Starr Academy: Year Two

Starr Academy: Year Two- Chapter 15

Fifteen


    Thinking back to this past first month of school, I smiled. Hanna is already coming out of her little shell. Franklin has helped in that. He’s really opened up to her more and I wonder if he’s thinking of her as more a girlfriend type instead of counterpart.

    For every friday after that first battle, I’ve been working with Professor Gilliett in one of the practice fields during the competitions. He’d wear his own armor as well as I had to wear my own. It was an all out one on one session.

    Theo even would come and watch. I caught him sketching us sometimes. That kind of distracted me once. Gilliett hadn’t predicted me to pause and hit me square in the back. I slammed front first into a tree. Both rushed over to me, but I had been fine. I asked Gilliett to go again. Though wary, they accepted that I was fine, but Gilliett did insist I see the school nurse after our session. She confirmed I was fine.

    Tonight was the night of the open house. Last year the High Council of Magic had decided not to attend for my benefit. They had wished to allow me to settle in for the first year. Headmistress Alexi told me that they were coming this year to see me this open house.

    At the moment I was staring at myself in the mirror. My full length mirror showing me what I looked like for this evening. I was wearing a floor length ruby satin duster jacket that had a neckline the dipped below my bust. My shirt was a white crinkled cotton batiste gathered peasant shirt with thin silver and gold threads throughout the fabric. My pants underneath was a midnight blue crepe back satin yoga pants with the satin side out.

    Danielle had done my hair again and she had once again outdone herself. My hair was very curly with two braids that were created from my temples and went back to the small puff of curls gathered behind my head. She wanted nothing in my face besides two curls on either side in front of my ears.

    My fingers touched the necklace that Marek’s sister had gotten me last Christmas that sparkled in the light of the sconce on the wall. The beautiful rubies went perfectly with my dress. The silver and gold vines holding the gems in place went with the blouse. Even my bracelet that Marek gave me when we first became a couple went with my outfit.

    I turned at the sound of a knock at the door. Marek came in and his jaw dropped. “Wow. Hope, you look...wow.”

    I blushed bowing my head to the side in shyness. “Thank you.” My eyes went over his outfit. “You look good too like always.”

    He chuckled coming over to me. “You ready to get down to the Great Hall?”

    I took a deep breathe before I reluctantly nodded. “Just nervous.”

    He nodded taking my hand and placing it on his arm. “I know. It was a shock when Theo came and told us your mom would be joining us. That she had made time to come out here and see you and the school.”

    I sighed as we left my room. “At least it’s just her.”

    Marek smiled painfully and nodded. “I’m as afraid as you are how she will be.”

    I gulped. Yeah, how she will act around everyone toward me. Even Franklin raged a bit saying she shouldn’t have bothered to come out here. He was worried beyond anything as he knew how she could be. How she could treat me with a complete lack of respect.

    We entered the great hall and went over to our friends. Everyone was happy and upbeat. I was actually excited to see both Franklin’s parents and Marek’s parents again. That eased my nerves to think of them and not my mother.

    My heart nearly stopped when the chimes sounded and we all turned to the grand double doors of the great hall’s entrance. The doors slowly opened and in came the parents and family members. Students throughout the hall were making giddy squeals and some rushing over to their family.