Gift Academy (Book One in the Gifted Series)

Chapter Twenty Three

Hailey

Oh. My god.

Out of all the people I thought I'd be making out with after my best friends' funeral, my other best friend was not one of them.

Let me explain.

Claire and I were in our dorms when we heard to doors opening and closing. We went to check it out and found out that Fay and Flora have just arrived from somewhere. Knowing that Fay wouldn't want to talk about it, Claire and I went to ask Flora, and she told us everything; about the vision Fay had and the Extra, Mariah Smith, attempting to sneak into Gift Academy and get revenge on Fay for killing Ethan, who was apparently her boyfriend.

When Flora was done explaining, Claire and I headed back to our dorms. I felt so bad for Fay. She just battled the girl who murdered her best friend right in front of her eyes and watched her get saved by her other best friend. I was pretty upset, and Claire really helped. And I mean she really helped. She kisses me and confessed that she liked me. Of course, because I like her back, I confessed to her as well. That probably made her whole. Day, which kind of made mine as well.

Now I'm lying in bed, replaying that one moment where Claire kissed me over and over again. We were standing in the middle of the living room, completely unsure of what to do next. Then Claire suddenly leaned in and kissed me, and it was honestly the best feeling ever. I kissed back, of course, and we confessed to each other after that.

I start to wonder what Claire and I will do after the war is over. Maybe grow up together, get married, adopt some kids.

Okay, I'm kind of crossing line, aren't I?

I shake these thoughts out of my head and focus on trying to go to sleep for a change, but the more I struggle to fall asleep, the more my pillow feels like a rock. Soon enough my blanket feels less like something that's supposed to warm you up and more like a bonfire has been lit right below me.

I give up on trying to fall asleep and sit up in bed, throwing the blanket off of me. For the rest of the night I scroll through social media on my phone, read a good book I've been waiting to read for a long time, and overall have a pretty good 'me time' despite all that's been happening today.

I eventually drift off to sleep, my favorite book piled on top of me, the light still on, and the door closed. A dreamless, peaceful sleep.

For once.

Gina

This is not how I expected things to happen between Austin and I.

After that one kiss during the battle at Extra Academy, we've actually grown farther apart. We barely make eye contact with each other anymore, much less talk to each other. The feelings I had for him before have just washed away, like it was all just a simple crush. And I have a strong feeling that that was all it was. A small crush on my friend. That happens all the time. Right?

It's been two days since Veronicas funeral, two days since we talked to each other. The only thing we really talked about was how much of a great friend Veronica was, and we only spoke in groups of three or more, never directly to each other, which is just sad, honestly. I'm now deciding to apologize for the kiss back at Extra Academy. Neither of us were thinking straight, we were in the middle of a battle. I was probably just daydreaming that Austin was a celebrity I had a crush on when I was younger before I kissed him.

I sigh and head down to the library, where Nick told me Austin would be. And he was right. I spot Austin quietly reading a book in the back of the library, his eyes seeming to just skim the page, but I know he's actually reading. He may be loud and reckless, but actually really like reading, and is a very fast one, may I add.

I slowly walk up to him, unsure of what my first words to him should be.

"Hey," I call out to him. He looks up at me and smiles warmly as if we hadn't been ignoring each other for the past two weeks.

"Hey. What's up?" He asks me, putting a bookmark in the page he was reading and setting his book down on the table he's sitting at. I take a seat across from him, hoping he doesn't think this is too awkward. I cut straight to the point.

"Look, Austin, I just wanted to apologize for what I did at Extra Academy. You know, kissing you. I wasn't thinking straight, and I know you weren't, either. So please forgive me," I quickly explain to Austin, hoping he caught all that. He just shakes his head, chuckling. What's so funny about all this?

"It's fine, Gina. Besides, I only see you as a friend, as well. I wasn't thinking straight, either, and we're just friends. Right?" He asks me. I mutely nod my head and he grins cheekily as if he's about to tell a stupid, cheesy joke. If he does, I'm going to slap him. Austin shrugs his shoulders.

"Besides, I like Fay anyways," he freezes up when he says that and slaps his hand over his mouth like he didn't mean to say that. I'm stunned as well. He likes Fay?

"You like Fay?" I ask him. He violently shakes his head, but I know he's lying. A huge grin spreads across my face. "You like Fay!" I make sure to whisper-shout that last part. I mean we are in a library after all.

"Oh, I mean I wouldn't want Austin's feelings for Fay to get around school

"Okay, yes I do. And I will ask her out, but only after this war is over and everything is okay again. I don't want to push her into freaking insanity or something," he mutters the last part, causing me to chuckle.

"So...we're good?" I ask him, secretly crossing my fingers under the table. Austin grins again.

"We're good."

After that, everything between Austin and I are completely back to normal. We're talking and joking around with each other all over again. Everything seems to be going fine. Until two weeks after our conversation in the library.

Mariah Smith claimed that she wants to help the Gifted, and she's been doing a pretty good job of it. Teaching the Gifted how to use their powers, helping students with their studies and homework, and overall being a model student here. She hasn't been officially enrolled into Gift Academy yet, but she will soon. Until then, she has to prove that she's worthy of being part of this school. When finding a new dorm room, she was almost put together with Fay, but they both complained and argued about, so she just got put with someone else, who also has the gift of fire.

I make my way to History of Gift Academy with Mr. Hernandez with Austin and Claire when Hailey crashes into us with a look of disbelief and freight on her face like a madwoman.

She stutters to say something, but she eventually finds the words for it.

"Th-They're here!" She exclaims, loud enough for everyone hear. Everyone in the hallway turn to look at her, all confused and puzzled.

"Who's here?" Austin asks Hailey, putting one of his hands on her shoulder to calm her down. She takes one final breath before answering the question. The answer that sends everyone into a panic.

"The Extras!"