Slam!

I felt the wind rushing past me as everything became a blur.

My breath caught. I felt weightless; I felt nothing then suddenly…Slam!

I was in excruciating pain, it was impossible not to cry out. Two voices rang out, each expressing their worry. One was deep and smooth, the other high-pitched and scholarly. Ms. Terwilliger and Adrian rushed over to me. Or well, their forms did, it was hard to focus on them or make out their features… They were too blurry! I hated it, I hated having the handicap. I hated magic. I hated being confused about Adrian. I hated –

"Ahhh!" I cried.

The pain in my leg took over every sense and thought in that moment; interrupting my pessimistic tirade. Not that I didn't earn it, I had every right to be as horrible as I wanted to be in my thoughts… especially when I had only gotten three hours of sleep. Nightmares had thwarted my attempts at sleep last night. Horrible nightmares, the pain came back and this time I managed to grit my teeth before crying out. I hissed.

"What the hell happened, Jackie!" He shouted, clearly outraged.

"It seems that the spell has backfired." Ms. Terwilliger replied, attempting to sound calm and controlled and failing miserably. Even I could hear her voice shaking slightly, that or I hit my head harder than I thought and had faulty hearing.

"Backfired! You never said anything about a spell harming her!" Adrian growled. Ms. Terwilliger stayed silent. He then took a deep breath- to calm himself I would suppose- and when he began talking. It was in a polite and authoritative tone, laced with barely contained anger.

"Did she know this could happen? Did you warn her before you dragged her into this?"

"I informed her of the consequences of an incorrectly executed spell. She knew this could happen, though I've never seen her fail one yet… I was hoping one as powerful as this would go smoothly as well."

"Fine. It's nice to know she knew that she could maybe blow her head off if she wasn't paying attention." He said and turned to me. "Damn, Sage if you wanted to take risks we could've went bungee jumping instead."

His blurry figure got down onto its knees. I could feel his breath on my face so I assumed he had leveled his face with mine. I could determine his features better now, though my mind seemed more focused on the colours. Dark brown hair, pale skin, green, green eyes. Those eyes tried to hold me but it was ineffective, my leg still hurt too much. I couldn't give my full concentration to anything else. He spoke softly.

"Sydney, this is going to hurt; but I'm going to carry you to the couch. We need to see if you're hurt."

I felt myself nod. And I was glad that things seemed in focus again. Adrian gently slid an arm around my back and the other underneath my legs. I felt more pressure as he stood up, me still in his arms. He unknowingly had one hand on my wound. He noticed within a few seconds and quickly maneuvered his hand to my knee. But it was a second to late as I quietly groaned in pain and my vision blurred again. Well, it was nice well it lasted.

"Shit, her leg. She's got glass pretty deep in there…" He trailed off. Adrian then told my hippie history/magic teacher that I needed to be taken to the hospital.

"Nonsense, we have the materials to deal with that here. I am trained in first aid. Are you?" She announced.

"Yeah, but not in the way you're thinking." He mumbled under his breath. He was still walking; he took a few more steps before gently placing me on the couch.

"What do I need to do?"

"Give her this to drink." She instructed, handing him a bottle.

I grabbed it from him and gulped it down greedily. My throat was dry and I was feeling faint, but after I gave it back to Adrian my throat was on fire and had a weird aftertaste. But other than that, I was feeling ok. My leg didn't feel that bad anymore, and I was significantly less stressed as a result. Actually, I was feeling pretty good, really good, amazing, in fact. I started to giggle. A lot. I heard footsteps and then a gasp.

"You weren't supposed to give her that much! Just enough to numb the pain not get her drunk!"

"Well I'm sorry I wasn't given specific instructions, and she kind of took it from me." Was his snarky response to her reprimand.

I started to get a bit curious, they seemed worried. Why? I felt great. Fantastic. Fabulous. Fantabulous!

"Adrian, what did I just drink?" I said.

"It's Kahlua, Sage. Packed with sugar and coffee flavour."

I still didn't see the problem, except the sugar part of course, but Adrian didn't care about that. I searched my brain for why Adrian seemed concerned. Drink. Drink. Drunk?

"Was there alcohol?" I said slowly. I couldn't seem to talk as fast as I usually did.

"Yes, but not a lot. Remind to never let you participate in a drinking game. Speaking of which, Jackie, why give her Kahlua, instead of say, whiskey?" He asked.

"Only alcohol I had. Now, you said there was glass in her leg?" Ms. Terwilliger answered.

"Yes, from your table. It's done for by the way… Are you almost done?" Impatience was clear in his tone along with worry.

I remembered that Adrian didn't know what to do in these situations. His first instinct was to use spirit but he knew that I would run away kicking and screaming if he did, injured leg be damned. So he felt helpless. I didn't feel that different drunk. I helpfully told them so. I received strange looks.

"Hold her still." She reappeared with professional looking pliers and a needle and thread along with some gauze and that cold stuff. For injured people, they put it in a bag. Ice? Yeah, she had a bag of ice. She was also holding what looked to be a bottle of disinfectant. Now, what did that mean again?

