Trouble Maker: Archi

02

William ran through the small hall, his laughter bouncing off the walls. He glanced back and stuck out his tongue but tripped over the rug and landed flat on his face. I tried my best not to laugh, so naturally I laughed, but William was laughing too so it was fine.

"William," Cheo yelled, rushing over to the laughing boy. Her blond hair was tied back, her brown eyes filled with worry. "Are you hurt? Did you break something?"

Through his fit of laughter he choked out: "I'm okay, I'm good."

"In that case, you shouldn't be running in the house, you know better," Cheo scolded, dragging him off the ground. "Be glad I don't make you pull the weeds in the rain."

I looked over at the wall, photos covered it of the four years we had been here. In the most recent one William and I stood in the park, a field of flowers behind us. That day I had gotten called a boy from an elderly couple. Well I guess I could look like one, considering my black hair was cut in a pixie cut. My green eyes popped in the picture which I always found odd. I shrugged.

William had grown out his hair since we got here. Considering before it was just a mess of black hair, now, it was a mullet. His eyes are a dark green.

Cheo didn't really feel like a parent, more like an older sibling. She didn't have many rules, she relied on our common sense whether or not to do something, running in the house was one thing on that list.

"Why'd you call us in here," I asked, following her as she returned to the kitchen. "Did you make lunch?"

"No, but you have mail Abby," She said, looking through a stack of letters on the island in the kitchen. "Ah, here it is."

William went to sit down at the round table. It was barely taller than him, which when I teased him about it, he would puff out his cheeks and cross his arms in protest. Cheo handed me the letter.

"William, your friend Logan stopped by," Cheo said, returning to the kitchen. "He wanted to hang out today, he'll be at the fountain around one, if you want to play with him. Before you go you need to change into daytime clothes and get ready for the day."

"Yes Cheo," William said, before jumping off the seat he was sitting on and ran back into the hall.

"And stop running," Cheo yelled after the small boy. "Why do I try." She sighed and started the stove with a pot of boiling water on top.

I sat down and at the table, my feet a couple inches off the ground. I examined the letter. It was sealed with wax with a crest of some kind. It was split into four corners, the top right was a lion, the bottom right was a squirrel, the bottom left was a falcon, while the top left was a fox. The color of the wax was gold. Whoever sent this obviously is fancy. I opened the envelope and what was revealed was a paper, which should be obvious considering it's a letter. I took the paper out and unfolded it, I was amazed to see that the entire thing had been handwritten.

How many of these had been sent out?

I pushed the questions into the back of my mind and began reading.

Dear Abigail Night

We are pleased to inform you that you are welcomed to join the Tournament in two months. You will compete with many teens to earn a spot in the top one hundred and eighty students. From there you can be accepted as one of the few students to join us this school year at Sunset Academy. We await your letter by the 31st of June.

Students will be given dorms for their comfort. We supply everything you will need at the school as well as daily life. We hope to see your letter in the few weeks to come.

Yours sincerely

Logan Smith

Professor Logan Smith

After rereading the letter many times over and looking at the calendar, I had confirmed that the tournament that was mentioned was the one that happens every year. The one that has kids between ages eleven to eighteen compete in.

"What did the letter say Abby," Cheo asked, stepping closer to me.

"Oh, you know the tournament that happens every year, it's just telling me that I'm qualified to compete in it," I told her. I turned my head to look at her, to see that she looked shocked.

"Are you thinking of attending," She asked, trying to regain her composer.

"Knowing the chances I'll make in, is low," I told her, walking over to the table. She looked relieved. "But, I kinda want to try anyway. If I make it past the tests and get accepted into the school, I get a free education and they supply everything needed for daily life."

She sighed and pressed her elbows to the table and set her head into her hands. She stayed like that, until she said, "If you really want to try then I can't stop you Abby, but if you aren't accepted then don't be too upset."

"I won't, I promise,"

"Think about it for a bit, you have a month to decide if you really want to try, why not talk about it to some of your friends," Cheo told me, lifting her head from her hands and looking over at me.

"I will," I said, then smiled at her.

"Go have fun with your friends."

"Love you Cheo," I told her, before walking down the hall towards my room.