The Academy - First Days by C. L. Stone

strolled toward the front of the class. “As such, I think
right now is the time to select a partner. I want you to work on a project for
me.”
    There was a collective groan. I glanced back at Victor, his fire
eyes flickered at me. We already had our partners.
    “Groaning is not a word,” Dr. Green said. “In this class, we use
our words to express ourselves. And get ready for it. A month from now, we
won’t be using English at all. If you can’t say it in formal Japanese, you
won’t be able to do anything. That includes permission to leave my classroom.”
Dr. Green rocked on his feet in front of the room, a soft smile on his face.
“Let’s hope I remember to tell you what the phrase is first...” He shook his
head. “But for now, pick a partner. I want you to prepare a list of things you
both already know about Japan. I want to see how much my students know about
the place we will be studying.”
    “What do you know about Japan?” I asked Victor, turning in the
seat to face him.
    He shook his head, a slight smile on his face. “They grow rice.”
    I reached for a notebook and a pen in my bag. “Do you want to
write it down?”
    “You write,” he said. “Your handwriting is nicer.”
    “How would you know?”
    “Girls always have nice handwriting.”
    I smirked at him, plopping the notebook on his desk. “I want to
see yours.”
    He took the pen from my hand and wrote something in the notebook.
He flipped over the notebook so I could read it.
    Japan grows rice.
    “It’s not bad,” I said, being honest. I’d read worse. His was
legible.
    “But you probably write all swirly and with hearts and stuff,” he
said, fiddling with the medallion at his neck.
    “I don’t use hearts,” I said. “Unless you want me to.” I took the
notebook and wrote our names at the top of the page. I used my plainest writing
for my own name and wrote his in a girly script, using a heart over the “i”.
    “He’s going to know you did that,” he said. “He knows my
handwriting.”
    “Yeah but no one else will,” I said. “And we have to pass it up at
the end of class, right?”
    His eyes went wide. “You wouldn’t.”
    “I already did.”
    He rolled his eyes, reaching for the pen in my hands but I put it
behind my back.
    “What’s wrong? I like your name in hearts.” I was feeling good. I
thought I would like this class and I was happy Victor was there with me to
share it. It was the first time I wasn’t feeling so nervous that day.
    He smiled but his cheeks tinted red. He shook his head and crossed
his arms over his chest. “Stop being so damn cute.”
    “Victor?” Dr. Green said.
    Dr. Green approached my desk. I spun around to sit properly.
    “Dr. Green.” Victor sat up, pulling his shoulders back to face
him.
    “If you’re going to flirt with Miss Sang in my class, it must be
done in Japanese.” Dr. Green brushed a lock of his sandy-colored hair from his
forehead. “I believe you were saying she is cute? In Japanese, you say kawa ...”
    “I’m not doing that,” Victor said, interrupting him, blushing
again and turning his head away.
    Other students listening in started to giggle.
    “No?” Dr. Green looked at me. “Well in that case...” He picked up
my hand. His warm fingers wrapped around mine delicately. “ Kimi ga ite shiawase. Koi ni ochite shimatta. ” He bowed his head, puckered his lips and hovered at
the crest of my knuckles as if he were about to kiss my hand.
    The whole class around us started to gasp.
    He stopped a millimeter away and his breath
teased the back of my hand. He gazed up, smiled at me and winked. “That is how
you talk to a lady.”
    I felt my cheeks and ears getting hot. “What does it mean?” I
asked, my voice catching.
    “When you figure it out, I’ll give you a free A on your next
test.” He let go of my hand. He stood fully, putting his hands behind his back
again and headed to the front of the room. “Are we finished? I don’t see pens
and