“Nnnnnnnn…”
Meeka rubs her eyes and sits up, wondering the length of her accidental nap. As she sits up, she feels a blanket fall from her shoulder. “Awe,” she says, realizing that LaTao must have covered her in her sleep. When she looks to thank LaTao, it’s just in time to watch her friend succumb to the night. “I’m sorry,” Meeka whispers. “I couldn’t last as long as you… but at least I outlasted everyone else! I hope I get credit for that.”
LaTao’s legs are crossed in a lotus position. The paper in her hand slips out from her loosening fingers. To her, the world is gone and all there is is oblivion. The tuckered teen's head falls forward causing her to lean forward fast. If her eyes were open, she’d see the corner of her desk zooming in.
Having caringly caught LaTao, Meeka sighs with relief. The immediate snore she hears almost makes her laugh. She holds her giggles in and gently leans her slumbering friend onto the bed. She straightens LaTao’s legs and smiles, happy to have more than returned the favor. Slowly, Meeka climbs onto her bed, careful not to awaken her friend. She pulls the blanket over them both, turns her back to LaTao, then gets comfortable.
As the world fades, she feels a rustle behind her. Suddenly, she feels LaTao’s warm body against her back. LaTao’s arm reaches over her and pulls Meeka in for a tight squeeze. LaTao snores softly. Within minutes, Meeka joins in with a few ‘Z’s of her own and dozing duo snuggles the night away.
***
(Day 8 Forsday)
Meeka stares up at the unfamiliar ceiling and slowly remembers where she slept. She sees her busy best friend and smiles. “Getting dressed already?” she asks, though she was yawning as she did, so it’s a miracle LaTao understands her.
“You need to get dressed too!” LaTao replies. “Class starts in an hour.”
“Oh yeah.” The drowsy blonde slowly drops her legs off the side of the bed. “I can’t wear yesterday’s clothes.” She stands, stretches, hugs LaTao, then hurries off.
Fully dressed in her black and red school uniform, LaTao grabs her make-up bag, hair brush, and thin black hair clips. “I miss having my own bathroom at home.” When she steps out of her room and reaches the livingroom shared by her and her roommate. Her eyes widen. “Oh! Oh wow!” She leans on the back of the couch and stares at the floor. “Roomie was NOT wrong! Oh goddess… this is so… wow!”
Lost for words, the Apprentice stares, slack-jawed, baffled, and amazed by how well her roommate did finding a rug that she’d love. The corners fit snugly against the wall, leaving no gap between them and the wall. The green grass at the bottom is concave as if viewing the scene through a fisheye lens. It almost seems to wave from the force of the dragons battling above. Locked in an eternal struggle, a beautiful silver grand dragon stands as if trying to rise from the carpet. The sparkling beast is swiping upward with its mighty claws at a gloriously bright white grand dragon. Its dazzling white wings thrust, forcing itself away from its attacker. A skarkling mist falls from between its teeth as it prepares to blast its foe with a stream of its frosty breath. The sky above is mixed with blues and greens beaming down in waves like an aurora borealis. A beautiful backdrop for an epic duel of massive monsters. The distant trees look like they would only come to the dragon’s knees.
“I hope there’s a spell to keep this thing clean,” LaTao says. “I don’t even wanna step on it.” But step she must, to make use of the sink and mirror. By the time she walks away, her hair is done, her minimalist makeup is perfect, and her wrinkle-free clothes are without even a single unwanted speck. When she glances at their teapot, she sees a note from her roomie. She reads it and smiles, then doodles a cute, little, exaggerated smile beneath the compliment.
I’m glad she loved my tea but we’re not close to even. Next time I’m home, I’ve GOT to make sure I get her something nice!
Up high and centered between the two doors is a sundial. Normally, this would be a ridiculous position for something that’s supposed to rely on sunlight. Despite the peculiar placement, the ‘shadow’ cast by the pointer is correct. Unseen by the human eye, a thin magical thread runs from the time-telling fixture to the roof high above. The true sundial caps the tower and is bound to a representative in the lobby, as well as one in each dorm. LaTao gives it a look and nods, knowing she has time to make it to class.
***
LaTao yawns, eyeing the reflection of her wide-open mouth in the window. She closes her mouth and rests her chin on her right fist. Her elbow is on her unopened ingredients book. All around her, peers peer through their books, trying to memorize any last-minute notes. Waves of stress flow through them all, but LaTao’s only problem is her urge to yawn again already.
