Thorn Among Roses

Seven

I kept walking. I had no idea where I was going, still somewhat dazed from the kiss. "Y/n? What are you doing? I heard you missed second and third period?" Asked a voice. I turned around. "A-Aunt Larissa!" I smiled at her. She tilted her head, genuinely confused. "Are you alright, darling?" She asked, feeling my head to see if I was sick. I honestly couldn't blame her, I rarely missed classes, even in the other schools. "Me? I'm fine. Are you?" I asked her, smiling. She looked at me, even more confused now. "Sherif Galpin?" I asked looking behind her. She turned around and I ran off, leaving her trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I headed back to Ms. Thornhill's class. Luckily, this was her free period and she was grading papers. She looked up at me. "You have a class to be at," she said looking back at the papers. "I can't stop thinking about you. I missed second and third period just wandering the halls- I know where everything is!" I almost shouted. "You can stay in here but at least be quiet," she told me. I went to talk but I couldn't think of anything to say. Instead I kind of just stood there awkwardly trying to break the silence. "Don't. I enjoy the quiet," she said as if reading my thoughts. I sighed and sat at one of the desks, pulling out my astrology notebook. Marylin looked at me. "Astrology? I didn't know you studied that," she muttered. "Yes, well surprisingly they don't offer it here so I find my own time to study," I told her. She smiled lightly and continued to grade the papers, yet again. Eventually she sighed and put the pen down. "Tired?" I asked. "No. I'm finished," she stood up, grabbed a watering can, and began to water the plants, humming lightly as she did so. "Need any help?" I asked. "Do you think you could water some of the plants over there?" She asked pointing towards the less dangerous side of the room. I glared at her. "Your aunt and mother would both kill me if you so much as got cut," she pointed out. I nodded in agreement and started to do as she asked. Once I was down with that, I began to move to the left side of the room, where the more dangerous plants were. As I walked by the African Strangler it followed me. I stopped and patted it on its head, watering it a bit. Suddenly it grabbed me and wrapped itself around my neck and I dropped the watering can.

Marylin's POV

I heard metal falling against the floor. I looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. "Y/N?" I called. No response. Shit. I headed to where she was supposed to be. She must've moved towards the dangerous plants. I ran throughout the greenhouse trying to find her, eventually seeing her being strangled. I grabbed a sedative for the plants and injected it into the stem. The African Strangler let Y/N go quickly as she fell to the ground, gasping for air. "Are you ok?!" I asked, putting my hands on her cheeks and checking her neck for bruises or cuts. Her breathing regulated and she nodded. "Are you sure? Do we need to go to the hospital wing?" I asked. "I'm fine, honestly," she told me. "Just a little shaken," she muttered. I pulled her into a hug. "I swear to god if you ever defy me again I will let the plant kill you," I told her, then hugged her again. She hugged me back. "Please don't," she laughed a bit. "You should head to your next class," I told her. "I'm already here. Can't I stay for the rest of the day?" She begged. "I have classes," I reminded her, pulling out of the hug. "I can tend to the plant while you teach," she said hopefully. "As long as I don't get in trouble with Larissa," I said. She smiled at me. "You won't," she promised.

After Classes

"I took care of every single plant," Y/n smiled at me. "Thank you," I replied. "Is there anything else you need me to do?" She asked. "Well I didn't need you to do anything in the first place," I pointed out. She shrugged and pulled out some homework. It wasn't long before I began to get tired. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to help stay awake. That didn't work out to well, for when I opened my eyes, it was pitch black outside. Y/N was also asleep at a desk. I smiled lightly and began to pack up her stuff for her. I took her backpack to her dorm room and then went back to the classroom. "Y/N. It's time to wake up," I whispered to her. I tapped her on the shoulder but she didn't move. Had she not been breathing, I would've assumed her dead. I knew she wasn't going to wake up, so I carried her to her dorm. I laid her down in her bed, took off her shoes, and put the covers over her. I put a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled lightly. No- good dammit she's and outcast. Maybe if she was normal this could happen. She's just going to get me close to magic so that I can wake up Crackstone. I walked out of her dorm and headed towards mine. I hated her so much. But why couldn't I bring myself to admit it? I couldn't even say to myself that I hated her.