Calder Academy Year 1

(Addisons POV) "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" I shot up from a dead sleep to the high pitched shriek of my alarm clock on the nightstand. My head was pounding after the insomnia and hot room made it nearly impossible to fall asleep before 3 am. I glanced at the nuisance clock and read that it was 5am. Ugh 2 hours of pointless sleep. I contemplated calling in sick, but with Marleigh the new Cafe manager running the show , that would earn me a one way ticket to unemployment. I've worked there 2 years longer than her, yet she acts like I'm gum on the bottom of her shoe. Reaching over and nearly falling off the side of my single mattress bed I attempted to swat the snooze button. Just out of reach, figures. "f**k sakes" I mumbled angrily willing the clock to shut up. Suddenly there was a pop and crack like a car running over plastic and I looked over to see my alarm in ruins. The silence was bliss but I couldn't wrap my head around what just happened. "What the hell" I thought as I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the mess of plastic and wires before me. From what I could tell nothing fell on it, and my mildew stained ceiling was fortunately still in one piece . Pushing my curiosity about the clock turned bomb away for the time being , I slowly got up and slipped my feet into my worn out blue slippers and trodded towards the kitchen for a cup of coffee. I took a speed shower while the coffee percolated, quickly dried off, then threw on my black polo shirt and matching black slacks. "Daisy's Cafe" was embroidered above the left breast . I briefly assessed myself in the mirror. 19 but I definitely looked older , life had a way of not being the easiest on me. my ash brown hair fell limply just past my shoulders, and my green eyes looked empty. I quickly tossed my hair up in a navy blue scrunchy , scrubbed my teeth making sure to count the full two minutes in my head. Rushing into the kitchen I did a double take at the display clock on the stove , 5:37 already?! s**t! I turned off the coffee maker grabbed my green tumbler and poured as much caffeine fix as would fit inside before running out the door. I know it seems silly bringing home brewed coffee to work at a Cafe, but I just couldn't afford the extra $3 and tax this month. Even though I lied and said I preferred my own , I'm sure everyone knew the truth anyway. 4 blocks and 10 minutes later I had just got the shop door open and the closed sign flipped to open when the bell above the door chimed and in walked one of the most drop dead guys I had ever seen in my life outside of a magazine. I summoned my courage and flashed a bright smile. "Good morning , you are how?" I blurted out stupidly. "Forgive me , how are you?" I asked, feeling heat creep up into my cheeks. "Fine." he answered in a low and clipped voice . For a moment I stood there flustered and staring before he c****d an impeccable dark eyebrow at me. I nearly tripped getting behind the counter and turning on machines to look busy and competent. I was so embarrassed I didn't realize he had followed me behind the counter. I heard a squeak on the linoleum and turned around fast bumping into a hard but warm chest. I nearly lost my footing but managed to right myself with one hand on the counter. "excuse me but this side is for employees only , if you'd like to order you need to go back around sir." I said and waited for him to correct his mistake. Instead of moving he smirked at me, he had a sensual mouth but a hostility in his icy blue eyes that I never noticed until now. "she's right you really have no idea" he mumbled almost to himself. "Pardon me?" I asked, wondering what in the hell this strange guy was talking about. "Give this number a call when you want to figure it out" he cryptically retorted, and handed to me a poster board business card. We stared at one another for a moment and just when I was about to ask him who he was and what all the crazy was about, the front door chimed again and Marleigh barged in looking every bit the miserable asshole as ever. "Miss Celt, I suggest you ask your friend to leave before you're out of a job, personal time doesn't apply to you when you're on the clock". Well good morning to you too Marleigh. Before I could respond, Mr hot and weird walked out past the counter towards the exit, bumping into Marleighs shoulder and without looking back. I ignored the glare she sent in my direction as I stood there perplexed trying to figure out what that was about and who that was. (Killians POV) I walked out of Daisy's Cafe into the muddy and humid morning feeling like I couldn't get a full breath in. The sun blinded me but I kept my feet moving one in front of the other. I needed to put as much distance between myself and there as I could. What the f**k was that I thought to myself. I was supposed to go in, assess if the girl knew what she was and report my findings back to Vyla. What wasn't supposed to happen was the fluttering I felt beneath my chest (and the blood pumping beneath my jeans) when those emerald eyes glinted up at me freezing me solid in time. The blinding smile and cute way she jumbled her words had me almost crack a smile back. Whether she deserved it or not, acting an arrogant ass was probably the smartest move for both our sakes. Whatever happened back there I didn't have time to speculate on, and if I'm being honest with myself I didn't want to. I casually turned left into a shadowed alley, did a quick take of my surroundings to make sure nobody was witness, pulled up a shimmery green portal and made the quick trip back to the academy. (Addisons POV) A few hours had passed since the incident (if I could really call it that) this morning, and I was struggling to get through the day. My body was here, but my mind was everywhere BUT here. It was noon now and the lunch rush was alive and well in these parts! Unfortunately however , the tip jar was anything but. I absent-mindedly wiped up my 4th cup of dropped coffee from the floor while my brain