Chapter 1
There was a portal in the school lake.
Yeah, there was one. However, it wasn`t something I knew when I waded out there to get my friend’s corsage.
Willow hadn`t mean to throw it out there, she was just upset. And no, she wasn`t upset with me, she was upset with her boyfriend and yet I had to make sure everything was okay for the Camelot themed Prom.
Willow had come here with all the wishes of a hopeful girl and having them dashed away wasn`t something my friends and I would think would happen tonight.
So anyway, to start the story properly, it all began on the morning of Prom when I was told on the APA System that I was needed in the staff room.
“Miss Grimes, you are needed in the Staff Room,” The school secretary announced on the APA System.
I frowned as I closed my locker and glanced up at the speaker above it,” Now what?”
“Look out girl, sounds like someone`s in trouble,” Willow joked as she leaned against her locker which was two lockers away from mine. I resisted the urge to groan, I didn`t need trouble now.
“Impossible, I haven`t done anything stupid lately,” I retorted.
“What did you do this time?” A voice from behind me asked.
I turned to my left and saw my friends Owen, Kelly and Trevor walking towards us. The boys were in their Varsity jackets while Kelly was sporting her cheerleader outfit. Looks like today they were supposed to be in Sports Uniforms. Too bad the Academy’s Taekwondo Team doesn`t have a Varsity Uniform otherwise I`d be wearing mine today. If this wasn`t real life, most people would find it funny and weird that a cheerleader and two jocks were my best friends but they were.
“I didn`t do anything,” I repeated, trying to make my point,” It`s probably my grades. I did get a B in my English paper yesterday.”
“How did that happen? I thought English was your thing,” Trevor reminded me. The two boys were now leaning against the lockers beside me as Kelly reached out to fix my fringe.
I playfully batted her friend’s away, “It is.”
“Are you still coming to prom tonight?” Owen asked with a grin
I reached up to rub my neck, “I haven`t been asked.”
“What?!” Willow exclaimed from behind me, making me jump slightly. Trevor and Owen`s eye brow rose and their jaws dropped, only Kelly wasn`t surprised.
“Yeah, I thought Kelly told you all?” I asked them all. Turning to Kelly for an explanation, I wasn`t surprised to find my raven haired cheerleader of a friend suddenly interested in her shoes.
“She didn`t,” Trevor answered after regaining his senses.
“She didn`t get asked,” Kelly suddenly spoke up.
Willow shot Kelly a glare to which the raven haired girl just beamed back at her, “Great timing girlfriend,” My blonde friend then turned back to me, “Why didn`t anyone ask you?”
I shrugged, “Maybe because I`ve been busying so much with training that I didn`t give any one time or a chance to approach me.”
“Kira, I know how you really want to win the Ambassador’s Cup but having a social life is important too,” Owen told me.
Nodding solemnly, I then checked my watch. Only five more minutes till my Homeroom. I adjusted the straps on my bag pack before turning to the blonde jock beside me, “Not in my life.”
I took off down the hallway with a grin.
“You need a boyfriend!” Willow yelled after me.
I looked over my shoulder, “And you need to stop worrying about me. I`ll be fine!”
Not waiting for another reply, I rounded a corner and tore down the hallway. I ran around busy students who were either greeting their friends or trying to make their ways to their home room classes in their white and blue uniforms. At Eastdale Academy, classes didn`t start until 8 o`clock on the dot and even if I was on good terms with the teachers there, I didn`t want to risk getting detention for being late to homeroom.
I was, however, thankfully to the school Gods and Goddesses of High School that my class door wasn`t far from the teacher`s staff room.
I managed to skirt past a couple of Owen`s teammate`s from the Soccer team. They were cool guys but tend to ask me for Taekwondo demonstrations a lot since a particular incident in Freshman year. When I finally reached the door of the Staff room, I knocked on the door.
Mrs. Pandora, the English teacher who was nearest to the door glanced up from her books and saw me before waving,” Coach Lee wants to see you.”
I nodded before making my way over to my Master`s table. In the Academy, all the gym teachers are called coach but for the martial arts classes, students like me called their teachers Masters and my Master was Master Takashi Dong- Hyun Lee or Master Lee. Everyone in the staff room calls him coach though.
