The Path of an Elite

The next morning Arlet was woken up by the rays of sun shining right into her eyes as she expected. But what she didn't expect to see as the mass of blonde hair stringing down in her view of the window. She almost forgot that she was in the Academy instead of her own room on the ranch.
Bren was stirring around the room getting ready for the day. Arlet heard rustling noises from above her that's when she decided it was best for her just to get up and dress as well. Everleigh was stretching out her arms and yawning.

"I feel like someone punched me in the face, I didn't sleep a wink last night. How about you guys?" Everleigh asked jumping down from her bed. She clearly could have used the ladder but she didn't seem the type.

"It was rough but I think I got a few hours’ sleep...roughly." Bren said, pulling up a leather boot on her foot.

"What about you?" Everleigh smiled halfheartedly before pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"I slept fine, until the sun started rising." Arlet frowned and scrunched up her eyes when she looked into the bright sun shining through the window. "We may have to cover that."

"Agreed." Everleigh says.

The three girls were getting ready when they heard a knock at the door.

"It's time to wake up if you aren't already!" A girl that was probably the dorm leader yelled out in a husky morning voice.

After about ten more minutes of actually waking all the way up; the breakfast bell tolled. Before too long Arlet, Everleigh and Bren were in the dining hall eating breakfast which consisted of mostly fruit and bread covered in cheese. Arlet watched as the forth years came stomping in; they were sweating and fully clothed in their training clothes.

For the first years they would only be doing physical training, which was more like doing sports. Not like the forth years that had to actually train with real weapons; although you could go into the gym and practice in your free time.

The forth years were done eating and just as quickly as they came they left. They were serious for the most part, small talk here and there but they were real warriors. Tense and intimidating was their playbook.

Just as they left an older man stomped into the dining hall, by his looks and age he was a teacher or as the Academy calls them; Zircons. He is a large man with greying hair tied back behind his head. The green shoulder straps wrapping around him drifted alongside him with his hefty strides. He looked as if he could take out a whole army by himself by just looking at them because of his constant scowl. His hawk like eyes shifted across the room like he was looking for someone but then a group of Elite students followed behind him with the same shifting eyes. They all looked so dominating and fierce that most of the students around them stopped looking and went along to their classes. Arlet looked for a bit longer half smiling at the way the Elite students glided across the floor, she wanted to be like that one day. She wanted it so badly it hurt.

"I would hate to be in that class." Bren said standing up along with Everleigh and Arlet.

"Why do to say that?" Arlet said sounding confused. All three left the dining area and headed towards the first years classroom while talking.

"That's Zircon Everett Bell. He is supposed to be tough as nails, and by the looks of him; he is." Bren swallowed hard.

"Yeah I heard that he has a son or something and he is supposed to have the same rough guy personality. I don't know I just heard that Bell was pretty hard on him." Everleigh shrugged while taking a bite of an apple she hid away from the teachers in the dining hall.

"I don't know. Did you see the way they moved? So...graceful, like a horse." Arlet said as she stumbles. Everleigh catches her by the arm.

"I can see why you would like them." Everleigh smirks over to her new...ungraceful friend.

The first class of the day started at eight sharp and was mathematics. Arlet and Bren were in the same class while Everleigh was in the beginner’s course. Arlet was confident in her math skills and was hoping to pass this class without a hitch. Their teacher was supposed to be a woman heavy in her pregnancy but when the doors opened and in came Zircon Bell the whole class fell into a dead silence.

“I am here to give you some news.” He looked around the room meeting a few eyes here and there.

“Your teacher Zircon Castallana is expecting any day now and has taken a leave of absence for the semester. In her place I will be teaching.” He turned around and grabbed the yellow chalk and wrote his name in strict straight lines that reflected the tough exterior he exuded. “My name is Zircon Bell, now let’s get started. You all are in the advanced algebra class so let’s do some warm up exercises first.” He wrote down three equations on the board that Arlet could solve in her sleep.

She solved the problems no problem expecting the other kids to be done as well but when she looked around she could see they were struggling on the first equation. After a moderate amount of time she stood and handed her paper in to Zircon Bell.

He raised a curiously thick eyebrow as she came down the aisle. “I expected you to be able to solve this on your own; if you need help the regular class should be adequate.”

“Ahh, no Zircon Bell, I’m-uh- actually finished.” She gave him a small modest smile.

He grabbed her paper and ran over her work quickly before nodding in small approval. “Then how about two more that are moderately harder?” He turned her paper over and wrote them down. Arlet was handed the paper but she didn’t return to her seat. She grabbed a pencil from the desk and wrote the answers down.

“Hmmm, then how about you try some equations the fourth years get?” His lips turned into something that was almost a grin but still resembled a frown. Arlet returned to her seat in the middle of the room and worked. She was half way through her second equation, with two more still to go, when the bell rang throughout the grounds. She grabbed up her paper and books and turned in her work. Zircon Bell noticed the incomplete work and shook his head in disappointment. “This is the only time I’ll take in incomplete work, I expect perfection next time.”

Arlet blushed in shame and bowed before turning and leaving. She made it just outside the door when her foot hit the other and toppled her forward into someone.

“I’m terribly sorry miss.” The man said. His feet were huge and clad in soft supple leather, his legs were hidden in dark green pants that bagged a bit to fit snugly on his long legs. Arlet scaled up to his head but he was already walking away so she only could see the back of his head. His hair was dirty blonde and wavy on top from him running his hands back through it too keep it from his eyes. It was shaved close from his ear down making the hair look dark and black.

