(Start of Summer Term- January)
I couldn't wait to get to school today. I woke up at dusk today and mum, while packing her things to go on another mission, said "Up so soon? You must be keen for Senior Year this year". The only reason I was excited is that I was accepted into the most prestigious class possible: Moon Master Class. The class is for the best of the best, that are put in the best groups possible and i was accepted into this class from my end of year results in Middle Year 2 (Middle years are basically Year 9 and Year 10. Junior years are Years 7 and 8 while Senior year is basically year 11 and 12 in one year combining the both) I was in Star Class, led by Lady/Princess Autumn and she encouraged me to do my best for the second year I was in her class. I had kissed the Middle Years goodbye and Autumn was happy that I got into Moon Master Class at the end of last year.
Now i am in Senior Year and determined to make the next 12 months Training well worth all the training and study I had done to even get there. I have worked above and beyond my class' expectations and was working at the same grade level as Fire Master Class, the master class of the Middle Year. Sure I don't know what chaw that I'd be in yet or if I'd be some sort of grouping or something by the time that third term comes, but I'm keen for whatever comes my way.
My friends from Middle Year dropped out, seeing as they didn't want to do Senior Year, as it is not compulsory for lower grade students of D and E (based off the Australian Grade Range that has no F) who are underachievers (which they were, because they didn't care about working in class or homework Why was I friends with them in the first place?) and went to somewhere else or are doing something with their lives in the Great Tree, but i should make new friends... I Hope. I mean, sure I am a bookworm, an overachiever and an honour student, but when you get to know me, I am a true and honest friend. I also want to find a guy in my school life so we can be together when we graduate. I never have obsessed about boys my whole GTA life and I think about it now like it is a serious matter to attend to.
I am so excited, that I have to remember to behave myself. I have known Queen Barran for ages, since she and my mother are friends and I don't want to muck around in her class or she will tell my mum that I have been misbehaving. I fly into the classroom and there are other owls inside already here. People who are in Moon Master are punctual to class and never miss one lesson in a day. There are only 10 in this class since the enrolments for this class have a limit of 10 to 15, but there were many who dropped out, they had to narrow it down to 10 this year. Unfortunately for some, they didn't make the cut or just dropped out last year, like my friends did. The people who are left are in Ocean Class in the class below us.
I feel like I'm invisible now, no one notices me and i sit at a desk. Two Barn Owls and a Spotted Owl approach me. I guess I'm not invisible after all (thank Glaux for that).
"Are you a newbie too? I just moved here from Tyto Forest, well not exactly moved as of such, but at least I'm alive. Name's Bryony and this is my friends, Shard and Parzival." The female Barn Owl says to me while introducing herself and the two others with her
"Hi." Shard, a male Barn Owl says after Bryony
"Sup." Parzival, a male Spotted Owl, kindly says
"I'm Lydea. I actually lived here since i was an owlet." I inform Bryony as she is incorrect. I have lived here all my life and I have never thought of living anywhere else. I love Ga'Hoole as it is just a happy community that helps one another and all the other kingdoms, seeing as the Guardians of Ga'Hoole are the group that fights for equality and freedom for all.
Then Barran enters the classroom holding her class roll and she says "Everyone take your seats quickly, please. Good evening, Moon Master Class 2011."
Queen Barran of the Moon is our teacher. Explains why it is called "Moon Master Class". Barran's royal name "Barran of the Moon" refers to how she is the supporter of her husband, who is like the sun and she is the moon. Something like that or whatever. I would look it up in the history book that is on my desk, beside my notebook, but I shouldn't read while others talk.
Then a snowy owl that looks like Barran, but a guy and has a peculiar marking on his left eye, shows up late and she doesn't go off at him for being tarty to class. I swear I know him from somewhere and He comes up (and he looks kind of cute... No Lydea. Don't you dare try and hit on a guy that you possibly don't know) to ask me if he could sit next to me, seeing as I have the only other vacant desk next to me in the classroom.
"Can I sit here?" he asks
"Sure" I reply
Bryony gives me a "you are so lucky that a hot guy is sitting next to you" look. I can tell as one of my friends gave a look to another last year and i annotated what it means, she was referring to Brys, a Tasmanian Masked Owl, who also made into Moon Master because of his grades and was in Star Class. Queen Barran gives a rundown on what the last year of training in this class is like. Already she has told us that we will be at some point put into chaws or groupings because of our abilities and will spend time with them during the last semester. We have learned that homework and assignment due dates can be extended because she knows what our lives are like, and she is busy most of the time to not care really if it is late or not. She is really strict when it comes to classroom rules and educate. When she hears someone else talking over the top of her or if there are notes being passed around, she will deal with it immediately. She doesn't like to have people yell out answers and she will ask for answers when she wants them.
When she is talking about our schedules and the free periods we get to study or to chill (like what happens in my school) the cute guy sitting next to me asks me something after nudging me with his wing softly. We have to talk quietly so Barran won't get mad on us the first day. I still think I have met this guy before and I don't know when and where.
