The rest of the week passed quietly. I got a nasty bump on my head, but I hid it pretty well. Classes went well, considering. Survival class was a lot of fun, but it was the Specialty that was my favorite. I had Wind with Zen. Considering it's his original Element, it was natural for him.
"Who knows when the Wind division first came about?" the teacher, Gerara Hitok (GER-rer-a HIGH-took).
Zen immediately raises his hand from his seat beside me. We decided to sit next to each other, in order to avoid me running into any unpleasant people. While the Fire boy isn't present in this class, his friends have been keeping a sharp eye on me. Their arrogant posture tells me that they are Fires as well. I grimace when I see the one in the front row - Marrow is his name - turn and take a swift look at me. Zen glares at him. Zen has been stuck to me like a leech since he heard about the Fire boy incident in the orchards.
"You've already answered enough questions," Teacher Hitok says to Zen. "Let's get someone else."
Another Wind raises their hands. "Directly after the Earth division."
Teacher Hitok nods. "After what major war?"
"The Steam War, ma'am. The war that formed our land."
"Correct."
I listen to the rest of the lesson, but I don't pay much attention. Everyone knows about the Steam War. Fire and Water were the original two divisions. It's said that they were formed from two countries in the Old World after some major catastrophe. After their heated tensions came to a head, they created Wind and Earth as a buffer between them. There hasn't been another major war in over 200 years.
As the sun reaches its peak, the class is dismissed. Zen walks with me as we go to meet the rest of the group. Mire and Clarisse are already there. Hera and Tria arrive just as soon as Zen and I did.
"How was your Specialty class?" Clarisse asks.
"It was okay," I reply. "I was actually kind of bored."
"Wait until you get into it," Zen says, nudging my side and taking my hand. "Wind can be a lot of fun."
"I'm sure it is," Tria says slyly.
I roll my eyes.
"Oh, by the way, do you mind if I bring a friend to lunch?" Tria asks us.
We all shake our heads. "It's an open group, Tria," Hera laughs. "It's not like we are exclusive."
Tria smiles. "Great! I'll go get him."
She runs off in the direction of the barracks. I turn to the group. "Him?"
"Tria is always like this," Hera explains. "She moves from one boy to another faster than a squirrel moves from tree to tree."
"I hope he's nice," Mire adds.
"I'm sure he's some moss covered fungi."
We all look at Hera weirdly.
She sighs. "It's Earth jargon. It means he's probably awful."
"So, kind of like how Maia, Mire, and I would say he's a clam on a bad day?"
"I would assume that is the equivalent insult."
We all laugh until Tria comes prancing back, a boy on her left arm. He's good looking, from what I can tell. He's taller than Zen, stockier than Mire, and has a smile whiter than a pearl. I grimace. I can smell a foul fish from a mile away.
"This guy reeks, and not in a physical way," Clarisse whispers to me.
I nod, but don't reply.
