Into Thin Air

Chapter 41

“Mikaelson.”
An unfamiliar voice stopped Hope in her tracks. She didn’t turn yet - she was still considering walking away without looking to see who it was. The tribrid wasn’t in the mood for her classmates’ usual jokes and taunts.
“Don’t ignore me.”
Hope turned reluctantly. Wendy sat cross-legged on a table, twirling a ribbon between her fingers absentmindedly. Hope knew about Wendy, of course - everyone in the Salvatore School did - but she didn't expect her to ever speak to her. Wendy tended to keep to herself and her weekly detentions.
“What?" Hope sighed. 
“I have something for you.” Wendy giggled, and it made the hair on Hope’s arms rise. Something about Wendy’s too-wide grin that didn't make it to her wild eyes was making Hope uneasy.
“I don’t want it.”
“Lizzie Saltzman said you would want it,” Wendy sing-songed, twisting the ribbon more and more. Her fingertips were turning white from how tightly she had wrapped the black fabric around them.
“I’m listening.”
“You know how I spend every Saturday in detention?” 
“Yes, Wendy. I think the whole school is aware of your kleptomanic tendencies.”
“Big talk coming from the school lunatic.” Wendy pouted her pitch-black lips. “Anyways, one time, Forbes left me for a minute. So, I stole something from her bag.”
“Am I supposed to be surprised?” Hope was starting to lose interest in the conversation. Her eyes were already wandering to all the exit strategies she could take.
Wendy’s waxy smile never shifted. “No, you’re supposed to ask what I stole.”
“What did you steal?”
“A funky metal thing. I thought it was junk.” Wendy shrugged. “But then Saltzman traded me a key to the confiscation cabinet to give it to you, so I assume it’s something special.”
Hope smiled, a tiny but genuine thing. “It is.”
Wendy dropped it into her hands. 
“Oh.” Hope’s eyes widened at how big of a piece it was. It seemed that Caroline had held onto most of the ascendant herself. “Thank you.”
“You can thank me by not trying to convince me that I’m missing a best friend anymore.” Wendy’s smile drooped finally, eyes watching Hope suspiciously. 
“Oh, you’ll remember Jade soon if I have anything to do with it. You just handed me one more piece of the puzzle.”
Wendy nodded once slowly, suddenly looking as though she were the uncomfortable one in the conversation. “Do me a favor, Mikaelson? Stay weird. It makes the rest of us look normal.”