I apologize for the VERY late update. To be honest, I wasn't really gonna continue because I was sorta stuck. But once I checked my fanfiction account and saw all of your reviews, I told myself that I couldn't let you guys down. So this is for you thanks so much for sticking with my story. Sorry I had to re-edit this chapter.

Twenty –

Chloe's POV

It's been three days, I thought. Three days since we've been to the academy, but it felt like so much longer. I stared at the open field, the book in my lap, my hand keeping my page, so I wouldn't lose it. It was partly cloudy, and while all the other Mia had other agendas, like playing sports, I had found a quiet place at the back of the building, where a small garden resided, blocked by hedges, so I was completely alone.

I thought back to the conversation we had back in San Francisco.

"What?" I had asked him.

"I don't like the idea of you interacting with other Mai." His face turned emotionless, but I was still able to read the jealousy in his eyes.

"Don't you trust me?"

"With my life," he said seriously.

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

But on our second day at the academy, we both figured out that I was dead wrong. Regardless of showing everyone that we were with each other, many Mai were very persistent to interact with the two of us. I headed back to my room in order to receive the paper that should be lying on my desk. The hallway was empty as I headed to my room – the other Mai must be at their designated locations already. I threw my book on the desk and glanced at my schedule for the day –I had training all freaking day. I sat down staring at the small piece of paper, wishing it would burn to ashes. Someone cleared their throat from beside me. I glanced up startled, then relieved to see Alek standing there, shutting the door closed behind him. Had I forgot to close it? Oops.

"What's your schedule?" he asked. I passed it over to him, as he sat beside me on my bed. We received different schedules everyday – yesterday I had gotten Mai history studies, which wasn't that bad, except that Alek wasn't with me.

"What's yours?"

"Mai History," he said. I groaned, and threw myself backwards on my bed. That's the second time, I wasn't with Alek. He chuckled and reclined beside me. He grabbed a stray hair and tucked it behind my ear.

"It's not that bad."

"I know," I said. "Jasmine had training for her schedule yesterday."

So most likely she'd be with Alek again, bleh!

"Then why are you pouting?"

"You're not with me again. I'm tired of getting hit on, even when they know I'm taken."

He placed his hand on the side of my face; I immediately leaned into his touch. He stroked my cheek with his thumb.

"I know the feeling," he said. There was a rumble feeling of jealously in my stomach. "But we'll be together at Dinner, and after that until curfew."

I leaned forward and rested my head on his chest; I intertwined our fingers together, and he stroked his fingers through my hair with his free hand.

"We're gonna be okay, right? Me and you," I asked.

"Why wouldn't we be?"

I pulled myself free in order to sit up. Alek, sensing the seriousness of our conversation, sat up as well, running a hand threw his hair. I played with my fingers as I spoke.

"I mean, it's just…with all these-"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I know you've assured me many times that I'm the only one for you but I can't help but think-"

"That I'm going to run off with some other girl and leave you heartbroken," he finished. I glared at him.

"Now is not the time to be finishing my sentences."

He gave me a half-smile. "Can't help it," he said simply. "And I have those doubts, too."

"Even if I did – not saying that I'm going to – you wouldn't be single for long anyways with looks like that."

"I am good-looking aren't I?"

I got off the bed, ignoring him as he tried to pull me back. "I'm just trying to lighten the mood, babe."

"Well I don't need you to lighten it," I said. I began pacing back and forth. "I'm really worried about you when we don't have classes together."

"Why?"

"Are you going to sit there and tell me that you don't find any of the Mai girls here attractive?"

"No I find them attractive," he said as he stood up from the bed. I glared at him. He held up his hands with a slight smile. "But none of them make a lasting impression."

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it shut. Jasmine walked into the room without knocking.

"I got training again," she grumbled. I looked at Alek, silently telling him we weren't done with our conversation. He nodded tightly. I threw myself at Jasmine and hugged her.

"Good! I have it, too!"

She grinned at me before looking at her cousin.

"Mai history," he said. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Sucks to be you."

He rolled his eyes, glanced at his watch, and strolled toward me. He kissed me once on the lips then on the forehead.

"I've got to get going now. I love you." His eyes bore into mine.

"I love you, too." His eyes narrowed when I didn't smile at him. Well, I wasn't over our argument yet.

He looked at Jasmine seriously. "Take care of my girl."

"I always do."

He nudged her slightly and walked out of the room, calling over his shoulder a simple, "See you girls at dinner!"

Jasmine linked her arm through mine.

"Let's go, Uniter. We're about to be put through hell."

I wanted to die. For one thing, I didn't expect training to be that hard. The other thing was that, although Jasmine was with me and tried to help me avoid many people, boys still managed to find their ways toward me and kept trying to hook up with me. The training studio was huge, about the size of a small house, located at the bottom floor of the academy (a.k.a the basement). There were several stations set up for training: weight lifting, wrestling, knife throwing, archery, self-defense, etc…

"Another one, two o' clock," Jasmine warned me. I rolled my eyes. She dragged me over to the knife throwing stations. I grabbed a knife and threw it without much thought toward the dummy; it whacked it square in the chest. Jasmine laughed beside me, throwing two knives, hitting her targets perfectly.

"Jasmine!" our instructor, Stephen, called her over to the archery station. I grabbed her arm.

"Don't leave me," I hissed.

"It's only for a few minutes," she reasoned. "Come on, Chloe. I don't wanna get in trouble. You can handle yourself fine."

I sighed and let her go. She hurried over to where several of the Mai guys were checking her out. She was trying her hardest to ignore them.

"Hello, Uniter."

I turned around to face a boy around the same age, with blonde hair and blue eyes. I turned away from him.

"Aww, don't be like that," he said. I clutched the handle of the knife tightly. I was beyond ready to stab him with it. "I'm Alex."

"Why don't you get lost Alex?" I threw the knife, hitting the dummy in the head. He leaned on the table beside me.

"No why would I do that? I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't give it."

"Feisty. I like it."

"Great. Now leave me alone."

He made a tsk-tsk sound. "The dean wouldn't like you treating me that way, Chloe King." He leaned in closer to whisper in my ear, "After all spending time with me was part of your deal."

HIM? I screamed in my head. The dean wanted me to interact with this arrogant asshole?

Now I know why they separated me and Alek.

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