Awakened: Prequel GL Series

Chapter 9

9. THE DOJO

“You’re glowing,” Kylie said the next morning.

After Bran starred in my dreams, I wasn’t surprised. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I fixed my gaze on the road and focused on my driving. Once again I had the truck. Grampa had come home in the early morning and was still asleep.

“I saw you and Bran by the truck. Then you disappeared inside your trailer. Did he kiss you?”

No, but I wanted him to. My cheeks warmed. “Just because you and Cade make out all the time doesn’t mean we’re like that.”

“So you kissed him?”

“No.”

Kylie laughed, but she quit teasing me and started talking about online teen social groups. Teen online groups were never my thing so I only half listened to her. I had a lot more pressing things to stress about. Topping the list was Bran and my soon-to-be only after school activity—training to be a killer. In the past, I’d mixed my martial arts lessons with gymnastics and swimming. From today on, it would be train, train, train.

Kylie and I went our separate ways when we got to school. McKenzie reserved a seat for me in algebra. As soon as I sat down, she pounced. “What happened yesterday? Why did you defect to Kim’s table?”

This time I couldn’t get away with just saying Grampa signed me up for martial arts at the C12 dojo and I had to discuss schedule details with Kim and her friends. McKenzie wanted details. Why C12? How long have I been training? Did I ever attend tournaments or win anything? Would I be sitting at Kim’s table at lunch?

“Of course not,” I denied. On the inside I knew I’d need help from the trainees if I wanted to learn more about Guardians and demons, which meant hanging out with them from time to time.

The day dragged, the lessons appearing longer than yesterday. I tried to locate Bran in between classes and during lunch but to no avail. Where was he?

The trainees and their entourage walked in, and I gave them a mechanical wave when their gazes locked on me. I received a nod from Remy, a smile from Izzy, a wink from Sykes, and an eye-roll from Kim after she checked the humans I sat with.

I ignored her, but it dawned on me that I just referred to my non-Guardian friends as humans. I was human, too, dang it. Part human, anyway.

I pressed my fingers to my temples. Grampa lied to me. I could get sick even when I didn’t overuse my powers. I had a headache, and my stomach was in knots. My first day at the dojo loomed like a dark cloud. What if I hurt someone? My powers were so unpredictable.

Calm down, Lil. You know what happens when you lose it.

I took a deep breath, then another, and tried to join in the discussion my friends were having. The topic was manga and animè. Cade, Zack, and Kylie were into Saiyuki, Bleach, and InuYasha. I liked Saiyuki the best. Never watched it though, just read the manga. What would these guys think if they knew people with powers like their favorite manga characters existed? Bet they wouldn’t be so fascinated. Bet our friendship would be out the window, and I would be labeled a freak. Oh, what was the point of second guessing how they’d react to what I was? It was a non-issue. I’d never tell them.

Kylie didn’t need a ride home after school, which suited me fine. I had a lot on my mind. Where was Bran? Did he go back to Coronis Isle? Was he okay? And there was the imminent training, and the worries that went with it.