ONE HUNDRED NINETY: Flashes II
190
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It had been just a few seconds since Klein finished speaking. They were all still standing in the center of the gym, murmuring about the prize for success, pizza, and teammates. Only a couple of people had taken steps toward the starting line. Nobody was prepared for Vandy’s mother, who had been standing politely off to the side while the instructors explained what was going on, to suddenly lift her hands and point them at the group.
Alden was in the process of making eye contact with his roommates, trying to silently ask if they would all be teaming up, when the burst of wind hit everyone. He staggered and would have fallen if not for Haoyu reaching out to grab his arm. Haoyu’s feet were firmly planted, no doubt thanks to an application of his spell impression. Whether it was foresight or he was just in the habit of starting class by casting it, it was coming in handy now. All around them, people were toppling over and crashing into their neighbors.
Alden hadn’t fully regained his balance, never mind processing the fact that wind could blow this hard, when Everly Kim, who’d been standing in front of them, flew backwards into him. Her feet had completely left the ground. He wrapped his free arm around her automatically, more like a monkey grabbing at a branch than a true savior, and held on. She helped out by clinging just as hard.
Haoyu had a grip on Kon’s gymsuit with his other hand.
When the gust stopped as abruptly as it had begun, they were in the minority who were still upright. Classmates were on the floor, or, in some cases, across the floor even farther from the starting line.
“We haven’t had a chance to talk about who we’re going to partner up with!”
“Vandy! Be on my team! My team!”