“What’s the big deal?” I asked an hour later after the boys almost tore apart. “So someone broke into your tree fort and left you a love letter.”
“It was for you,” Lee said.
“For me?” I asked.
Seth nodded, “The note said “hope you’ve been settling in well” and none of us need to be settling into anything, so it’s obviously for you,” he said.
I shook my head, “You people are so paranoid,” I mumbled as I sat on the floor and shifted through the pile of papers on the couch.
“Stop,” Chance said, smacking my hands away from the papers. “They’re just papers, don’t touch them.”
I raised my eyebrow at Chance and shook my head, “I know they’re just papers. What do they say?”
Lee took the papers and shoved them into the red bag, “Things you don’t want to know,” he said. “And things you don’t need to know.”
I tilted my head, “Like?”
“Your parents,” Chance said.
I glared at the bag, “Burn it.”
Seth sighed, “We can’t keep burning everything,” he said. “Fire is not always the answer.”
I smirked, “Fire is always the answer, Pretty Boy,” I said with a wink.
Seth flushed and ducked his head as Chance and Lee shook their heads and laughed, “We aren’t burning it,” Lee said as Chance took the bag and put it out of my reach.
I pouted, “You guys suck,” I mumbled.
Chance chuckled and shook his head, “You’re sleeping over there,” he nodded to a bunk that was built into a wall.
I grinned, got up and walked over to the bunk, “Great,” I said as I flopped down into the bed.
Seth chuckled and sat down next to me, “I’m taking a nap,” he announced before he laid down on the bed and stretched out.
I raised an eyebrow at Seth and poked his cheek, “Why are you taking a nap?”
“Cause I want to,” Seth said as he pushed my hand away. I stuck my tongue out at Seth and kept poking him, “No, stop,” Seth growled, wrapping a hand around my waist and pulling me so I laid down next to him.
Chance laughed, “Are you going to sleep like that?” he asked Seth.
“Yes,” Seth said. “Now, shut up.”
I rolled my eyes and watched as Chance and Lee stood up and snuck over to the bunk, “Hi,” they said, jumping onto the bed and laying down, half on top of us and half on the mattress.
Seth and I groaned, “What have your parents been feeding you?” Seth asked.
“Food,” Chance mumbled, pressing his face into Lee’s chest.
Lee sighed, wrapped an arm around Chance and looked over at me, “Do you really not care who your parents are?” he asked me.
“I’m curious,” I said with a shrug. “But I don’t think it’s a big deal. I don’t remember them and I guess I’d like to know about them, but it’s not a big deal. I’ve lived without parents for this long, I think I’ll be fine without knowing.”
We all sat in silence until Chance turned to me and said, “You’re really good at lying, you almost had me convinced.”
Seth and Chance snorted and we all dissolved into fits of half-silent giggles, “Thanks,” I said after a moment.
Chance tossed an arm around me as Seth pushed his hand through my hair and tighten his grip around my waist, “Maybe parents aren’t a big deal,” he said quietly. “We can be your family now.”
I grinned as I ran my fingers up and down Seth’s arm, “I’ll think about it…”
Seth chuckled, “Good, now shut up. I’m sleeping.”
Chance, Lee and I laughed and exchanged a look before shrugging and closing our eyes. We were asleep a few seconds later.
* * *
I dreamed that night. It wasn’t a nightmare, it was just a dream. I couldn’t remember the last time I just dreamed and woke up. I was so used to waking up after nightmares, screaming as I saw my friends die or I had to shoot someone. The dream was good. It was happy and I liked it.
YOU ARE READING
The Academy: Ashland
Science FictionMeet Ashland. She's sixteen and has been living in the Divine Lorraine, since she was eleven with five other kids. She knows how to fight, steal and shoot. Life wasn't good for Ash and her friends, but it wasn't terrible. They did odd jobs and helpe...
