ACADEMY BOOK 1-RISE OF INTELLIGENCE

The sound of the zipper moaned as Asher Simmons tugged on it as if he were playing tug-a-war. One hand was tugging the zipper while the other was pushing down the roof of the suitcase.

“Mom! Do you have an extra suitcase?!” he yelled, pushing down the overloaded clothes. He managed to clothes the suitcase and dropped it on the carpet floor.

Asher sighed and ran his fingers through his puffed-out black hair. It has only been thirty minutes and so far, he has four suitcases filled, three gym bags packed, and the rest of his possessions were scattered on the floor. It was easy for Asher to pack though. His room was normally a mess with candy wrappers on the floor, game controllers on the TV stand, and books scattered and left open on his desk.

The door swung open and Asher’s mother, Ebony walked in with a black duffel bag in her hand. She wore a brown headscarf and a leopard jumpsuit. With one good look at the bedroom, she frowned.

“Boy, I thought I told you to pick up this room a long time ago,” she snapped.

“I did,” Asher fibbed. He knew he hadn’t even bothered to clean his room since the day he got admitted into Vericon Academy. “It’s just messy from all the packing.”

“Mmm-hmm,” murmured Ebony in a quirky tone. She walked inside the room and noticed the four suitcases standing up against the wall by the windows.

“What all are you packing?” she asked, grabbing one of the suitcases. She opened the suitcase to a bunch of clothes piled up inside. She pulled out a gray camouflage swim trunk and held it up. “Didn’t you outgrow this months ago?!” asked Ebony. She was now getting irritated.

Asher’s eyes widened as he stood there in silence twiddling the handle of the suitcase. Ebony pointed her finger at him. “See, this is your problem! I told you to gather all the clothes you can’t wear a week ago and it still hasn’t been done!”

Asher shrugged. “I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“You are seventeen and about to go off to college and you can’t even keep your room clean!”

“Junior College,” Asher corrected.

“Doesn’t matter,” replied Ebony. “The point is, I’ve told you to pack beforehand but instead, you wanted to wait until the last minute. You have to leave for orientation in thirty minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll start loading up,” said Asher. “I’ll clean up when I come back for fall break.”

“Oh don’t worry!” scoffed Ebony as Asher zipped the suitcase. “I’ll do the cleaning for you!”

Asher froze. He looked at Ebony. “Mom.”

Ebony smiled mischievously. Asher side-eyes the PS5 game controllers scattered on his nightstand by the bed.

“Noooo,” he said slowly. “I promise, I’ll get the room clean as soon as I come home!”

Asher walked backward with the suitcases. He felt his face heat up as he bumped into the wall still facing his mother. Ebony watched with her arms crossed. Asher turned away and proceeded out of the bedroom.

A sense of relief washed over Asher as he threw the final suitcase into the trunk of his white Honda. He’s been back and forth lifting suitcases and his arms were already sore. Once he closed the trunk, he looked back at the small white-bricked house that carried so many memories. He looked back at his small front yard and acknowledged a large line tee that he used to climb when he was a small child. That was also the tree he fell from and hurt himself. He also noticed two water guns lying down by the extended water hose on the side of the front porch. Asher had just had a water fight with some little kids a few weeks back. Now it is all over.

Asher shook his head. “Where did the time go?”

“Are you okay?” asked Ebony who was helping him load the car.

Asher quickly turned back and faced Ebony. “Oh! Uh…yeah. I’m fine. Will you be okay?”

“With what?” asked Ebony:

Asher hesitated. “With…you know, me leaving home?”

Ebony laid her hands on Asher’s shoulders. “Asher, you are a great child and you will accomplish great things.”

“I know that,” Asher said in a low tone. “It’s just that with Dad gone I don’t know if I could leave you alone like that. I’m only seventeen.”

“Don’t worry about me,” said Ebony. “You just go and make something of yourself.”

She pulled Asher in for a hug. Asher rested his head on his mother’s shoulders, admiring the warmness of her body.

“Don’t worry. When I become a successful computer, I’m going to buy you a newer home and car,” he promised.

Ebony pulled away. “Go ahead, boy.”

Asher walked to the driver’s side of his car. As he opened the car door, Ebony said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come to orientation with you? Everyone else is going to have their parents there.”

“Nah. I’ll be fine. You go to work and make that money.”

Ebony laughed. Asher sat in his car and cranked it up. He adjusted his mirrors to Ebony who was seeing him off in the reflection. He pulled off and waved at his blowing her a kiss. Moments later, he was on the highway to Vericon Academy. While on the way, he reflected on how he got admitted to the academy. Asher was at the top of his class in high school, made straight A’s, and played football during his freshman and sophomore years. Most of the time, he was known as an “athletic nerd” by most people, especially his friends. Asher didn’t mind though. Sometimes he thought it was funny but other times, it was purely annoying.

Asher was hesitant when he received the offer letter from Vericon Academy. He didn’t want to leave his old school behind. Ebony insisted though, that he attends. She explained that the school will open doors to better opportunities and chances of admission to top colleges. When Asher saw a sign for Vericon Academy, he merged off the highway, and seconds later, he was stuck in a congested parking lot of the academy. He stared in awe as he saw the scenery. The academy was huge with large glass windows and white poles and steps leading to the main entrance. The words VERICON ACADEMY were printed at the top of the building near the window. As he was pulling into the driveway, he saw guards in green jackets directing drivers to their appropriate areas.

