A Murder Of Crows [boyxboy]

A Murder Of Crows {14}

                I left the room detention was held in, freed from that. Detentions were strict here, with students forbidden from talking for the duration of it. You had to do your homework, and if you didn't have homework, you'd be assigned work to do. It was designed to make students focus on their schooling to remember how important it was. Any behavior even slightly out of line could land you with extra detention, and the sessions ranged from one to three hours.

                Still, it beat Kieran's ISS punishment, especially since his was indefinite. Those punishments were extremely strict, and you got slapped with a whole bunch of extra work to do.

                I checked the time and debated if I wanted to go back to my dorm. There was a chance Val would come in to bother me, and I wasn't sure I wanted to risk that happening.

                Maybe I'd just go to the tree trunk spot and do my homework until it got late. Hopefully Val would break into my room while I was gone and take the damn hint.

                I started walking towards the path. I could focus on my homework, instead of thinking of what Val had said at lunch about Jamison. 

                I pulled my phone out, unlocking it and flicking through my emails. Most social ones were from classmates looking for notes, and the rest was junk mail from the Academy about events and opportunities.

                Honestly, I should start charging for my note services. I guess it wasn't the worst thing in the world; some teachers had actually told me how impressive it was that I was so organized that students preferred coming to me for notes over the teachers themselves. Whatever kept up my image of hard working students, and not Collector.

                I looked up from my phone and just managed to swerve out of the way of the girl fast-walking with her head down. My shoulder clipped against hers, knocking both of us off balance.

                She looked up, startled, and I realized it was Nia. She had her phone gripped in her hands, and her eyes widened as she realized who she'd run into.

                "I'm so sorry," she said hurriedly. "Are you okay? Oh, I wasn't paying attention. I was going through my messages." She knocked her fist against her forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

                "No harm done," I said.

                "Please don't tell Jamison," she groaned. "He'll call me an airhead again."

                "Why would I tell Jamison? I'm not going out of my way just to tell him you were looking at your phone. I don't care," I said.

                She eyed my mouth. "Jamie said you still talk to Kieran, even after he did that to you. He doesn't understand why."

                "He doesn't have to understand. It's not his decision," I said.

                "Has he done it to you before?" she asked.

                I gestured to my face. "Do I look like a scar museum here? He's never hit me before."

                I knew she was trying to get me to slip information to her. She wanted anything, even the tiniest scrap, to deliver to Jamison.

                But maybe I could play this game right back and get the prizes I wanted.

                "The Crows have a lot of weight to throw around the Academy, and a lot of pressure to keep it up to its reputation. I'm sure Kieran's outburst made more work for you guys," I said.