The Black Hand-- Part 2

I have been working on this story and decided that I would go ahead and post the next part. Tell me what you think of it. Are the hints about Marina and her real life too confusing? I am trying to make them a little ambiguous so that I can develop her with the story but I don't want the reader to get lost. Any help?

The Black Hand--Part 2

I took a longer look at the building where my Marine Biology class was the next day. It was only large enough for four classrooms and they wrapped around forming a hollow circle. I wondered what was in the middle of the building, especially since I had not seen any entrances. I pointed it out to Calvin while we were waiting for the teacher to arrive. He agreed that it was strange and added that it was rather inconvenient for him because he had to look around a curve in order to see the teacher. The building looked neat from the outside but whoever had designed it only had a taste for the unique and not the practical.

“Please get in your seats!” Professor Jins boomed out at us and I jumped. I was standing very near the door, but I had not seen him come in, he was just suddenly there in the room. Inwardly I shrugged my shoulders deciding I had been preoccupied and hurried to my seat.

“Have any of you ever heard of the mutualistic relationship between the Oriental Sweet-Lips and the Blue Wrasse? It is a very unique and interesting one—“

I certainly had heard of this relationship and after seeing the real thing take place in my own back yard a couple hundred times I had lost interest. Majoring in Marine Biology was a laugh to me but that was what every Aqua in training did because it was something they didn’t have to work at. We all lived it, were taught it and had it bred in our blood. 

A sudden and very loud noise jerked me out of my reverie and I felt every nerve in my body contract in preparation for a spring. But nothing happened. No one else in the class room seemed to have heard it, they were all still staring dumbly at the teacher who was in full sail and nearly and looked nearly out of breath.

I stole a look at Calvin but he was studiously taking notes and obviously had heard nothing. Perhaps I had been imagining things? I slowly began to relax.

Then I heard it again and there was no mistaking it. The sound was of metal sliding on metal and then an annoying and insistent beeping. Where was that coming from and why was no one else acting like they heard it? I closed my eyes to concentrate on the sound. There was something higher and a little fuzzy, I knew I was familiar with it but I could not quite pen point it.

“Hey Frog Girl, wake up! It’s not winter hibernation time quite yet.” I felt the girl next to me hiss as she kicked my leg.

At first I was irritated with her immaturity but then a sort of calm began to surround me as I realized it didn’t really matter. There was nothing wrong with being a frog and humorously, they were closer then they thought. Webbed toes were not my only frog-like gift.

 I smiled good humoredly at her."Thanks for waking me up."

She looked at me narrowly and then decided I really was dunce enough to not understand she had been picking on me.

After class Calvin caught me and asked me if I was going to the café next. He said he and Amy would like to sit with me if I did. After getting our food we chose a quite corner table and began to eat.

“Hey, I forgot to get some water.” Calvin stood up, “Do either of you need something to drink?”

I had chosen to get some crackers that day and I was in sore need of the water when he finally returned and put a large cup down in front of my plate.

“Thanks.” I said trying not to blow crumbs everywhere and grabbing the cup and took a large mouthful and stated spluttering.

“Are you alright?” Amy looked up from her salad and saw my disappointed face.

“Uh, yes, yes I’m alright. Could you pass me the salt? Thanks!” I dumped a generous amount in my water. That would taste much better, before it had tasted like the Rio Negro. I took a tentative drink and then gulped down the whole cup. Feeling much better I picked up two crackers and sandwiched and generous slice of cheese between. Then I noticed that Amy and Calvin had both frozen and were staring at me with their forks in mid air.

“What? Do I have crumbs on my face?” I grabbed a napkin and hurriedly passed it a few times over my mouth.

Amy put down her fork and looked at me curiously. “No dear. But you just guzzled that whole cup.”

“Oh,” I dropped my head and curled my toes. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“You weren’t rude.” Calvin was studying me too. “But what we’re surprised about is the fact that you just drank a cup that was about one fourth salt.”

Oh, so that was it? How could I have been so obvious!

“Uh, yeah. Sorry. I’ve always liked my water salty I guess.”

“You sound mineral deficient.” Amy still hadn’t eaten that bite of food and I was irritated with myself for attracting so much attention.

“Oh, I’m fine. It’s just a funny little habit of mine.”

“Are you sure? I am a nutritionist. What do you eat a lot of?”

I twisted my fingers together nervously. I wished she would stop making such a big deal of the whole thing.

“Well, mostly fish, crabs, sea weed, oysters; I like sea food.”

“Sea weed? That’s one I’ve never been able to stomach. I guess you really do like sea food.”

“Yeah. Hey, I don’t mean to be rude but I’ve got to leave. I have a class in ten minutes and it’s clear across campus.” I grabbed my backpack hurriedly before she could ask me any more questions. “Thanks for eating with me! How about Friday? I’ll have class with Calvin again that day, you want to grab lunch again?”

“Love to!” Calvin smiled enthusiastically. “Have a good day!”

It was only as I was opening the door of my classroom that I realized I had never told Calvin about the strange noises I was hearing during Marine Biology. Maybe Friday, if  I didn’t do something absurd again and make them ask too many questions.