A guard waved at Asher and pointed at his window. Asher rolled down his window.

“What dorm hall are you assigned to?” asked the guard.

“Wyatt Hall,” Asher replied.

“Okay. To get there, you take the next right and it will be the second building to your right,” she said. “After you get settled in your dorm, you need to proceed to the gym for the pep rally. All high school juniors and seniors need to be at the gym by eleven a.m.”

Pep Rally? Asher was surprised. He has never heard of colleges doing pep rallies.

“Okay. Thanks,” said Asher.

He did just that and parked in his pre-assigned parking spot in front of Wyatt Hall. The white building resembled a regular hotel with large glass windows and a covered area in front of the main entrance. Parents were helping their children roll in their suitcases. Maybe he should’ve allowed his mother to come along with him.

Asher got out of the car and opened up the trunk. He pulled out a suitcase and slammed the trunk door shut. As Asher backed up, he felt himself bumping into someone else.

“Oooh!” a deep voice yelled. Asher heard a clipboard fall on the concrete ground.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Asher apologized. He quickly got down and picked up the clipboard.

“Watch yourself next time,” the voice replied.

“Asher looked up and saw a middle-aged man whom he instantly recognized. He had dark brown hair and a brown mustache. He wore a white button-down shirt and tan trousers.

“Dr. Fallace?!” Asher yelled. “What are you doing here?”

“That’s me,” the man replied. “You’re Asher Simmons correct?”

“You don't remember me?” asked Asher, handing back the clipboard. “You were my eighth-grade science teacher.”

“I had a thousand other students to teach so of course I won’t remember you,” Dr. Fallace replied. “Welcome to Vericon Academy. I’m a professor here teaching first-year students. I believe you are in one of my classes.”

“I thought they didn’t care about attendance. This is a college right?” said Asher, shaking his hand.

“Normally it’s not an issue,” explained Fallace. “Even though this is a college prep academy, you are still technically in high school so we have to take attendance to make sure everyone’s where they need to be. With me, I will treat you like a college student. You’ll be responsible for staying up to date with your assignments. When you enter your third year, you are a college freshman so attendance will not be an issue. We encourage you to attend class daily because if you don’t, it’ll all catch up at the end.”

“Oh,” said Asher. “Well, what are you doing here?”

“Helping out with dorm assignments,” said Fallace. “Just go inside the hall and they will tell you your dorm assignments and roommate.

Dr. Fallace patted Asher on the shoulder with his clipboard. “I will see you in class on Thursday.”

He walked off and Asher watched him attend to a student who was pulling out suitcases.

“Would've been nice if I had some help here,” he complained. He hauled his suitcase towards the hotel. Two tables stood in the lobby with a line forming in front of it as Asher walked inside. Two staircases stood on both sides of the lobby and the elevator was located towards the student lounge where the kitchen, ping pong area, and movie theater were located.

Asher waited patiently in line for ten minutes while admiring the artwork and scenery the dorm room carried. When he got to the front, a lady with brown curly hair smiled at him.

“Name,” she requested.

“Asher Simmons,” Asher replied.

The lady looked up his name on a clipboard. She handed Asher his room key.

“Your roommate is going to be Nathan Neel,” the lady said. “Do you two know each other?”

“We’ve spoken over the phone,” Asher replied. “Just not in person.”

He thanked the lady and proceeded through the lobby. He saw people walking down the halls and entering dorm rooms. He pressed the button to the elevator and in no time, he was on the third floor opening up the door to the room number engraved on his key. He opened the door and took one good look at his room.

The room was small, very small. The bunk beds were pushed back against the corner beside the small window. Two desks were standing against the wall, adjacent to the beds. A small set of closets were built behind the door. Asher opened the closet doors. The space was limited and could not fit four suitcases worth of clothes.

Asher smiled. “Oh no. This is not going to work.”

He walked around the cramped room. “Seriously? This is what they gave us?!”

The room may be fit for a single person but it wouldn’t do for a person with four suitcases, three bags, and other necessities. There was also no telling how much stuff Nathan had packed with him. Before Asher could say or do anything else, he felt a strong muscular arm cuff him in the neck.

“HEY!” Asher yelled, grabbing the arm.

“What’s up roomie?!” a voice boomed. Asher swung the hand away and turned around. A boy that was about his age and height stood behind him. He had curly brown hair and wore a white shirt with a gray gilet over it, and also black shorts. He had only one suitcase in one hand and his cell phone and room keys in another.

Asher was furious. “What’s wrong with you?! You nearly killed me!”

“Stop being such a scaredy-cat,” said the boy. They slapped hands and hugged each other.

“You must be Asher,” said the boy.

“Yep. That’s me,” said Asher. “You’re Nathan, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. I knew it was you because who else would be standing in the middle of my dorm room? Looks like they gave us a small room.”

“They did. I’m not sure how we are supposed to fit everything in this small space and I’m sure you have more stuff.”

“Oh this is all I have,” said Nathan, holding up his suitcase. “I don’t live far from home so if I need something, I can just go to the house.”

Asher was shocked. “Oh, well you can help me unload their car then.”

“Do you want to ask for a different room?” asked Nathan. “We can’t stay cramped like this.”

“Not right now. They’re probably still busy with dorm assignments. It’ll just slow up the process.”

Nathan shrugged. “Well, I guess we can take a look around campus while waiting for the pep rally to begin.”

Asher smiled. “Yes, we can do that after you help me bring my stuff in.”

He patted Nathan on the shoulder and left the room.