“Oh be still my heart.” Everleigh said as she wrapped her arm around Arlet’s shoulders. “Girl I can tell you just fell in love and I don’t blame you one bit. That boy was fine from the front side too.” She glanced back at him with a flirtatious smile but guided them away and to their next class. Bren had already bolted for hers across campus at the far training hall. Classes all this week were only thirty minutes long so that the students could enjoy the festival outside.

Everleigh and Arlet had English class next on the upstairs floors, and then it was off to have fun for an hour or so before lunch and then science and finally training. She donned her skin tight latex pants and heavy combat boots. Her shirt was baggy and hung off one shoulder, it also didn’t help that she was skin and bones. On her right sleeve was a yellow band that told others she was a first year. Second years were blue, third year’s red and fourth years purple. After training which was them just talking for the first class and self-introductions Arlet met back up with Everleigh and Bren.

“Um Arlet, do you have anything better to wear?” Everleigh asked while giving her a second going over.

Arlet glanced down at herself, baggy pants and her dull gray shirt seemed fine to her but she knew Everleigh would slap her if she said it was fine. “Back to the dorms girls we have some work to do.”

“Everleigh you really don’t have to!” Arlet pleaded as she stumbled up the stairs in Everleighs grasp.

“I told you last night to call me Ever and yes, yes I do.” She bust open the door and went straight to her dresser. She held up a few shirts and blouses before deciding on a light baby blue blouse with a V-neck that had embroidered edges around the neck. The shoulder straps hung just off her slim shoulders hiding them from view and the waist held snug around her slim hips. She was handed a mini skirt that tucked in just under her butt. Arlet had never worn clothes that were so revealing.

“I feel so awkward in these!” She said as she tugged on her skirt again.

“Wow but they actually look very good on you. You do have more muscular legs but they’re not too bad, men like some meat.” She winked.

The festival had paper lanterns strung all down the road and stalls lined the walk ways with fresh foods, campfires, games and small dance floors for their itching feet. Some stalls sold weapons and leather work for the more serious students, and others offered drawn pictures of you. The whole place was lively. Arlet and Bren and Ever stayed out till the sun went down and with an hour left to still explore they headed over to the biggest dance floor that was between the dorms. There were new couples entwined on the floor swaying to the slow violin solo. Arlet stayed close to the sidelines while Bren and Ever were swept away by the upperclassmen.

The cold wind blew over the crowd freezing Arlet to the bone. As she shivered she felt someone’s jacket drop on her shoulders. She thought it was one of the girls but when she looked there was no one behind her. On the sleeve written on his yellow band was Roman Kiseliv.

Arlet look around her finally seeing people that were close enough to actually put the jacket around her with detection. The first person that she noticed was a blonde messy haired boy standing near a light post. Two girls were trying to chat him up and Arlet heard one of them ask if he wanted to dance with her. His glare was surely intimidating but the softness of his pale blue eyes contradicted his hard features. That was until his eyes locked onto Arlet's staring face. She quickly looked away in fear of being caught.

"Arlet!" She heard her name being called from the crowd of dancing bodies.

When she looked towards the calling she saw Ever waving her down, motioning her to come over to her. Arlet speedily complied, and darted towards her friend. She stumbled onto the dance floor in a clumsy mess. Once she got there Ever was smirking, her eyes locked on the jacket.

"Whose might this be?" She raised an eyebrow with curiosity. She grabbed the tip of the shoulder and tipped it.

"Uhh...a guy named Roman Kiseliv. I don't know who that is. When I looked up no one was there." Arlet shrugged trying to forget the blue eyes that tortured her mind.

"Well anyway...that guy that you bumped into is standing right over there." She grabbed Arlet's shoulders making her face the opposite direction in which she already was. "See him? He is leaning on the light post."
Arlet's face deepened with blush when she laid eyes on the blue eyed guy again. He wasn't surrounded by pesky girls anymore but he had the same glare on his face. This time he was scanning the crowd in search of someone. Arlet hid her face forgetting that they locked eyes just moments ago.
"Umm I think I want to go back to the dorms now." She felt bad not wanting to be at the festival but she seriously didn't want any more embarrassment right now.

"Are you okay?" Ever looked concerned now.

"Yeah I'm fine. I just want to sleep...it's been a long day." Arlet smiled sadly before taking off to the dorms.

"Hey wait! I'm coming with you." Ever raced over to her.

Arlet smiled to her friend because she never had a friend that would actually go with her to places even if it was just going back to their room. Half way to the doors Arlet felt a hand placed on her shoulder and she let out a tiny scream that caused Ever to flinch back. Standing behind them was the blonde mess of hair that Arlet bumped into that same day.

"I didn't mean to frighten you." He smirked knowing that it would have caused anyone to jump. "I just thought I would ask for my jacket back, unless you want to keep it. Which I don't mind at all."

"I about took out your head. Don't ever do that again..." Ever sighed, grasping her chest like her heart was getting ready to fall out.

Roman let out a small chuckle of desirable laughter with a tantalizing smirk that brightened his whole face. It was a small grin but on his face it showed genuine friendliness.

"Roman Rene Kiseliv!" A man's gruff and angry voice bellowed out from behind him and the boy's smirk quickly fell back into a serious frown.

"Another time then, ladies...Arlet." He winked before bowing to the two girls who were already star struck with this mysterious guy. "I'll just get that from you later."

He lightly jogged back to the festival where whoever it was, was yelling for him. Arlet's face was distorted in confusion on how this guy knew her name when she clearly didn't tell him and why he would lend her his jacket.