“The observation tower and attached stone building are off limits to all students, and—” The smiling guide cut herself off, and Hailey craned her neck to see why.
Standing at the base of the observatory tower with his hands in his pockets, Asher watched the group of freshmen with great interest.
“We’re moving on,” the guide said urgently. “Quickly, now. Chop-chop, everyone.”
“Who was that?” one student whispered as they followed Jaycen at a near run.
“That’s Asher,” said another secretly. “He’s the head honcho. He’s like the president of the school or something.”
“More like a tyrant,” chimed another. “And I heard he’s got a nasty temper—”
“Shhhh!” hissed yet another as he jabbed his head at Hailey, and he wasn’t even trying to be discreet.
Looking hopefully in Asher’s direction, Hailey lingered behind and tried to catch his eye, but to her dismay, he ignored her, fixing his stare on Jaycen as she all but sprinted from the observatory.
Hailey bowed her head and chop-chopped away with the rest of the freshmen, trying not to feel wounded.
“On your left is the library—”
Finally.
“—which will reopen at oh-eight-hundred this Monday—”
Rats.
“—in time for the start of semester. Entry into the library is tightly controlled by the librarian, Mrs. Spitz. You must ask for her permission prior to setting foot in the stacks. Once she lets you in, you may access the library any time, day or night. If you have trouble gaining Mrs. Spitz’s favor, try bringing her a new book—oh, and avoid mentioning sharp objects around her.”
Jaycen led them back out to the Bowl and pulled Hailey aside.
“All y’all can go and check your mail and buy your books. Buh-bye, now,” she called as she held tight to Hailey’s gooey sleeve.
“Listen, Hailey,” Jaycen said, looking grave—almost frightened. “I sure didn’t mean for you to get hurt with that in-between. You know that, right?” She looked pleadingly into Hailey’s eyes. “I’ll take you shopping for new clothes—I mean, as long as it’s alright with The Benevolent.” Now she was trembling.
“Jaycen,” Hailey said, peeling her hand from her sleeve. “It’s not your fault that I jumped into a jelly mold.”
Jaycen’s lip trembled.
“Is it?” Hailey asked. “Is it your fault I jumped into that thing?”
“I’m so sorry,” Jaycen said, and her eyes ran over. “It was supposed to be a benign in-between, only made to look dangerous. I had no idea it was a vacuum-glaze with tunneling earworms.”
“A what?”
“A killer—and the worst kind,” she said, wiping her face. “A vacuum-glaze sucks the air out of you and traps you like a spider’s web so you can’t do a flail-beat.” Sniffling loudly, she straightened up a bit. “Maybe since I pulled the earworm out of your head, The Benevolent won’t shred me,” she whimpered.
Jaycen threw a glance toward the ParaScience leaf. “Well, I’ll come find you later to take you shopping in town, okay?” she said with a voice full of hope, and Hailey nodded uncertainly.
“Alright. Thanks, Jaycen.”
“Don’t thank me, Hailey.” She lingered for a moment, wearing a haunted expression, and then she scurried away. Watching her until she disappeared behind a building, Hailey swallowed hard then headed for the mail room with an upset stomach.
Instead of her class schedule, Hailey found inside her mailbox a folded note.
How was she supposed to buy her books if she didn’t know which classes she had? Fin was going to get her schedule donenow, and Hailey stormed out of the mail room, across the square, and up the stairs of Eureka Dorm to tell him so. She couldn’t believe it! He had plenty of time to entertain the beautiful LOED girl, but he couldn’t take five minutes to scribble out her schedule…?
After taking the stairs two at a time, Hailey still had a head full of steam and pounded on Fin’s door with the side of her fist.
“Enter,” he called, but Hailey pounded again, insisting he answer the door like a gentleman.
