As I leave class my mind is still reeling....
Paxxon Philips. Dean Philip's son, why did I not recognize it? He has the same white hair, the air of elegance, Mrs. Philp's green eyes. He looks just like them. Paxxon Philips... he's gorgeous, I made him my mission. I always see my missions through. Am I prepared to crack the walls of the son of the Dean of Acamancy? Do I care? Education comes first, it always has, it always will. But before the end of the day, I had made my mental note a a physical one as i flip to the back of my planner and make my End of the School Year Goals official:
Ace my EYES
Be the Year One Water Mani Apprentice
Impress Jameson
Get to know Paxxon Philips
Make Paxxon my boyfriend
Fall in love
But item number six seems pointless to add, not only because it is like saying the same thing again and again, but because I think I can already cross that one off.
The rest of the day goes by quickly, I am glad that all other professors take the time to introduce themselves, take attendance, and have us read over syllabi and such. Because admittedly I am too distracted to focus, and take notes, and be ready to learn.
In Understanding Manifestation, Professor Beams is one of the sweetest women I have met. Professor Sweasy is new to teaching Manipulation of Beginners. She was top of her class a while back but didn't jump right into teaching, taking time off to travel and have a family. And by the time we get to EYE Prep, I am glad that Mrs. Wilkinson has no lesson plans or study tips and tells us to use this as a free period to work on any assignments or review a class syllabus. I do what I never do, and lay my head down to rest, and clear my thoughts. But I am instantly pulled out of the position when Mal and Bee come to check that I am not sick, and whisper to me about their day, and grill me about choosing to sit in the front in every class and not sitting with them at all.
There is no way I am giving up my spot in History of Acamancy. There are no assigned seats in any classroom. But there is an unsaid rule that the spot you talk on the first day is now "your spot" unless you opt for another location then it's up for grabs. I agree to take the empty seat next to Mal, in the 3rd row, for Understanding Manipulation, and I tell Bee I will try and sit by her tomorrow for Society Skills.
Like the first day, the rest of the week flies by in a blur. I am doing well in all of the classes. I love Professor Johnson, in Society Skills, and am slightly disappointed I let Brynn convince me to sit in the 4th from the back row with her. He is the only "Normie" professor in the school. She is married to a Wind Mani and her daughter attended the school a few years prior. She has a lot of experience with the adjustment period after Acamancy and into the "Real World" since her husband and her were high school sweethearts and she watched him go through it firsthand, and is watching her daughter do so now. Genetics, as expected, is one of my favorite courses already. Mitch and Lylah sit up front with me for this class. And we already got assigned our Family Tree project. We have four weeks to finish it, so we have time to research, talk to our family, and make it, but I have been preparing for it for a year. And I am so anxious to get it started. I may start this weekend!
I found out that AEE is taught by a rotation of Year Three Mani's and even some Alums who haven't taken a teaching position but are available to lend awesome knowledge. We will have between 3-5 instructors each meet. It's not like a normal class, it's not taught by a professor at all, and we have a lot of freedom to work independently with the overlooking instructors watching and aiding us. AEE stands for Annual Elemental Events. As it turns out this is something I should have heard of long ago. I vaguely remember mom explaining games that resemble the explanation Jameson gave us on Thursday, but the name didn't ring a bell at all. AEE are exactly what the name says: Elemental Events, there are different categories you participate in. The events are Artistry, where you create art related to your Element class like wave art or watercolors for me, ice sculptures, snowmen, rainbow art, constellation arrangements, cloud art, gardens etc. Battlefield is using the attacks we learn in our Mai skill groups and are taught about in Manipulation for Beginners to fight with the others, we also use our defenses from Defense Against Danger to block and try to win. Knowledge is the one I am most excited about; it is a competition of wit to answer the questions quickly and correctly from all categories. Sports are also Element based and have events you can choose to compete in like swimming, boulder toss, hockey, windsurfing, climbing, running, water ball targets, etc. and last is "Special" which changes every year and is not announced until the day before the event.
YOU ARE READING
The Echoes of Rivalry & Ruin (The Acamancy Series I)
FantasyThe Academy of Manipulation and Control was built on that exact premise: to manipulate and control its students and their gifts. 150 years ago, the Founders created the school to control its students, and their gifts to manipulate the elements, and...