by Jarica James
"Hey, Clara?" I said, finally having had enough. At this point, I didn’t care what anyone thought of me. I had no real chance here. When she turned around with laughter in her eyes, I exploded, standing up and gripping the edge of the table while I screamed at her. "Fuck you. You're just a shit human, and I honestly hope that the day karma catches up with you, I get to watch you go down." With that, I simply sat back down and picked up my book like nothing had happened. I heard her stomp away after a few moments, and the tension in my shoulders drained. I was sure that I would pay for that later, but for now, I didn’t give a shit. Honestly, I felt lighter than I had in the last four years. Not wanting to see Clara staring daggers at me, as I’m sure she was, or the pity I knew I’d find in the guys’ eyes, I kept my head down for the rest of the period.
The moment the bell rang I shoved my stuff in my bag and rushed off. Now that the school had moved on from the gossip of the morning, things were back to normal. Which of course meant that I had to dodge around people to avoid getting bumped into. The rest of the student body was back to calling me names as I rushed past them, but oddly enough, Clara's voice was silent.
History was next, so I stopped at my locker to grab my afternoon books. The moment I reached out for it, I saw the thick letters adorning the locker. 'Watch yourself, pariah' was scrawled across it, the red paint still dripping down to the floor. Using a tissue I had stuffed in my pocket, I wiped off the lock enough to open the locker and exchanged my books. I kept my head high as I walked to history, feeling more anger than anything else. I would never understand the students here. Sure, there were the random few that shot me looks of guilt and pity, but it wasn’t like they were willing to take the risk of ostracizing themselves. But really, could I blame them? Who would want a piece of the attention I got? Not me, so as much as I would have liked to call them out for their cowardice, I couldn’t. Self-preservation and all that.
The history room was still empty when I stepped inside, so I slid behind my desk in the back of the room and pulled out my notes. Mr. Harris never came to class until the bell rang, so this was prime Clara targeting time. Clara walked into the room, right on cue. Her eyes narrowed on me for a second, pure hatred in them as she chattered behind one of the new guys- Evander, I think. He continued to ignore Clara, coming to sit next to me instead. What the hell is he doing? This was social suicide for him, and it was going to make my life even worse.
"Does she have an off switch?" he muttered to me as he took his seat. I snorted, forgetting myself for a moment, before hiding behind my curtain of hair. This time he was the one to chuckle.
"So, where are you from?" Clara asked, her sweet and gentle voice so unlike her, I had to force myself not to scoff.
"I'm not interested, so if you don't mind leaving me alone, I'd appreciate it," Evander said casually, before scooting his desk closer to me and turning his back to her completely. Clara’s mouth hung open like a door with a broken hinge. It was funny, but my mind still tried to convince me that it wasn’t real… that he just liked the chase.
"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed at him, unable to hold back.
"Uh, we are in a place of learning," he said as he gestured around. "I'd say you have a good guess at what I'm doing."
"No, smartass. Why are you snubbing her and talking to me?" His eyebrows rose up at my question.
"And here I thought you were smart," he mused, shaking his head in mock disappointment. Clara sat fuming behind him, looking like she was close to exploding in anger. Her face was red, and she huffed silently; even her eyes looked out of focus as she mumbled under her breath. She was probably plotting my death. My stomach burned with acid at the thought of her retaliation, all because the new guy was giving me attention instead of her. Before I could offer a plea to Evander to leave me alone, Mr. Harris shuffled into the room in his usual harried state.
"Class, welcome our new student, Evander Kova. He and his brothers started here this morning!" Mr. Harris said as he hurried into class. His beaming smile and wispy brown hair made him endearing. He never let anyone be rude or mean to others in his class, and he talked to me like I was a person. Sadly, this was something not all the teachers did, which meant he was probably the one person at Obsidian I didn't hate. The jury was still out on the new guys. "If you'd like to share a textbook with Miss Malia, we will jump right in. In fact, she's probably best suited to get you all caught up if you want to borrow notes from her. I have a feeling she'd make the perfect study partner," he said, beaming brightly as I slid further into my chair, feeling Clara’s death stare on the side of my head.