When I finally reached him, my eyes instantly were drawn to the painting set up on his table of a Korean fighter in mid kick. It was one of the most unique things on his desk and it always seem to get my attention.
“Kira,” He greeted her and once again I nearly smiled when he put a lot of emphasis on the letter ‘r’ in my name. I knew it was second nature to him because my name is technically Asian,” Good, I have something big to ask you.”
“Am I in trouble, Master?” Kira asked with furrowed brows.
Master Lee shook his head with a grin,” No, No trouble. I`m just in need of you stepping up next weekend for the Ambassador`s Cup.”
“Okay,” I answered, still unsure of how this conversation was going to play out.
Master Lee then held up his phone to emphasize his point,” I just got off the phone with Marcus Bright. He`s had a skateboarding injury and will not be fighting in the under 65 weight category next weekend.”
My jaw dropped, “What?! But we can`t lose a fighter in that category! That`ll be the only way we`ll win!”
“My thought`s exactly, that is where you come in, I need you to fight in his place.”
I winced,” Me? Fight?”
Master Lee nodded gravely, “Yes, I understand it is asking a lot considering…,”
“No! I…” I cut quickly to stop him because I couldn’t bear to hear him bring ‘it’ up.” I can do it but…Master, I haven`t fought in a year. I don`t know if I`ll…”
“I know, if you accept then I will begin your fighting classes again.”
“I don`t know.”
“I am obliged to tell you that I had no choice but to pick you, you are one of my brightest, next to Marcus so I don`t have any other choice but to ask you.”
I pursed my lips and nodded,” No other option?”
“The other option would be to forfeit the matches and demonstration,” Master Lee answered as he leaned back in his chair.
I sighed and mumbled,” Well we can`t have that.”
Master titled his head, “So?”
I reached up to rub the back of my neck, “May I think about it?”
“Of course, tell me your answer this afternoon.”
“Actually, Coach Lee,” Mrs. Buenaventura, my Sophomore Math teacher, spoke up from behind Master`s chair, “ All extra circular activity is cancelled for this afternoon in preparation for tonight`s event. You`ll have to talk to her on Monday.”
Master turned in his chair with a frown,” What event?”
“Prom,” Both Mrs. Buenaventura and I answered in union.
“I forgot about that,” Master mumbled as I struggled not to laugh behind him.
“So you can put training on hold and let the girl enjoy herself tonight,” Mrs. Buenaventura advised Master who bowed his head to acknowledge her.
He then tipped his head back towards me,” Very well. See you on practice at Monday.”
I nodded, “Will do.”
Mrs.Buenaventura then waved her hand at me, “Now run along, Kira, Homeroom will start soon.”
I nodded before turning and power walking out of the Staff room. Master’s request was still churning around in my head when I finally sat in class for Homeroom. The announcements were just about the Prom tonight and also about the games from last week where Owen`s team had won. The last announcements were about the College applications that needed to be sent out.
“Thank goodness we don`t have to focus on that till next year,” Kelly whispered to Trevor behind me. I sighed and leaned forward to put my chin in my hand. College was also something that I needed to think about.
From beside me, Owen tapped my shoulder. I turned to him,” What?”
“Are you okay? You don`t look too good, “Trevor asked with furrowed brows.
I soften my face and gave him what I hope was a normal smile,” I`m okay. I promise.”
Trevor studied my face and I gulped,” Your Master said something about ‘it’ right?”
Frowning at him, I turned back to our Homeroom teacher, Mr. Mathews, “What makes you say that?”
“You always pretend when people talk about it. I can tell,” Trevor informed me.
I huffed and glanced at him,” I hate that you know me like that. “
Trevor shook his head and turned his attention back to the front of the class, “It sucks having a best friend you can`t lie to, right?”
“Absolutely horrible,” I replied.
When the bell rang for first period, I quickly stood and left with Trevor. We both had English for first period while the others had History so they had to stay put. I waved a quick good bye at Owen, Kelly and Willow before leaving the classroom.
“Tell me what`s wrong?” Trevor said as he put a comforting arm around my shoulder, “Did your Master upset you?”
“He wants me to fight next week,” I answered truthfully.
Trevor froze in his tracks and I left him as I continued my journey to our English Classroom.
