Electracademy

Chapter 28

  I spent the next week training hard, in classes and with Professor McKinley. Come Saturday, I had my mental barrier up constant.
 
I walk behind Isa, struggling to keep up with her excited pace. Alice walks beside Isa, her long legs easily keeping up. Isa pushes open the doors of the visitor parlor, the same place where we met Vandailia's father. Memories of that visit come up as I enter the room. I frown a little as I think of Vandailia.
 
Alice takes a seat in a big armchair, while Isa and me sit on an overstuffed couch. The couch is patterned in many small flowers and paisleys. Isa's boot taps the floor repeatedly as we wait.
 
"Okay," Alice says, shooting Isa a look. "I know you're excited and all, but the tapping is getting on my nerves."
 
"Sorry." Isa mutters. Shortly afterward, her foot resumes tapping.
  
Alice is about to make another comment when the door flies open. "Isie!" A little boy in a soccer t-shirt yells running to Isa. He has the same full Irish accent. By the time he has reached her, Isa is up off the couch. She picks him up and swings him around. He giggles as she swings him through the air.
 
Isa finally puts him down in the ground. "Wow, Noah! You've grown so much!" She says, ruffling his red hair.
 
Just then, the door opens to admit in two adults, who I can only assume is Isa's parents. The family all has the same red hair and emerald green eyes, except for Noah who has hazel eyes. Isa goes to hug her parents. "You didn't have to come all the way here to visit me."
 
"Well," Her mother says with a matching accent. "Noah's league has an Electra soccer tournament in the states, so we figured we would stop by."
 
Isa turns to look at her brother smiling brightly. "You're going to the tournament?!"
 
"Yeah!" Noah says,beaming with pride. "Coach says I am doing real great!"
 
That's when her parents notice us sitting back there. "Hello." They say,waving to us. Isa's father comes toward us. "I know I have met you before..." He says, pointing to Alice, who is sprawled on an armchair. She simply raises a hand in greeting.
 
"But I don't think I've met you." He says, turning to me. "I'm Isa's father. You can call me Conor."
 
I shake his hand. "I'm Carly, Isa's roomate. I came here a few months ago."
 
Noah tugs on the edge of Isa's leggings. "Why is her mind funny?"
 
Isa kneels down to face him. "She trained hard like that. See, she's a Mentis too."
 
I smile a little and close my eyes. I carefully take down my mental wall. Without it, I feel a little insecure after having it up for almost a whole day. Strange how, I've only had it up a while and I've already gotten used to it. Is this how Zeithman feels all the time?
 
Once my mental wall is down, I think a message to Noah. See, Noah? I can control it.
  
The boy giggles as he hears my message. Isa looks at me with a smile. She nods once in approval. I slowly slide the wall back into place. I feel safe again once it is up.
 
Conor gives me a questioning look. "What type of Mentis are you?"
 
I take a deep breath. "It's hard to explain. It's a sort of mind control. Verbally or mentally."
 
Isa's mother speaks up. "I believe I have heard of an Electra like this. It isn't proven is it?"

  I shrug. "It is now."

 
"Well, that was confusing." Alice says to us, walking to breakfast. 
Isa and me look at her. "No it wasn't." We say in unison.
 
Alice scoffs. "It was for me." She points to her head. "I have a normal brain."
 
Isa rolls her eyes. "I don't see why that would be confusing still."

Alice shakes her head, her brown hair falling around her face. "Forget it, let's just get some breakfast."