"Perfect, thank you!" Evander called to the front of the room, as he moved his desk closer still. "Now you can't hide from me, Lennie," he said smugly. This time his voice was low and smooth in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine that I couldn't stop.
"It's Lennox," I muttered, moving my book closer to the edge of the desk so he could see. I hated to admit it, but I didn’t hate the nickname when it was said in the way he did.
"Nope, it's Doll," he confirmed, without even bothering to consider it. My annoyance was cut off by Mr. Harris jumping into today's lecture. I took notes and tried not to notice the boy next to me, who smelled like sandalwood and had a smile full of mischief.
February 21
Afternoon
Lennox
It seemed that at least one of the five new kids were in each of my classes. Every single one of them seemed to get there early enough to snag a seat by me, effectively making me a mentor for all of them. For once, school was passing just a little bit smoother, but still I kept most of myself guarded. It wouldn't be the first time someone had shown me attention just to turn into a complete jerk... it's only day one.
My attention was too torn today to focus on a book or homework. Instead, I actually dug into my food and studied the lunch room around me. I wondered if the guys would be coming to sit with me, before I pushed that thought down too. I didn’t need to think like that since just two days ago I was the girl who couldn't walk three feet in the hallway before getting bumped into. They would join in soon enough.
"There she is. Who knew she actually had a face, she's always hiding behind that hair," Tristan joked, taking a seat beside me. His grin was infectious, and I couldn’t help but quirk up the side of my mouth in a small half smile. His white hair was cut short and slightly tousled. He had vibrant blue eyes that drew me in, but the smile that spread out across the chiseled angles of his face had my heart skipping a beat. He was tall, somewhere around 6'2, and dwarfed my petite frame.
"Hey look, you almost got her to crack a smile," Lachlan said, sitting on my other side. The other three joined a few minutes later, all of their trays stacked high with food. Lachlan had coppery red hair and pale green eyes. He seemed shyer than Tristan, his smile muted but just as adorable. The way his freckles peppered his nose and his slightly dimpled half grin had a blush rising in my cheeks.
"This food is so much better than our old school’s. I swear they served everything microwaved or something. Nobody wants soggy pizza," Calev said, giving the pizza an appreciative look. The way he studied it had me longing for that kind of attention. Loneliness was something I was used to, had grown familiar with, and somehow it was only amplified when I saw what I could have.
Real friends… or even more.
Calm down, killer. You’ve known them barely two damn days.
Calev was a mystery to me. On one hand he seemed to lead his brothers around, on the other, he seemed to hate the fact they moved here. Of all of them, he seemed like he wanted to be here the least. It was a feeling I knew well, so it pulled me to him in a weird way. He was intense, his perfect features pulled down in a frown, and his dark black curly hair flopping precariously around his face. When he glanced at me, his stone gray eyes held a note of curiosity and suspicion.
"Now she looks sad again," Aeson said, his head tilting to the side as he studied me. Aeson had that 'boy next door' vibe to him. His blonde
hair was short, and his face wasn't as chiseled, giving him a more youthful look. He seemed athletic and lean, his height close to Tristan's, whereas the others were all a few inches shorter.
"What did they do to you here?" Evander asked, his voice holding a slight command to it that had my eyes snapping up to meet his. I couldn't seem to look away from the deep blue depths of his gaze. With some effort, I studied him, not really bothered that it was obvious. His hair was dark and straight, falling lightly in his eyes. He was thin and lithe, more of a swimmer's build than the others. Everything that exuded from him screamed smartass, which I had already pegged in history class. Remembering his question, I gave a slight shake of my head before I hid behind the familiar curtain of my hair.
“Is that all you’re planning to eat?” Lachlan asked, his eyes flicking from my tray to my face. My cheeks burned at being called out. And here I was proud of myself for eating.
