You know that feeling when you're shadowing at a school and you know everyone is staring at you and judging you? I mean everyone. You know all the gossip has already begun.
It sucks.
Now imagine the students in said school have no filter, and do not care if it's blatantly obvious that you are the center of attention. And they all look like they're literally about to stick a knife in me.
That's how the 'tour' went.
By now, Hazel had ditched me in the locker room to go shower. Me? I was just sitting on a bench. Playing 2048 on my phone with no internet access. Occasionally a girl or two would come into the room to get something from her locker, most of which ignored me, but some had just turned around and left at the sight of me.
Not fun.
On the 'tour' Hazel had dragged me around and mumbled the names of doors or hallways under her breath, leaving a Hazel's-hand shaped bruise on my wrist. I had learned how strong her grip was, and that the majority of the population here had black hair, and eyes that were either gray, blue, dark green, or they were Riley.
"Are you almost done?" I groaned and turned off my phone. I was at three percent charge anyway. And I'd given up on making Hazel believe I wasn't whiny, irritating, dumb, or otherwise a nuisance.
"Mm" she grumbled reluctantly. The sound of the shower stopped, and the door to whatever sized chamber she'd showered in opened with a hiss. When she came into view I actually wanted to go sit in a corner. I had no chance of recovery. The demon was in nothing but a towel, water dripping down her body. Fuck. I hate her. I absolutely hate that pretty devil.
"Grace" and there it was.
"Not staring" I lay down on the bench and covered my eyes.
"...Sure" she muttered sarcastically. She kept shuffling around and playing with her locker. "Keep your eyes closed" and there go those wonderful teenage hormones saying 'O.M.G. she is getting changed in front of you. Open your eyes. Want. Want. Want' Ugh. "Stop it"
"My eyes are shut" I grumbled out of irritation. I have to deal with Hazel and the thoughts of Hazel my body is sending me.
"I can just about taste your pheromones" she hissed. What?
"It's not my fault! I have absolutely no control over-"
"Try harder" she snapped. I'm pretty sure my face was red as heck, but she probably-definitely- wasn't looking at me.
"Done" I opened my eyes and Hazel wasn't anywhere to be seen... Until something flickered in the corner of my vision. I turned to face her ocean blue eyes and had a miniature heart attack. She was watching me. Like three inches from my face.
"Holy shiz!" I yelped and jumped off the bench. "Do not scare me like that!"
"I said I was done. I said nothing about opening your eyes" Hazel rolled her eyes. She backed away and started to reach up to gather her hair. When she had lifted her arms about half way, she winced and let out a frustrated growl.
"Why did you-" I was cut off before I could even ask her why she'd had trouble.
"Not your concern" irritation was thick in her voice.
"Okay then" I rolled my eyes. I was doing that so much it's a wonder I'm not nauseous from all the spinning.
"But humor me... Why would it matter?" She was still trying to put up her hair; failing miserably, I might add.
"I need a reality check on you. If you're in pain, you feel. And if you feel, there is at least a little scrap of decency in you. No one is as stubborn or thick as you are, I just want to make sure you're actually a living creature. Robots don't feel pain" I answered boredly.
"Is that what you believe? It's a wonder how you've all managed to survive" Hazel snorted with bitter amusement. "Why would it matter if I was real or not?"
"Curiosity" I shrugged.
"You don't smell like that from curiosity. Why do you take an interest in me? I believe I made it clear that I don't like you, and you aren't expressing any feelings towards me. Just that smell" she shuddered at the memory of whatever scent I'd apparently created.
"Hormones" I stated shortly. It was just and only because she was pretty and I had issues. Very pretty. Many issues.
"..." She froze, and no response came. "What would you have me do? If you could give me one order"
"I'd tell you that if you can't learn to respect me, you should just leave me alone" I frowned, honestly considering the question. Hazel nodded slowly.
"Alright. I can do that" she didn't sound sad about it. Just relieved.
"What about me?"
"What about you?" Hazel finally gave up on trying to get her hair put up.
"If I could do one thing for you"
"Know that there is more to me than you think, more than you're allowed to know" She turned to face me, looking kind of human... But also far more.
"I'll try" I forced a lopsided smile towards the teen. She dipped her head a little in a small gesture of understanding.
"Stay here. I will be back in a moment" and she left me. Again. My eyes instinctively followed her until she was out of sight.
"Hey, you new?" I spotted another black haired adolescent watching me, leaning up against a wall. "Wait. Let me guess. Hazel did something stupid and Riley had Megan bring you in. I'm going to guess it has something to do with Libby showing up" she walked closer to me. "Definitely" she added, taking in a long breath. I noticed her hair only came to her shoulders, and she lacked the jacket Hazel had put on. This girl wore only a spaghetti strap gray shirt. Along with combat boots and pants, but those were the same as Hazel's. "Micha" she held out her hand.
"Grace" I mirrored cautiously. "How'd you know all that?"
"Please" she laughed. "You reek of Hazel, she probably tried to make Megan do her dirty work, Hazel is only ever doing stupid things, and it's rare that we get visitors, so you and Libby showing up at the same time can't be coincidental" she folded her arms, chuckling. "Hazel is very predictable. She is the classic middle triplet. At least for us, anyway; she has got to be a senseless freak to you"
"Micha, why are you here?" Hazel returned, now with her hair up in a bun. "Get lost" Micha cackled.
"I get it" she purred, turning back to me with an odd feeling look in her gray eyes. "I will see you around, Grace. But I do have to warn you: one, Hazel is a huge pain in the ass. Two, of you see a me with longer hair, run. Three, I would probably tell you more about the N.S. than she would. See ya" she waved and left. Hazel was glaring at where she had been.
"What was that about?" I frowned.
"Do not talk to anyone here. Not unless you know it's me, Megan, or Riley. We're leaving. Now" Hazel grabbed my bruised wrist and dragged me out behind her.
"Oh, and Hazel" Micha was waiting outside the door "I am willing to bet that Zee will whoop your ass when Libby gives you the verdict" Hazel actually hissed at the girl. It was subtle, but a hiss nonetheless. "Grumble all you want. I think you-know-who is starting to like me more than you. Keep up, Zel. It hurts when you hit hard" with that Hazel was yanking my arm in the opposite direction; her vice tighter than a bear trap.
. . .
Promise the next chapter might be better.... maybe.... ish? Meh. Hope you enjoyed this one. What do y'all think of Micha? Btw her name is pronounced my-KA like the mineral.