Royal Academy: The Beginning

Chapter 8

Unknown's POV

I take a sip of my coffee and look out the large bay window of the cafe. Pedestrians walk by in haste, going about their busy lives with no care for anything else.

A homeless man pushes a cart filled with his belongings along the sidewalk and stops just infront the window. He turns his head and looks straight at me, a sly grin pulls across his face.

"You won't find what you're looking for in there. What you seek may just be out of your reach", he grabs his trolley again and walks off with manic laughter echoing along the street and he walks away.

Picking up my newspaper infront me, I browse the headlines when a shadow brushes by me and takes the seat opposite me. I look up over the paper and then glance around the cafe.

Putting the paper back down, I place an envelope between the pages and slide it across to the stranger. He picks it up, opens it and looks at the pictures inside. I slide another envelope towards him with some cash. He looks at it and a smile breaks across his features.

"Consider it done" He then gets up and walks away. He bumps into a woman in his haste and one of the envelopes falls out his jacket. Pictures scatter across the floor and the woman bends down while apologizing.

The man quickly grabs everything up and hurries out the door. I shake my head at his incompetence and reach for my cup again.

"Excuse me" I look up to see the same woman from the altercation standing next to my table looking down at me.

"Sorry but your friend dropped this" she hands the picture to me and nods before walking off. I look down at the picture of the young woman and smile.

You will be the answer to all my questions. Soon, you and I will have a little chat. Whether it will be a pleasant one, time alone can tell.

Eliza's POV

I open my gym locker and take out my track suit to get ready for class. I'm hyped to do some physical activity. I rotate my shoulder to relax the tension that had been building the entire day.

Luca was a no show for any of our classes. Even Alexis seemed confused by his absence. She seemed to be attempting to call him but from what I've seen, she's had no luck. Her twin brother Stefan didn't seem at all worried. He waved off Alexis on multiple occasions when she asked him where their brother was.

The sound of a whistle blowing brought me out of my thoughts and I hurriedly put on my suit and lock back my locker. I fix my laces and head out to the open court in the gym.

The class consisted of my class and one other. Small groups scattered across the floor as people had their heads down in their phones or gossiped with each other.

I spot Bella in the distance and jog over to her. I flash her a quick smile when I see that she's been stretching. Another reason to like her more. I squat down beside her and begin doing some stretching of my own.

"Any idea what sport we're doing?" I ask her while shifting from one leg to the other.

"I heard coach Keller didn't come in today so I'm not sure what the sub has planned" Bella replies before reaching down to touch her toes.

I stand up and stretch my arm across my chest when the double doors of the gym swing open.

Alexis comes in bouncing like a cheerleader and I couldn't help but linger on the persons who walks in behind her. Stefan is in regular tracks and a t-shirt, like everyone else in the room. The object of my distraction is his brother unfortunately.

Lean muscled biceps stretch out from a deep neck vest that hugs well formed pectorals and runs down to fit chiseled abdominals like a glove. The bottom of a track suit show off a well developed pair of legs and as he walks past us, a generous behind.

I feel a hand cup my jaw and snap it shut. My head swivels around to see Bella hiding a giggle behind her hand. I roll my eyes at her and finish up my stretching.

Twisting from side to side I can't help but keep glancing at the direction Luca and his siblings walked. At my last glance, I lock eyes with Luca who narrows his gaze at me. I look away quickly when I feel someone tap me on my shoulder.

I look back to see Alexis beaming at me.

"Hi! Do you like sports or are you just a nerdy nerd Miss Scholarship"

I let out a small laugh and smile back at her.

"I'm an all rounder. I like alot of physical activity. It keeps the braincells going"

Alexis let's out a laugh as she turns her head towards her brothers. When she looks back at me she catches my glance at their direction. A knowing smile graces her face and it makes me look at my shoes.

"You two are weird you know that?" she intones vaguely.

I open my mouth to ask her what she means when the double door swing open again and a thin, bedraggled looking man walks in. He positions himself infront the crowd and blows the whistle around his neck to get everyone's attention.

"Coach Keller is on sick leave. I'm coach Mitchell, your substitute teacher"

Hushed whispers echo from the group when the whistle is blown again for silence. Everyone looks ahead again.

"Since I'm new, I'd like to access everyone's capabilities before we pick the sport for the semester"

He walks over to the high rope that is dangling from the ceiling and gives it a sharp tug.

"Ok, let's see how you guys do on upper body strength. Form three lines Infront each rope and climb"

Everyone quickly does as told and start running the drill. Most of the students reach the top easily while others struggle. Bella is standing infront me and looking nervous.

The whistle blows and she runs off to the rope. She just manages to reach the top and then shimmies down quickly. She walks past me panting hard but gives me an encouraging smile.

The whistle blows to indicate my turn and I run towards the rope. I get a solid grasp and work my way up with ease. I'm enjoying the rush of andrenaline as I reach the top. I'm about to adjust my grip to go back down when I smell something like sulphur and then I hear a snap.

I feel my body falling down towards the floor. Screams can be heard from the students watching what was happening.

"Eliza!" I hear Bella shout my name and I close my eyes, bracing myself for the impact.

I open my eyes slightly when I didn't feel myself hit the floor. Instead I feel myself in sturdy arms and my head being cradled to a cool, hard chest. I look up and my gaze locks with those steely grey ones yet again, except this time, gold specs flicker in them as concern shows briefly and then disappears.

Then everything goes black.