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6
Harper
The classroom goes silent the second I walk inside. Everyone looks at me. I stand there frozen in place while I take in the looks of concern on the familiar faces.
Sadie gets up from her chair and walks over to me. “You okay?”
Her words force me to focus on her and I make myself smile. “Yeah, fine.”
“Yes, yes,” Adrian says. “Lots of excitement. The boards are starting over. So now all of you start over. And you have the added competition of the new first semester students.”
“What?” I turn to Sadie. “Is that a concern?”
She shrugs. “Once or twice a first semester student has won the pass. I mean, look at you and Liam. One of you nearly won.”
“But the third semester kids graduated,” Jule adds.
“Thanks,” I say to her as I take a seat.
“Don’t think that made it any easier,” Adrian says. “The third semester students who are still here usually have no interest in winning the pass. It’s first and second semester who are the hungriest. And second semester is the most difficult.”
“Of course it is,” I say under my breath.
Adrian gives me a look then turns away from me. “Last semester we worked on your skills and trained for the final exam. This semester, you’re going to have to up the ante.”
“More magic,” I say, without thinking.
“Yes,” Sadie says. “We have to use lots of magic.”
“You do,” Adrian agrees. “But it won’t be enough to practice spells this semester. The thing they don’t tell you is that it’s harder to earn those points for the board every semester you’re here. That’s why third semester students almost never win the pass.”
“Who cares,” Kyle says. “None of us have a shot at that pass anyway.”
“Harper does,” Macy says.
“Only if she kills someone again,” Kyle says.
The room is quiet again and a weight sits in my gut. I’m never going to forgive myself for what I did.
“There has to be other ways,” Sadie says. “Besides, Harper wouldn’t do that again.”
“I wouldn’t,” I say. “I refuse to use that power.”
“We all saw what that did for you,” Kyle says. “I’m not holding it against you, but without that, you’re no better than the rest of us.”
“He might be right,” Jule says. “I want to see you get the pass but how often does it go to a non-demon? You might be better off just enjoying your time here.”
I give her a weak smile. Sadie and Adrian are the only people in this room who know why I need that pass.
“So if the pass isn’t important, we’ve got a whole semester to work on whatever skills you think you’ll need when you get out of here,” Adrian says to the class.
My classmates all talk at once and I zone out while Adrian listens to them. I need that pass and he knows it. He also likely knows that Kyle is right. It was the same thing Professor Lee told me. Using heaven’s light is my best option. Unless there’s something else. Professor Lee seemed to think Adrian was holding out on me.
She also seemed to think I was closer with him than a usual student teacher relationship.Fuck.Are there any secrets in this school?
My cheeks heat as I think about what I just did with Liam. I had a feeling that would be out by the end of the day.
I am not starting out well this semester.