Professor Grunimull is walking around the class, but LaTao doesn’t care. She’s just waiting for the test he said he was going to do. What’s with all this preamble? Just give us the crap to make the circle, take us out to the practice area, and hit us with a spell or two. Why are we even here? LaTao sighs. I’ve already decided to do an acting job and pretend I’m having as hard of a time as everyone else– no, Meeka… or Kiara. I’ll watch them and mimic them when the time comes. No need to make a big scene and–
“LaTao.” Professor Grunimull’s low voice is accompanied by the sound of paper being flopped onto the desk. “Meeka… Brooke… Morrsh…” and so on the professor goes as he places a test sheet in front of each student.
LaTao rolls her eyes. They stop, resting their gaze upon a written test. Fill in the blank? What IS this? She leans to her right and verbalizes her confusion in a whisper.
Meeka leans her way and quietly replies, “Weren’t you listening? He said that will be another day. Today, we’re doing this crap. I think he didn’t think we were paying attention and that some of us aren’t ready to be blasted.”
LaTao leans back in her chair and stares at the high ceiling. This couldn’t be worse. It’s easy enough to pretend a spell is hard to block, but if I keep ace-ing everything I’ll make my friends look bad? She reads the questions. This is bunk! All these questions are easy. I’d kill this thing without even trying. Will that count as showing off?
Groans are heard from the front to the back. Multiple Apprentices seem stressed and are trying to look for ways to cheat. She can see fear in Deska’s eyes. Ninifer is scratching her head. A hand near the front of the class is raised. Should I just… make sure I get a couple questions wrong? I mean… surely if I just get ninety-five percent right, someone else will do better? Okay… maybe eighty-five. Ugh… I don’t know if I can do this. Maybe I’ll get lucky and I might actually not know the answer to a few questions.
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As Professor Grunimull heads their way, LaTao looks back at her test. Her eyes widen. They remain bulging as she reads question after question. Eventually, they close and she covers her face with her hands… then slowly drags them down just enough for her to see between her fingers. This shit is waaaaaaay too simple! They should be insulted! They should all… oh… oh HECK no! Professor Grunimull just pointed to the board and all the terms are right up there! How can he make it easier for them? Dee-Vine! This is…
LaTao lays her head on the desk. This is impossible…
***
“Are you okay?” Kami’ka asks.
LaTao looks across the lunch table at Kami’ka’s big brown eyes; they seem legitimately concerned. Her bright pink hair is quite a few shades lighter than her tawny skin. I swear, it’s like she lives with a stylist. Her hair is ALWAYS amazing. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just got stuck staring at your hair.”
“Thanks!” Kami’ka says with a smile. “I’m just glad you and Meeka never ask to touch it.” She glares at Deska and Ethur, who smirk awkwardly in response. She turns back to LaTao. “For real, though. What’s up with you? You good?”
“Yeah,” LaTao finally answers. “That test was just boring to me… to be honest.”
“Yeah. I looked at you, then I looked at Kiara. I swear, you two were making the same faces. I almost laughed out loud. Y’all was funny.”
LaTao smiles meekly, “Yeah… well….”
“Why did you stop coming to class for a while?” she asks, hitting LaTao with the question she’s been dreading. “You were going when I started when we was kids, then the past few years you just disappeared? ”
April leans in and adds, “You know, I’ve wondered that myself.”
At this point, all eyes are on LaTao. It feels to LaTao as if the whole cafeteria is staring right at her face, waiting for her to admit her superiority and give everyone reason to hate her. Her mind drags her back two years. At a table just like this one, in the same cafeteria, with a slightly different group of friends. Someone asked her why she refused to wear an Apprentice Cowl. The same sizzling spotlight is roasting her once again.
She remembers how it felt after the words flew from her mouth… when ‘honesty’ tripped her up, stomped her down, and left her all alone. All I said was that I didn’t NEED it to pass any tests… and that wearing an enchanted cowl while taking tests feels like cheating to me… but what they heard was ‘I’m better than you. You all can wear your safety gear, but I’m so wonderful, I don’t need it.’
Lesson learned.
LaTao pauses, pretending to have to think of a reply. After a good seven seconds, she says “Well, you know how my mom is a teacher here? When I started having a few issues with the other teachers, she decided it would be best if I was home-taught for a while,” she lies.
There. Short, concise, and to the point, she thinks redundantly.
Kami’ka nods her head. “Oh.”