I felt sharp pain and I squirmed to get away from it, as it was human nature to do so. Adrian did his duty and held me down as she disinfected, pulled, and stitched up my leg. Gauze was then wrapped around my leg. Then a cold bag of ice was pressed up against it. I figured she'd ask me about my leg, but she surprised me with a completely different question.

"What is your name? Or rather your fake name?"

"Sydney Katherine Melrose" I answered uneasily, wondering the point of these questions.

"Can you tell me which school you attend?"

"Amberwood Prep-preperatony-preporatoryory-preparatory Boarding School in Palm Springs Ma'am."

"Our names?"

" Your name is Jaqueline Terwilliger and his is Adrian Iv-Melrose. Ma'am" I hastily replied, almost 'blowing our cover'. Though there was no doubt in my mind that - wow I never noticed how long her name was before- knew me Adrian and I were not related.

She clapped her hands together in delight.

"Wonderful! She doesn't have a concussion and her leg is stitched up. Make sure she keeps icing her leg though. She will be in a lot of pain once the alcohol wears off. Numbing it will help. It should be alright to take her back to your apartment. Although, you shouldn't let her walk." She advised.

Some of her words struck me.

"His apartment?" I blurted out.

"Yes, you shouldn't be left alone in case something happens. If you`re worried about school, I am planning to call Desiree and inform her that you`ll be with family. "

My number one excuse was thrown out the door. And my tongue felt heavy, that would make arguing hard. I decided to go along with their plan. I was once again scooped up into Adrian's arms and carried to the car. He juggled me in his arms and managed to open the door without putting me down. He placed me on the seat, closed the door and went around to the driver's side. I attempted to put on my seatbelt, but for once in my life, it seemed way too complicated! Two larger, paler hands appeared and helped me as the owner of them let out a sigh.

The drive was quiet, I was too tired or drunk to want to say anything and Adrian, well I don't just wasn't speaking. He had a nice car though. We pulled up in front of the apartment building and made our way to his place. We had both entered the yellow room and I quickly threw myself on the plaid sofa. Well since he was still carrying me I just kind of pointed to the couch a lot and he put me there. This reminded me of something, why? Or as the French would say Déja vu. No they wouldn't, it would be more like: Sa me rappelle de quelque chose. Hey! Les misérables was about the French revolution and French people, they spoke French! Prisoner 24601, that was Adrian. No it wasn't, but in his emails it said so. Why would he lie to me? I suddenly wanted to say something. So, I did.

"I'm not happy."

Adrian had been doing something before but his attention was now focused on me.

"I am not happy" I repeated. Adrian said nothing.

"But, I'm not supposed to be happy. Supposed to work, not be happy. Work is supposed to help other people. Make other people happy, but why does it have to make me miserable? Can't I be happy too? No. I can't, if I did what made me happy… Adrian, why do you love me?"

"You know why." It seemed like Adrian didn't like talking to me drunk.

"Why won't you say anything? You said you would always love me… why? Why are you such an idiot! Nothing can happen between us, ever. Never ever ever ever ever! So give up and move on goddammit!"

I shouted half angry, half really, really sad.

"Sage-" He started with a sigh, looking like he was about to explain something to a kindergartener for the hundredth time. That made me angry, and frustrated.

"No you listen Ivashko- Ivashn- Adrian! You don't understand the consequences! Not only for me but for yourself! You are a royal Moroi, your family would hate me and maybe even you too! Your messed up society would shun you and neither me nor you would fit in anywhere! And I, I would be sent to re-education, my family would hate me and I would end up not caring about anyone! I wouldn't even be there! I wouldn't be with you! They wouldn't let me! They'll send me there!" I said. "A robot." I whispered, thinking about the victims of re-education. "DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT ANY OF THAT! " I yelled, he wasn't saying anything. Why wasn't he saying anything? "Why do I feel this way, I shouldn't its wrong, unnatural. Not right. Not right! NOT RIGHT! You shouldn't love me it's wrong." I continued.

"It may seem wrong to you, and you can yell all you want about how your feelings for me are wrong. But don't you dare start telling me what I feel for you is wrong! It isn't! Love isn't wrong Sydney and you have no right, no right to tell me how I should feel." He replied forcefully. There was fire in his eyes, green fire and his expression was so, so full of passion. So, I kissed him.

It was amazing, his lips were just as I remembered, and for a while he kissed me back. It was like magic. There were no words for the feeling I got so I stopped trying to use them. Then swiftly he pulled away. Why? Did he hate me now too?

"Why did you … go away?" My brain had trouble thinking of anything better to say than that.

"There are a lot of things you shouldn't do drunk, Sage. That was one of them. "He then picked me up and brought me to a room, his room I think, and set me on the bed.

"But, I want to." I feebly protested. He chuckled.

"There will be plenty of time for that when you're sober. Get some rest, tomorrow I want more details on whatever Re-education is."