“As I got better,” Lincoln added. “I was able to completely jump a person and they never even knew I was there.”
“Did you know when Blake accidentally jumped you?” Troy asked, giving me a knowing smile.
I barely refrained from grinding my teeth, knowing precisely what he was referring to. “Troy,” I said in a voice of warning.
Lincoln looked over at me with a smirk. “I knew she was there the whole time.”
I groaned and put my head on the table.
“Did I miss something earlier?” Jaxson asked as we entered the class.
Since our previous classroom was nearly destroyed, they moved us down two floors. The new environment was almost three times the size of our last room. I assumed they designed it with growth in mind. It looked more like a high tech office than a school room.
Pristine white tables in four rows lined the middle of the room. Comfortable black chairs were arranged so that they were facing the opposite work center. Computer monitors were on each workspace, complete with planter boxes filled with plants. They even added cherry red couches along the walls. White cubicles, with books sporadically placed, were arranged around the room against the royal blue and bright yellow painted-in squares on the wall.
In the back of the room was a glass-enclosed area. The glass door had the words Study Room painted on the door. Inside that area, there was a boardroom-like table with red chairs surrounding it and black couches along its walls.
I really liked the new area. It didn’t feel like a classroom. It felt like an office space that encouraged deep thinking. I really enjoyed the vibes in the room—inane, I know.
“What do you mean?” I asked as I logged onto my computer.
“I feel like you didn’t tell us everything about your first jump,” Jaxson stated as he took the seat next to mine.
“It had to have been pretty bad,” Kade said with a wicked grin as he took a seat across from me.
“Not talking about it,” I stated resolutely.
Kade laughed at me, and I gave him a mock glare.
“I’ll find out,” Jaxson stated with a grin.
“Find out what?” Rachel asked taking the seat beside Kade.
“Blake has a secret,” Kade informed her offhandedly.
“Oooh is it a good one?” Rachel asked expectantly as she rubbed her hands together. “How are you feeling, Blake?”
I looked up at her and knew exactly what she was probing for. I wavered for a moment between the truth and avoiding the question. She was one of my closest friends. She had the right to know.
“Great,” I said before producing a small ball of flames.
She squealed, happily clapping her hands.
“Blake Thomas,” Mr. Bates gently reprimanded as he exited the study room. “Remember no practicing of gifts during class.”
I heard groaning and looked up to see Ben, Mike, Taylor, and Rick coming into the room.
“I thought we were coming to a cool school,” Mike groaned.
“Don’t lie,” Ben teased as he walked into the room. “You were just hoping to get away with more crap than you did at Knightstown.”
“I take it you’re Mike then?” Mr. Bates stated as he peered at Mike over his glasses.
Taylor guffawed. “Your reputation proceeds you!”
“I received all your transcripts the other day,” Mr. Bates told them. “Just because this isn’t an environment you are accustomed to doesn’t mean it’s any easier. Isn’t that right, Mr. Bell?”
Jaxson had been busy producing an illusion of a parrot that bore an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Bates. He even had the same spectacles and green vest on. The parrot had been bobbing its head up and down as it walked back and forth on the table closest to the door.