting the clock. Devi took a flying leap and did several midair pirouettes. Then, she landed and sang an incredibly high note. I covered my ears and quickly barked the menolong spell at the glass windows, preventing them from shattering.
"That was your best run yet, gal!" said Kelly happily, clicking off the timer. Devi panted and nodded.
"Yeah, that was great Devi!" I agreed, clapping. "You'll ace those exams next week at this rate!"
Devi nodded. "I'll be sure to help you girls twice as hard for your Final Exams,"
Kelly giggled. "Amen to that!" she affirmed, slapping my palm.
Since we were Third Years, we only had two big exams; First Exams, around a month or so into the school year, and Final Exams, taken just a week before the end of the school year.
During those weeks, around ten percent of the students in the hospital wing were there for the tekanan illness, extreme stress that caused muscle malfunction.
"Ok, ready to go again?" said Devi, standing up. We nodded, and Kelly readied the clock. I held up my hands, surrender-style, and before my palms amassed a small armada of several small clay balls.
"GO!" yelled Kelly. With a roar, I sent the whole armada of clay flying at Devi, willing them to fly every which way towards her face.
She took another deep breath and stood straight-backed, then did a backflip. She performed a wonderful display of gymnastics, and slowly, the balls began to fall from my grip.
"Ninety seconds!" called Kelly. I began to sweat as I redoubled my efforts to keep the balls in my grip, but it was a losing battle. At the end of the ninety seconds, the clay were moving in sync with Devi, mimicking her every dance move.
When she finally stopped and stood up, she wiped her forehead and grinned, beads of sweat dotting her face.
"Dev, that was cray-crazy!" said Kelly, giving Devi a hug. "You are going to ace. Those. Exams! We'll take you on the town for gula-gula when you bring home top marks!"
I thought I saw Devis' smile waver at this, but maybe I imagined it. Soon, we were done running drills, and needed something to eat.
We rock-paper-sisscored for who had to get the food, and Devi lost. We berated her with orders as she pulled on a raglan and, shaking her head, left the dorm in search of a meal.
"Whaddya think she'll get?" I asked Kelly.
"Eh, you know her. Probably sayuran, the little troll. With her ideas about us 'eating healthy' or some cripe like that."
I giggled. Deiv was definitely the mom of the group; she was constantly trying to get us to eat better, and saying things like, don't stay up late, study more, and why don't you let me help you with that? It did get annoying sometimes, but I had the sneaking suspicion that Kelly and I would be eating nothing but brownies and granola bars if not for her.
Devi reappeared a few minutes later, bearing a platter of sayuran. I sideyed Kelly and she made the told you so face. I stuck out my tongue and rolled my eyes.
"You should owe me five wang for that," I thought aloud.
"In your dreams," fired back Kelly. "Now whaddya wanna bet she sa-"
"Dinner! And then a good nights' sleep!" announced Devi, closing the door behind her. Kelly and I shared a look, and couldn't contain ourselves as we dissolved into a fit of giggles.