“Kota?” a voice called from up the road. We turned to see Nathan jogging up to us. He was barefoot and no shirt, just a pair of shorts. He slowed when he saw me. “Sang?”
How did he know we were out here? I started shaking again. I’d ignored them all evening. They must be upset.
Nathan closed the space between us and I thought he was going to say something. Instead, he reached his arms around me and brought me close to him, as Kota had done, in a big hug. I smiled, feeling his strong arms around me. Friends hug, I thought. Get used to it.
He lifted me up off the ground until my toes dangled. “I’m sorry, Sang,” he said. “I didn’t mean it.”
“I know,” I breathed out, unable to get a full amount of air in my lungs as he was squeezing me so tight. “Kota explained it. It’s okay.”
“I’m just really sorry,” he said. His body shuddered and he put me down. His serious face locked on mine. “Don’t be mad.”
I looked at Kota, pleading with my eyes for help explaining.
Kota smiled at me, knowing exactly what I needed. “Let’s go inside,” he said. “Sang, will you spend the night again?”
Nathan’s mouth fell open. “What? She spent the night with you?”
An hour later, I was wearing a pair of Kota’s pajama pants and Nathan's shirt, lying awake in Kota's room, in his bed. Nathan was in the roll-away bed and Kota was in a sleeping bag on the floor. Kota had sent a quick text to the group letting the others know where I was and that everything was okay.
The replies back were numerous but Kota told them all to come by in the morning.
“We have a lot to talk about,” Kota said to me as he relaxed on his side on the floor. “I’m sure you have questions. I can’t promise I can answer them all.”
I did have a lot to ask. The Academy made them keep secrets. They were best friends. If I wanted to be a part of it, to get them to trust me, I had to earn it. I wanted to know their secrets. I wanted to be accepted as one of them.
It could wait though.
I had friends that wanted me. For now, it was enough.
~A~
Update Report:
Silas Korba: Enrolled
Lucian Taylor: Enrolled
North Taylor: Enrolled
Dakota Lee: Enrolled
Victor Morgan: Enrolled
Gabriel Coleman: Enrolled
Nathan Griffin: Enrolled
Notes from Green
Enrolled without a hitch! Principal Hendricks again thanked us for our participation. Cameras are set up securely in various classrooms, in the hallways and within the inner offices. Still trying to insert one with Mr. McCoy’s office.
Further note: I’ll be taking
on an additional student to my experimental Japanese class for the school. Have the secretary prepare a dossier for a Miss Sang Sorenson.
Notes from Blackbourne
Please have the secretary send a copy of the search results of Sang Sorenson to me. Nothing further to report.
THE END
Want more?
For new release notification and exclusive Academy and C. L. Stone information sign up here: http://eepurl.com/zuIDj
Connect with C. L. Stone online
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLStoneX
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clstonex
If you enjoyed reading The Academy Introductions, I would appreciate it if you would help others enjoy this book too.
Review it: Amazon and/or Goodreads
Books by C. L. Stone
The Academy Series:
Introductions
First Days
Friends vs. Family (Coming Soon!)
Other C. L. Stone Books:
Spice God
Smoking Gun
Turn the Page for a Sneak Peek of Book Two in The Academy Series, First Days.
READ AN EXCERPT FROM THE NEXT BOOK IN THE ACADEMY SERIES
T he A cademy
First Days
Year One
Book Two
by C. L. Stone
FOLLOWING tHE LEADER
Monday morning in August in South Carolina was uncomfortably scorching. I was grateful for the shade of the front porch and the sweet coolness of the concrete on my bare legs. I stared down the mailbox, urging the postman to hurry.
It was the day before the beginning of school. I had an unusual affinity for classrooms and homework and being among other people my own age. It meant I could watch how they interacted and try to understand reality, normalcy.