ran through a million unanswered questions. I wish I had got the guys name...sure I had a number but why would I call it and for what exactly ? Honestly none of it made sense and I was getting frustrated alongside with already being confused. "EXCUSE ME!" a bold voice shouted breaking me out of my train of thought, I darted my eyes upward to see a heavy set business woman leaning over the counter and repeatedly smacking the service bell. I quickly got to my feet, feeling the blood rush from my head. "I'm so sorry ma'am, what can I get for you?" I asked. She gave me a cursory look of irritance and ordered a coffee with 2 shots of Fibre. I chuckled inwardly thinking maybe her attitude came from her backed up plumbing and proceeded to make her drink. "That'll be $3.56 please" I say and look at her expectantly. Without even looking at me this jerk picks up the tip jar, pulls out $4.00 and drops it on the counter. My jaw just dropped, and I stood there gaping like a fish out of water. It's times like these I wish I had a bit more confidence to speak up. Hope the door hits your ass on the way out ! I shouted in my head. She opened the door with her right hand , the coffee in her left and strode out. Before she made it across the threshold the glass door swung shut with enough force to send her careening onto her knees , dropping the coffee in the process. Standing up slowly and wiping the gravel from her palms she turned around , eyes shooting daggers around her self and locked onto me. "Oh my goodness ma'am are you alright?" I asked, coming around the side of the counter. There's no way I did that right? That's beyond impossible, yet that doors also a turtle at closing...No. There's legit no way , maybe it was caught by a gust of wind. From inside?.. I quickly shoved my fears aside and focused on the angry woman before me. "Don't touch me." She spat as I reached my hand out to help balance her. I took a step back to give her room. She must have been embarrassed because she marched out without saying another word and without another coffee. Good riddance. I spent the next hour lost in thought creating theories as to how the door could have slammed and it brought my thoughts back to this morning with the alarm clock. It had to be a coincidence that I willed it to shut up before it exploded..right? Right. I had to laugh at myself a bit for even thinking it. I've heard of magician performances where people bend forks with their mind etc but everyone knows that those are gimmicks and optical illusions designed to drain the wallets of the naiive and gullible. It's not like magic or mental telepathy are actually real. Pulling myself out of my thoughts I checked the time on the analog clock behind me. 8:55 pm. I'd worked five hours overtime today for Marleigh who had to leave early for "reasons that don't concern me." Screw it , I thought . Locking shop five minutes early ain't gonna hurt nobody. Besides my feet were like lead and my stomach a canyon . There was half a pastrami sub in the fridge back home with my name on it . It was brisk compared to this morning and I hitched my cardigan tighter around myself. I walked against the wind , my eyes tearing up from the gusts that pelted against them. I glanced both ways before taking a quick jog across the dead quiet street , another gust blowing my cardigan open wide. A loud clatter sounded behind me and I tuned around to see a metal garbage pail overturned on the sidewalk. I put my hand to my chest and normalized my breath , berating myself for being so jumpy. I had two more blocks to go and it was dark out, normally that wouldn't bug me but ever since this morning something has just felt off about today. I got the sensation like I was being followed but summed it up to paranoia . Still, I kept my awareness the last bit home just to be safe. I reached the three story red brick apartment building I called home the last 2 years and pulled out my barren Keychain. I hated my apartment but it was all I could afford and at least it was close to work. Grateful as I was to have a roof above my head, I couldn't help wishing my parents were still alive though. I was 13 when they passed in a car wreck and had been in and out of shelters until I dropped out my first year of high school and got my first job. I didn't like to think about them often but coming home to my apartment made me think of the big white family home we shared before life pulled the rug out from under me. Enough Addison get a grip! I shook the past away and jiggled the key until the bolt clicked over. holding the rail I dragged my tired feet up the three flights of stairs before opening the heavy brown door that led to the hallway and subsequently unit 513 aka home sweet home. Dropping my cardigan on the floor I made my way to the fridge and pulled out my sub sandwich. It was three days old and the lettuce was wilted but I was too hungry to be picky . Taking a bite I strolled over to the fire escape window and sat on the sill. It was dark but the street was illuminated in the yellow glow of street lamps. When my eyes shifted to the right I saw a tall man under the street lamp across the road staring up at me. What the f**k!? I shot to my feet and swallowed the contents in my mouth without chewing. It hurt going down but I could barely feel it. Before I could register who it was and if he was indeed staring at me, the character stepped back into the shadow. I had that same eerie feeling of being watched prickle its way along my skin as I scanned the street below but couldn't make out any movement. I stepped back from the window and shut off the pull string light , then retreated to my room. I finished my sub, brushed my teeth and changed into shorts and an oversized t shirt before slipping under the covers. Thank God I wasn't on the work schedule tomorrow, because there was no way I'd be getting any more sleep than I had the night before. The last thought I had before drifting off was that the man under the streetlight was about as tall as the man in the Cafe this morning.