Sunny sat down for her first class after the rains. She felt odd. She glanced over and met Orlu’s eyes. They smiled at each other, as if sharing a joke. Once the teacher started talking, Sunny was surprised that she was still interested in learning normal things like algebra, literature, and biology. She could still concentrate.
During lunch, Orlu told her that Anatov would let Chichi know when they’d next meet. “He’ll probably give us two or three weeks to recuperate,” he said. “But we’ll each also be meeting with our mentors on our own time, I guess.”
“I think I have my work cut out for me,” Sunny said.
“With Sugar Cream as a mentor, there’s no doubt about that,” he said, laughing. “Oh, did Chichi tell you? She and Sasha are going to prepare to pass the second level.”
“I thought you had to be sixteen or seventeen for that.”
“Well, who knows how old Chichi is? Sasha’s early, but after what they just went through, he might as well have gained two years.”
She nodded.
“And you don’t always have to be that age,” he said. “It’s just recommended. But if you don’t pass, you suffer terrible consequences, so you see the logic in waiting?”
“Yeah,” she said. “So you don’t think you’re ready?”
Orlu shrugged.
“You’re afraid to fail?”
“What about you? How many of them can say they faced Ekwensu and lived? Not even the scholars can say that. And you have friends in the wilderness.”
“Oh, please, I don’t even remember what the second level is called.”
“Mbawkwa,” Orlu said as the bell rang.
“Feels weird, doesn’t it?” she said to Orlu as they walked back in.
“You’ll get used to it,” he said. “Having two lives is better than none.”
“True.” And she laughed.