Mount Asteria

Chapter Twelve

"I should have worn my shorts," Bláth grumbled as they trudged back around the sports hall. "I am dying of the heat."

She was wearing the full school sports kit - navy tracksuit bottoms, a white polo shirt with the school crest and a fitted, navy zip-up jacket. The other three, however, had only the shorts and t-shirt.

"You'd burn in the sun," Ebony countered.

"So would you," Bláithín said, eyeing her pale skin. "So, who wants to bet? Archery or shooting?" she exclaimed suddenly, changing the topic entirely.

"What?" Alexandra asked.

"For target practice. Archery or shooting?"

"Shooting?" Hestia guessed.

"Shooting as in..." Alexandra began uncertainly.

"It's archery," Ebony announced.

"How do you know?"

"...like, actual shooting?"

"Well, statistically-speaking, it had to be archery."

"...with guns?"

"But I also saw Ms Finnegan with the targets this morning."

"Yes, actual guns."

"How do you just know these things?"

"GIRLS!"

"Oh, here we go," Ebony said. Ms Finnegan was marching towards them.

"I said half an hour - "

"I apologise sincerely for being sixty-five seconds late, Ms Finnegan. Ms Bunting was not fully satisfied with our breathing," Bláth explained, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Ms Finnegan rolled her eyes. "Well, you can tell Ms Bunting - "

"Oh, but we can't tell her anything, Ms Finnegan. We've already wasted seventy-eight seconds of our target practice. Speaking of which, are we doing archery or shooting?"

"Archery, but - "

"Why are you always right?" Bláth moaned.

Ebony smiled, then turned her attention to Ms Finnegan. "There seems to be some sort of commotion in the hall, should we go in?"

"What?" Ms Finnegan snapped.

Ebony gestured in the general direction of the hall where there was indeed a lot of noise and movement. The girls followed their curious teacher inside.

"Laura. Macey. Sixth year P.E. was, as I recall, yesterday."

The girls glanced at each other and smiled. "Of course, Ms Finnegan. We just came to give the fourth years an announcement."

"And had to be during my class? What is it?"

Laura had something of a gleam in her eye as she turned to the assembled fourth year students. "There will be an assembly for all fourth years in the concert hall on Friday in two weeks' time to discuss the annual production. Ms Cunniam would like each student to have one idea to present during the meeting."

"Yes, and?" Ms Finnegan demanded impatiently as the girls burst into chatter.

"That's all." Macey, the other sixth year shrugged.

"Then thank you, but I need to get on with my lesson."