The way Union Academy is set up you have to go by the Administration building first. It's known as the main building to students. It's where we get dorm assignments, parking passes, keys, I.D. cards, and the like. It's also where the cafeteria and Starbucks are located. Every dorm has a Starbucks but the large one is in the main building.
As you walk out the back door of Administration, there are four buildings in a row, two on either side. On the left is Parker and Wimbley Halls where the seniors and sophomores live. To the right were Nathanial and Audrey Halls where the juniors and freshmen lived. Behind three of the four dorms were parking lots for the residents' cars.
Beyond the dorms were the school buildings themselves. The library was in the center of them all. Around it in something akin to a pentagram (freaky, right?) were the other buildings. They were named by the courses which were taught in them, such as Science, Communications, the Rec Center and Humanities. The other building was the student center where the school clubs held their meetings.
On the far end of the school was Broken Arrow Lake. It was where we canoeed and held other water sports during the warm months. It was also where the stables were located. I spent most of my weekends there taking care of the horses as a member of the equestrian team. It was the only non-geek club I belonged to.
The entire school ground was set up with multiple walkways. Today they had been plowed so the students could walk without flipping on the ice that was covered up by the snow.
I slid my key card through the black device that read the metal strip and we went inside. We shrugged off the chill as we headed to the third floor. The first floor held drink machines and a small grocery where we could get food for the room. There was a common room where we chilled out and watched TV.
I unlocked my door and went in, leaving the door opened for Darren to follow me. I dropped my history book to my desk and grabbed my Trig and German books, shoving them in my bag in the process. We had block scheduling, meaning we only had four classes a semester but those classes were two hours long. It sucked but I was slowly getting used to it.
I turned around and saw Darren looking between the two sides of the room. My side was nice and neat. Everything had its place, and if it was even a tiny bit skewed, I had to fix it. Beca's side looked as if a tornado ripped through it. Clothes, books, and papers were strewn everywhere, some even on my side. She even had some old ramen cups stacked on her desk where her papers should have been.
"My sister is such a slob," he said. He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry."
"That's only from today," I replied as I grabbed my bag and pens. "By Wednesday my side will be covered as well."
"Why don't you tell her to pick up after herself?"
I laughed at his audacious thought that I clearly hadn't thought of all by myself long ago. "I do, but you of all people should know what she's like. She doesn't listen half the time, especially when it concerns clothes. I just let her trash it then tell her to pick it up when I can't stand it anymore."
"Ready?" he asked as I walked to the door. I nodded and he let me out.
After locking my door, we descended the stairs and stepped out into the cold once again. The wind had picked up and was blowing quarter-sized flakes right in our faces. I hunkered down into my coat, trying desperately to get away from the wind. That's the bad part of living in rural Oklahoma.
I looked over at Darren. He was also hunkered in his jacket, making his ears stand up
over the collar. When he glanced over at me, his blue eyes crinkled as he smiled over the top of his coat. He was cold, too, but who wouldn't be? It was in the middle of February after all.
Once again, after we stepped into the building, we shook off the snow and cold that was threatening to chill us to the bone, stomping our boots on the welcome mat of the door. I unwound my scarf from my neck and stuffed it in the pocket of my jacket.
"What floor are you on?" Darren asked as we headed for the stairs.
"Second. What about you?" I replied, striding alongside him without much thought to the people around us.
"Fifth. I'll see you at dinner."
I didn't get a chance to answer as he took the stairs two at a time. More subdued, I took the stairs to the second floor landing. My mind whirled as I stepped into my Trig class. I sat in my seat and pulled out my book, content to look over my homework once again to make sure it was correct.
I wasn't paying a lick of attention until my books and papers landed on the floor. Just by seeing the shoes, I knew who had done it. Without a word, I leaned down to pick them up but was shoved out of my seat, landing in an inelegant heap in the aisle.
"Look. The geek fell out of her seat," Casey laughed. The others in the room joined in as I gathered my stuff off the floor. She stepped on my hand as I reached for my book. She seriously had some issues. "Oops. Sorry."
Sorry my foot. I didn't believe her so I did what I did best in times like this. I ignored her.
I ignored her until she kicked me in the face for no reason because I didn't provoke her.
I have never been a fighter because I hate violence, which is one of the reasons I came to Union. I refused to fight Casey so I put my book back on my desk and started to get up while holding my stinging face. Casey kicked me again, sending me into the desks. This girl had some serious issues that she was obviously taking out on me. I wanted to know why but I never got the chance to ask.
