“Where did you guys go?” Xile asks.
“Just walked around town to see what was there. We’re in a pretty rural section, but there are still shops, restaurants, and stuff. We talked to some people, and they said downtown Reykjavík is only a fifteen-minute drive and that’s where all the goods are.”
“That’s on our itinerary, isn’t it?” I ask. I’m finally beginning to feel the heat of the woodstove now.
“Yep. Afternoon of day three, so… tomorrow, I think,” Xile says. “I’m pretty sure today is day two.”
“That makes sense since we landed just before nine in the morning yesterday,” Corwin says.
“I’m glad yesterday wasn’t filled with activities. I was so tired,” I comment. “Imagine having to make a good impression on a couple hours’ sleep and twenty-four hours of travel.”
Corwin grunts in agreement.
“I’m going to head into the shower,” Xile says. “It’s going to take some hot water to warm me up, I think.”
“The mountain of blankets didn’t do it?” I ask while watching them dig their way out.
“Someonedidn’t want to cuddle for warmth last night,” they tease, winking at me.
I grin.
Even though we lounged around after the alarm went off, none of us seemed to have lengthy morning routines. We’re ready to go with eight minutes to spare. Though the walk to thedining room is short and the sun is out, it’s still freaking cold. I can see my breath, but this morning, I was smart and dug out my scarf too.
About half of our group is already there. It’s a buffet breakfast, so after we set our jackets on chairs, we head to grab something to eat. I fill my plate with a little of everything from every serving tray—heart-shaped waffles, eggs, mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes, a couple slices of toast, and a couple pastries. And a bowl of fruit on the side. Coach makes sure we consume plenty of fruit in our diets, so I try to keep myself in the habit of eating it whenever possible.
“You’re going to eat all that?” Wendy asks as I take my seat.
I glance at her plate. There’s not much on it. “That’s all you’re going to eat?” I counter.
She laughs.
“Athletes have like three stomachs,” Jerome says. “You should have seen what my brother ate. He plays basketball. It’s wild.”
“They work their metabolism,” Anna agrees. “From so many years of constant exercise, their bodies are programmed to burn everything more rapidly.”
“That ability needs to be bottledwithoutexercise,” Xile says as they sit beside me. “I don’t have that kind of gym stamina.”
“You just need to work at it,” I say. “Stamina is something you build.”
Those around me snicker, and I have a feeling I might have just inadvertently said something sexual. That’s what my teammates’ snickering means, anyway.
“Noted,” Xile says, giving me a grin. “There are certainly some forms of exercise that I’d be interested in to help build my stamina. Want to coach me, Brevan?”
“Oh no,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m not a trainer, but I bet if you stopped by the athletic department, one of the trainers would work with you.”
“Oh, Brevan,” Wendy murmurs.
I glance up to see her shaking her head. Her smile is kind, though, so I’m not sure what the comment was about. It makes me a little self-conscious, so I turn my attention to my food. Thankfully, the conversation switches away from me, and I’m left to my breakfast.
My attention shifts when Kendrick walks into the room. It feels like his eyes move right to mine, and he smiles, just like he did last night. My stomach flutters as I return it. He passes behind me and squeezes my shoulder.
I like his presence. His comforting touch and the warmth it brings me help me relax. Any lingering self-consciousness fades away, and I enjoy the rest of breakfast while everyone talks about today.
The shuttle from the Domes to þórðargleði University is only six minutes. I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but part of me thought we’d be pulling into a campus like Rainbow Dorset. This campus looks like… a campus. Any campus that you could pull up on the internet.
“Huh,” Xile says quietly as they watch out the window beside me.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks it’s strange.
