Green snorted out a laugh. “That was an enthusiastic goodbye for someone who makes you feel that way.”

My mouth went dry as I realized my mistake. “I’m just really excited that he’s moving on tomorrow,” I said, which was 100 percent the truth. “That’s all.”

Green chuckled. “Cadet Mason is incredibly focused and goal oriented, and people that driven have a tendency to grate on others.” When I didn’t say anything, he sighed. “You know,” he said. “I’ve taught you both for years now, and if each of you would relax a little, you might just become friends.”

“Friends?” I said, barely hiding the disgust in my voice.

Green nodded. “Friends. The life you are training for is one of extreme stress and strain. Friends can help with that.” Green considered me again for a long moment before nodding his head as though he’d just figured something out. “I assume you aren’t participating in the sim test tomorrow?” he asked.

“Correct, sir,” I said.

“May I ask why you never participate in sim tests?” he said, and I felt my insides shrivel a bit.

“I don’t want to fail,” I said, deciding that honesty was the best policy when it came to Professor Green. He’d been around so long he could sniff out a lame cadet excuse from a mile away.

“And why do you believe you’d fail?” he asked.

“Experience,” I said with a shrug. “I failed my simulation again today. I’m pretty terrible under pressure.”

Green sniffed. “Well, it seems to me that if you’re bad at something, you should take every opportunity to practice it. Don’t you agree, cadet?” With that he turned and disappeared back through the door Elliot had just gone through.

I muttered something that I hoped sounded like a thank-you and exited the building. The sun was already as good as set, the last wisps of day sliding across the grassy courtyard we affectionally called the Mall to be replaced by the lengthening shadows of twilight. I let out a breath, releasing some of the tension of the last few minutes with it. My shoulders relaxed, and I stood for a second on the wide concrete steps, letting the panoramic view of the campus calm my buzzing nerves. My brain silently named each of the large stone buildings that surrounded the Mall—the Roosevelt Building, the Revere Building, and the Edison Building with its impressive clock tower. They were as familiar to me as my own reflection, and the normalcy of the sight went a long way toward calming me down. It really was beautiful. The air had a heaviness to it, making the smell of fresh-mown grass almost overpowering, and a quick glance at the sky showed an approaching storm. Good. I liked storms. They were wild and unpredictable, and they played by their own rules. Something I both envied and admired.