Manifesting | kotlc

- chapter - four -

"Hey, how was school today? Anything interesting happen?" 

I smiled at my mom who stood in the doorway outside my room. "No," I lied. "I'm just trying to finish off my homework now." I held up my notebook but only quick enough for her to see writing. In reality I was writing down a list of questions to ask Marella Redek once we started our first training session. We continued a light banter until she went downstairs to start on dinner. My parents were both the best known chefs in the lost cities, so I was always excited for whatever she'd make. 

I was in the middle of finishing off a list of almost thirty questions for Marella when Blythe arrived outside my house. "Nova!" my mother shouted. "Your friend is here!"

I cringed at the title she gave Blythe as I quickly ran downstairs. "What's up?" I asked her, confused why she was at my house. We never made plans to hang out. 

"What's up? Don't you what's up, me, sister," she responded, narrowing her eyes. "Where were you today?" 

I glanced at my mom, who was pretending not to listen in on our conversation by busying herself around, and pulled Blythe upstairs to my room. Once we reached there she crossed her arms and angrily tapped her foot, a trait I realized she received from her mom. Whenever I went over and Blythe did something to make her mom mad, her mother reacted in the same manner. It made me nervous, more than anything. "I bumped into Eamon a little too hard and had to go to Elwin's office," I lied. 

She raised an eyebrow. "Eamon? What were you doing with him? I thought you hate the guy's guts."

"I do," I told her truthfully. "I ran into him when he was going the opposite direction to lunch detention." At least that part wasn't a lie. "Well, we ran into each other. Both of us weren't paying attention and body slammed." 

"Are you alright?" she asked, concern in her voice. 

I felt bad for lying, but I'd made a promise with myself not to tell anyone. If I needed to speak about it, I knew that Sophie Foster was only an imparter away. That thought slightly scared me, knowing that only this morning I wasn't a big fan of the woman. Now one of her best friends would be my mentor for my ability. It felt weird thinking that I had an ability now. Talentless parents don't normally produce talented kids. 

"I'm okay," I told her. Physically, at least, I wasn't lying. Mentally, I was a bit out there. "Both of us hit our heads so we got to sit there during lunch and then I practically got excused from heavy work in my next class and was able to get out of study hall." I went home straight after study hall, and due to the fact I got home before them everyday anyways, it came as no surprise to my mom when she walked in and I was already there. If anything, she was probably surprised I didn't show up at the restaurant to help like I'd usually try and do. 

"Lucky," she replied. "Today was so boring without you, though. You did miss Serena take a dare from Mika during study hall that led to them both having lunch detention for the week and Serena had to stay after with Elwin before going home." She launched into a long story explaining what Serena, the daughter of Biana and Dex Dizznee, was told to do by Mika Vacker, the son of Linh and Fitz Vacker. 

Blythe's cousins always seemed to make a scene, and it surprised me that she came from such a rowdy group considering how mellow she was. It probably had to do with the fact she was the only one with at least one parent that wasn't too associated with Sophie Foster and her childhood, and it was known that Tam Song was a man of few words. 

"When I got home my mom said that Aunt Linh got super angry and now Mika is grounded for probably his entire life," Blythe finished off the story. 

I smiled at her enthusiasm. "Wow, that's a lot. How did they only get one week each?"

"Because they're Master Leto's favorites," she replied simply. "They always get off so easy. I can imagine I would too if I did anything myself. I just believe it's super unfair that just because of our parents we're all given special treatment." She sighed.