The Institute- Dust darkened

Chapter 7: New friends

“Jada! Wake up, for god’s sake! Do you want to be late again?” My eyes fly open and I jump out of bed, while asking Carter: “What time is it? Shit, couldn’t you wake me any earlier?!”

Carter looks offended. “I only noticed you weren’t up just now,” he grumbles. I don’t have time to eat, so I just get ready and then race to catch the bus. Luckily I get there on time. The bus isn’t too full yet, so I choose a seat next to the window at the back. I lean my head against the cool glass. I am so tired, since I only came home at 4 in the morning. After leaving the old Warehouse Theatre the night before, I had aimlessly wandered the dark streets for hours, deep in thought, and, of course, totally lost my way in the maze of dark streets. Now I close my eyes and try to get in a couple of minutes sleep before school starts. I am rudely interrupted by Jordan’s arrival in the bus. Of course I am aware of the fact that he had just recently started at our school, but since I also know that he is as Miss Kieke put it “partial owner” of something- be it the school or be it something I don’t know about- I had somehow taken him for the “drives to school in daddy’s Mercedes” type. The girls in the bus whisper and giggle to each other, of course all thinking that it’s not obvious whom their talk is about. In the few seconds it takes Jordan to make his way from stepping through the door all the way to my seat, where he sinks down next to me, I pick up that someone has started a gossip chain about him that is fiercely contradicting his overall behavior, and that the girls are now wondering what to think.

“Hey there.” He says, not smiling but giving me a look that seems to be fire and ice on my skin at the same time.

“Can’t you sit somewhere else? I need some sleep.” I say, yawning and running a hand through my hair. Now he actually does smile.

“And good morning to you too.” His smile fades. “Had a long night yesterday?” He looks concerned and… well like almost every time I’ve seen him, calculating. I grunt and look the other way.

“I’m currently trying to find out whether yesterday was a dream or real.” Jordan is quite for a while. “

What would you like it to be? A dream, or reality?” I look at him, and his face is smooth and expressionless. Perfect poker face. Perfection… I know that yesterday was the first time in my life I experienced what was to my eyes true perfection.

“I don’t know.” I say quietly. His expression doesn’t change in the least bit. “I’m confused. I need time to think. This is a lot to ask at a time.” Jordan smiles and nods.

“I understand.” He says. “Take your time with your choice. When you’ve decided, I’m here.” A wave of gratitude hits me. It is so comforting to have someone around who has perfected the art of not showing any emotion, someone who doesn’t seem to have problems of his own. Someone who treats me like I’m the only girl in the world. I’ve never had that before, and I must say, I love it. I turn to smile softly at Jordan.

“So…” I say, still smiling. “What did Mrs. Kieke mean when she called you the partial owner?” A grin appears on his face.

“You noticed that?” He looks astonished. I smile and nod and he laughs. I sit up straight.

“What?” I ask, a smile in my voice. “Don’t laugh at me.” He grins at the offended tone in my voice, then howls in mock pain at the playful punch I throw at his shoulder. I laugh and settle back in my chair, fully aware of the way the other girls are staring at me- as if I have committed some horrible crime. He smiles at me.

“I own part of the school.” He says quietly, as if it’s the most normal thin in the world to own a school. “I bought it from the government.” I raise my eyebrows at him.

“Funny.” I say sarcastically. “And money grows on trees.” He grins.

“I’ll tell you everything, all in due time.” I give him a tight-lipped smile and cross my arms at that very unsatisfactory answer. He grins and hooks his arm around my shoulder. I tense at this rather unexpected flash of body contact. He grins and bends down, his lips close to my ear. “You’re making the other girls in this bus very jealous today, aren’t you Jada.” I blush and awkwardly wiggle out of his arms.

“I don’t like this much attention.” I half-whisper to him. He looks around and is quiet for a while.

“So have you gotten that exam back yet?” He asks finally, all smiles and making all the strange tension that had been there just a moment ago disappear immediately.