Black Sun Academy: The Next Generation (book 1)
Chapter 6

Blaise

Clover takes my hand and leads me up the aisle out of the auditorium into the early evening air. The sun has just barely begun its descent back towards the horizon as we make the short walk over to the cafeteria. My stomach gurgles causing us to burst out loud with laughter. “I guess you weren’t joking when you said you were hungry, huh.”

“Nope. I haven’t eaten since this morning before my grandparents dropped me off. And that had only been a small blueberry muffin,” I say as I place my hand over my stomach like that will keep the noises from continuing. With that said we hurry up the steps and into the building, the aroma wafting through the air assaulting my senses immediately!

The next grumble from my tummy causes the room to go silent, all eyes turn towards me, and my face goes three shades of red in point zero two seconds.

Okay, okay, maybe not everybody turned to look at me, but it sure felt like everyone was staring. I quickly turn my eyes downward to stare at the floor as we hop into the line, and I try to wish away the flames that have settled onto my cheeks.

Clover giggles beside me, and I make a face of disapproval silently telling her to stop. This causes her to giggle harder but only for a second longer as it’s our turn to grab food. My mouth waters at the sight of lasagna and garlic bread and I almost ask for two hunks of it until I see how large the servings actually are.

As the server hands me the plate I have to readjust my hold on it for how heavy the plate has become. After placing two slices of garlic bread on my plate I make my way to the cashier to pay for the meal. Waiting for Clover to pay for her food, I scan the tables for empty seats. During this process I spot the twins sitting at one of the rectangular tables in the center of the room.

I take a step in their direction until I spot HIM sitting at a table further down towards the right of where the twins are sitting. And though there are people sitting near him, he looks lonely. Something in his expression draws me towards him and I begin to walk his way. “Nope, nope, nope.” I hear Clover say as she places a hand on my arm to stop me from going over to him.

Tilting my head to the side, I arch an eyebrow quizzically. “What?” I ask curiously.

“Not sure if you noticed but there is an unspoken seating arrangement here during dinner.” Both my eyebrows shoot up in surprise but before I can ask if she’s serious, she nods her head, “to the left is where most of the shifters sit. The center section is usually occupied by the Magical, I.e., Fae, witches, and other magical beings. To the right back portion of the cafeteria are where the vampires/nocturnal/life essence needing beings congregate.” My mouth has fallen open as I stare at her stunned.

“That’s ridicules. We should be able to sit wherever we want.”

“That may be so but,” Clover shrugs her shoulders. “For now, though, it would be wise of you to sit with your own kind.” I watch as she walks to the left surprised to see her join the shifters. Why did I automatically assume she was a witch like me? Shaking my head, I decide for today at least to sit near the twins.

As I slide my butt onto an empty blue plastic chair, I see Braeden and Carden as they shift their eyes to look at me. Awkward barely describes the feelings coursing through me as I glance at them and offer a meek smile. The one sitting directly across from me stares at me with pure animosity while the one next to me seems intrigued as I take a seat. “Blaise isn’t it?” the twin with longer brown hair asks as a smile lights up his kind gaze.

My smile grows stronger as I nod my head in answer. “Forgive me. I know your names are Braeden and Carden, but I don’t know who’s who.” Taking a fork full of the pasta I stuff the food into my mouth before looking at them.

Eyes bouncing between the two, I wait for one of them to respond. “I’m Carden,” the one who had said my name says in response. “The not so hot twin who looks like he has a stick up his ass is Braden,” he adds with a grin.

My brows furrow in confusion as I say with a crooked grin, “Uh, but aren’t you guys’ identical twins?” Braeden stares at me straight faced making me wonder if he even knows how to laugh. Carden laughs heartily in exchange and my heart stutters at the sound. I smile widely but it only lasts for a second before falling from my lips as I hear the sound of nails on a chalkboard. Well not really but Morgan’s voice has the same effect on me, making me shiver in dread.

“Why hello little Salvino...” Have I mentioned my instinctive response to the sound of her voice is to want to punch her? I watch as she flips her shiny black hair over one shoulder before draping her left arm around Braeden’s shoulders. I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m surprised she knows the twins, Braeden evidently a little more intimately than Carden… Watching her touch him causes me to bristle, and I barely keep the growl that wants to escape from slipping out of my mouth. She then proceeds to run her elegant fingers through his short brown hair at the nape of his neck and I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.

Braeden in turn wraps an arm around her waist pulling her closer to him causing her to stumble and fall onto his lap. Morgan giggles causing me to gag internally and then places her lips against his neck leaving a trail of kisses on him. Oh, I know what she’s doing. She’s making sure I know that he’s hers. Message received loud and clear. Shifting my eyes from the PDA, I can’t help but glance at him for just a second before turning my eyes to my plate where I have unconsciously picked up one of my bread sticks and am tearing it a part. Confusion flitters in my mind because of how he has been looking at me while Morgan had been sucking on his neck.

Honestly at first it looked like he was trying to gage my reaction to her kissing him and then because I continued to watch her, intrigue flashed in his eyes followed by I’m not sure, desire? My heart began to race as heat gathers in my nether regions. Why am I so turned on just by his stare. Looking at the tiny, shredded pieces of bread sprinkled on my plate I stand up with a sigh because I know my appetite won’t be returning any time soon.

Knowing I’m not going to eat the rest of my food I pick up my plate, pushing my chair back away from the table at the same time and turn to leave.

“Where are you going little fox?” a deep voice asks from behind me. I glance over my shoulder to see a smug look on Braeden’s beautiful, kissable lips. Realizing where my eyes have drifted, I avert my attention to his eyes and glare back at him.

Scoffing I say in a snarky tone, “not that it’s any of your business but I see no point in hanging out here since I have finished eating. So, I’m going to head back to my room.”

Carden glances at my untouched plate of food in surprise but it’s Braeden who speaks. “You can’t be serious? You haven’t even touched your meal...” I don’t hear the rest of what he’s saying because I walk away. Depositing my plate into a bin already halfway full of dirty dishes, I make my way out of the cafeteria to walk back to my dorm.

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