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The scratchy and overplayed announcement over the speakers rang through Cambria’s head, and she groaned a bit as she stood up from the chair in her dorm room. They played that every year, the same recording of the shrilled woman speaking of greetings that had been there longer then she had. It was the beginning of a new year. Unlike every regular school, they didn’t have breaks and vacations, due to the fact that they were not exactly trusted to go outside the Institutions doors with their untrained powers. Well, they were allowed outside, but only into the city and when accompanied by a teacher or a superlative student. Lucky for her, she was a superlative and could leave by herself, but it took her awhile to reach that point of rank. In the years back students were free to leave at their own will, but ever since one of last year’s younger students was taken and murdered by the rebel group that found out about the secret of the Institution, they bumped up the protection just a bit.
Grabbing a sweater off one of the hangers in her closet, she threw it on over her tank top. Looking at her outfit, it was mostly black, just like it was most days. Slinging her book bag across her shoulder, she rummaged through it making everything she needed was inside, her sheet music, her sketching book, pencils and whatever. Making the mental checklist, she mumbled under her breath. “I’m missing my psychology book. Must have left it in the music room.” She was originally planning to head over to meet Ben to talk about the New Bloods and discuss what they were going to inform them of about the institute and the hierarchy and everything, but she would have to make a stop now first.
Walking out of her sketch filled, and a bit messy dorm room, she made her way down the long hallway. The walls were plastered with stain glass windows and ornate walls that you could easily tell have been there for a long while. French writing and inscriptions laced the walls as well. Going down the large, chestnut wood stair case, she wandered into the main hall. She noticed a few old faces she knew, and a couple of new ones. There were around forty-five students this year, and many of them New bloods. Giving a nod of her head in greeting to some of the people she passed by, she went down a corridor not many went down. The old church was almost practically a maze, filled with rooms many have yet to discover. Reaching the end of the cool stone hall, she opened up the last door on the right, and walked in, shutting it behind her.
The room was dark, the only light being let through was the sky light on the very high ceiling, made of stain glass. It reflected colors all around the room, and it was pretty calming. Walking up to the old piano right in the middle of the room, she grabbed the book she had left on the bench the night before. The only reason she had the psychology book, was to understand the mind and how everything affects it. It was useful when it came to understanding her own power. Slipping it into her bag, she turned to leave, but stopped mid way. She had new sheet music with her, and decided while she was here she could at least try and play one. ”What the hell.” She shrugged with a small smile tugging at the edge of her lips. Grabbing the music, she set it down as she sat at the piano, and began playing.
The soft music filled the small room, and it echoed and bounced off the walls. It wasn’t a very long piece, and she sat there for a minute after it was done, contemplating whether or not to leave and go deal with the ruckus of a new year, or stay alone in the quiet, where she liked it.