The Echoes of Rivalry & Ruin (The Acamancy Series I)

Chapter 17: The Academy of Nerves

I must have been in bed and asleep at an early hour, because when my alarm blares at 5:30 am to get up and get ready for Water Mani Training with my group at 7:00, I do not even snooze it. I got up with plenty of time to enjoy coffee and a muffin before heading to the South River to join the group. Jameson is with us this morning. Usually, it's just Theo guiding us through different exercises, but as we get closer to AEE Jameson wants to see what we can do to help us choose our skills and categories. Jameson is impressed by my wave enhancement and that I can create them on my own. He's impressed by my artistry in wave sculptures and my control and ability to balance and still the water as I shape it into different recognizable animals. Baylee has great control as well, she has amazing drop formation and expansion. She can enhance waves in her sleep. Every time I think I have Apprentice all locked up, I see how controlled and experienced Baylee seems to be and I am not so sure. And that's just one person in my group, we have tons of others in Group one who are impressive Water Manipulators, and I haven't even had the focus to observe the competition in Group Two lately. 

My mind has been occupied this morning, with focus on my skills. But as Water Mani Training comes to a close, my stomach flutters with hundreds of butterflies as I think about the fact I am walking to Building H, room 101. About the fact, I have my History of Acamancy course starting in 15 minutes. About the fact that as I get into class and sit at my desk, I will be watching the door for Paxxon to appear, more than I usually do, and will be wondering what he's thinking about as he sits behind me. If he will be replaying the kisses in his mind, like I am now. If I will be able to focus on Professor Hyde and not be too lost in thought. But all the chances of my focus on the lesson go out of the window as I step into class. To the left of my usual desk sits Calum, like always, but to the right where a Year Two Wind Mani I do not know usually sits, is Paxxon. It appears he convinced said Wind Mani to switch him spots, or simply just took the seat, forcing the Wind Mani to adjust. I cannot believe Paxxon is sitting next to me in class.

As I pass Calum, I notice the way he offers me a confused look. His eyes go from Paxx to me, to the ceiling as he rolls them, clearly catching on. Calum, admittedly, isn't dumb. He's actually very bright. He rivals me in every course we have together, if he was a Water Mani and not Ice then I would be terrified for my apprentice spot. As it is, I am nervous about making the top of my class. He stands out in Defense against Danger on Fridays when we pair up with Ice Manis, he stands out in every class for that matter. I try my best to ignore his jabs, him calling me "Red" or "Emily" or "Evelyn" as if he doesn't know my name by now. I try to ignore his smirks and teases and the way he purposely shows off and gets under my skin. Calum St. James is a nuisance and now I am lost in thoughts of said nuisance and realize I am still standing in front of his desk and haven't sat down next to Paxxon.

I snap back to the present and smile at Paxx as I sit down. He nods at me and smiles a soft smile of his own before turning his attention to the door just as Professor Hyde comes in. I notice Paxxon isn't paying much attention. He doesn't take notes, he doesn't record lessons, he just doodles vines and trees into his notebook, he's quite artistic, I have to say. It shouldn't be a surprise that he isn't focused on every word and writing it all down, he's been in this class year and years in the past. But I am surprisingly able to follow along despite checking in on my new neighbor every few minutes. I take notes by hand, the old school way, but also use an old school tape recorder to make sure I get every word. Students are not allowed phones at all on Acamancy campus, but tablets and laptops, and things of that sort are accepted. Calum takes note by rotating between typing and allowing Professor Hyde's words to dictate his table to take note for him. He also uses a stylus to annotate his notes and make graphs and charts and draw parallels and things, like I said Calum is brilliant. I don't let my lack of use of technology hinder my notes, I am acing quizzes and following along perfectly well.

After class Paxxon walks me, hand in hand, to Understanding Manifestation before heading to his own course. My friends followed us, a few paces behind, and I heard their whispers. I cannot make out the words, only their voices, and I hope Paxx doesn't notice our shadows. He doesn't push me against the wall outside the class and shove his tongue down my throat to claim me, like Grayson would have. He doesn't even kiss my goodbye, just let's go of my hand and offers a slight smile as he strides off to another building to his own courses. He doesn't meet me after Understanding Manifestation, or should I say: trying to ignore notes from Mal, Summer and Bee asking about Paxx and where I have been and what's going on. Because that's all that happened in class.

