Legends of Mirandis Academy

Chapter 52: Recompense

The instant Kelam set foot into the school, he sensed that something had changed.

It was the first day after winter break. Kelam shivered as he walked in from the chill outside, pulled the scarf from his shoulders, and looked around thoughtfully, trying to figure out what was different. Students milled around in groups, scattered throughout the lobby. Usually, on the Monday after the break, everyone was sleepy and disoriented; students were shunted back to a morning schedule after weeks of sleeping in, and a handful of staff were powering through New Year's hangovers. An announcement from the intercom buzzed through the lobby, and a few students winced at the harsh noise.

But they weren't sleepy. People huddled together, their formations tighter than normal. Kelam saw the same expression everywhere he looked: intent, sharp, serious. Someone had presented the students of Mirandis Academy with a problem, and they were set upon solving it.

Kelam was tempted to pass by close to one of the groups, to overhear their conversation. He was halfway through the lobby when he stopped. Wasn't this exactly the same situation that had greeted him and Brielle last semester? Kelam had lost control once, made one stupid mistake, and everything had fallen completely apart. Combusted, like one of Iridia's experiments. A wave of weariness washed over Kelam as he recalled their last interaction at the hospital. It wasn't his fault that she had elected to take such an unconventional path! It would have been easier, so much easier, if he had never met Iridia—and certainly easier if he had never spared Brielle Prescott more than a backward glance.

Kelam walked straight through the lobby, avoiding the groups clustered at the edge. He didn't need to hear what they were saying. He didn't need to involve himself in any more trouble.

Still, as he went to his locker, the whispers dogged him. Words and muttered phrases got caught in his ears:

"—don't know, just heard it."

"—already knew about it?"

"No, not Brielle."

"A different girl?"

Kelam reached his locker, and rotated the dial on the combination lock with rather more force than necessary. Was everyone still hung up on Prescott and Trilliaris? If he had to endure hearing their names up and down the hallways for even one more day, he was going to spend his last semester at a different school.

"...is it true, though?"

"I heard about it from Mark, and he says his sister heard about it from one of the other seniors."

"Well, maybe it's a prank."

Kelam slammed his locker shut, drawing attention from the cluster of sophomores next to him. He gave them a stern glance. "Don't you have classes to attend?"

One of the boys stepped forwards. "Hey, you're Kelam Quincy. You're the president of the seniors, right?"

"Of the student council, yes," said Kelam stiffly.

"Do you know Luna?" the boy asked eagerly. He held his hand level with his shoulder. "About yea big, has a hat?"

"Sure, I know her."

The boy perked up. "Do you know if she's, like, actually gay or if it's just a rumor?"

Kelam stared at him for a few seconds. Then, he pushed past the sophomores. The boy shouted in protest, but Kelam didn't stop, turn around, or otherwise deign to address the question. "Nonsense," Kelam growled. "Absolute nonsense." He hoped that it was just a coincidence, that he had encountered the only three people in the school who had their information totally wrong. Surely, the entire school wasn't gripped by such an idiotic rumor!