Breathe (Mates Saga #1) *Wattys2015*

Chapter 3

        Ms. Tiranth erased the word "Homeroom" from the board, instead writing "Calculus" in big, curling letters. She was bustling around the classroom as other students filed into the classroom. She seemed very busy, but somehow, she still had time to stop in front of my desk to inquire whether I was all right or not.

        "I'm fine," I assured her, giving her a grateful smile. "Thank you for intervening. You caught him at just the right moment."

        That seemed to please Ms. Tiranth, because her chest kind of puffed up a bit like a cat's tail would puff up to demonstrate superiority. The pride in her voice was obvious when she said, "Oh, I'm only glad I could help." Before she walked away, she told me something, a very clear warning: "Stay away from Will Vale. He's danger."

        Part of me felt relieved that I had another reason to avoid him at all costs, but a different portion, the larger one, wanted to be with him, to make him happy. I didn't understand it and it honestly frightened me a bit. I wanted to be near him, to be with him. It scared me, the way I felt about him when we hadn't even held a serious conversation.

        The scraping of the chair next to me broke me out of my reverie, and I jumped a little bit. A dainty hand touched my forearm. "Are you all right?"

        I smiled, looking over at the sweet girl sitting next to me. "Yeah, I'm fine. You just startled me."

        The girl laughed, the sound like the tinkling of a little bell. "Yes, it seems you were very deep in thought."

        My smile widened. "Indeed I was," I replied, nodding slightly.

        "I'm Olivia, but you can call me Olive," the girl said, offering her hand for a handshake.

        "Gabriella, but you can call me Ella," I said, shaking her hand.

        I took that moment in which she examined me to examine her. She was shorter than normal, about 5'3". She had lovely black hair cut pixie style. I loved it. Her skin was dark, but I wouldn't call her black. She was more latino than anything else that came to mind. Her eyes were a warm, chocolate brown. Her cheekbones were high and face clear of any acne. Her nose was like an arrow, as straight as, if not straighter than, a steel rod.

        She wore more casual clothing. She wore a baseball cap on her head that advertised that she liked the Colorado Rockies, purple and white. Her T-shirt was gray and said, 'Oh, so you want us females in the kitchen? Well, just remember that's where the knives are kept.' She wore white skinny jeans with random doodles scrawled on to the surface in purple sharpie. She also wore sparkly sandals that had me admiring her bravery for wearing them on a day that was as cold as this one.

        "You're really pretty," we both admitted to each other at the same time, both of us clapping our hands over our mouths and blushing pink.

        "Thanks," we said at the same time, causing us to giggle.

        "Are you my long-lost twin?" I asked her, and she shook her head, still giggling quietly.

        "I wish," she admitted, smiling at me. "That would be awesome."

        I grinned. "I know, right?!" I exclaimed, jumping in my seat slightly. "I've always wanted a twin-sister!"

        "So have I!" Olive said, her grin just as wide and just as crazed as mine. "That's so weird!"

        "Are you finished interrupting my class, girls?" Ms. Tiranth interrupted us, making us both flush bright red.

        Olive looked down at her desk meekly, while I just stared at our teacher defiantly, daring her to say something. "Yes, ma'am," Olive whispered, and I scowled at her throwing in the towel so early.

        "What was that?" Ms. Tiranth called, smirking cruelly to herself. "I can't hear you."

        "She said we're finished, now would you just move on already!?" I exploded, leaping out of my seat.

        I don't know why, but when she started taking control and trying to bend us to her will, I just couldn't handle that. I'd always been like that. I couldn't handle people trying to control me and make me do their bidding. It pissed me off.

        Ms. Tiranth's smirk widened, and I realized I'd gotten the wrong impression of her when we first met. She was a bitch. "That'll be a detention for two weeks, Ms. Elmwood. Would you like to argue some more? I'm sure Mr. Yalen would be happy to have you for another couple of weeks."

        I gave her a dirty look and sat back down, my hair flouncing as I continued to scowl at her. "I'm done," I forced out through gritted teeth, trying very hard not to explode on her ass. My earlier outburst had been barely a warm-up, compared to what it looks like when I really explode.

        Ms. Tiranth shot me another triumphant smirk before turning to the board and proceeding to teach us stuff I'd already learned. Oh the wonders of being in all advanced-placement classes. Insert eye-roll here.

        Throughout the lesson, Olive and I continued to pass each other notes, dissecting everyone in the classroom, especially Ms. Tiranth. Said bitchy teacher didn't catch us once because she was too busy talking to mainly herself while no one really listened. For an advanced-placement class, it was very unenthusiastic. I shrugged, figuring it was because the school year had just started.

        After class, Olive and I darted out of the classroom before Ms. Tiranth could ask us to stay back for whatever reason, and Olive was shifting her weight from foot to foot. "That was really brave of you," she told me in a shy whisper. "Thank you."

        I smiled and gave her a hug, feeling the urge to take her under my wing. "Anytime. If you're ever getting bullied or just need someone beaten up for you, let me know. I'll take care of them, giving them my best hospitality." I smirked at the thought of my best hospitality. Let's just say that 'hospitality' isn't the word other people would use to describe it.

        Olive giggled. "Thanks, Ella. I really appreciate it."

        Before she could dart off to her next class, I grabbed her arm, causing her to turn around and give me a questioning look. I pulled her closer to me so I could talk in a hissed whisper, making it difficult for others to hear. "What can you tell me about Will Vale?"

        Olive's face drained of color and she started shaking her head, trembling in fear. She raced off, leading me to believe that Will was dangerous. Very dangerous.

        That wasn't good for me, considering he'd taken a special kind of interest in me. I was slightly nervous to see the way it would play out.