• I know you’re probably like,WTF? Didn’t she just post a story? But my laptop is at home, and I am gone. And I can’t remember exactly where I’m at with the other one (in the middle of a chapter). So this is my summer/with Dad story. :)
• Jay is semi-based on Ashton Ward. Just kind of in memory of. R.I.P. Ashton. You will be sorely missed.

A clawed hand came soaring towards me with scary speed, and I had only moments to swerve. From the side, I could view his outstretched arm well. Grabbing the wrist, I pulled down with all my might and managed to push him to the ground. He had fur sticking out all over his body, matted and wet. And he smelled like dirty laundry soaked in toilet water.

From the ground, he tried to swipe me, and I had to let go of him. In a blur, he was up on his feet. I threw him a carefully aimed punch, and it hit the bull’s-eye: his nose. Thick red blood was squirting everywhere and some splattered on my new shirt. My shriek of anger rose louder than his of anguish.

I jumped into the air and forced my spine to curve into a perfect back flip. With enough distance now between us, I held up my hand and felt the heat build up in it. A ball of red and orange flame was growing larger on my palm. I threw it like a baseball, and it went soaring into him beautifully. As it hit the chest, the creature went up into flames, leaving only a scattered pile of ashes on the wood floor.

Suddenly, the trees vanished. The tall oaks and colorful evergreens were gone from my sight. The dirt and grass underneath me was replaced by a squeaky linoleum floor. A dead silence replaced the deafening roar of a river in the distance that had been assaulting my brain moments before. A voice spoke behind me.

“That may very well be a new record.” I scoffed and turned to face the guy behind me, copying my time from his watch to an electronic tablet.

“Damn right. What was that, Level C?”

“Close.” He shrugged. “Level E.” My eyes automatically rolled as I wondered for the gazillionth time why the School needed us to complete every single level, A through Z. A had consisted of a rabid squirrel. It took literally three seconds (point 05) to deal with. “Your time was 40.23 secs. Beats the old record for E by 6.34 seconds.” He let the tablet drop to his side.

“Look, can’t we break the rules just once? Jay, baby, I’m dying for something that makes me break a sweat.” I batted my long eyelashes at him, hoping my vibrant green eyes would do the trick.

Jay didn’t even blink. “First, call me baby one more time, and you’re out that door. Second, you’re out that door anyway. You know the rules. One level a day, three chances to restart in one two-hour period. Same level next day if you can’t complete it. Until all the levels are done. Relax. You’ve been here a week. Slow down.”

I looked incredulously at him. “Slow down? But I’m red hot! Slowing down is, like, so not an option.”

“Goodbye, Chris.”

“But-“

“Goodbye.” His voice was as stiff as his posture this time (which meant I’d better get the hell out of there).

Reluctantly, I made my way towards three-meter high door, grabbing my bag on the way out. I pulled out my personal tablet and stylus and checked my time and schedule. God, I had almost two hours! I always finished that class super early. I might ditch as protest if I thought it would help me get a real practice in that room.

And Jay? Currently the best part of that class. He is so, so hot. He has blue eyes that see right through you, and hair always spiked into the cutest faux hawk. I’m not above saying I’ve found out where he goes when he’s outside the training room. And I try to be around.

He is ridiculously funny. Not to mention crazy sweet and talented. He even makes pottery. Pottery! A lost art that they don’t even teach at the School. I have fallen head over heels for Jay Montgomery.

Like he’d ever look twice at me. Not only is he one of three student teachers, but he is also the most respected out of anyone in the School. And I’m only a headstrong freshman. He’s way older than me. Christine Barrow has absolutely no shot with him. But that isn’t stopping me right now.

I know that Jay usually heads down to the Hang-Out if he gets out of class early. Which he always does with me. And the best part is that more than half of the School hangs out there when they’re done with classes, so it’s not suspicious that I’m there.

I’m headed for my dorm at the moment, though. I’ve got around five minutes before he even leaves the training room, and my roommate waits around for me there. Fourth is her free period.

I burst into the room, startling the girl on the far bed. “Shit, Chris. What’s the hurry?” I shrugged, failing to hide a smile. She looked at me suspiciously, but I simply went over to my mirror.

Hmm. I brushed up my eyebrows and argued over how to wear my hair. I’d had conflicting opinions on the best way. I pulled up the electronic screen on the mirror and decided to choose curly. Fiery red ringlets cascading down my back? Pretty hot.

I touched the neon green words that were glowing in front of my face, and in seconds the surface went foggy and something was sprayed on my hair. By the time I could see my refection, my straggly hair was replaced with professional glamour curls.

I exchanged my graphic tee for a graphic tube top and my sweat pants for my tighter pair of jeans. What can I say? A girl hopelessly in love goes to extremes to be noticed. “Can I borrow your lip gloss, Elle? It smells so good!”

Elle glared at me but passed me the tube of Razzle Raspberry all the same. “I know why you want to look so good.”

I froze. Jay had not yet been more than a passing subject, and I hadn’t told Elle that I loved him yet. Being here a week, I didn’t want to seem fickle. This was past fickle, way more than a mindless crush. God, I should be slapped for spouting crap like this. Still, I couldn’t deny what my heart told me. Slap! Slap!

“Jay Montgomery.” Apparently, Elle was good at body language. Or something like that. “I’m sure you’re wondering how I knew,” she said with an air of superiority. “The spark in your eyes when you talk about him. The smile when you hear his name. The way you bumped into him last week when we were walking down the hallway.” I blushed furiously. Had she really noticed that?

“Oh,” she added. “And you sleep talk.” At this, I looked at her, and we both started laughing hysterically. By the time our giggles had subsided, she was holding my hand. “It’s okay that you didn’t tell me, but now you have to gush extra, all right?”

I nodded, happy at what a great friend Elle was starting to become. “Let’s get out of here.” We laughed a bit more as the two of us attempted to extract ourselves from the heap we had fallen into, and then we left for the Hang-Out.