Scrape

14. Dragonsnap

Nearly a month flew by with Sebastian teaching our class how to "utilise our abilities." I'd avoided John and all other guys since he'd creeped on me the first time I'd come to class on Friday. He had a pretty weird ability though: to become invisible for a short period of time. It always put me on edge, especially since I'd learned he was living in the room directly below me and knew I was above him.

Clara, however, became more outgoing the longer we hung out together. Classmates only got friendlier with her- well, the guys did- and she lapped up their attention a little too eagerly. I appreciated it was her time to be noticed and mostly stayed out of the way; only interjecting in conversation when required. On days like this, daydreaming was often a more valuable way to get through the day.

Classes finished, and once more, Clara became surrounded by suffocating people. I sat silently for a while as the others talked around me.

"-and she told me that she had some sort of disease; Alice was with me. Weren't you Alice?"

Suddenly, I became interjected into the conversation.

"Oh, um, yeah. Totally?" I didn't even convince myself with that response, yet Clara didn't even notice and carried on talking.

"...but yeah, we'll consider your little...invitation." She squeezed the guy's arm to whom she was speaking, and he perked up happily.

I rolled my eyes. Some males were so easy to enchant.

"Okay," Clara smirked when her circle of admirers had left, "what's up now?"

She turned to face me in the pew.

"I was just thinking about the party," I lied.

"Yeaaaah," she continued guiltily, "sorry for not asking you, but it's going to be Halloween, and..."

"It's okay," I assured her.

It wasn't like I had anything better to do anyway. We weren't allowed to leave academy grounds without teacher supervision (I'd been told by Mike); apparently we were too dangerous, and unruly.

"Anyways," I asked her, "what about that girl you were talking about?"

"Oh yeah. Her name's Michelle, and-"

I stopped listening as she carried on talking. Instead, I decided to think about Sebastian. He was sexy, yes, but I didn't love him. Not at all. I just liked the way he toyed with me - it was exciting somehow. Not exciting enough to cause me to enjoy his feral eyes, though. Those were just plain creepy. After the encounters with The Four, life had become plain boring. Academy life in general was boring. Everything was just boring.

And over the next few days, my opinion held. On Monday, though, while me and Clara were eating lunch, a few girls came up to our table. I recognised none of them. Clara put down her knife and fork and finished eating as they approached, welcoming them with a fairy's smile.

"Hey, Michelle! Beth! Sarah! It's been ages since we talked; how are you?"

She spoke as if they were old friends, yet they had never approached her before I came to the school. I knew it. She'd told me herself she used to be a loner.

"Fine. Better than fine, actually," Michelle told her.

It was that girl with the alleged STDs. I didn't know Clara was friends with her.

"Yeah; actually, my dad just agreed to buy me a new Porsche for my birthday if I want it," Beth excitedly yipped.

"It's in a few days," Sarah added.