Chapter 15
The next morning. I dropped Mia off with Steven. I taught him how to correctly hold her and feed her. He gave me half a smile and told me he’d been looking things up all night. It was the first time he was going to be left alone with her and he was so nervous, he could hardly sleep.
“I’m sure you’ll do great.” I reassured him. He blushed slightly at my compliment. I was beginning to actual look forward to his company and the mere thought shocked and confused me all at once.
I was stirring over it on my way to class when I hear someone call my name over my shoulder. I turned to see Debbie running over to me. She launches herself into my arms and weaves her arms around my body in a hug. I let out a small “oof” as we collide, not prepared for the impact. She pulls back and shakes like a rattlesnake. Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
“First day of class!” she shouts. “Are you excited? I know I am. I’m a sophomore this year but I’m taking freshman
combat because I missed it last due to the Untouchable stuff. Ooh I’m so excited! Are you excited? Jeez, 1
can’t imagine. Also, how’s your new dorm? Is it nice? Mine is gorgeous ugh! I mean-
“Slow down,” I laugh at her. She smiles back at me, pinking in the cheeks.
“Sorry,” she says. “I’m just so jazzed about all of this. I mean, I wasn’t supposed to be a non–Untouchable for another semester! And now I’m free! It’s insane!” She pauses then looks at me. “You don’t know why they let us all out, do you?”
I stiffen. “What do you mean?”
“I mean it can’t be a coincidence.” Debbie goes on. “You show up. You wake up with their kid in your arms and next thing you know, the Untouchables cease to exist.” She shakes her head. “You did something, didn’t you?”
I shrug but can’t help but let the smile creep across my lips. “Nah. Nothing at all.”
Debbie shoots me a knowing smile and I let my own deepen. She looks back across campus and her smile immediately drops. I follow her line of sight and wind up seeing my guide, Kathy. Her long blonde hair is swept into a perfectly poised ponytail. She talking hurriedly to the girl next to her. The girl is oddly familiar and I look back swept high at Debbie and immediately clock the resemblance.
“Sister?” I ask Debbie.
She nods. “Laura,” she says. “She’s a year older than me. She’s in with the mean girls. Stopped all contact with me when I became an Untouchable. My parents were so miffed. But they don’t get the way things work here. I know it’d be social suicide if she ever got caught talking to me.
I look back across campus at Laura. Her eyes are wide as she laughs with Kathy but I sense a bit of sadness behind them. We get close enough to them where Kathy spots us.
“Kissimet,” she calls. “I heard you were an Untouchable for a day. Way to start on campus.”
“Untouchables don’t exist anymore,” I throw back. “Not sure if you got the message.”
“I got it,” Kathy drawls. She looks at her nails then back at us. “But once an Untouchable, always an Untouchable. Isn’t that right, Deborah?”
Debbie pales at her name. I suspect there’s some history between the two that I haven’t been made aware of yet. I put my hand on Debbie’s back and guide her past the two girls and into the Combat facility. I hear laughing behind me and turn to glare at Kathy. She wiggles her perfectly manicured fingers at me in a petulant way. I think about biting
them off.
“God, she stinks,” Debbie says under her breath.
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You can say that again, I agree.
Debbie chuckles and smiles up at me. “Thanks, Chloe.”
“Of course,” I bump our hips together. “Us Untouchables stick together, yeah?”
Debbie nods, still smiling. We walk into the gym and make our way up to the bleachers to sit with the rest of the class. There’s about forty or so kid sitting around. They’re all different colors and sizes. Some 1 immediately track as jocks and some are scrawny and must be the campus nerds. They’re all dressed impeccably, a change from Greendale. I sigh and look forwards. The man in front of the class claps his hands together. Everyone becomes silent. He smiles at
group. He looks to be a few years older than us, maybe early thirties. His hair is dark and coiffed perfectly off his handsome face. It’s a blueish–black that glisters like the night sky under the fluorescent gym lights. He’s wearing a pressed track suit and I silently roll my eyes at the look.
the
“Welcome,” he says. “To Freshman combat.”
There
are a few whoops and hollers behind us. Debbie shrinks slightly. I know she’s a bit embarrassed she’s in a freshman class. I squeeze her hand gently. She smiles at me. The man raises his hands to signal silence.
“I’m Coach White.” he says. “I’ll be teaching you the basics of combat then deciding your placement. There are three classes. The first is basics for those who just need the bare minimum. The second is for those slightly advance. The last is for those that I see with the prospect to become a warrior.”
There’s chatter amongst the class. Coach White smiles at everyone. He raises his hands again. “Now, now,” he says. quelling the class. “The placement fights aren’t until next week. Today, we’ll be setting up your foundation. I wanna see how you work as a team member and also get a general scan of your agility. Sound good?”
More whoops and hollers. Debbie looks at me with fear in her eyes.
“I’m terrible at paintball,” she says under her breath. “I was always the target in high school because I was so slow. This is going to be awful.”
I squeeze her hand again. “Don’t worry,” I whisper back. “Just stick with me. I’m pretty scrappy but I’ll keep you safe.” “Thank you,” Debbie sighs in relief.
“Okay so we’ll divide into teams.” Coach White booms across the class. “We have captains from the higher classes to lead you and show you how it’s done. Boys, come on out.”
To my absolute horror, my goddamn, asshole roommates come marching out. Beau and Archer stand all high and mighty in front of the class. I catch Archer’s eye and he breaks out into a malicious grin. I turn towards Debbie and hiss under my breath.
“What are they doing here?”
“They always come to the first day of class,” Debbie whispers back. “They’re the demonstrators and have been since they got to campus. Coach makes them captains and they lead the paintball war”
I look back up. Archer is still staring at me. His gaze stirs a hurricane in my gut. I pray to the Gods that I’m not pitted against him. I can only imagine the fallout. Instead of breaking our staring contest, I glare right back at him, challenging him.
Come and get me, I’m saying.
You’re on, his glare says back.
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Chapter 15U
SIND GIFT