{Elira}
~**^**~
The open arena was bigger than I'd imagined.
Wide stretches of grass shimmered under the morning sun, broken only by the track's winding path and the raised viewing stands ringing the space.
My roommates and I slipped through the gates together, and immediately we spotted clusters of students scattered across the field. Some were already stretching or bouncing on their heels; others stood in tight circles, laughing and trading confident smirks.
A few instructors lingered at the edges, speaking to each other in low voices, their eyes occasionally sweeping over the gathering crowd.
Their uniforms looked sharper under the bright light, the insignia at their shoulders catching glints of gold.
We joined the growing cluster of arrivals, the sound of chatter swelling with every new group that filtered in. Before long, the quiet open space had transformed into a restless sea of uniforms, the air buzzing with anticipation and nervous energy.
Then I saw Lennon.
