Page 10 of Self Studies

Several of my roommates watched me when I entered. Ignoring them, I focused on my little dresser and its still empty drawers. With my uniform still MIA, I quickly exited before they could destroy my newfound excitement. The halls were surprisingly empty, though even without the sunlight, it was still bright. I scanned the walls for a clock but only found bare gray stone.

After living with the sounds of a city constantly around me, the quiet grated on my nerves. My stomach growled again. Damon had severely limited my food, claiming that excess anything was for people who lacked control.

Right now, I wanted nothing more than to lack even more control. Picturing the rare chocolate bar he’d gifted me with when I was extra good, I pushed past my unease and made my way to the cafeteria.

At the end of a corridor, two massive wooden doors were wide open, leaning to a large room with a vaulted ceiling. The mix of food smells coming from the back corner made my mouth water. I made my way around the edge of the room filled with metal tables of various sizes.

The few students still eating thankfully ignored me. I relaxed slightly.

Hugging the wall, I came to a stop where the stone floor turned into a speckled linoleum. Counters covered in food stretched along the back.

A girl picked up a yellow tray and placed it on a rail in front of the counters. Without touching anything, food floated to her. She made a similar gesture in front of each item before it landed gracefully on her tray.

An involuntary wiggle made me dance in place. I could pick whatever I wanted and maybe even use magic! Damon’s voice tried to fill me with doubt. Nothing was that simple. I angrily pushed it away—no more listening. I’d watched him take my magic and attempt new things with it my entire life. It was my turn.

The girl made the hand motion again, and this time I copied it. Palm up, I rotated my hand around until my lightly clenched fist faced the floor. Then I made a pulling motion. Feeling confident I copied her hand motion correctly, I left the safety of my wall.

With a yellow tray in hand, I scanned the choices for anything chocolate. A large clear, plastic-wrapped cookie caught my eye. Squinting to make sure I lined up my hand correctly, I made the motion. The squeal that escaped me as the cookie floated to my tray drew the attention of the other girl. She gave me an odd look. I quickly focused on myself - too pleased to be embarrassed.

Joy bubbled in my chest. I’d done magic! Or at least, it felt like I’d done magic. Now I thought about it, the magic didn’t feel like it had come from me.

I stopped worrying about the how and focused on the options surrounding me. Sliding my tray along the rail, I made the hand gesture over and over. Chips, a small salad, and a slice of bread all joined the cookie.

A group of students, primarily men my age, momentarily distracted me. Their loud voices and sweat-stained bodies seemed to take over the food area. All dressed in matching black baggy shorts; they moved around like they owned the place. My stomach twisted with unease being around other people. I tried to shrink in size so they wouldn’t notice me. I’d done magic in some way, and I was about to eat whatever I wanted. No one could take this moment from me.

Needing to get away from them, I attempted to pull my tray off the railing, but it wouldn’t budge. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the men pull his tray off the rail with no problem. I wrinkled my nose. At the end of the counters, an older woman with mesh over her short gray hair stood in a brown apron arranging plates. As casually as I could, I slid my tray to the end and waved at her.

Halfway through my wave, the smell and warmth from the food heaters that were now in front of me made me forget what I was doing. I leaned toward the scent of sizzling meat and cheese. Little plaques had dietary information and names; steak, lasagna, macaroni and cheese. My mouth watered.

I had the sudden urge to take one of everything. With an awkward giggle, I shook my head. What I already had was more than I could eat in one sitting, but maybe one more thing.

The group of caught up to me as I stood in indecision.

They shifted unhappily, eyeing me. I took a quick peek at their trays for inspiration. Matching bright-colored beverages caught my eye, I’d not found the drinks yet, but they’d not picked any hot food.

“Looking at something?” A light tenor asked.

My heart skipped a beat. Greek artists couldn’t have sculpted a more perfect physique. He stood half a foot taller than me. Startlingly platinum blond hair, damp with sweat, had deep rivets where he probably ran his fingers through it over and over. A day’s worth of adorable peach fuzz softened the angles of his square jaw

His t-shirt clung to his corded muscles beautifully. I recognized the cartoon wizard mixing potions decorating its front, and I cocked my head to the side with a smile.

The man's lips turned down when he noticed me studying his chest, and I quickly looked up, blushing. Green eyes, rimmed with bright yellow, examined me with evident annoyance. It was too fitting that a pure external mage lived in a body that perfect. Opposite of the sapphire eyes mage I’d used next to the barrier, this mage’s magic existed outside of his body, and he could only affect the world around him.

The woman behind the counter got my attention. “Where’s your gem?”

My stomach growled loudly, and I shifted my weight between my feet. “Ah, I don’t know what that is.”

A few snickers from the group added to the moment. I glanced at the man in the front again; he wasn’t laughing. His bumblebee yellow rims almost glowed as he studied me. Already frowning, his expression deepened into a scowl.The woman behind the counter whistled to get my attention. “You know the rules. No food unless you have rations, and rations are kept on your gem.”

I looked back just in time to see my tray, not only released from the rails but floating up and out of my grasp.

My stomach twisted painfully.

“Wait!” I lurched forward, trying to grab the tray. Something tugged on my corset, and I froze before my breasts sprang out of their bindings.

Looking down, the hardware on the front, which held it together, had snagged on the metal rails. By the time I looked back up, the tray was gone. Hairnet-covered gray hair bobbed as the woman started returning my items to the displays.

I stared dumbly. The laughter from the group next to me didn’t even register.

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