Coven - Book I

☆ 3

☆ three

Rose kept well on her promise to pick Chloe up to take her to each class. As the two girls made their way across the hall and down the stairs to a small classroom in the basement, Chloe contemplated her decision to take this class. She'd never been huge on English, but she'd let her father change her into the class without even a word of disagreement. She'd been so eager to fit in, but to be the only one in her grade in an advanced class? People would be calling her a freak in no time.
 Rose led her into the room and right to the back where two desks in a row were surrounded by a group of kids talking excitedly. They all became quiet as Rose approached the circle.
"This is Chloe. She just started here today in case you haven't heard." Her voice was easy-going but underneath Chloe detected a hint of superiority, acting as if she were in charge of the other kids. Chloe looked among their faces as they nodded at her and mumbled names and introductions. She recognized Charlie and Eden from history, another girl with shining gold hair and sparkling blue eyes who was in her second period art class, and she silently thanked whatever Gods were above for not making her the only junior in a senior's class. She stopped and blinked when she came to a familiar head of slicked back black hair. He'd thrown it up in a bun, unlike the loose waves Chloe had seen the day before, and his arms bulged from a black muscle shirt. He definitely had muscles, if she remembered anything about his appearance. He was leaning back in his desk, black jeans and motorcycle boots matching the rest of his outfit. He nodded at her, not moving forward to shake her hand.
"Hey, neighbor," He tilted his head to the side and gazed at her. Chloe looked away and hastily moved on to the rest of the kids. Alec! Alec went to the same school as her! The same class, even. A boy in the front who was subconsciously twiddling a cigarette between his fingers gave her a bored look, "Hi, I'm Nick."
Behind Nick was Eden, who smiled timidly, and behind her was Charlie who tousled her hair and laughed. Rose took Chloe's books from her and set them down on the empty desk. The girl from her art class looked Chloe up and down with a look of disgust, then snorted and twirled a strand of pitch black hair around her finger before turning back to whisper to a blonde girl who grinned mischievously. Chloe wondered for the second time that day if she smelled.
"That's Blaire and Jenna," Rose offered apologetically, "they're not the nicest. But we love them anyway." Chloe furrowed her brows. Rose talked about these kids like they were a large, happy family instead of just classmates. After them came Alec, whom Chloe's eyes skittered past eagerly, only to be met with Alec's opposite. Sitting in the same style, with a similar build, was a blonde haired guy with black plugs in his ears. The only difference in their outfit was that he was wearing a white shirt to be the opposite of Alec's. When he met Chloe's eyes, he sat up and leaned forward to give her a cocky sort of smile. "Dean." Then he leaned back and pulled out his phone. Lastly were two more boys, one with black hair and one with light brown. The black haired boy was dribbling a basketball on the ground absentmindedly as they laughed and chatted.
"Sebastian loves ball. Corey is our lacrosse captain." Nick explained. They raised their hands in recognition before returning to their conversation. Rose clapped her hands together excitedly.
"And that's our co-," she cleared her throat and smiled awkwardly, "our group, I mean." Alec gave the back of her strawberry blonde head a warning look and Dean smirked. Then Rose frowned. "Wait. . . where's Meredith?"

"Where's Meredith?" Rose asked again, turning to look pointedly at Jenna and Blaire. They both shrugged and shared a smile. Chloe was feeling beyond confused. What did it matter where Meredith went, whoever that was? Rose wasn't in charge of anyone. She was just a student like the rest of them. She was distracted by a loud ringing that was cut off by Blaire holding a phone to her ear.
"Hey Mer," She cooed. Jenna leaned in beside her to listen to whatever Meredith was saying. Then the door pushed open and in walked a girl with fiery red hair and a green shirt that was a little too tight, who tapped a button on her phone and grinned at the other eleven students.
"Hey, bitches. Hope you didn't miss me." She strode right past Chloe, shouldering her so hard that Chloe almost fell.
That must be Meredith. . .
Chloe didn't like her. She sat down in the only vacant desk now, in front of Jenna and Blaire, who eagerly leaned forward to whisper in her ear. Meredith grinned without looking back at them and then turned to Alec and Dean.
"Hello, boys." Her voice was practically a purr, and it made Chloe cringe. Her eyes widened as she reached out one blood-red fingernail and trailed it down the side of Alec's arm, but Chloe felt a little smug when he didn't even glance her direction. But Meredith apparently didn't give up so easily. She turned to her other side and slid the basketball away from Sebastian. As soon as he looked up into her cool, blue eyes, he looked helpless. Meredith smiled at him and touched the side of his face briefly. Her mouth opened as if she were about to say something definitely not school appropriate to him when she noticed Chloe staring. She looked over at her as if noticing her for the very first time. "Who the hell are you?"