Hawthorn Academy- Year Two by D R Perry

Author:D R Perry [Perry, D R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781649710222
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2020-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Five

After breakfast on Sunday, all the Hawthorn students lined the walkway leading from the foyer door to the seating in front of the podium. We waited, watching as students from the Messing and Gallows Hill schools filed past.

The Messing kids kept to themselves, walking with their heads either down or turned toward each other. They didn't fall into a single-file line, but their red-accented gray uniforms gave that impression.

The one exception was Izzy, who kept her head up and locked gazes with everyone she knew from Hawthorn. A freckled redheaded boy walked near her, staring straight ahead. His hazel eyes seemed to look at everything and nothing at the same time, a Mona Lisa smile giving the impression that he knew more than he should about our school. The rest of the psychics reminded me of autumn rain pattering against a bedroom window—uniform, gray, and relentless.

The Gallows Hill students came through the door behind them, their attitude and behavior a night-and-day difference. They were raucous, loud, and vital, like confetti and bullhorns, with one exception.

Brianna Collins brought up the rear, her hands clasped in front of her so tightly her knuckles looked like sun-bleached driftwood. I gave her my best smile, hoping to ease the anxiety I knew she always felt in large crowds. She didn't return the smile but she straightened, walking with more confidence after that.

Cadence glanced over her shoulder, blinking at me and tilting her head in Brianna's direction. I wasn't sure what that meant but figured the mermaid would tell me later.

As instructed, all the Hawthorn students waited for the others to take their assigned seats before choosing our own. It was the first time I ended up closer to the rear for a formal announcement here. I didn't much like it because it wasn't easy to focus on the headmaster's speech. Fortunately, most of it was stuff I already knew about campus.

Headmaster Hawkins tapped the lectern and the magipsychic screen lit up, displaying a map of campus. He pointed out the locations of the cafeteria, the academic wing, including classrooms reopened for guests to use and the infirmary, then moved on to announce that the Gallows Hill students had accommodations on the fourth floor, with Messing's on the fifth.

He introduced the professors and coaches on our faculty, then moved on to the visiting staff from the other schools. Each contingent had an administrator, an academic instructor, an athletic coach, and an artistic mentor. Messing also brought a nurse. When he introduced the administrator from Gallows Hill, his voice cracked.

"It's my mom." Hal murmured from behind me.

"Are you okay?" I didn't dare turn around in my seat but had to ask.

"Yeah. She's here practically by herself, and I've got all my friends with me."

"If she messes with you, give the word, and she's TKO." Faith's voice carried genuine menace, and I could hardly blame her.

After that, we quieted down because Headmaster Hawkins changed the magipsychic display to show us a list of all the extramural competitions running until late next spring.

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