"Haven't i seen you around the tree before? Have you been in a master class?" He asks
"It's my first year in a master class. I sort of have the same feeling that I have met." I reply without hesitation
"Let me guess, Star Class last year for Middle Year 2 (Year 10)? I was in Fire Master Class for both Middle Year 1 and 2." He asks
"Yeah, i guess so. It wasn't because I was dumb or anything. I didn't make the 20." I reply nervously
"Sounds reasonable. I was top of the whole year pretty much. So, what is your name?" He asks
"I'm Lydea." I reply while blushing
It is the first guy I have ever met who asked what my name is without trying to ask me out when I was in that stage in what seems like ages ago. Now, I sort of really want to get a boyfriend for the first time. I am not desperate, but I would want to meet an ok guy
"Josh. That's a nice name." he replies.
I blush even more because he said my name was beautiful and I say "Thank you..."
I then realise who he is and without thinking say "Oh my Glaux! You're the..." I start until i place my wing in my mouth to silence myself.
I don't want to disrespect him by saying that his identity, which I have just realised. He then explains himself by saying calmly saying "Yeah, I get that a lot. I prefer, you know, to blend in, Rather than to stand out as Prince of Ga'Hoole. Just call me Josh. You are too pretty to be disrespectful." I just smile and then we gaze into each other's eyes for about a moment (WHAT AM I DOING?! We just met!)
Barran finds out then she says "Josh, Lydea, no talking in class!" to interrupt our staring. She then returns to what she is talking about and says "Now to finish, I'd like to welcome you to Moon Master Class for Senior Year 2011. This is your final year of training as Youngling Guardians in Training and I want to make the final year your best ever, however we have do work hard and do homework and assignments, so that means no goofing off." She says before walking over to a chart on the wall and she then says "You will be selected into chaws and especially for my son, Josh; some might make the Royal Guardian parliament. To Finish, I will be your teacher for the whole year and i give a welcome to the students from the ended Sand Master Class that was discontinued since enrolments have slumped and new members who have moved here from far away."
We then return to our convocation and I say "I can't believe that your mum is our teacher. I mean, I know her, but I can't believe that she is the teacher."
Josh then says to explain his role as a "normal" teenager "I don't get special treatment. She treats me like any other student." Then after a bit of silence, he asks "You want to go out sometime? I feel like we have known each other for years."
I reply, seeing as I have that hunch that we have known each other from somewhere "I know, but i would like to go out sometime."
Behind me a bunch of sighs and exclaims set off like "disappointment because the prince is taken" was the most important problem here. I mean, girls would give anything to even sit next to or to even talk to Josh, but he doesn't really want to stand out. Kinda like how I prefer to fit in also, but not to be called a nerd for my grades. The girls behind me start acting jealous as i had caught the eye of the prince. I we just have a laugh because of this and I think Barran found out we are not paying attention. Queen Barran is standing at the front of the classroom and attracts our attention by banging dusters together. We cough as particles of dust fill our lungs as fast as my mother and her box of mementos over the years. To be truthful, she has filled up that thing with everything possible and the box is overflowing with my reports and junk.
She is giving us the look and I know what this means, brace yourself for what happens next is what it means "Ahem. What did i say? No talking? Anymore and you both will be held back at the end to be assigned flint mops. I just don't like it when people talk over me. Even then, your talking will be used for other purposes. Josh, you realise that one detention means..." She says
Josh sighs and says "I know a lecture." I wonder what that is about really, but I don't want to be nosy when it comes to what goes on with the Nyctea Royal Family of Ga'Hoole.
Barran sees that he knows the consequence and says "Now, behave, including the rest of you" in her well known "serious" tone of voice.
Following this, we all say "Yes, Queen Barran."
The rest of the day, I and my new friends and Josh hang out and we all become good friends. I wish mum was here for me to tell her about my new friends and about school, but she has now gone on another mission. I never know where she goes when she goes, seeing as it is "top secret" and all that.
It has been a two months of term (since the terms are basically the seasons of the year, summer, autumn (no, not the Princess of Ambala and Lord Allomere's wife. Does anyone get the joke?), winter and spring) and Josh and I have gone on a few dates. He tells me that I have to act like his friend because he doesn't want his parents, particularly his dad, to find out that he has a girlfriend. I ask why and he doesn't hesitate to tell me why.
He says "Dad doesn't want me to end up making a terrible mistake and he says that I have to get good grades in my studies because of my gift and that I will need to know things when I… you know… take over the throne."
I then say to him "Don't let anything get in the way of us, we can keep it a secret, but you have to make sure your mum doesn't catch on. Besides, wouldn't your godmother (Strix Struma) know by now, seeing as she never pairs us up to fight in Combat Class?"
He then says "She swore secrecy over it. I love my godmother when it comes to keeping secrets and persuading my dad about stuff. That is why I don't have a special curfew that only allows me to go to school then come straight home to study."
We then cuddle under the moonset, since it is an hour after school and his parents think he is in the library. GTA students are expected to be in their hollows by 9am, seeing as we have to be at school at 9:30pm and school ends at 4:30am, study hall in class is for another half hour after school and then we can be in the library until curfew.