I am able to ignore them in Manipulation for Beginners as we all have to focus on the new stretch and hold technique being demonstrated by Professor Sweasy. And luckily on Wednesdays Defense Against Danger is just for Water and Ice Mani's so I am free of their prying. That is until Calum sets in on my about my next seatmate and how my distraction in class will allow for him to move further ahead of me in the gradebook. Professors do not post any grades in the system until the end of the quarter, and only semester grades have any effect on us. They add semester grades and midterm practice EYES into our total score without final grades and EYE scores to factor in our overall scores for the placement of the following year. But the quarter grades allow for us to have some insight on how we are doing, and where we need to work harder. We won't get those in for several weeks, but Calum peaks at all the scores on my papers I receive back, and in his natural mathematical brain he is keeping a running tally of our scores, we are neck in neck in every course, and the leader flops daily. He loves to brag to me about every quarter point he is ahead of me on any given day.

I tell my friends about the kiss and Paxxon opening up to me, just not what he said of course, and how I think he likes me. And they are all so happy for me. They tease me for my blush and grin, they pry for details on the kiss and his secret spot. But they are happy for me and supportive of it all, even Callie who knows him a bit and was skeptical at first, seems to be open. Only June, who caught parts of the conversation, has negative words about how boys distract from education and I should stop gossiping and bragging about boys and go practice skills and work out my "weak arms" instead.

I don't see Paxx at all on Thursday. We don't have any course overlap, and he didn't meet me between courses, at lunch or for dinner. I don't know his schedule, his dorm number, his roommates, or anything. And I don't want to be a stalker and show up in his secret hideout in hopes he'll be there. I don't want to intrude or seem desperate so I let him come to me instead. On Friday I do not see him until after lunch, at Defense against Danger. Professor Swift is talking to a man with white-blonde hair that looks much like Paxxon's. He resembles Paxxon's father in many ways: the grey running through his white hair, the worry and age wrinkles lining his face, his strong jaw and angular face. But this man is stronger, buff and toned everywhere. He is dressed in a maroon button down but it is rolled to the elbow and unbuttoned a bit at the top to reveal some tattoos. He looks even more stern than Dean Philips and more closed off than Paxxon.

Before I can wonder who he is, Professor Swifts introduces us all to Dean Phoenix, Dean of Fam-ac and explains that starting next week the Fire Mani's will be joining us every other week for Defense Against Danger. Paxxon tenses beside me, and I hear a lot of murmurs around me. I for one am excited to see Phoebe and Spencer and meet the other Fire Mani's. We never see them and I am interested in Fam-ac and Fire Manipulation. I wish we got courses on their campus, here and there, like they do at ours. Paxxon is silent all of Defense Against Danger, which isn't uncommon or bothering me. But what is bothering me is how he will not meet my eye, he stands with several feet of distance between us, he chooses his fellow Year Two Plant Mani, and maybe sort of friends? Caleb, to be his sparring partner and not me. I partner up with Mal and wonder why he's suddenly avoiding me. He hasn't kissed me since Tuesday under the tree, he hasn't held my hand since Wednesday, and he's barely looked at me since either of those times. I haven't even seen him, haven't talked to him. I am wondering what I did wrong.

After class he pulls me aside and tells me that he's sorry for being distant, that his mom is sick and he's been spending time with her, he tells me she is going away to visit her sister overseas who is a doctor, but also just to see family. He calmed my nerves and worries and assured me his mom is okay, and not too sick to travel or be with others, but he is going with her this weekend and will be back on Monday in time for History of Acamancy to sit with me. He gives me a small kiss, after assuring no one is watching us, and then walks off quickly. I feel better, but I don't. I don't know where I stand. I don't know Paxx well enough to know if he just lied to me. And I don't read expressions well enough to know what he's thinking or feeling. I just want to go to sleep.