Page 38

fourteen

The tables in the restaurant were filled with students, and the noise threatened to be overwhelming, but Elia was still riding the high from the first actual competition they’d had. She couldn’t remember the last time she was so elated because of a competition. Not only had the kids outdone themselves in talent, effort, and support for each other despite the losses they’d experienced that day, but Elia had found herself connecting more and more with Kamryn.

She’d found herself in Kamryn’s orbit and unable to drag herself away.

“Dr. Sharpe,” Ethan said, making sure to have her full attention.

She turned to face him across the table where she was sitting, at the last second moving her gaze from Kamryn who was sitting next to her. “Yes?”

“I think I’d like to only compete in Congress next time.”

“Oh, really?” Elia furrowed her brow at him, but she let Ethan talk. If he was bringing it up, then surely he was serious about it.

“Yeah, it’s my best skill so far, and you know how much I hate debate.”

She did know that. He complained anytime she had them do any sort of debate practice. He’d done that the year before as well, so ultimately, this move didn’t surprise her. She nodded at him. “You think that you can put more effort into just focusing on Congress?”

“Absolutely!” Ethan was nearly grinning from ear to ear. “So can I?”

“I don’t see why not.” Elia was already mentally making the changes to the roster and shifting things around. It wouldn’t make much of an impact because Bristol could pick up his debate partner easily enough and she’d quite enjoy that. Elia wouldn’t be surprised if Bristol became a lawyer or a politician someday. She had the skills for it. Whether or not she had the passion for those topics remained to be seen.

Elia paid the bill and pocketed the card and receipt. When everyone was done eating, she gathered the students together so they could walk the short way back to the hotel. It was late, nearing nine in the evening, but they were all still full of energy.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t do the whisk tonight?” Kamryn murmured under her breath as they walked together at the back of the group.

“Breakfast,” Elia doubled down. She didn’t have the energy to sit in a circle and listen to everyone’s highs for the day. She could handle that in the morning. It had taken her years to realize that she needed to limit her time with people in order to recuperate. It wasn’t that she didn’t like people, but she needed the quiet to find herself again.

“I’ll hold you to that.” Kamryn bumped their shoulders together. “Or do I get my own personal whisk time tonight again?”

Elia couldn’t stop the smile from gracing her lips. Two weeks had flown by, but at the same time they had gone so slowly. She’d been looking forward to this time that she’d have withKamryn again—one-on-one time, in a way, when they could have those quiet moments.

She had very little excuse to go to the dormitories to visit Kamryn’s apartment and Kamryn had no reasons for coming to her house. Outside of the bridal shower, which had actually been rather enjoyable, they hadn’t spent enough time together.

Enough?

Since when had Elia decided there was a quota for the time they spent together? She’d have to think about and debate that one later when she was alone in her room and had the space to think. “You’ll have to stop by and see if I even brought the whisk. Maybe I forgot it.”

“Oh, I have a backup one.” Kamryn giggled and shook her head. “I remember when youlostit senior year. I wasn’t going to take chances again.”

“I forgot about that.”

“I didn’t.” Kamryn laughed again as they entered the hotel.

“Everyone, gather over here a minute.” Elia raised her voice so the students all heard her. “Just a reminder that we have to be on the bus early tomorrow, so I want you up and out of your rooms no later than seven. We’ll do whisk time on the bus.”

The kids erupted with chatter. Elia also knew without a doubt that if she said seven, she wouldn’t actually be leaving until like seven-thirty.

But telling them they were going to do something on the bus that they’d thoroughly enjoyed last time might just be enough incentive to get them moving in the morning when they were dragging from staying up late.

Elia stayed in the lobby until all of the kids had gone up the elevators. When she looked around, her eyes met Kamryn’s. That surprised her. She’d expected Kamryn to be the first one to her room so that she could get started on some work project that she had going on. She was always working on something.

Kamryn tilted her head toward the elevator. “Do I need to get my whisk?”

Elia laughed as she walked closer and pressed the button. “That sounds like a dare almost.”

“Oh, we could play truth or dare with it.” Kamryn seemed so excited, her eyes completely alight with joy.

She hated to crush that, but Elia wasn’t going to play truth or dare. There were much better ways to get information and not feel pressured into doing something she didn’t want to do. Wasn’t Kamryn all about consent anyway?