Page 72 of And They Were Roommates

“Nothing.” I hurry to catch up with him before the crash gains the attention of anyone it shouldn’t.

“Would you like to speak with me instead?” Blaze asks once I catch up, voice quiet. “Instead of milady?”

Blaze, who’s in STRIP? At Valentine, period?

“How dare I be so forward?” Blaze says as if my slight pause alone turned him self-conscious. “However, you heed of my war. And although I fail to possess such a real tie, I envisage you as someone as trustworthy as an elder brother—” His pudgy eyes widen more. “I mean, brother of ancestral darkness.”

I try not to laugh as we head through the cockblockade again.In Queens, there were middle school girls who were indifferent toward me during my tutoring lessons until goodbyes, when tears would suddenly launch out of their eyes. I never thought I’d find that here, let alone from another boy. But then I remind myself, Blazeisonly twelve.

“Jasper and I fought,” I say honestly.

“Are you not both eternally quarreling?” Blaze asks.

“What? You’ve seen us?”

“Such is never a laborious effort. You both excel at commotion.”

My body tenses at the profound weight of being perceived. My conversations with Jasper always feel so isolated, like the rest of the world doesn’t exist, that I always forget people can see them, let alone think about or draw conclusions from them. Luis said before that there are rumors about why we’re roommates. But are there more?

“This was worse,” I mutter. “I think I’ll be quitting STRIP.”

Blaze glares at the crescent moon above us. “Jasper, thatcrook.”

The fact that he takes my side without needing any explanation warms my heart again. But the wordsquitting STRIPstill hang heavy in the air between us as we walk back to Philautia Residence Hall.

Strangely, the possibility of leaving STRIP hurts as much as leaving Delilah behind on the other side of the gate.

Chapter 26SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

MONDAY, OCTOBER 14

“Happy Monday, students and instructors! This is Principal Grimes.” Her voice comes from a ceiling speaker. It’s excited and quick, cutting through the seven a.m. haze, like she drank one too many coffees with her balanced breakfast.

A few people in my homeroom groan, including Robby farther down my row, who’d much rather focus on his paperback ofSeabiscuit.

As Principal Grimes explains how cable-knit sweaters are allowed over dress shirts now that November is near, Ms. Wu walks over with paperwork. She places a sheet on my desk.

CHARLIE VON HEVRINGPRINZ | ID: V183019 PROGRESS REPORT

Physical Education: 89.5/100

Advanced Chemistry: 98.5/100

Advanced English Literature: 99/100

Advanced Calculus: 92/100

Advanced World History: 99.5/100

First-Year Civics: 100/100

I shoot out of my chair. “YES!”

Stares drift my way from every angle.

Mumbling an apology, I slink back down, but my stomach keeps leaping. Mom must’ve gotten emailed this progress report and seen my B in PE. Not C. Training with Xavier already has me closer to the top five.

“Lastly, a notice,” Principal Grimes says. “Access to the sister academy is paused indefinitely, including special clearances and top-ranked student benefits.”

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