Gift Academy (Book One in the Gifted Series)

Chapter Seven

Fay

I keep glancing at the clock, anxiously waiting for 6:55 to arrive.

6:45

6:46

6:47

6:48

I sigh and give up on glancing at the clock. That just makes time go by slower.

Austin appears next to me with a warm, dry towel and hands it to me.

"Thanks," I thank him, and we make eye contact, gazing at each other for a bit until Flora yelps.

"What- " She yells, then turns to me. There's a thick green vine entangling her leg. I start to grin widely and point my palm out at the vine. I easily untangle it from her leg and playfully slap her arm with it. She laughs and slaps it away.

I laugh and make the vine disappear out of thin air. God, I love these Gifts!

"Looks like someone has nature," Gina points out. I smile proudly. I got my mom's Gift. I couldn't be happier than I am right now.

"And I got water," Flora adds in. "That's a perfect match."

"Yeah, and since I have light, we're even better roommates than before!" Veronica exclaims, clasping her hands together and jumping up and down. I chuckle as she tries to calm herself.

"And I have earth. That's perfect," Claire tells Flora. Veronica suddenly frowns (which looks extremely unnatural on her).

"Wait, if Fay is Gifted with nature, how is she supposed to go out with Austin? He's Gifted with fire!" Veronica whines playfully. I blush madly, and I can see Austin is, too, out of the corner of my eye as everyone else laughs.

"You're funny, V, really," I tell her sarcastically. She chuckles and walks to the kitchen. I sigh and look down at my hands.

"Dad was right," Flora tells me after everyone is talking away in small groups. I nod my head.

"Yeah, he was," I reply. And I'm glad he was. I want nature. I catch a glimpse of Flora looking at me with a mixture of envy and jealousy on her face. Apparently, she wanted nature as well. I can't blame her. Mom has nature, and Flora wants to be just like her. And now she can't.

"Alright!" Veronica shouts, shaking me out of my thoughts about Flora. She walks out of the kitchen holding a small homemade birthday cake in her hands. I smile at her.

"You didn't have to," I point out. She shrugs her shoulders.

"But I did," She replies, placing the cake on the dining table. They sing happy birthday to Flora and I, we cut the cake and enjoy it, chatting and laughing the night away.

Before I know it, it's 11 PM, and everyone's leaving the dorm.

"Goodnight guys!" Veronica yells to everyone. Flora and Claire are the last ones to leave.

"Presents are on the table. You want to grab your presents before leaving, Flora?" Veronica asks Flora. Flora hesitates before nodding her head. We both make our way to the table separating my presents from hers.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then?" Flora asks me. I nod my head, grinning from ear to ear. She smiles back and heads out the door, her presents in her hands, with Claire helping her.

"Today was so fun!" Veronica twirls in a circle, a happy smile on her face.

"Yeah, it was. Thanks so much for this, V," I thank her again, and her face once again lights up at that nickname.