s*t*a*r*s (Kindred Series-2)

s*t*a*r*s - pt 6

*s*t*a*r*s

            “Did you file…,” begins Lexie.

            “Uh huh,” nods Spencer before Lexie can finish her thought.  Lexie watches Spencer move to the file cabinet, yank it open and almost fall over, having lost her balance.  Lexie watches her carefully, wondering why the young girl is having trouble with her footing.  Spencer rights herself, slipping the files into their rightful place.  Spencer looks up at Lexie, who glances away.  “Why are you watching me?”

            “Just making sure you do your job,” smiles Lexie.  In reality, Lexie is seeing the shadow of Spencer’s mother walking around her library.  The similarities are striking.

Spencer rubs the back of her neck, moving to the pile of books and going about putting them back on the shelves.  When she is out of sight, Natalie slides up next to Lexie.

            “She’s off balance,” whispers Lexie.

            “She’s not who she is supposed to be, she’s also not bonding well with the other four.  Eating lunch alone, skipping supper, very quiet in class,” says Nat softly.

            “No, I mean literally.  She isn’t graceful, stumbles, trips on her own two feet,” corrects Lexie.

            “Oh!  Now I feel stupid,” laughs Nat, tucking her dark blonde hair behind her ear.  Then, turning to look where Spencer has disappeared to between the massive rows of books, Natalie wonders what could be wrong with Spencer.  Jo had kept Spencer’s powers under wraps.  Natalie knows it is based loosely on Jo’s lust for blood, but nothing else.

Spencer reappears from between two stacks.  Seeing the two professors talking at the main desk, she slips back into the book stacks, feeling uneasy around Natalie Summers.  There is something in the way the woman stares at her that makes her, skittish, for lack of a better word.  Watching, observing, Spencer notices the way that Natalie stands, the way her hands move when she speaks.  All of those things put Spencer ill at ease, and she talks to Spencer as if she knows her very well, and that doesn’t sit well with her at all.

            “Who are you hiding from?” whispers Rylee from just behind her.  Spencer grabs her chest, taking in a sharp breath.  She hadn’t felt Rylee sneaking up on her.  Closing her eyes, feeling the thumping of her heart as she tries to calm her nerves, leaning up against the stack of books.  Rylee mimics her.  Their shoulders touch and, for once, Spencer doesn’t shy away from the human contact.  A soft surge of electricity fills her, and Spencer battens it down.  It hurts to be close to Rylee, but Spencer is drawn to her.

            “You could scare me to death doing that.  I’m hiding from our dorm mistress,” admits Spencer.  Turning her head, just a breath away from Rylee, Spencer feels her heart jumping at the closeness. 

Rylee steps back quickly, not wanting to freak Spencer out about how close they are.  She trips over her own two feet, stumbling backwards.  Spencer grabs at her, pulling Rylee’s arm, the motion twists her and puts all of her weight on her left leg, sending her tumbling down next to Rylee.  They both land with a resounding thud alongside each other.

            “Ouch,” laughs Spencer.  She is reminded of the old slapstick comedies that she had once enjoyed as a child.

            “You coulda let me fall,” giggles Rylee.  “I didn’t hurt myself, but very gallant of you for trying to save me.”