Talented (On Hold)

Chapter Three

Hi readers! Sorry for any mistakes, I was editing this while my sister was watching Tv right next to me. And sorry it took so long, I was having writer's block and working on an idea for a new story. 

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Chapter Three

Alina sat on her new bed in the Dragon dormitory in the dark and stared at the wall. She could hear people on the other side of the wall talking about her. It was that woman, Mindy, and someone else. They must know she could hear them, but weren’t making any effort to be quiet. She wasn’t following their conversation, though she knew some of the other girls were. Some of them, most of them in fact, were shooting her dirty looks when they thought she wasn’t looking, and sometimes when they knew she was. She made an effort to glare back with the angry purple stare she had perfected with experience.

The only ones that weren’t glaring at her were the girl in the opposite corner, who was reading, one girl who was already asleep, and the two girls across from her. It was the two of the kids she had sat with at lunch. Kaolin and Gage. Alina was irritated to find that she remembered their names. Remembering names meant making connections, something she didn’t want to do. She would be leaving soon anyway, and besides, they would change her mind about her soon. Everybody did, sooner or later. Usually sooner. Closing her eyes, she let herself slowly drift to sleep.

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Kaolin woke slowly, turning on her side and burrowing into the blankets. For a moment she couldn’t tell where she was. When she awoke fully, she wondered why that was. Surely after a week she would remember what her dorm looked like. Then she noticed why.

The lamp that was usually on her side cabinet was missing, as was the framed photo of her parents and her homework from the day before. It was bare, instead of its usual cluttered mess. Sitting up, she gasped in shock. The room was a mess, things strewn everywhere. Most of the lamps were on the ground, strewn around the room, as well as clothes that belonged to the girls unfortunate enough to leave their suitcases open. The drawers on all the side tables were open, their contents spread across the room. One of Helen’s more private articles of clothing hung from a bedpost. Kaolin suppressed a giggle. Helen wasn’t very nice, so she did deserve it a bit, especially for how rude she had been to Alina the previous night. Alina! Did she do this? Looking over at her, she noticed even her stuff had been thrown, and that she was still asleep. Kaolin watched the other girls awaken and gasp at the mess. Helen reddened when she saw the placement of some of her clothing, and Lisa laughed out loud. Alina woke up last. She didn’t seem as surprised as everybody else. In fact, she sighed and muttered something under her breath that sounded a lot to Kaolin like “Here we go again.”

Mindy burst in. “What is going on?!”

“Alina did it!” Helen yelled angrily.

“Alina! Where you the one who did this?” Mindy turned on Alina.

“No.” Alina answered flatly.

“A vandal and a liar! For that, Alina, you will miss breakfast and stay here and clean up. Then we will call your parents.” Mindy said, her face twisted in a scowl.

Alina sighed. “Good luck with that.”

Mindy huffed and stormed out, pausing only to tell the other girls to get ready for breakfast.

As everyone got dressed, Kaolin walked over to Alina. “I’ll stay and help, if you want. I believe you.” Gage came over and agreed with her.