He cocked an eyebrow. “Why would you visit the chapels? What’s gotten into you? Religion?” It was such a stupid joke that he didn’t even laugh at it. “They’re right outside. For convenience, I had them displayed at the entrance of each classroom, each professor’s office, at the entrance of the library, and the dining hall. I also had the scoreboards from the chapels taken down, by the way. Now you can all see your worth scores on the boards I had installed right next to the Academy rules.” He smiled in satisfaction. “You’re welcome. You have everything you need in one place, all over the place. Wherever you look, there they are: rules, worth points. Such a relief to always know where you stand, am I right?”
I blinked. Okay… Well, this couldn’t be that bad. I, for one, had always hated that I had to go all the way to one of the chapels to check my worth score. It had been Headmaster Colin’s way to make the students visit God or Satan once in a while. Unlike Morningstar, he did believe religion had a role to play in our lives. I’d gotten close to Francis that way, but now, thinking back to what I’d discovered about him and the god he worshipped, maybe it would’ve been better if Francis and I had never become friends.
Speaking of Francis… I looked around and spotted him a few tables away. He was looking at me intently. There was a hint of sadness in his mossy green eyes that I couldn’t explain.
“And where you stand now, daughter,” Valentine snapped his fingers before my eyes to regain my attention, “Is 50 points less than where you
stood a minute ago.”
“What?!” I jumped to my feet, the plastic chair rattling as I pushed it away. “You can’t do that!”
“Yes, I can. Read the rules, Mila. They apply to you, too.”
“Listen to me,” I hissed in his face. Or tried to. He was so tall that I had to lift myself on my toes to make an impression. “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t date. GC, Pazuzu, and I are a thing. Deal with it.”
He smirked. “But you are mistaken, Mila. This isn’t personal. I realize that you’re not going to stop seeing them just because I don’t agree to your union, or whatever this is. As much as it pains me to know that my wishes mean nothing to my own daughter, I have made my peace with it.”
“Then why are you taking my points?”
“Read the rules, Mila.” He motioned toward our table. “Students are not allowed to gather in groups. Three is a group.”
I swallowed hard. No, this couldn’t be. Ridiculous! Students weren’t allowed to gather in groups?! What sort of fascist regime was this?
“No,” I said.
“Sorry?”
“No, I’m not leaving this table. I don’t care about your stupid rules. From now on, I will sit with my boyfriends whenever I please. Because you said you’ve made your peace with it.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he was dealing with a stubborn creature and losing his patience.
“If you insist on dating these losers, then at least have the decency to go out with one at a time. A group is a group, and the three of you are forming one right now.” He turned to Paz. “50 points from you, Mr. Eremus.” He pointed at GC. “And 50 points from you, too. Rules are rules.”
“What the…” I could barely contain myself. Corri flew up on my shoulder and put her tiny hand behind my ear. I gulped and tried to calm down. My breathing was erratic, and I felt like I was getting lightheaded. “Fine.” I grabbed my food, slammed it back on my table, but didn’t sit down. I marched out of the dining hall and looked for the scoreboard and Valentine’s stupid rules.
There they were. On the wall next to the dining hall door. Everyone’s worth points had been reset to the 100 default at the beginning of the year, but Paz, GC, and I were 50 points down now.
“Shit.”
“You father is not joking around.” Corri had flown off my shoulder and was now flapping her wings like mad, making that buzzing noise I hated so much. She was keeping herself in the air, parallel to the set of rules printed and posted next to the scoreboard.
“Let me see.” I pushed her to the side, and she protested with a tiny screech.
Grim Reaper Academy
Rules to Abide By
1. Curfew is from 8 PM to 7 AM. 20 worth points will be taken from all students caught outside of their rooms during this time.
2. All parties and celebrations are forbidden.
3. Students will not gather in groups of three or more. 50 worth points will be taken from all students forming a group.
4. Students are not allowed to visit other students’ dorm-rooms. 50 worth points will be taken from both the host and the guests.
5. Students must ask for a permission slip from the Headmaster to visit Salem.
6. Proper dress and decorum will be maintained at all times.