Page 103 of Magical Academy for Delinquents
Andros looked between me and Gray. Then he turned to Z. "I thought the girl was with you."
"We kinda have a timeshare thing going," Z replied casually, not at all upset.
Grayson and I both grabbed whatever was nearest (chips in my case) and tossed them at Z.
"I'm not a fucking timeshare, dipshit!"
Grayson's weapon of choice was far better. His water bottle smacked Zavier across the chest. "Whoa! We don't throw things, Preschool!"
"Call me that again, Firefly. See what happens."
From across the room, Malcolm called out from his spot crouched over a series of super-science-y looking vials lined up next to a pile of amulets. "If you guys are gonna fight, take it outside. I've got the sodas over there and if anyone knocks over my pheromones here, I'm gonna be pissed."
Zavier sighed. "Fine. I'll be the bigger man. Wouldn't want to injure you anyway, Preschool."
And that did it. Gray went off like a bomb. He dove at Z, who moved out of the way, too fast for Gray to catch, of course. But, avoiding Gray meant Z didn't look where he was going, which meant he knocked into the stack of painfully constructed stink bombs.
I watched in horror as the first one fell to the ground and burst.
Putrid, disgusting, vomit-inducing smells immediately wafted through the room. But that wasn't the worst of it. I watched, and it felt like the entire world slowed down, as more soda cans toppled over.
Shit!
"No!!!" Malcolm's cry of dismay stretched and slowed and got deeper, like a movie using slow motion. The cans tumbled over one another slowly. Slowly.
I realized that Z was slowing time. I raced forward to help. But as I got close, as my hands closed around the first can, I realized that I was stuck in the slow-motion magic too. I could only save two cans, because once I held them, I could only move as slowly as they did.
"HELP!" I screamed, my voice deep and twisted like a man's.
Everyone in the room helped. But, ultimately, that didn't matter. Sixteen people holding thirty-two cans didn't compare to the hundred that fell and cracked open, releasing noxious fumes.
My stomach twisted.Dammit all to hell.I held my breath and my eyes watered as I ran for the door.
So did everyone else. We barreled outside.
I glared at Z and Gray. "You idiots! You stupid, careless little boys!"
Z set down his can on a table and held up a hand. “Hayley, it was an accident!”
“We can’t afford accidents! You just gonna fuck around inside the Pinnacle?”
“No, of course not—”
“This isn’t some game, Z. This isn’t just some random job. You fuck up that serum, and my brother’s chance at life is gone. Gone!”
“Hales—”
I spun around and refused to listen to him. I stomped off passed Gray’s house to the front yard so that I could be alone. I was so angry that the power in my hands flickered and I kept throwing random shadows onto trees. It looked like I was surrounded my monsters.
The guys cleaned up without me. Packed up without me as I stood alone in my rage.
An hour later, Malcolm came alone to find me. He stood off to one side and studied my face. “We’re gonna have to move headquarters. The smell’s too bad. No one can sleep back there.”
I nodded stiffly.
“Gray’s guys have a place.”
I just nodded again, letting the shadows in my hands creep across the ground, slink through the grass like black snakes.
