Power: Chapter 3

The next morning I woke up with the bell, and rolled out of bed, groaning. I hated getting up in the morning. I dressed in my Hunter’s uniform and combed my hair, braiding it up around my head.
    Just as I finished cleaning my teeth, there was a knock on my door. I opened it to reveal Alan. “Hi,” he said.
    I smiled at him. “Hey. What’s up?”
    He shrugged. “Did you finish your essay?”
    I nodded. “Yes, I finished it last night. Did you finish yours?”
    He nodded. The bell rang, making us jump. He smiled at me. “Guess we better go.”

I smiled back and walk with him down to the Great Hall for breakfast. We entered the hall and sat down at a table next to Gary and Kaitlynn and Will. Gary glared at both of us, and hissed curses at us under his breath. This lightened the mood of gloom that had been cast over Alan and I, and we laughed really hard. Kaitlynn and Will immediately wanted to know what was so funny, so Alan filled them in, making it sound more comical than it was, and embellishing on the facts a bit. Gary corrected him gruffly, and Alan denied that that was how it was.
    Grinning, I glanced around and saw James staring at us. I smiled at him, to let him know that I wasn’t angry at him anymore. He gave me a look that clearly showed that he was still angry with me, and with a trickle of dread I realized it was because Alan and I had walked down together, and we were now sitting next to each other. I bit my lip and looked away, hurt. James, who I have known since I was three years old, hated me now. I had said some hurtful things to him last night. He tried to protect me, to make sure that I was safe, and I threw it back into his face. Even though I still didn’t agree with what he said about Alan, I still think I could have been more courteous to him. Guilt clawed at my insides.
    After breakfast I hurried along to my first class; manners. Halfway through practicing the different ways of saying ‘thank you’, James came in and requested my presence. I was only too happy to get out of manners class, but felt trepidation of what James was going to talk to me about.
    He brought me to his office and motioned for me to sit. I sat in the chair facing the desk, a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. James sat in the chair behind the desk. There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before I spoke.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. You were trying to make sure that I was safe, and I threw it back into your face. I shouldn’t have done that, and I’m sorry.” I fixed my gaze on the edge of his oaken desk, stacked with papers.

There was a suffocating silence. “I’m sorry, too. Maybe I shouldn’t have been too demanding, too bossy. I was just angry and horrified to see him there last night. I still believe, however, that you shouldn’t be near or around him. I still believe that he is dangerous.”
    I took a deep breath and got ahold of my temper. “James, Alan is not a killer. He helps people. He may put on certain airs, but he is truly just a funny and sweet guy.”
    James gave me a long look. “Yet you don’t know anything about his past?”
    I hesitated. “I’m sure Alan will tell me when he’s ready.”
    James sighed and leaned back. “I can’t force you to not be friends with Alan, but I wish you wouldn’t. I am no longer angry with you.”
    I sagged with relief. “Thank you, James.”