"Excuse me, ladies, is there a problem here?" I asked stopping next to Octavia and looking pointedly at the four girls.
"And what's it to you, nurse Jackie?" one of the girls snapped eyeing my scrubs like I was the mud beneath her designer heels. I turned away from them before I said something I would regret and asked Octavia, "Are you okay? I can run back home and get you a new set of clothes--Don't move!" The girls that had been drifting away sighed dramatically and stopped.
Octavia shook her head and signed, "No, I have a change of clothes in my locker and I don't want you to be late to work. Thanks though."
I stared at the coffee stains on her news clothes for a moment and I felt anger throbbing in my chest. Why would someone do this? It was illogical. There was no reason.
I turned to look at the four girls and asked, "What's your problem?"
The girl at the front scoffed and replied, "Problem? We don't have a problem. She's the one with a problem coming here with new clothes and new shoes thinking things will change, that people will like her. It's honestly pathetic."
I stared at the girl for a long moment not quite comprehending what she was saying. I knew humans could be petty, but seriously?
"You don't like her clothes so you knocked coffee on them?" I said slowly and she rolled her eyes at me like I was an idiot.
"No, I spilled coffee on her because she needs to remember her place in this school," she said slowly like she was speaking to someone mentally disabled. "Plus, it was kind of funny." The girls behind her laughed like sheep.
"Funny? You spilled coffee on her because you think it's funny? Are you kidding me? That's pathetic. You're so insecure that someone showing up in better clothes threatens you. Makes you think your position as Queen Bitch might be compromised?"
"What did you call me?!" she snapped and I laughed.
"Honestly, I forgot how savage human teenagers could be," I muttered shaking my head.
"You know what I think is funny?" I asked looking up at the girls and they all took a step back. They suddenly looked afraid and I knew why. I could see the reflection of my eyes in theirs. A blazing blue fire.
It was just like with Octavia's father. Just like with Barapha. I knew these girls were just human. Just pitiful human bullies not intent on physical harm, but I felt like ripping their faces off.
The girls looked around anxiously probably for a teacher of student resource officer to escort me off the premises. There didn't seem to be one around.
Just kids, Chase. They're just stupid kids. Dumb kids who are so caught up in high school society they've lost grip on reality. But they hurt Octavia and this didn't seem like the first time they had done so. As if she didn't have enough to deal with already. They probably picked on anyone different, anyone they thought were inferior to them. Why?
I could feel horns scraping at my skull, wings threatening to break through flesh and I heard a low growl. It took me a moment to realize the growl was coming from me. Why did this keep happening? They stumbled back further and I would have followed them if Octavia hadn't caught onto my sleeve. I glanced at her and she flinched before signing, "They're not worth it, Chase."
I took a deep breath and sighed my eyes dimming, tensed muscles relaxing and I stooped to pick up the coffee cup that the girl had knocked out of Octavia's hands. It had landed just right so there was still a bit of coffee in it.
"Sorry if I frightened you ladies," I said smiling at the girls letting a little heat flow into my words and the girls blushed.
"I'm Chase, Octavia's...well whatever she wants me to be really. What's your name?" I asked the girl who knocked the cup out of Octavia's hands. She stuttered a few non-words and the other girls were clammering around her spitting out their own ugly names. Alice. Beth. Harmony...the girl at the front batted them all away and smiled at me in a way I'm sure she thought was alluring.
"I'm Tawnie," she replied her voice all but quivering. I smirked and asked, "You think spilling coffee on people is funny, Tawnie?" Her face fell and she mumbled something.
"It's fine," I said. "I think it's funny too." She looked back up at me her smile returning and I took a step towards her dumping the remainder of Octavia's coffee right on top of her perfect blonde curls. "See? Hilarious."
She shrieked and the girls around her gasped and Octavia snorted and I just smiled. I was a nice person, really I was, but I could be petty too.
"How dare you! You freaking psycho!" Tawnie screeched as her posse dabbed at her face with tissues, smearing her foundation.
"No, if I were a psycho I would have broken all your fingers for touching Octavia which might be what I work up to if I ever see you do it again. Though, that would be bullying and I'd really rather not stoop to your level so let's try this instead."
I grabbed her face in my hands, though it was sticky with hazelnut cappuccino and I stared directly into her light blue eyes.
"Be nice to people, Tawnie," I said slowly driving the words into her heart, pushing minute fractions of mind-altering heat under her skin. It may have illegal to feed on a minor but there was no specific rule about not using one's power on a minor.
"Whatever it is that makes you bully people, boredom, insecurity, sadism...deal with it and stop taking your pain out on other people. It doesn't help anyone, least of all you," I continued and I shifted my gaze to the other three girls saying, "That goes for the rest of your as well."
The bell rang and I let go of Tawnie. She swayed for a moment before looking at Octavia and saying, "I'm sorry. If you can't get the stains out I'll pay for the dry-cleaning bill." She turned around and her posse followed her into the school.
Octavia looked at me and signed, "I kind of would have liked to see you break her fingers, but this seems like a healthier and more long-term solution so thanks." She leaned towards me and pecked me on the cheek before running into the school.
I sighed. I kind of wanted to see me break her fingers too.