By now, the doorway and the hall had started to fill up with students and more were coming if the noise in the hall was anything to go on. No one was coming to stop Casey, I wasn't doing anything to stop her and the teachers must have still been in the lounge. She must have been wearing steel toes because my nose was busted and bleeding as was my lip. Blood dripped steadily on my uniform and then the floor, making a red mess everywhere I moved.
I was finally tired of getting beat on. Being a non-violent person, I had no idea how to stop her. So when she kicked at me again, I caught her foot and pulled her in close. Something in me told me to put my hand against her. When I did, she flew back into the teacher's desk, much to everyone's shock, including mine.
To say I was in shock would be an understatement. I had no idea how I did that nor did I know why I was so tired. Casey pulled herself from the rubble and came at me again, screaming like a banshee. I didn't move. I was way too tired to stop her.
I blinked once and Darren was in front of me. Casey must have blinked too because she skidded to a halt a few feet from him, mouth hanging open.
"Maddie." I turned around to see Drew. He winced at my face. I knew it was bad but that bad? "Shit, Mads."
"What were you thinking, Casey?" Darren asked. It was obvious he was angry. His
hands were clenched into fists and shaking at his sides.
"She shouldn't be here," Casey complained, pointing at me in the process.
"So you kick her in the face? That's not something you do to anyone."
Casey's face contorted quickly. "Why are you protecting her? She's a nobody who goes to school here! Big whoop. She doesn't deserve your attention!"
"She's Beca's best friend. I have a right to be concerned." I glanced over as Drew was dabbing at the blood that covered my face. He was stiff as he tried to hold in his temper. "And she happens to be my friend as well."
"More like your girlfriend."
Darren took a step forward, forcing her to step back. Oh, yeah, he was angry. "I have no clue what's going on in that head of yours most of the time, but this time I do. You're jealous. You're jealous because you're not getting any attention from me. Get it through your head. We're not together. We never were and we never will be. I couldn't stand being your whipped bitch."
I must have had a shocked look on my face because Drew laughed. I had never heard Darren cuss before. He just didn't do it, especially in front of women. He held himself with a sense of decorum and tried not to stoop to anyone's level. He could keep his cool better than anyone I knew. To see him blow his top meant he was at his wit's end. Casey had done this before, and he was tired of it.
As he walked back to us, Casey screeched, "You will pay for this, Darren. You and your little geek squad. You will not talk to me like that. I am not president of the Roses for nothing. Plus, I know your secret."
"Put a sock in it, Casey," Drew said. He focused in on her as she bit her jaw and stared at him. Not finding it worth it, he turned his attention to Darren. "What are we doing, Dare?"
Darren was looking over my face, making me wish he wasn't. "We need to get her to Nurse Parvey. She'll get her cleaned up."
Drew draped my coat around my shoulders and gathered my stuff as Darren led me out. The crowd parted as we walked along. My head was starting to throb with each step I took. Darren handed me an old white handkerchief and pressed it to my face when I didn't at first.
With the first blast of cold air, I tugged my coat around me tighter. It didn't help because I had only one hand to hold it up. The other was clutching at a slowly darkening handkerchief. I could feel it on the palm of my hand despite the cold. I ducked my head in a sad attempt to get away from the wind. It made the open wound sting worse than it would if it was warmer out.
We walked briskly to the nurse's building right behind the main building. It was small and secluded, making it ideal for a nurse to live and run a clinic. It was quiet, giving the sick students a place to relax and heal away from the busy schedule of a normal day.
The three of us hurried in, shedding coats as soon as we hit the door. Drew finally had time to shove all the rest of my crap in the pits of my bag. Darren took my coat and hung it up before disappearing into the back.
I sat in a seat and leaned against the wall. The constant throb didn't ease, especially when I shoved Casey away from me. I barely touched the girl. My hand had barely been resting on her when she flew back. I don't even know how I did it. I did know I didn't want to do it again. It was enough to get me an assault and battery charge.
I came out of my haze when I heard voices. Darren showed first. His tall form filled the room, as did his presence. Behind him was a petite woman about five foot nothing. She had graying hair and big green eyes. She listened to Darren until her eyes zeroed in on me. Honestly I was kind of freaked out. Those eyes saw way too much.
"My goodness, child. What on earth happened to your face?" she asked as she took the soiled handkerchief from my face. That made me feel a lot better. Nothing like a nurse telling you your face looked bad.
"I was kicked," I said through clenched teeth. It hurt to talk.
"By whom?"