“Food isn't really my thing,” I mumbled, pushing the leftovers away, no longer hungry. “I’m gonna go,” I mumbled, not caring if I looked crazy. Now I just felt uncomfortable and didn’t want to be here.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude,” Lachlan pleaded. He reached out and locked his fingers around my wrist, giving me a gentle tug to sit back down. His touch felt oddly warm, shocking me enough to give pause. With a sigh, I took my seat again, wanting to crumple under their stares. But that’s not who I was anymore, so I sat there with my head held high. Tristan gently pushed my tray back to me, begging me with his eyes to eat.
“Happy?” I asked, taking a bite of my sandwich. His grin returned, and he nodded, diving back into his own food.
“Why do I feel like you’re a mythical unicorn? The closer we get, the more likely you are to run away into the night, never to be seen again,” Tristan mused, studying me with a weird intensity that had me squirming.
“Because that’s something I’d do,” I confirmed, meaning every word.
“I like your honesty,” Calev added as he finished his slice of pizza. He looked over at me, his eyes studying me as they roamed over my face. Something about the way he looked at me made me think he was looking for something specific, though I wasn’t sure what he expected to find in a high school loser.
"So, tomorrow is Friday, what is there to do around here on the weekends?" Evander rubbed his hands together as he spoke, searching around the room as if exciting things would pop up at any moment.
When his eyes fell on me, I tried not to laugh."I'm not the girl for that question," I said, shoving a piece of food in my mouth to avoid having to answer further. He snorted and shook his head before muttering to the others, though it wasn't low enough for me not to overhear.
"This one is going to be a challenge, isn't she?" The others all nodded slightly, glancing at me like I was the most interesting challenge they'd ever faced.
My eyes narrowed as I stood up, picking up my bag and leaving the tray where it rested on the table. "I'm not a challenge, and I'm hardly yours to worry about," I said, dodging Lachlan's arm and heading out of the lunchroom. I rolled my eyes as Evander joined me, holding the door and letting me step through first. How did he get here so fast?
He kept peeking at me but didn't say anything for several moments, until he couldn't seem to take it anymore. "What did they do to you here? Seriously." His words were quieter this time, his hand reaching for mine before retreating again. I hated how much I wanted him to go through with it, to take my hand. What the fuck is wrong with me? A group of guys show interest, and I can't seem to control myself. They just seemed to draw me in at every turn.
"Nothing I can't hand-" My words were cut off as Alistair and Clara stepped into our path. Of course they waited until we were in a blind spot to approach us, always knowing the best spots to commit their abuse without the teachers’ attention being drawn to them.
Alistair puffed his chest out and sized Evander up. "So, this is the guy who was rude to you? The guy I'm going to beat to the ground?" Evander let out a low chuckle at the comical show of dominance. When I glanced up at him, I noticed the tick in his jaw and slight flash of… was that black in his eyes? What the hell is he? Stop… he’s not a character in one of your books.
Clara looked smug as she stepped forward to get in my face. "Yeah, and she was too." Her voice was laced with venom, but her smile faltered at the look of pure fury on my face. There was no way I would let them hit Evander because of me.
I looked at Evander and tapped him with my closed fist. "On three?" I asked, my voice hard. Evander's answering smile was a bit sinister and overly excited, making him look more lethal than I imagined.
"On three," he confirmed, before counting and cocking back his fist. "One. Two. Three," he finished, and we both let our fists fly. Both Alistair and Clara ended up on the ground, that one punch letting out four years of frustration. A small giggle bubbled out of me as I glared down at them.
"If either one of you feels the need to go report this, I promise that won't be the last you hear from me. I’m not someone to push around anymore," I hissed, making my voice cold and deadly. Tears sprung from Clara's eyes as she glared at me, grabbing her brother and running away. She likely wouldn’t listen, she would just wait until we were in front of faculty, and I couldn’t punch her. Neither one of us would want to get suspended. That would definitely look awful on college applications. Panic welled a bit at that thought, but I reassured myself she’d be too big of a coward.
