The Academy by Emmaline Andrews Read Free Book Online Page B

“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
     
    North pointed at me. “You’re going to have to learn to look out for yourself. Especially in your last class of the day—mandatory physical-fitness. Broward’s in that one too and I’m not.”
     
    “I understand—I’m on my own.” I tried to sound calm and collected.
     
    “Right.” He looked satisfied, as though he’d finally made his point.
     
    “But how can we have the same classes if you and Broward are fourth-form and I’m third-form?” I asked, holding out my hand for the tablet.
     
    North handed it back to me. “In Broward’s case it’s because he flunked those courses and he’s taking them again.”
     
    “What about you?” I looked up at him curiously. He didn’t seem the type to fail at anything.
     
    “I missed most of last year.” He glanced away, a troubled look passing over his sharp features for a moment. “For…personal reasons.”
     
    “Personal reasons?” I said. “What—?”
     
    “Personal means private. Do I really have to spell that out for you?” His voice, formerly almost friendly, had turned angry and there was an unreadable look in his piercing blue eyes.
     
    “All right, all right. I’m sorry.” I held up my hands in a gesture of peace. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
     
    “Just keep out of my business.” North looked at me coldly. “I may have to share this room with you but that doesn’t make us friends.”
     
    “Fine.” I tried to make my voice as cool and distant as his. “I have no interest in your life or anything to do with you.” I lifted my chin, trying to look superior but just then, my stomach gurgled in a most unladylike manner. “Oh!” Forgetting I was supposed to be a male who didn’t care about such things, I put one hand over my stomach and another to my cheek. “Please excuse me!”
     
    North shook his head. “You get embarrassed really easily, don’t you? So what if you’re hungry? It’s dinner time anyway.”
     
    “Where do we eat around here?” I asked, getting off the bed.
     
    He looked at me speculatively. “All right, just this once you can come with me to the mess hall. You’ll have to sit with the third-form cadets, though—you can’t sit with me.”
     
    “Don’t do me any favors,” I said, not bothering to keep the anger out of my voice.
     
    “The forms don’t mix.” He shrugged. “That’s just the way it is at the Academy. It’s standard. Not that I’d want a shrimp like you sitting with me anyway.”
     
    I sighed. “Don’t call me ‘shrimp.’ And I’m beginning to think there are a lot of ‘standard’ things I’m not going to like about this place.”
     
    “Well, like it or not, you’re stuck here now.” He jerked his head toward the door. “Come on, shorty, let’s go.”
     
    I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s Jameson , not shorty or shrimp or runt or pipsqueak or any other derogatory term you can come up with. Or you can just call me Kris.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “So what do I call you?”
     
    “Just North,” he said shortly. “I told you, Jameson, we’re roommates, not friends.”
     
    He headed out the door without looking to see if I was following him. For a moment I stood there fuming, then I remembered that Broward was probably lying in wait for me somewhere near and hurried to catch up. Though he made a big deal out of not being my friend or my bodyguard, I didn’t think North would stand back and allow the big bully to beat me up.
     
    At least, I hoped not.
     
     
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    We left the Goddard building without speaking and wound our way through the maze of ivy-covered dorms, our feet whispering over the short indigo grass. I stuck close to North and kept my eyes open, expecting to see Broward again at any minute, still intent on killing me. But to my relief, he was nowhere to be seen.
     
    North said nothing as we walked and I got the distinct impression that my new roommate was only putting up