Chapter 30 #3
We walk through The Commons training ground, conversing and catching up on all that has happened.
Then suddenly, we see our girl—Levon, running toward us!
I sprint against the wind, charging into her arms. I am the first to hug her, then she hugs Pesh and me together. Swin smiles from behind, bending his head, too shy to join. When was Swin ever shy?
Levon’s gaze meets Swin’s as we come out of our embrace. “Look who’s not dead yet?” she says, walking over to him.
“Could say the same thing about you,” Swin responds, gleaming.
She smiles, moving to hug him.
He opens his arms; then suddenly he shifts away from her. “Um, actually don’t touch me, physical touch is not my love language.”
She scoffs. “Oh really? Adjust it then.” Before he can respond, she swings into his arms and kisses him.
“Oh my God!” He surrenders completely to her. “Wow!” His pupils dilate in excitement as their tongues crash into each other. He is having the greatest day of his entire life, beyond his wildest dreams.
He grabs her hair, his hands gliding through her golden curls, her hands sliding through his umber hair, gripping onto his wind-tousled hair like she’s holding on for dear life.
Heat. Passion. And everything in between.
“Damn!” His hands push her tightly to his body, and her lovely bust slams into him with a thud, but she is not alarmed. Instead, she grips onto him some more as he pulls her closer, holding her tight.
“Swin!” she exclaims, like she didn’t expect him to hold her so sweetly, so tightly, so passionately. And honestly, neither did I. It’s clear—he really likes her.
And he moves to her ears, whispering, “I’m gonna take care of you now. I’m yours to insult, to annoy, to piss off, and to kill even if you effin’ want. That’s your right with me now. To do whatever the F’ you want.”
She stares silently. Like her soul and heart stands still.
I’ve never seen Levon this free with any guy in her entire life, let alone now, after all that’s happened to her. Her jewel eyes blink, staring into his light-olive eyes as the sun crashes in between them.
Then she says, “That was just me pretending to be nice. Don’t ever talk to me again.” She flicks his shirt, her lips curving into a smile as she walks past me.
He smiles, licking his lips. “What else could I ask for?” he mutters, staring at her with cow eyes.
A smile escapes my lips as I watch my beautiful sister fade into the sunset.
It’s always been Levon being there for me.
I hope in time, every part of her soul will heal.
I hope in time she will truly feel whole again—now, she’s free.
My heart leaps to see my sunlight free.
My sister.
My best friend forever.
Now, I will strive to see her full of happiness that rushes out of her soul like water out of a springing cistern.
Two months later…
Today is The Sachiselection.
If I can get the opportunity of being selected by a teacher as a Sachi, I get more power in The Commons.
There are ten of us in here. Only one can be selected.
Whispers encroach around me as a crowd of new students gather in the Commons Stadium. “Who are all these new students?” Jordan asks, turning to Zavish.
Zavish frowns, looking away from the crowd. “They’re from The Seventh Zone, dimwit.”
Justice Emmanuel walks past them, whispering to Doctor Val, “Be careful, Doctor Val. We need to be vigilant. There are many among your people who are calling this an insurrection. There is a rumor among the Aristocrats that De Londe is planning a bloody revenge. And Patron Lenon may be leading the rebellion.” He disappears into the darkness before she can respond just as a flash of lightning surges through the skies.
I gasp as rain pours down, striking into my skin. But the Earth Patron, Lenon, is nowhere in sight. A strange feeling is surging through me, but I snap out of it and try to focus on this Sachiselection round before I am disqualified.
The teachers surround the arena with wary eyes and only one flag in hand.
This is everything to them. Sachis are like their gifts to Patrons every year.
And this year, Patrons need to be appeased more than ever because of all the controversy around Patron De Londe.
And the only token a Patron will accept is a formidable student to add to their zone of study.
Apparently, it is proof of a teacher’s competence and relevance, as they can live vicariously through us.
It’s my turn to compete.
I’m fighting against Ciaro and Zavish, who are now in the Oratory Zone: Swin, Science Zone, and several formidable students from The Seventh Zone who are determined to win—because winning is power, and power is influence, and influence is change, and change is on the horizon.
I am surrounded by the leery eyes of Shay and Madam Dey. I’m not close to any of those teachers, so Doctor Val is my only bet. But she’s looking at Swin with glee.
Swin has gained quite an outstanding reputation since his enrollment.
But the achievement I am most grateful for is that he eventually figured out a way to remove Levon’s inscrutable tracker.
It took weeks of working everyday, but it was nothing for him to crush the shackles that had followed her all this time.
And now… Levon’s eyes loom over me disagreeably.
It seems to say that I should not be doing this, putting myself in harm’s way.
Good to know we’re on the same page. Then there is the steady, unimpressed glare of Pesh.
It basically says, if you embarrass me today and don’t win a teacher’s favor into my zone, you will never see my sun eyes again. Not really. But it’s fun to assume.
My eyes dart to the right, fist curled up, ready to fight.
Here goes nothing.
Just as I approach my testing pod, Pesh appears and pulls me around the corner, out of sight.
He grips my waist before my eyes can even see him, like a flash of sunlight breaking through the dark clouds, surrounding me like a whirl of warmth, and then…
all at once, it’s hot. It’s boiling hot, and I’m on fire pushed against the wall, facing his all, but not for long.