The Academy: Ashland

Downtime

“That. Was. Terrible,” Ash said as she dropped down onto the couch next to Seth. “Your brother has a disturbing mind.”

Seth laughed, “That bad?”

“Worse than you could possibly imagine times ten,” Ash said, curling up. “At least I have a lot of blackmail material.”

“Are you going to share this blackmail material?” Kelsey asked.

“Not yet,” Ash said.

Seth pouted, “No fair. You know more about my brother than I do.”

Ash laughed, “Poor you.”

“Can you control it?” Trip asked as he motioned to his head.

Ash nodded, “A bit, but I can still hear thoughts that make me want to scream “bad touch” as loud as I can.”

Everyone laughed and Camron walked into the living room, frowning.

“What’s up?” Ash asked.

“You know,” Camron said. “I’ve felt you since I left.”

Ash stood, walked over to Camron and gave him a hug, “Don’t worry,” she mumbled into Camron’s chest. “She’s just upset about Amber. She’s worried about her sister.”

Camron sighed into Ash’s hair and wrapped his arms around the smaller girl, “I know, but I still feel like crap.”

Ash mumbled something Kelsey, Seth and Trip couldn’t hear that made Camron laugh and shake his head, “Nutty little telekinetic,” Camron said. Ash pulled away from Camron and walked back to her seat with a satisfied grin on her face. “You don’t seem like the huggy type.”

“I’m not,” Ash said leaning against Seth. “I just didn’t know what to do.”

Are you fighting with Erikka?” Trip asked, referring to Amber’s sister who was also Camron’s on-and-off girlfriend.

Camron nodded, “She blames you guys for Amber leaving.”

She’s not wrong,” Ash said.

Seth tugged a piece of Ash’s hair, “Shut up.”

Ash rolled her eyes, “I’m hungry.”

“So go eat” Camron said, giving Ash a grateful look.

“Allow me to translate that,” Kelsey said. “Ash is hungry, tired and lazy. Go get her food.”

Ash laughed and looked at Kelsey, “You are a wonderfully delightful person.”

“I know,” Kelsey said, waving her hand. “Get me food too.”

Trip and Seth laughed as Camron groaned before standing up and walking into the kitchen, “Thanks, bro. Love you,” Kelsey called after him.

“Hate you, sis,” Camron yelled back as the kitchen door swung shut.

Everyone laughed and Trip looked over at Ash, “Entertain me.”

“No, I’m tired,” Ash mumbled, pressing her face into Seth’s shoulder.

Trip pouted and Camron walked back into the room with apples, bananas, crackers and waters. “Happy?” Camron asked.

 “Very,” Kelsey said, tossing Ash a pack of crackers, a water and an apple.

“Thanks,” Ash said, tearing open the crackers.

Trip poked Camron, “Ash is boring and tired. Entertain me.”

Camron stared at Trip for a moment before he yanked him off the couch and started wrestling with him.

Seth smiled and stole two of Ash’s crackers, making her pout and Kelsey laugh, “Smile, Parker,” Kelsey said.

“Shut up, Mckeen,” Seth mumbled.

Ash raised her eyebrows as Kelsey’s smirk grew and she said, “But it’s so fun.”

Seth stuck his tongue out at Kelsey and Ash grabbed it, “No. That’s very unbecoming,” she said.

Seth looked at Ash in shock and Kelsey burst out laughing as Trip smacked his hand on the floor and said, “Ow!” from the floor, where Camron had him pinned to the floor by his throat.

Ash, Kelsey and Seth laughed and Camron kept his hold on Trip’s neck, “Do you give?” Camron asked.

“Never,” Trip said.

Ash smirked before she used her mind to lift Trip and Camron into the air, “I win,” she sang.

“Ash!” Camron held onto Trip tightly and looked down at the floor five feet below them.

Ash smirked and let Camron and Trip fall onto the ground, “Ow,” they both said as they hit the floor.

After the two boys rolled over, Kelsey, Seth and Ash joined them on the floor, creating a mass of bodies and limbs.

“Happiness pile,” Trip said with a grin as he snuggled up to Ash and Camron.

A moment later, as Kelsey rested her head onto Ash’s thigh, Markus, Taven and the Captain walked in. All heads turned to the three bewildered adults and the five teenagers burst out laughing.

“Comfortable?” Taven asked, looking down at his team and chuckling. Ash’s head was on Seth’s shoulder and her legs were tangled with Seth and Trip’s. Seth was slightly curled around Ash with a leg on Kelsey’s chest. Trip was half on Camron and half on the floor with Kelsey draped across his legs. Camron was pressed against the couch with Kelsey’s legs on his and his head on Trip’s arm.

“It’s like a human puzzle,” Markus mumbled in awe.

The Captain shook his head, “I don’t think we want to know.”

Ash nodded, “That’s probably best.”

“You never fail to amuse me, Miss Ashland,” Markus said, laughing.

“Miss?” Kelsey asked.

“Sometimes, with the way she talks, she reminds me of a professional person,” Markus said.

“So that makes her a Miss?” Trip asked.

“Of course,” Ash said.

The Captain stared at the pile of teenagers, “Don’t you have to train?”

“We did this morning,” Seth said.

“Have you practiced controlling your alterations?” the Captain asked.

“No,” Kelsey said.

“Why not?” the Captain asked.

“Because no one is willing to shoot themselves so that I can practice,” Kelsey said. “Why? Are you offering?”

Everyone laughed, “I am,” Ash said.

“No you’re not,” Taven, the Captain and Markus said at the same time.

Ash pouted, “You suck.”

“How about the rest of you, have you been practicing?” the Captain asked.

“Yes,” Seth, Trip and Camron said.

The Captain nodded as Ash sighed and stood up, “Where are you going?” Taven asked.

“The munchkins call,” Ash waved her hand as she walked out of the living room.

“The munchkins?” the Captain asked.

“Ian and Kara,” Trip said with a shrug.

“Why are they munchkins?” the Captain asked.

“Ash says so,” Kelsey said.

Taven and Markus laughed as the Captain shook his head and said, “Of course.”