Alchemist Academy: Book 1 (12 page)

He looked at me. “Me too.”

I greeted a few Reds I didn’t know as we passed down the rows of houses.

Jackie pushed a guy out of her way and rushed up to us. “I heard you led the victory for room twenty-eight today?” She bounced with excitement.

I smiled. “It was a team effort.”

“Please, that class hasn’t won a damned challenge in … well, I don’t know how long. They want to throw you a party tonight.”

I looked at the high ceiling with no windows. “How do you even know when it’s nighttime?”

“They dim the lights and then turn them off, kind of like a sunset. You’ll get used to it.”

“Wait, we never go outside?”

Jackie opened her mouth and was about to say something when she moved closer. “There’s an observation deck, but we can’t go up there.”

“I’d like to see it.”

“It
is
an option for reward, but nobody ever picks it. Stop worrying about the lame stuff. We have a party to plan, and you’re the guest of honor. You’d better be there.” Her excited face didn’t offer “no” as an answer.

“Of course. I’ll be there.”

“Good. I’ll see you later, then.” Jackie skipped away.

Many Reds made eye contact with me as we walked to our house door. I saw they wanted to talk to me, but I gave them a brush-off. If I stopped because of each person’s inviting face, I didn’t think I’d ever be alone with Mark.

Watching him walking next to me, I noticed that his brows moved closer and creased the space between his eyes. He was still studying everything and everyone around him. I’d grown to like his concentration face.

“What are you looking at?” he asked, and smiled.

“Just watching you think.”

He laughed. “If we’re relying on me as the thinker, we’re in trouble.”

“Hey, Allie,” Barry called.

“Hello,” I said and kept walking, leaving Barry and his raised hand behind me.

Several more people I didn’t recognize greeted me, and one touched my shoulder as he did so. I started to think being popular might not be all that great. I lowered my head and walked more quickly.

I followed Mark up the spiral staircase to the third floor. When we reached my door, Mark opened it and we entered my room. As if on cue, the outside lights dimmed, casting long shadows from the bed and chairs.

The wood floor held deep scuffs and the finish had long since disappeared. The raw wood had never seen any weather, so all the wear would be from the countless feet walking across it.

“How old is this place?” I pulled a wooden chair out from the dinette and sat.

“I don’t know. Old.” Mark ran his hands through his hair and I saw on his face that he had no intention of talking about antiques. “I don’t like this place at all.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty weird, but don’t you think they have a reason behind it all?”

“What, like torturing people to make those damned stones?”

He paced nearby and I adjusted myself on the chair to face him as he moved. “Did I mention how much I appreciated you rescuing me from the fence today?” I plucked an apple from a fruit bowl on the table.

He stopped midstride and looked at me. “That’s my point. What kind of place breeds such hate between people? It feels volatile out there. Even within our own color, people give me hateful looks. Did you see how the Reds treated those frozen Blues in class?” He moved closer to me. “They were humiliating and even
violating
them. Some of those bastards should be arrested. They took it too far.”

I sighed and thought about the kids in the room. Mark didn’t get it; he’d likely never been on the receiving end of a bully’s anger. Those people in the class had finally gotten their revenge. Would the Blues have been any different than the Reds, if they’d won?

“You remember the way the girl in the front of the class was crying when we won?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He crossed his arms.

“She went right to the guy I’m sure was her tormentor and slapped his face silly. She spat on him and called him every horrible name in the book. That kind of hate isn’t something you’d understand. How many times have you had your face rubbed in the mud?”

“This isn’t about revenge, Allie. This is about this crazy-ass place. Do you really think it’s a good idea to brew all this hate? They’re going to burst out there. Some of them already look broken. I think we need to leave.”

“Do you want to leave because it’s weird? Or maybe it’s not what your mom said it would be.” I leaned back and crossed my arms.

“No. Well … actually, yes. I don’t think we should be here. This place is going to warp us.”

I took a deep breath. “For the first time in my life, I
am
someone. They’re counting on me out there.” I laughed and pointed at the window. “They’re having a freaking party in my honor.”

Mark rubbed his head and looked at me with concerned eyes. I held his eye contact and they softened. It quickly became obvious that we were in a bedroom together, with no parents, no supervision of any kind. I looked at the door and back to Mark. I had to say something before it became awkward.

“Why did you come with me?” I asked. “You kept this secret from your mom for years. Why expose yourself now?”

He walked closer and sat at the tiny dinette table, scooting his chair near mine. “I think you know why I came.”

I felt a heat in my gut and even though I hadn’t experienced it much, I thought he was flirting again. “I have no idea why.”

“You’re going to make me say it?” He touched my knee.

“What’s wrong with saying it?”

“Fine. I came here because of you. I didn’t want to lose you. The thought of you going somewhere for a long time without me was unbearable. So I played my cards.”

I tried to hide a big smile and lowered my head. “Well, I’m glad you came.”

“You sure? A Malki like me might just hold you back.” He pushed on my leg under the table.

The room darkened. The soft glow of the simulated moonlight lit the room just enough for me to see his face.

“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “You could never hold me back.”

“Is that a challenge? Because I can start pulling you in all kinds of bad directions.”

“I don’t mind some bad.” My lips parted. I’d never thought this conversation would’ve turned out this way, but I didn’t want it to stop. The second we got to the Academy, it had felt like it was Mark and me versus the rest of the world.

“One perk.” He looked around the room. “We’re alone here. No parents, no rules. Nothing to get in the way.”