The others nod along, as expected. This half-truth is rather believable. One of the perks to being the daughter of a war hero. I don’t see my mom enough some months, but having a renowned teacher for a mom is almost worth it in times like this. I know I won’t keep any friends by telling them that I was learning complicated stuff on my own back when they were still on the basics… that this is all child’s play… that the stuff they’re trying to memorize is what I was reading when they were out there playing, being kids, and living it up. While you all were dating, shopping, and doing whatever rich kids do, I’ve been busting my hump out here, fighting to become stronger.
No… now is not the time for honesty. I’ve practiced that reply for weeks. Looks like I pulled it off.
This semester, however, some of the subjects to be covered are subjects she couldn’t learn on her own. Some of the books they are using are not available in ethiseaums. It’s knowledge one can only get by attending Mage School. On her own, she can only study what she has access to. She can focus on the things that are best for the specific kind of Mage she intends to be, but not everything expected within the current Mage Test. At this point, she has no choice but to attend.
Luckily, the subject of conversation quickly changes. The rest of the lunch is pretty mundane. She fades into the background, a spectator to the talks about boys and fashion. She chimes in from time to time, but only long enough to agree with someone. Now, when LaTao chooses to speak, Meeka isn’t the only girl responding, asking her opinion, or nodding when she makes points. It’s finally beginning to show! It’s been tough… but it’s actually working! That’s a relief. I was worried that there was nothing I could do to get on their good side.
***
Dammit! LaTao forces a frown from her face, masking her contempt. Why did he have to post our grades for everyone to see!? This is such a pain! It was bad enough thinking someone may ASK how I did. I could’ve said that I passed and not gotten specific… but no. Old Man broadcasts my brilliance all over the place. You might as well give me a giant sign that says ‘Look at me! I’m sooooo smart, and you're sooooo not!’
LaTao goes to her seat, crosses her arms on the desk, and lays her head on them, using her arms like a pillow. Even in the window, she can see the reflections of people looking and pointing. It isn’t all in her head. She’s the only one with a one-hundred percent score. Even Kiara got one wrong.
Meeka sees her place at number three… a number that garners praise from her coven. The pats on her back, however, mean less than the gap she sees between her and Kiara… which is bigger than the gap between Kiara and LaTao. She sighs, then trudges to her seat beside her bestie. She mimics her, although for different reasons. She sighs on her pillow arm, staring at the black and red hair in front of her. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I know it must be lonely on the top.”
LaTao turns her head and lays it back down, now facing her friend. She smiles. When Meeka smiles back, she starts to feel a little better. Well… at least I know that SHE won’t resent me. Maybe it won’t be so… bad… nope… there it is…. Here it comes.
Beyond Meeka’s smiling face, April and Ninifer look down at LaTao. Their lips snarl and their eyes roll. Deska avoids eye contact. When Ethur walks to her seat, she isn’t looking very annoyed, but she doesn’t look happy either. Kami’ka’s expression is equally ‘bla,’ but LaTao can’t tell if it’s because of their own score or hers.
Professor Grunimull clears his throat, projecting it loud enough to give the impression that everyone needs to be sitting down and quiet. He soon gets his wish, then begins with a prelude to his lecture. “Sixty-five,” he says with a long, frustrated pause. “Sixty-five was the mode. One third of the class got over one third of these questions wrong…. This, after I put the words on the board and everything!” The professor taps his fingernails against the top of the lectern, the only sound in the room for a while. He takes a few deep breaths, obviously taking time to carefully choose his words.
“I was hoping for a higher mean… but… with these scores, I can’t, in good conscience, have the live test I said I was going to give you all. In light of these abysmal scores, I’ve decided to try again for next week. Over the weekend, I suggest everyone here that isn’t named Kamia, Meeka, or Tao spend Fivesday, Sixday, AND Sevensday studying. The next time I see you all, I’m handing the rest of you the same damn test… and no, I will NOT be putting the answer terms on the whiteboard. Either you know this stuff or you don’t.”
LaTao sinks deeper into her desk. As the rest of the class groans and moans, she questions every choice she made. Rather than wonder how the others did so poorly, she wondered why she didn’t do worse. The lecture goes on without her hearing a single word. As notes are scribbled all around her, she stares out the window, second-guessing herself nonstop until she hears the sweet melody that lets her know that, at least for the next three days, she can’t let anyone else down.
Author’s Note: Oof. There it is—the social curse of a 100%. Professor Grunimull certainly didn't do LaTao any favors by painting that target on her back, huh? It’s hard enough trying to fit in without the teacher giving "teacher's pet" energy.
Who is the real 'villain' of Chapter 10?
