The Cursed Academy

A Long But Interesting Drive

"So, where do we catch the train to school?" I asked my grandmother once we had claimed our luggage. and were waiting just outside the baggage claim area. 

She furrowed her brows,  rolled her eyes and exhaled an overly- dramatic, heaving sigh.

"Oh my dear Sophia. We need to have a long, LONG conversation."

Thank Goddess, just at that moment the biggest, blackest car that I have ever seen in my life came to a silent halt in front of us- precisely next to my grandmother and I.

My grandmother quickly shifted her attention to the muffled 'pop' of the tailgate lock releasing and then the tailgate gliding open. Just as quickly, the back passenger door slowly swung open toward us. A small set of two stainless steel steps descended from beneath the vehicle.

I stepped forward, only to walk directly into my grandmother's arm. "Stay!" Grandmother commanded.

'I am starting to understand why her pets are so well behaved'

"Do you need training, my dear?" Grandmother asked. Her voice was sickly sweet with sarcasm.

'Ugh! I keep forgetting!!'

Distracted by my grandmother, I was startled to see that the driver of the vehicle was now standing by the tailgate.

"Ladies, if you would, please, leave your bags there on the curb and allow me to assist you inside? I am Robin. I am your driver. Welcome to Colorado." he said and then smiled a huge grin at both my grandmother and I.

"Your chariot awaits!" he said with a bow and extended his hand to my grandmother ... who absolutely loved his funny schtick. He winked at me as she climbed the steps into the vehicle. I could see a definite twinkle of mischief in his eyes and could not help but smile back.

Robin extended his hand to me "M'lady?" I lay my hand across his and as soon as we touched he jerked it back. He looked really...confused?

"OH!! I'm sorry did I shock you? This cardigan always builds up static and I am constantly shocking myself. Why just this morning I..." 

I was rambling. It is what I do best when I am nervous.

"No. No, No. It's nothing." he interrupted while rubbing the palm of the hand that I had touched with his other thumb. His already ruddy complexion was getting redder by the minute as we spoke.

'Was he blushing?'

He pushed his reddish-brown hair out of his eyes and quickly reached inside the tailgate and grabbed a pair of gloves. He slipped them on and held his hand out again to help me inside.

"Thank you." I said.  That is odd.  He looks like his thoughts are a million miles away.

Silence.

"Ok. Sure. I mean... Ummm. What? What did you say?" he finally replied.

"I said  ...thank you." After days of airports and flights, bad food and impolite passengers, It was hard not to be impatient. I am sure it showed in my voice. I hated sounding that way.

'I will apologize later'  I thought, as fastened my seatbelt.

"Apologize for what, Sophia?"

"Grandmother! Please stop doing that, that, that ...whatever it is that you do!! " I begged "And don't ask about anything. Not, NOW!" I hissed through clenched teeth and jerked my head toward the driver's seat and gave her the 'shhh' sign.

Fortunately, Grandmother was good at taking hints even though I was being less than subtle. She looked around for a moment and then reached over to a panel on the back of the front seat. She pressed a barely-visible button and a thick dark tinted window rose up and separated us from the driver's cabin and Robin.

"Ok, now tell me why my granddaughter needs to apologize. You just met the boy."

"Oh Grandmother! You are so funny! It's no big deal. He was helping me into this..this..is this a-a car, a truck? I don't know. Anyways, when I put my hand on his... he acted like it shocked him! I feel bad because it must have hurt. He had a really funny look on his face and he kept rubbing his hand."

'I wonder if I can do it again?' I thought as I rubbed my sneakers furiously on the carpeted floor mats and tried touching the door handle.

I don't really know the exact moment when the look in my grandmother's face changed, but when I looked over at her I could see why my father left my grandmother alone.

"DID YOU FEEL IT?"

"Good Goddess Grandmother!! Don't scare me to death! I am sitting right here!" Her eyes were huge and fiery red as I breathlessly pushed and begged for her to back away. It was hard to even breathe with her so close to my face.

Grandmother loosened her, now noticeable, death grip on my arm. She sat back in her seat, closed her eyes and lowered her eyebrows. They had nearly disappeared into her hairline she had them raised so high! The wrinkles in her forehead smoothed out as she took in a few deep breaths. She crossed her hands in her lap and quickly composed herself. She opened her eyes and asked, in a way too sweet voice, "When he said he got shocked. Did you feel it?"

"Ummm. No?? I mean, I've shocked people before. What is the big deal?" I said wondering exactly where all this was going.

A wave of relief washed over Grandmother's face.

"Nothing, dear. Nothing at all. I was just concerned for your well-being. I am just a little touchy from jet lag. Tell me what your mother has told you about your powers." she said, quickly changing the subject.

I knew enough about my grandmother to know not to press the issue. Besides, we had so much more to discuss.

"Well. I know I am a hybrid. Part werewolf and part witch. I know the Moon Goddess blessed my birth. No one said why. Is that normal? I don't really know anything about being a wolf yet. Well... because I haven't met mine yet." I shrugged indifferently."

"I know I am supposed to meet my wolf someday soon but I don't know when. It is because I am not 'pure wolf blood' "I said, mimicking my grandmother's air quotes. "So, it could be now. It could be three years from now. Same thing with being able to find my mate. I have to meet my wolf first. WHO KNOWS!?! Ughhhh! Anyways, that is what the pack historian told me." I gushed. Trying to get it all out in one breath.

I conveniently left out the part that I have trained with the pack leaders since I was old enough to sit on my father's lap at his desk. Learning how to run the pack, negotiate treaties, handle the finances and the pack members, good and bad. She does not need to know that I was on track to graduate pack school as Valedictorian and was already training with the adult pack members. I have had a very wolf-centered upbringing. I think am starting to understand why. I just didn't want my grandmother to have any more ammunition against my mother. I think she was in enough trouble already.

"Very well. Now tell me what you know about magic and witches."

I opened my mouth to speak and was immediately stopped by my grandmother. She raised one finger into the air, and BAM! I had lost my ability to speak!

"I've placed a spell on you.  If you attempt to tell me something about magic or witches, and you learned it on television or movies or novels, and it is not the truth, you will not be able to speak it. Nod if you understand."

Eyes wide, I nodded.

"Now, think hard. Do you have any REAL knowledge?"

I closed my eyes and my mouth. It was pointless. I had put off creature studies until my junior year at pack school. Which was next year.

"Excellent. Now sit back and listen. we have a lot to cover before you arrive at school and we only have a short while before we arrive. The spell should wear off by the time we get there."

'Grandmother never did like to be interrupted when she speaks'

I swear she smiled mid-sentence.