School of Secrets (The Perkins School for Self Improvement #1)

Chapter 21

A/N:
Hello again. It's officially been 2018 here for about eight hours, and so far the year hasn't started off too badly. I managed to finish this chapter last night, along with 22 and 23. Not sure when I'll post those two, but it'll probably be soon.
My winter class starts again tomorrow, and I'll have five more days of work in there. Then it's back to the real classes, and I'll be drowning in math and chemistry this semester.
It's currently five degrees outside, which is pretty crazy. Guess I'm staying inside for most of today, because it's not getting much warmer.
Prechapter question, which character(s) do you want to see more of? Let me know down below.
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The next morning finds me in the library, looking for a book on teleportation. I've decided that there must be at least one book about it in the shelves, and Tara could probably use a little guidance from an author who knows what they're talking about. No one would miss the book, and if Mom or Dad were to stumble across something like that in her room, they'd assume it was another one of the fictional novels she's always reading.

It's a fail proof plan, and for once I'm excited to be up in the library.

As I move through the shelves, I can't help noticing that the library is pretty busy today. All of the tables in here have been claimed by students whose noses are buried in the pages of books. Some are whispering to their friends, keeping their volume low enough that their words are a secret to those farther away.

I'm surprised to see the place so full at ten-thirty on a Saturday, but I recognize a handful of the students from my astronomy class and decide they are probably here to study.

Continuing through the stacks of books, I finally stumble across the section on supernatural abilities. I'm impressed at the number of books. They range from a book on how to learn spellwork to another about the challenges of elemental magic. I pick up an average-sized book with a blue-and-green cover, contemplating it with interest.

Silver letters across the front and along the spine stand out against the other colors, the words A Beginner's Guide to Teleportation catching my eye.

Here we go.

I thumb through the pages, reading from paragraphs here and there until I've decided this is the book I'm looking for.

Heading over to the librarian's desk, I hastily check the book out. That task accomplished, I hustle out the door and begin my journey back to the guys' dorm.

I'm on the first floor of the classroom building when the voice carries to me, and I can't help following the person's words to an empty classroom.

Marco is lurking inside, sitting on top of a desk. His cell phone is pressed to his ear, and he's talking quickly.

"Dad, please," he says, "I know what I'm doing."

He pauses, listening.

"No, Dad. It's my choice to do this, not hers. I make my own decisions."

Another pause.

"Yes, of course I'm sure I have to do this!" Marco snarls, "I want them to respect me, to see that I've got it together. I have plans, Dad. Why can't you and Mom accept that? I know you don't like her, but she wouldn't use her abilities on me. She doesn't need to. Yumi's shown me that I need to figure out things for myself, take matters into my own hands when I want to get anything done. I'm taking control of the future, Dad. It's my future, so either get on board or leave me alone. I don't need you telling me I'm going down the wrong path. If I wanted to hear that, I'm sure my ex would be happy to tell it to me."

Marco's expression is one of disgust, his hazel-green eyes seeming to roll of their own accord.

"I get it, Dad," he huffs, "but I know what's best for me. I'm not like you. I don't sit around and wait for things to fall into my lap. I don't want everything handed to me, so I'm going to make things happen the way I want them to."