Evander's chuckle brought me out of my head, and I glanced over to see him leaning against the side of the building, arms folded over his chest as he smirked down at me. "There's the fire I was waiting for."
Little does he know, he's the reason for the fire. I never would have lashed out if they had cornered just me, but something about him makes me want to protect him. Even if that means harming myself, and that thought scares me. I was fine with not needing anyone, now I’m not so sure.
February 22
Evening
Calev
"Are we sure it's her?" I questioned for what felt like the seven hundredth time. Our team was sent here to retrieve a supernatural, but so far nobody had shown the usual signs. Sure, Lennox seemed different, but I was afraid that the wounded puppy vibe was clouding their judgement. Though, according to Van, she showed some of her bullies what she could do. A chuckle almost escaped at that thought, I hated the kids at this school for breaking such an interesting girl. Well, maybe a bit bent, not quite broken.
"I'm almost positive it's her," Lachlan said as he sat against the headboard of my bed and flipped through his phone. He didn't even bother looking up, which only made me more angry. They should be taking this seriously, it’s our first assignment and we need to do well!
"Stop shouting, we are taking this seriously. We can use tomorrow and Sunday to get a feel for everything. If it's that nasty Clara girl, I'm out. She can stay here," he said, his voice full of disgust. I couldn't blame him, even I wanted to see her knocked down a peg or two, and I’m usually the calm and collected one.
Evander turned from his spot to face us. "What do you think she is?" He looked excited and far too invested in this. It’s unlike him, and I can’t seem to wrap my head around why they all seem so convinced. It’s more than that though, he’s acting like he found his soul mate. If she's not our target, this isn't going to end well.
Tristan met my eyes when I sent that thought to him and grimaced, nodding so subtly that I doubt anyone else saw. The thought of leaving Lennox behind made me uneasy, though. I was shocked she made it this long. We had watched this school for weeks before we finally gave up and enrolled. Thankfully, being friends with a vampire had its perks. It was easy to get the school to accept five new students with no notice and minimal paper history, if you use a bit of compulsion on them.
We go to the Obsidian Cove Supernatural Academy… that one will be fun to explain to Lennox. Close in name but worlds apart. A large chunk of the curriculum at the Academy was doing missions for o
ur territory, starting small and moving up. The Regency, our government, had a radar set up to detect fluctuations of magic in the human side of the world. It was an interesting bit of magical tech, but also quite effective. When the radar indicated someone was here at the Prep school, we figured it would be an awful, boring mission full of rich kids and snobby teachers. None of us wanted to enroll, but it could be months before our target showed any signs and we didn't have time for that. So here we are with a joint room and one of us in each of her classes listening to boring human Professors blather on about things none of us care about in the slightest. But if Lennox is in fact our supernatural it will all have been worth it and maybe even gain us a little clout back at the Academy.
Aeson, the king of subtlety, walked into the room, banging the door against the wall before slamming it behind him. "Guys, I didn't find her anywhere," he announced, clearly failing his mission to trail her when she didn't show up at dinner.
"That doesn't mean anything, chill," Lachlan said, tossing his phone aside and finally focusing on us. Apparently she’s interesting enough for him to focus.
Aeson paced anyway, clearly not wanting to calm down. "I think I have a way to see what she is," he announced, stopping and facing us, his face determined. "As a healer, I learned to read a person's magical essence; otherwise, it's a shot in the dark when healing or cleansing someone. If I can at least touch her, I can narrow down her specific magical signature. But she'd need a hell of a distraction to not notice the magic."
"At least that would end this eternal debate," Van deadpanned, looking at me.
I held my hands up in defense, not wanting another argument. "If she is, then I'll drop it, and we can move forward," I conceded. They all nodded, renewed looks of determination.