I opened my mouth to snitch then closed it immediately. Even if I did rat out Casey, there was no guarantee she would stop. I didn't see any point in making it worse so I kept quiet, closing my eyes for a brief moment.
When I opened them, Drew filled my vision. His scarred eye reminded me of what had happened to him. It was something I knew could happen to me if I opened my mouth.
I looked at him levelly, hoping he'd understand why I didn't want anyone to tell. Obviously word would get around because half the building had been there watching me get my face knocked in. If any teachers asked me personally, I'd have to tell them.
Why?
Because I can't lie. I've tried. It's not that I'm bad at it. It's just something that won't let me. If people are near me, I can tell when they lie as well. It's annoying sometimes as well but I've dealt with it all my life. It got me in trouble sometimes but I didn't care as long as the truth came out.
"Miss, you need to tell me who did this so I can turn them into the proper authorities." Nurse Parvey's voice was gentle yet stern. She saw way too much of this.
"Tell her," Darren said. I met his gaze. He was standing in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest. If he was impressive before, he sure was now. His anger was washing over me, trying to engulf me, but I wasn't backing down and he knew it. He sighed and shifted. "It was Casey MacDowell."
Angry, I let my head fall back and ignored everything else that was going on around me. I wasn't going to say anything, but Darren had no problem doing so. He was going to get me in more trouble, and I could guarantee he couldn't always be around to make sure the crazy woman didn't do anything else.
Thirty minutes later I was in my bed with Darren fussing over me. Nurse Parvey ordered me back to my room for the rest of the day with pain killers if I needed them. Drew had gone to my classes to turn in my homework and get the homework for tonight.
I looked up at Drew. He smiled down at me after tucking the edge of the covers under my chin. I smiled slightly in return. He turned and went over to Darren in the corner. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I could hear them mumbling through my loopy haze.
". . . I don't know but she was across the room," Darren said.
"Yeah, I know," Drew replied.
"You didn't."
"I did."
"Drew."
"Don't." They were silent for a moment. "Do you think she could be Camelot? Could she be her?"
"I'm not sure. Let's let her sleep. We'll figure it out as we go along." He must have turned because I could hear his voice clearly. I heard Drew grunt and the door open and close as they left me in peace.
Or so they thought.
My dreams had always been weird since I was thirteen. Tonight, they were about something even stranger than what I had dreamed previously.
There was a girl with long hair dressed in an ancient gown, fifth century maybe. She stood on a cliff overlooking a raging ocean. Above her, the full moon glinted in silver waves, catching in her hair and making it glisten. There was a man standing to her right
as seven others kneeled before her. All were dressed in warrior's garb with blades hanging at their sides. When she turned so I could see her face, her eyes were pale green.
"Listen, my soldiers, the night has come. I must leave you," she said in a regal voice. Murmurs went up around her. She smiled and held up a hand, silencing the men around her. "I know this is not what you wish for, but it has to be done. I must leave you tonight so we can survive."
"Woman, we can fight," one of the eight said. He was tall with blond hair tied out of his face. He had a gentle yet firm air about him, like he was the leader and had been for a while.
"No, Arthur, we cannot. I do not have the power, even with the master wizard's help. If we fight, I will die. I promise you I will return and you will know. You will always be able to find me."
"How?"
She smiled. "Trust me, my Arthur. You will know. Now, it is time."
The soldiers began to murmur once again as she turned to face the moonlight. With a slight nod to the man beside her, she soon began to shimmer and fade. Within seconds all that was left of her was a mass of sparkles. The mass hovered for a few moments before shooting off towards the moon.
When she was fully gone, the soldiers slowly stood. None said a word for a good long while. All turned their faces towards the moonlight, hoping to get one last glance of the woman who had become dear to all of them.
"My lord, what should we do?" one soldier asked.
He stared at the moon for a few extra minutes. Then he turned slowly. "We will wait for her return. As we wait, we will build a great city in her honor. It will be based on her thoughts of how men should live a dignified and chilvarous life. Let's make her dreams come true, even if they do feel a little far fetched."
"What will we call it, my lord?" another asked as he came closer to his king.
The man smiled. "We will call it Camelot." I watched as the soldiers followed their king back down the cliff.
I wasn't shocked that there was a king in my dreams or the fact that it was about King Arthur. I was a big fan of Arthurian legends. That was no big deal. There was something else that was an even bigger deal than the dream. I knew one of the men in the dream looked familiar. Arthur was familiar for one simple reason.
King Arthur was Darren Starland.