Zodiac Academy

21. Friends

  The academy didn't look any different from when we had left it. Well, that wasn't true. It was drier than before. But nothing changed otherwise.

  Students were scrambling to reach their next classes, the lazy students were slowly making their way behind the others, and, to add to the normal routine, the bell rang. It was just any other day.

  I felt stupid for wishing they would at least show in some way that they had just lost a few fellow students. Did they not care at all? Were they told to just forget the students that were kidnapped and kicked out?

  I couldn't imagine being this placid if Jenny had gone away. I might have done anything in my power to rescue her. If she had been kicked out then try to visit her sometime. I wouldn't be able to live without seeing her now that I actually got to know her a little bit.

  Jaxson pulled me to a stop. "When we go in there... they probably won't be nice. They might think you have turned to the rebels' cause."

  "What makes you think I won't tell them you have become a traitor?" I crossed my arms.

  He shrugged. "Go ahead. I trust you."

  "You trust me? To tell on you?"

  He ignored me and walked farther on the campus grounds. I wondered where he was headed first. He didn't seem particularly happy to be back, but I was. This was my home. This is where all of my memories have been.

  The first place I would want to go is to class. Jenny would be there. I suppose Cho would be as well. He had seen me get captured just as Jenny had. Was he worrying about me? Now I feel kinda bad that I had only been worried about Jenny. But Cho had just started being nice to me.

  I pushed aside my thoughts and focused on following Jaxson. He might have wanted me to branch off from him, but the best option for me was to follow him. He could be headed to the Zodiacs, his brother, or the Club. Wherever he was going, I was going as well.

  He may think it's because I can't think for myself, but I beg to differ. I like to believe I was following him because he might be headed anywhere I would have gone anyway. Not because my body just wanted to go into autopilot and follow him around.

  Jaxson stopped walking and stared at me blankly. "Why are you following me?"

  I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Get telepathy already, smart guy." Walking past him, I tried to figure out where he had been headed.

  In front of us was the Zodiacs building. So he was going to announce our arrival?

  "Oi, Aqua, don't go in there yet."

  I turned around. "Why not?"

  He gestured for me to come back. I did as requested. "If we go in there first thing, we won't be able to have any contact with anybody but the Zodiacs for the rest of the day. If you want to see your friends, go find them first."

  "How do you know that?" How did he know anything having to do with the Zodiacs? We were barely taught anything specifically about what the Zodiacs do outside of their responsibilities. We were expected to learn those once we graduated.

  "Just take my word for it. Let's go find your friends."

  "My friends? What about your own?"

  "I don't have very many people here that I connected with." He shrugged. "Nobody wanted to be friends with Leo's shadow. Char is really the only friend I have."

  I nodded slowly. "Char is cool. You know, besides the fact that he tried to murder me last time we spoke."

  Jaxson laughed. It was genuine and deep. I missed hearing him doing something other than scoff at me. Laughing at Gavin did not count. "He wasn't trying to murder you," he laughed.