Eventually Andre turned the boat around and we docked. I ran ahead of him to the car and asked the driver to crank up the heat, where I sat—blanket and all—and allowed myself to defrost.
Andre got into the car a little while later, brooding. I guess most of his dates usually played out better than this. I bet he even thought I’d stay the night in the boat’s little cabin with him. Ha!
“James, take us back to Gabrielle’s home.”
We sat there in tense silence before he finally spoke. “So I guess that didn’t go as planned.”
“I think you owe the library money for the doors.”
“It’s already taken care of,” he said.
I took that in. “That was quick. I guess. Whatever.”
And those were the last words I spoke to Andre. I thanked the driver for the ride when he pulled up to my place. Grabbing my book bag, I scrammed. It was only as I entered my dorm room that I realized I still clutched Andre’s blanket to my chest.
***
“I am so sorry,” Leanne said before I could even shut the door behind me. “He was really scary. And he intimidated me. Kind of.”
I sighed. I now knew and had seen enough about Andre to understand that Leanne didn’t have much choice. The guy was pretty efficient at getting what he wanted.
“Don’t sweat it.” I walked over to my bed and dropped my stuff down next to it.
“I’m just glad you’re okay. I heard about the library. Someone filmed it and posted it on the Internet.”
I put my head in my hand. This couldn’t be happening.
“Oh my Lord, is that who I think it is?” Oliver called from the doorway. “How was your date? I saw the video. So hot. I bet he was so hard to resist.”
I turned, letting him take in my blue lips and unpleasant expression. “Andre is a prick.”
“Honey, what happened?”
I curled up on my bed and recounted my date to both of them, beginning with the library and ending with the awkward drive home.
Oliver fondly patted my knee. “He was definitely after your virgin treasure.”
Leanne nodded. “You dodged a bullet. Anything with Andre tends to end badly.”
I figured that, of course. But in spite of the terrible date, and Andre’s questionable motives, later that night, I fell asleep clutching his blanket and breathing in the ocean and him.
Chapter 5
At 6:00 p.m. the next evening, Oliver, Leanne, and I, along with the rest of the new juniors, gathered on the grass outside Peel Castle.
Tables and chairs dotted the lawn between the dorms, and candles glowed from each table’s centerpiece. All set up in preparation for our Awakening.
An older woman ushered the three of us to a table. Immediately after sitting, my foot began to jiggle. Curious by nature, I couldn’t tell if I was more nervous or excited for the evening’s events.
Fifteen minutes later, the murmuring of anxious voices quieted as an older gentleman walked up to a makeshift podium on the far side of the lawn. He tapped the microphone a few times, and then his voice boomed over loudspeakers.
“Good evening.” He had everyone’s attention. “For those of you who do not know, I am Archibald Hazard. Welcome to Peel.
“You are here because each and every one of you is intensely exceptional.” His eyes moved over the crowd. “You have come from all over the world. Some of you are in the entertainment industry. Others have competed in the Olympics or made critical advances in science. And a few of you have been touched by great tragedy.” His eyes briefly rested on mine.
“But all of you are truly exceptional for a different reason. I’m sure at some point in your lives people thought of you as strange. Abnormal.”
His words struck a chord.
“Perhaps it was an ability to foretell events. Perhaps it was extraordinary strength or unusual beauty. Perhaps it was a powerful love of the forest, or a bone-chilling fear of fire.
“These are your birthrights. You are the result of generations of magic passed down across millennia. Tonight we will give you the opportunity to finally embrace your heritage. Tonight, we welcome you into our community and recognize you as a member.
“However, during this time of excitement, it is important to remember that you were chosen because we saw true and honorable characteristics in each of you. Empathy. Fairness. Sacrifice. Not all people born with your gifts are allowed to Awaken them.”
Leanne leaned in to me. “Then how was Doris not screened out?” she whispered. I bit back a laugh.
“Many of you come from schools where breathing incorrectly earns you a detention. You will not find that to be the case here. In the supernatural world, sixteen has always been the age of adulthood. The members of Peel Academy uphold this long-standing tradition and recognize your autonomy and maturity. As a reflection of that, we expect you to make wise choices as the young adults you are.”
I was considered an adult? The thought of legal freedom, which I hadn’t thought would come around for another two years, was intoxicating.