Oh, goodness, he
was
flirting with me. I couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot, my nerves sending waves through my body. Why wouldn’t he look away? I lowered my head until his hand left my knee and touched the bottom of my chin. Lifting my face, he moved close, kneeling between my legs.

“Is it okay if I kiss you?” Mark whispered.

“Yes.” I didn’t think I could want anything more.

I closed my eyes as he approached. I felt him against me, his hands moving across my shoulders and grazing my neck. His lips brushed against mine and I quivered. I wanted to grab his face, explore his mouth, touch his body.

He brushed against my lips again, but this time he pushed forward. He felt so warm and soft. My mouth opened and he tilted his head, deepening our connection. I was in danger of melting into the chair. His arms were the only thing holding me up.

I grabbed his hair and ran my hands down his back, over each stiff muscle. Holding tight, I tried to keep from falling into a deep abyss. He backed away to take a breath. In the faint light, I saw the need in his eyes. I stood, but he stayed down, arms wrapping around my thighs … locking me in place.

“I’ve got you,” Mark whispered, tightening his grip around my butt. He rose up, lifting me off the ground. He was much taller than I was, so I wrapped my legs around him and slid down to his hips. Face to face, we kissed. He backed up until his knees hit the bed, then leaned over and laid me on the bed. I made sure he came down with me.

“Allie.”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t say that.” He pushed himself up and looked toward the window.

I rolled to my stomach and heard my name being called outside. Then it happened again, but many more people joined in. Soon it became clear and loud, after they’d gotten their timing down. They were chanting my name.

“I think your fan base is calling you.”

I smiled and ran to the window. It couldn’t be true. But the street was filled with Reds, looking up and yelling out my name. When they saw me, they cheered. Some waved for me to come down, while others yelled it out.

“Better get down there,” Mark said.

I strutted to him with a failed attempt at a sexy walk. “Will you come with me?”

He smiled, and it lit up my world. Then he hunched over, grabbing his stomach.

“You okay?” I rushed to him and put my hand over his.

“Yeah, it’s just something I ate, I think.” He took my hand and laced his fingers with mine. I wanted to kiss him again. Hell, I wanted to forget the party and get lost in him. Unfortunately, he took my hand and pulled me from the room. I glanced back at the rumpled blankets before the door shut.

We walked down the stairs and through the group of Reds at the bottom. The mob rushed forward, vying for space next to me. They shook hands, patted me on the shoulder, or high-fived me. Many introduced themselves, but I knew I could never remember all their names. I hadn’t even made it to the door yet. I glanced back at Mark for help, but he held up both hands and smiled.

“Leave her alone, you damned heathens,” Jackie said, pushing her way through. She was wearing a small black dress that showed a lot of cleavage and legs.

“Hey, Jackie.”

“Come on.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me outside. The second I was out, they cheered again. It was really all too much, and I buried my face in my hands.

“She’s shy,” Jackie announced. “Tonight we’re celebrating Allie, for delivering the first victory to room twenty-eight in a long time. ‘Cause we know you poor, stupid bastards couldn’t have done it without her.”

They hooted and hollered, looking at me with waiting eyes. Tears fell on a few faces as I scanned the crowd.

“I don’t know what to say. You’ve all made me feel very welcome. So, thank you.”

They cheered again.

“Great speech, Allie,” Jackie said, shaking her head. “Well, let’s get this party started!” She started dancing with her arms held high. There wasn’t any music, but I didn’t think she needed any. She was the type of girl who should be with a guy like Mark.

Mark slid up next to me and clasped his hand over mine, then brought it up to kiss the back of it.

I was looking up at his face when I noticed an object flying across the sky. “Look out!” I called, but Jackie kept dancing. The stone flew toward her until a guy jumped and caught it in his bare hand.

Jackie spun and saw the guy collapsing to the ground. His hand was stuck in front of him and he didn’t move. The Reds gasped.

“No, no. What did you do, Peter?”

A group of Blues were standing near their houses with smug looks as they watched.

“What kind of rock was it? Did you see it?” Jackie petted his hair back.

“It looked like a paralysis stone,” Mark said.

“Like you would know, Malki,” someone chimed in.

“No, he’s right. He’s as stiff as a board,” Jackie said.

Another stone landed next me, an orange one with yellow streaks. It rolled next to my foot and everyone stepped back from it as it rolled back toward the fence and dropped into a hole.

“Really?” Jackie got to her feet and left frozen Peter on the ground. She stomped toward the fence. “That could kill someone.”

A Blue with bleach-blond hair walked toward the fence. “I know, and I’ll keep—”

Jackie quickly drew her gloved hand from her pocket and sent a stone flying over the fence. He reeled back, but it struck him on the cheek. Grabbing for his face, he fell to his knees.

I watched him through the thin slots in the fence as he coughed and touched his neck. He heaved out a green liquid and it splattered to the street around him. One more cough, and he vomited again.

A line of Blues formed near the fence, giving their friend space to spew whatever he had left in him. One of them tossed a stone over the fence, and in less than a second, twenty more followed. I dodged one, but another struck my chest and fell to the ground. It rolled toward the fence and down a slot in the middle.

Another stone struck a person next to me and her hand swelled up and turned red. She screamed in pain and ran toward the house.

Mark pulled me back as stones flew. The Reds regrouped quickly. Several Blues were frozen from Jackie’s efforts, and she strutted next to the fence line, screaming at them to “bring it on” like a crazy person. She kept throwing stones and batting theirs away. She let loose a train of obscenities that blended together as one word.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” Mark said, glancing up at the sky.