The Academy (10 page)

“I…I’m sorry,” I said, my voice coming out broken and unhappy. “I know I’m interrupting your sleep. I’ll go b-back in the c-closet if you want.”

“No, it’s okay.” North sighed. “Look, if what you’re listening to is making you homesick, just turn it off.”

Realizing it was probably a good idea, I turned off the cube and pulled the specks from my ears.

“That’s better,” he said approvingly. “Don’t do that to yourself, okay? Especially not on the first night. The first night is always the hardest. But it does get easier—I promise.”

“Really?” I couldn’t see how it would but somehow just hearing his deep voice speaking so softly in the darkness made me feel calmer.

“Really.” The big warm hand squeezed my arm. “Better now?”

“I guess so.” I blotted my eyes on my sleeve and sniffed. “Sorry, I guess it’s not very, uh, manly to cry.”

“Not really.” He sounded slightly amused again. “But I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “And thank you for not being mad.”

“Welcome.” His hand left my arm and I heard him shift in bed, the covers rustling around him. “Now try to get some sleep, okay?”

“All right.” I nodded in the darkness even though he couldn’t see me. “Good night.”

“Night, Jameson.” He yawned and I heard him shift again—then silence.

I was afraid I would lie awake all night but the crying jag had drained the last little bit of my emotional reserve. Before I knew it, I was yawning myself as sleep dragged me down.

My last thought as I closed my eyes was that I didn’t know what to make of North—but I liked the feel of his hand on my arm. Liked it a lot.

The next thing I knew something loud and strident was blaring in my ears.

“Wha…?” I rolled over in bed and covered my head with a pillow. “Make it stop.”

“Hey, shrimp, wake up.” Suddenly the pillow was yanked off my head and someone stripped the sheets and blankets off my shivering form.

“Hey!” I sat straight up in bed and glared at him. “Give those back.”

“Fine.” North dumped the bundle of bedding on my head. “Go back to sleep and earn yourself ten licks for missing breakfast. See if I care.”

That got me up right away. “What time is it?”

“Almost oh-six thirty. You have enough time for a quick shower.” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “If you want one, that is.”

I had never gone so long without bathing in my life and I felt horrible—sticky and grimy and completely unladylike. But there was no way to do anything about it. “No,” I said miserably. “I guess I’ll just get dressed.”

North frowned. “You’re going to have to get over that Victorian modesty eventually, squirt. If you don’t take a shower soon you’ll start stinking up the room. Can’t have that.”

“I know.” I crossed my arms over my chest protectively. “I just…can’t right now. You go ahead though—don’t let me hold you up.”

“Already had a shower and shave.” He ran a hand over his jaw and looked at me speculatively. “How old are you anyway—sixteen? Seventeen? Shouldn’t you at least be growing some peach fuzz by now?”

“The men in my family don’t grow facial hair until late,” I said, thinking fast. “It’s a hereditary thing.”

North shrugged. “All right. Well if you’re not going to take a shower, you’d better get dressed so we can get down to the mess hall.”

“Fine.” I got some fresh underclothes and went to the closet where I shut myself in.

Through the wooden door, I heard North sigh. “Are you really going to dress and undress in the closet every day?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. I quickly bound my breasts and began fumbling with the unfamiliar uniform shirt. I still wasn’t used to men’s clothing—all the buttons seemed to be on the wrong side.

“You’re being ridiculous, you know,” North told me. “But whatever makes you happy.”

I finished putting on my uniform and came out of the closet. “Privacy makes me happy,” I said, positioning myself in front of the mirror.

Peering at my reflection, I wondered if I looked manly enough. Something was missing—the tie. I put it around my neck and tried to figure it out with little success. The navy blue uniform and the boots Hinks had found for me fit well enough but the long slender strip of red fabric was a mystery. I had seen Kristopher put one on many times but had never really questioned how he did it. Now I tried to remember as I watched myself in the mirror.
Was it over, loop, and under? No, that doesn’t look right. Maybe under, loop and over…

“Here.” My hands were brushed away and North was suddenly in front of me, quickly and expertly knotting the vivid red tie with a tiny Blood and Honor Blossom stitched in the center. “Never met anyone more helpless in my life,” he muttered as he worked. “Haven’t you ever worn a tie before?”

“No,” I said truthfully. “This is my first time at a school. I had tutors for most of my life—for health reasons.” Which was true enough, except they had been my brother’s health reasons, not my own.

“No wonder you’re so completely clueless and naïve.” North stood back and looked at my tie critically. “There. Done.”

“Thank you.” I put a hand to my throat. “It feels awfully tight. Are you sure it’s supposed to be like this?”

“Here.” He loosened the tie a tiny amount. I would have suspected him of making it tight on purpose because he was irritated with me, but his own looked just as snug.

“Thank you,” I said again, though I still felt like I was being choked. I told myself that the tie, like the binding across my breasts, was something I would just have to get used to.

“Come on. Breakfast in ten,” he commanded. “Don’t forget your tablet.”

I grabbed it and followed him hurriedly out the door and down the steps. As we reached the last staircase leading down to the bottom floor, I saw that Broward and several of his cronies were waiting at the bottom.

North saw them the same time I did. “Keep going,” he said softly when I hesitated. “Don’t say anything, and don’t make eye contact.”

