Down End Road

Alexander Griffin POV

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I tugged Maverick down the blue ballroom, settling for a spot in the back of the cue. The girl he had introduced me to, Myra Remington, was all I could think about. Her family had long ago betrayed the order.

Her family’s history was complicated, or so I heard. It had been said that a baby girl would be the undoing of the society. I knew it was all just some old folklore, but it still really bothered me that she was here. I had a bad feeling about her intentions and abilities.

The order was perfectly fine before she came along, and I seriously doubted that she had never gotten what she wanted. She was probably just another annoying brat like Genevieve, but that didn’t change my feeling of unease about the daughter of the orders number one traitors waltzing through the ‘cafeteria’. “Why is she... here, Maverick?” I questioned. Maverick contorted his face in a mix of confusion and disbelief.

“Who do you mean... Oh wait Myra, we found her and now she’s here,” he said, his brows knitting together in confusion. “I don’t see what your deal is dude, literally like she’s super gifted... like super gifted.” He exclaimed, his eyes widening as his arms flailed about, exaggerating her ‘gifts’.

I had never believed in the story of the girl, but now that she was here I felt a sense of worry behind her intention of her joining the order. Was she here because of boredom? Was she here because of excitement? Or was she here on orders? I knew the last option was unlikely but I was still going to be cautious around her.

It annoyed me that she had just gotten in here like that. I had worked hard whilst she was probably partying off with her friends. My mind was whirring when the question popped into my head.

Why do I care so much about this? I internally groaned, she had been here all of five hours and was already wreaking havoc with my mind.

I was perfectly content with blocking out the world, when Maverick said,“dude, she got a fifty, literally.” This had caught my attention. How had she managed to get a fifty that hadn’t happened in... I have no idea how many years.

“What are her gifts?” I quizzed, my eyes narrowed at his plain stupidity. Did he not see the danger in this situation? Why was no one freaking out that a Remington was here?

More importantly, how had they gotten the board’s approval? “She has all three but is weakest in strength.” He stated simply. My mind spun I was definitely talking to Ben and Cassandra later.

“Dude loosen up it is literally just a girl with a name.” He said his blindness to the situation at hand irksome. I sighed and hung my head low pressing my palm to my forehead in frustration. Maverick, despite that fact that I was three inches taller than him, swung his arm over my shoulder.

“Dude relax, I don’t see why you care about this so much it’s just another student, and if you’re worried about her taking the top spot from you trust me when I say she won’t, she literally only found out about all this like five days ago she doesn’t have the kind of training we do,” he said, shaking my shoulders in consolation.

I shrugged off his hand and sighed. “Honestly Maverick, I have no idea either, guess it’s just jet lag from my flight.” I said, not believing my words in the slightest. I felt strange around Myra Remington it was like the air was tinder and Myra was a volatile spark. I slowly massaged away the confusion, pressing hard on my temples. “Yeah, I guess, well anyway about the annual party in the woods, are you coming to that still?” He questioned. I nodded, and he grinned.

“Great, well I am going to go back to my room before to carry over some stuff to the woods and I need some help, feel like giving your old buddy a hand?” He asked, his Floridian accent thick with every syllable. I shook my head and let out a low chuckle. Clapping Maverick on the shoulder, and pushing away all thoughts, worries and suspicions about Myra Remington.

“Yeah, of course I’ll help out seeing as your shrimpy arms can’t carry a couple bottles of fizzy to the woods. We wouldn’t want the star student overexerting himself now would we.” I mocked, he frowned and let out a low humourless laugh.

“Ha ha ha, very funny English, now move it you’re holding up the cue.” I shuffled along further, glancing up at the tables filled with our delicious smelling dinner. There was a whole roasted chicken with trays of chicken meat lined below its platform, with various vegetables and two potato dishes.

Beef burgers sat on the next table with salads and condiments. The last table was lined with rows of water bottles, fizzy drinks and desserts. I wasn’t a fan of American sweets, all of them were too sweet, however I was definitely partial to the odd packet of twizzlers or sour patch kids every now and again.

Yet, every year I came here the cooks at the order of Hamilton cooked up the best meals. The first day we came back was an especially favourite day of mine. They would always go all out on the desserts. Not to mention, the first night back where they always cooked up something special.

I had been in the states for a week, trying desperately to ease my way out of my jet lag. I wasn’t fully out of the hazy tiredness yet but I was feeling a lot better than I did a week ago.

Just as I was scanning the dessert table I noticed a familiar blonde head pop into my vision. Myra Remington’s curly blonde hair with streaks of strawberry ginger bobbed along the line.

She was talking animatedly to a girl I recognised as Ally Anderson, she was especially smart. She was in the order of Madison from Texas her wavy brunette hair swayed slightly as she nodded her head along with Myra.

Myra turned to the side and faced me. She instantly froze when she saw me. Her endless brilliant blue eyes bored into mine as they widened then narrowed. She slightly tugged on Ally’s sleeve and I took that as my cue to stop staring, the pair walked over to an empty table and sat down to eat. I shook my head violently. Maverick clapped then shook my shoulder.

“Dude, you okay you kind of went blank for a sec'.” he drawled, I shoved off his hand and nodded.

“Yeah, fine let’s just eat then get out of here, my jet lag is a real drag right now.”

He nodded then moved up in the cue dragging me along with him, but my eyes were trained solely on Myra as she and I connected our gazes again.

I clenched my fists shut and ground my teeth. She cocked her head to the side in silent analysation and glanced at me questioningly. I stared back offering her no answers and slowly unclenched my fists. Who was this girl?