Brianna Acero and the Second One's Return

18. The team gets a bigger room

"Come on, forget what Jack said. Mara and Jayson are probably wondering what happened to us," says Kalen, walking past the groups of new trainees that had been watching from their doors.

The other teams were obviously used to this kind of behavior though, because they keep talking to the new Elites as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. We make it to a familiar door and walk in on Jayson and Mara playing a game of cards.

"We weren't even gone for five minutes," exclaims Kalen, but Mara just shrugs.

"You know our big baby has a short attention span and gets bored easily."

Jayson pouts

"Hey!"

Mara puts down her last cards and, I don't know what they're playing, but she seems to win by the way Jayson throws his remaining cards down and lays flat on his back, defeated.

"How are you so good?" he groans, and Mara just laughs.

Cassie laughs with her, and I remember the first time she met Mara the other day.

It had been during our tour, Kalen had us meet up with Jayson and Mara in one of the courtyards, we found the two of them sitting on a bench under a big tree.

"How was initiation," asked Jayson, slowly scooting away from Mara, as if he didn't want to be caught too close to her.

"Great!" exclaimed Cassie. "The duels were incredible!"

At the mention of the duels Maras head shoots up, eyes landing on me with concern written all over her face. She's probably wondering if my Gift has been discovered.

"Don't worry," I reassure her. "They don't know. They think my Gift is just having the freakish ability to guess peoples moves in a fight."

Her shoulders slump, posture relaxing instantly.

"It's not a great cover, but it will have to do," she gets up from the bench and turns to Cassie.

"It's nice to see you again."

Cassie smiles and shakes Maras hand, eyes roaming over her petite frame. Today Mara was dressed all in black, a cherry red leather jacket slung over her shoulders. She was well built, with toned arms and legs, from all her afternoons of training. She seems to ooze confidence. No wonder she has such an impact on people, her aura demands respect. I can already tell that she and Cassie are going to become very good friends.

"Right back at you. Bri wouldn't stop talking about you guys since she came back from her first visit."

I blush when the three of them turn to look at me, and I just shrug.

"What, it was a very exciting day, of course I had to tell my best friend about it."

Mara smiles at my response.

"So, since you wanted to talk to us, would it be wrong of me to assume that you want us on your team?" asks Cassie, feigning indifference, but I know my friend well enough to tell when she tries to hide her excitement.

No one answers at first, concern written over their faces. For a second I worry that we overstepped our boundaries, and that they don't want us to join.

"We would love for more people to join us," says Jayson, getting up from the bench and coming to stand in front of us. I inhale and I realize I hadn't been breathing, waiting for someone to answer, when the air reaching my lungs makes me dizzy with relief.

"But we can't force you to join us, you have to want to become a part of the team."

I smile, not understanding why they seem so glum. Of course, we want to join them.