I did as he said, sticking close to his side and keeping my eyes on the ground.

“Hey, freshie,” I heard Broward sneer as we went past him but I didn’t look up or answer.

“Back off, Broward—he’s with me,” North growled.

Broward laughed. “You only spent one night together and you’re already all kissy-kissy, North? Is that why little freshie there is glued to your ass?”

North stopped, so I did too. Slowly my roommate turned to face Broward. I dared to look up and saw that the bully’s face had gone ever so slightly pale. For some reason he really feared North. I wondered why.

“You know damn good and well it’s not like that.” North pointed a finger at Broward’s meaty chest. “Jameson’s nothing but an annoyance to me but since you’ve made it your mission in life to kill him, I have to keep him close.” He leaned close to Broward and stared at him, blue eyes narrowed with irritation. “He’s just a clueless little kid, Broward. Get yourself a life and leave him alone.”

“I don’t think so.” Broward stared back, his mud-colored, piggy little eyes slitted with rage. “I think I’m gonna catch him sometime when you’re not around and pound his skinny little ass into the dirt. What do you think about that?”

“I think you’d better be careful.” North raised an eyebrow. “Or you’re going to be making a tough decision—between the cane and the paddle. And we all know which one you’ll choose.”

Broward drew back abruptly, his face turning an ugly shade of purple. “The hell are you talking about, North?”

“I'm sure you know.” North jerked his head at me. “Come on, shorty, we’re going to be late for breakfast.”

“Do you think that was a good idea?” I asked, as we walked across campus in the early morning sunshine. “Letting him know that you know what I saw?”

“He has to know someone who’s not afraid to stand up to him has that information.” North gave me a quick sideways glance. “Someone who could beat him in a fight.”

“I could beat him—in a
fair
fight,” I protested. “I challenged him to a fencing duel yesterday before you, uh, rescued me. But he refused.”

“A
duel?”
North gave me an incredulous look and burst out laughing. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious,” I said with as much dignity as I could muster. “How else do gentlemen settle conflicts?”

North frowned at me as he walked, his long strides eating up the ground so that I had to trop to keep up. “First of all, Broward is no gentleman—he’s a thug. So don’t expect any kind of honorable conduct from him. Second of all, people don’t fight duels anymore, so don’t challenge anyone else to one.”

“All right, fine,” I said stiffly. “I’m sorry I’m such an
annoyance
to you.”

He sighed. “Don’t expect me to apologize—it’s true. Having a shrimp like you tag along after me is a pain.”

“Why bother then?” I demanded, recklessly. “Why not just ignore me and go your own way?”

“I don’t
know
why I bother.” He frowned at me. “Maybe…maybe because you remind me of someone.”

I wanted to ask who I reminded him of but just then we reached the mess hall. Without waiting for me, North went in and took a tray. I was about to follow him when I heard a voice in my ear.

“Well, well…abandoned again? Then again, I suppose the course of true love never did run true.”

I turned to see Wilkenson standing there, a superior little smile twitching around the corners of his thin lips.

“Oh, uh, hello.” I wasn’t quite sure what to say to him after our awkward encounter the night before. But Wilkenson didn’t wait for me to continue. Without another word, he swept into the mess hall and took a tray from the stack nearest him.

I looked at him for a moment, filled with irritation…then I remembered the look of hurt in his eyes the night before. It was true he had stolen my first kiss—an act I found hard to forgive. But he was witty and funny and charming and also the only third-form student who’d been willing to talk to me in the first place. Making a decision, I pushed my way into the mess hall and took a place in line behind him.

“Wilkenson,” I said. He pretended not to hear me but I saw his slim back stiffen and knew he had. “Wilkenson,” I continued. “I’m…sorry about last night.”

“Shhh!” He turned to face me, a frown on his face. “Keep your voice down! You want to get us both beaten to a pulp?”

“I’m sorry,” I said as we both presented our trays and got some gloppy breakfast food from the sullen cafeteria workers. “I’m just trying to explain myself.”

“Well, wait until we sit down.” He led me silently to the end of the third-form table and then sat down and pushed his tray away. “All right, talk.”

I put my tray down as well. “I never thought…I’m from Victoria,” I said haltingly. “We don’t…there are a lot of things we don’t do there. I didn’t understand what you…what you wanted from me.”

Wilkenson sighed. “Obviously not. Although it’s hard to believe anyone could be so
clueless
. I was practically
throwing
myself at you.”

“That’s what North said too,” I said. “I mean about me being naïve, uh, clueless.”

His eyes narrowed. “And the rumor I keep hearing? About you and Hinks?”

I winced. “That’s a lie from start to finish. I would never—”

“No, of course you wouldn’t.” Wilkenson patted his perfectly coiffed hair. “If you wouldn’t with me, then you
certainly
wouldn’t with Hinks. Honestly, the way he acts is so desperate and sad.
Disgusting
.”

“I agree.” I shivered. “Anyway, I thought you were just being friendly last night. And honestly, I could use a friend around here. So could we start again? Please?”

“Well…” Wilkenson hesitated and then threw up his hands dramatically. “What the hell, all right. Friends.”

“Thank you.” I held out my hand. “Shake on it?”