Chapter Eight: (Curious)

Chapter: 8(Curiosity)

 

            “Well.” Jackson sighed. “At least that’s over and done with. Let’s go get some food and I’ll show you around and take you to your rooms.”

            Well I guess I could use a bite to eat. I hoped that they would find mom and dad soon and then we could go home. I frowned.

Could we even go home after this? What if Zavion comes looking for us there again? Where will we go? It seemed impossible for us to return to our normal life after this.

 A million questions began to surface but I pushed them to the very back of my mind as Jackson began to walk out the door.

“Okay so, the Guild is basically just four separate wings surrounding a common area. The north wing is the Girls dormitories and the south is where the boys sleep. The east wing is where the class rooms are located and the West wing is the Hunter’s and Guardians Quarters.” Jackson spoke quickly as he ushered us down the hallways, past rooms with dark wooden heavy doors just like the one we exited.

            The halls were completely deserted. As we walked down the hallways, our footsteps echoed through the air, and vibrated in all directions around us. I wondered where everyone was.  This many rooms and corridors there must be a lot of people staying here.  I figured most of the adults that were in the council room with us had left to get ready to leave and hunt down Zavion.

            “Alright, this is the common area.” Jackson spoke to us as we entered a very spacious room with a few cafeteria style tables off to the right, and a buffet to the left of those. On the opposite wall were overstuffed chairs and couches circling around a giant round table of dark mahogany. The lighting was low and cozy but still light enough to be able to read and eat at the same time. 

“Everyone spends a lot of time here. You can get a quick lunch from over there.” He pointed to towards the buffet. We walked over and saw a nice selection of cold cut sandwiches and bags of pretzels or chips.

            “They usually serve awesome dinners, but I guess with us showing up they didn’t have time to really prepare anything warm.” Jackson explained as he grabbed a tray from the stack on the edge of the buffet and started loading down his tray. I grabbed a plate as well and grabbed a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that were wrapped up in plastic wrap and a bag of cheese flavored chips. Addison grabbed a few things as well and we followed Jackson to one of the tables.

I sat down across the table for Jackson and studied his face. He was calm and seemed quiet at home here. I knew that he was on our side now. I could tell that he was still the same guy we had grown up with but a part of me felt like I had no idea who he was anymore. How had he kept such a monumental secret from us all these years? Was he really our friend or had he just spent time with us because he was obligated to?

            I sighed as I unwrapped my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and took a small bite. I felt like the more I was finding about this whole mess the more questions I had. Like every answer was followed by more confusion.

“Jackson?” I asked as I studied his face. “What do you mean you went and got the tickets our parents bought to Ireland? Had they planned on coming here all along? What happened to Washington?” There, I was straight forward. There was no way he couldn’t answer me.

            Jackson slowly chewed his bite as he contemplated the answer and stared down at the table. I didn’t think he was going to answer but finally he looked up at me and glanced back to Addison before he started to reply.

            “There was no Washington.” He looked up at Addison again. “Your parents were planning on leaving that night to bring you and Addison here. They had been hearing rumors of Zavion resurfacing and they worried about the two of you. You both would have no idea what to do if he did find you.”

“That’s obvious.” Addison snorted as he opened a bag of pretzels and popped one into his mouth. Jackson’s four head scrunched up in sympathy.

“Hey, you two didn’t do too bad.” He grinned, “At least you survived.” He added encouragingly. I sat my food back down on my tray and started to nibble on my thumb nail.

“But what I don’t get is; why didn’t they just tell us we were moving to Ireland? Why confuse us even more by saying we were going to Washington?” I asked around a mouthful of finger.

            “Well that’s easy.” He turned around in his seat to fully face Addison. “Addison, who did you tell besides me that you were moving?”

Addison looked up the ceiling for a moment in thought. “Martin Luke in first block, but that’s it. why?”

Jackson grinned. “That’s my point exactly. You told one other person besides me that you were moving to Washington and by the end of the day the entire school knew.” He turned to me grinning. “And they were very over dramatic if you ask me.” He stage muttered to me jokingly.

“Hey!” Addison laughed as he threw a pretzel at Jackson. Jackson grinned and brushed the crumbs off his lap.

“So what I’m saying is, they knew that word would get around and they didn’t want to leave a trail just in case Zavion sent someone to ask around.”

That made sense. I still didn’t like all the lies I have been told but at least they were for my own good. I missed my parents so badly in that moment. I felt a painful lump get lodged in my throat. We might have had our disagreements and it wasn’t always peaceful in our home, but I realized that everything they did, they did for us.

All of a sudden, I heard a great commotion behind me. I looked back to see a group of kids come trampling into the common area. They were all talking and a few were shoving each other around and laughing. They all went to the buffet and started to load down trays full of food.

The first few kids to start walking to the tables noticed us. Jackson grinned to the first one and waved him over.

            “Nicholas!” He laughed. “Good to see you man! How have you been?”

Nicholas sat down beside Jackson and Addison and nodded.

            “I’ve been good.” He smiled widely. “Except this afternoon they rushed all of us out of class to go for a five mile run.” He paused to mock glare at Jackson. “I can’t suppose you know why they did that now do you?” Jackson raised both of his hands into the air in innocents.

I glanced up at Nicholas above my sandwich. He was tall and muscular with defined muscles on his arms and chest. He definitely looked like a sports player. He has golden bronzed skin with dark black hair that came down in wisps around his eyes that were a beautiful sage color. I knew that if he had ever came to Serenity High, Addison would have some major competition on his hands.

            Jackson looked over to Addison and me.

“This is Madison and Addison Cazadore. They are going to be staying here a while.” Jackson spoke to Nicholas in an easy going manner. They obviously knew each other pretty well.

Nicholas nodded at Addison and turned to face me. Giving me a bright smile he said, “Cazadore? As in Belza and Forza Cazadore? How come you both are here since you parents separated from the Hunter’s Guild before any of us were even born?” He gave me a quizitive look.

My mouth was dry from the peanut butter and I opened my mouth to reply but the only thing that came out was “well-” I stammered “I-”

Thankfully, Jackson came to the rescue. “The Cazadors had decided that it was time for them to get their training.”

Nicholas’s face light up. “Oh, very cool!” He said smiling at all of us. “Well listen, a few of us are getting together tonight in the boys dorms to play some cards. You three interested?”

Addison and Jackson nodded and Jackson said, “Yeah man that sounds great. I’ll bring the snacks if you are willing to lose all of your money.” He elbowed Addison.  “This guy here always walks out with my entire wallet.” The boys taunted each other for a few moments longer.

            Nicholas looked over at me. “How about you, Madison? Want to watch these boys learn how to play poker?”

            I grinned shyly up at him. He seemed like a good guy and Addison already seems to be on good terms with him but I just felt like being alone for a while and gather my thoughts. Maybe I would try to sort through all this information I had acquired today.

            “No thanks I think I’m just going to find my room and call it an early night.” I smiled bigger, “But thanks though, maybe next time.”

Nicholas nodded as if he understood and got up from the table.

            “Well it was really nice to meet you Madison.” He looked over at Jackson and Addison who were finishing up their meals. “And I’ll see you two later.”

My eyes followed him until he disappeared out of the common area with his tray of food in tow.. I wondered how he had came to be here. Was he a hunter? Or a guardian? And most importantly… what did that entail?

“Well I guess I can go show you your room before we go stop by Nicholas’s” He stood up and cleared his plate. “Let’s go.” He said as he motioned for us to follow him.