The whole school just seemed to be drifting around unable to decide how to act the next morning. Lessons were cancelled for the day and people just seemed at a loss. How do you just go on when something like this happens? How can you just continue to live without it seeming like a slap in the face to those who had just lost theirs? The guys were pretty antsy that morning when I said that I was going to go to the library to do some more reading. Kyle had wanted to come with me so that I could get some books and bring them back to the room to read. But I needed to just do something. Sitting in the room was driving me crazy. I needed a change of scenery. Part of me was upset that this whole thing had ruined what should have been a happy time for us. All the other parts of me wanted to just punch that selfish bitch in her face. I had been sat in the library reading about the Galvinae War and all of the fighting that following for about ten minutes when Britt slumped down into the seat next me. Liam was shuffling through one of the bookcases in the background pretending that he wasn’t watching me. I decided to let him be for now. They were trying and I was grateful for that. I looked up at Britt when she sat down and from the expression on her, which was something like she was chewing a bee, she had something to say but wasn’t quite sure how to do it.
“Just ask me.” I sighed.
She looked at my face and a slight blush flushed through her face. “Did you know?” She asked.
“Know what?” I asked, not liking where this could possibly be heading. I liked Britt and since we had started training I would go as far to say that she was becoming my friend. I didn’t want her to suddenly find me untrustworthy.
“About the demons. Is that why you are training us?” She whispered.
I sat back in my seat and carefully thought how to word what I was going to say. “When I was brought here I believed the same as everyone else. That the problems in the human realm were because of halfbloods losing control. When I was thrown through a portal and introduced to the headmaster he told me that he suspected that there was more to it. He thought that they were actually possessed by demons and not acting of their own freewill. I assumed from his conversation that whatever was happening was linked to the human realm. I didn’t know that there were attacks on this side as well. But then I didn’t think to ask. This whole world is new to me Aria, I only got here two weeks ago remember.” I explained.
She nodded her head in thought. “You didn’t answer me second question.” She pointed out.
“I guessed that the combat training program was to train a fighting force but that isn’t why I am training you and the rest of the group. If you remember correctly, I was ambushed on one of my lovely morning runs and asked to do it.” I smiled at her and she grinned back at me.
“Yeah we did kind of force your hand there a little bit didn’t we.” She laughed.
“It’s okay. I think that it would have happened in some form or other anyway. You just maybe moved up the timetable a bit, which in the circumstances is probably a good thing now.” I said feeling the smile drop from my face.
“I never thanked you.” She said looking at her hands on the table top. “For what you did that day.”
“There is never any need to thank me for that Britt. Has he given you any more trouble?” I quietly asked.
“No. I’ve seen him glare at me a few times and I get the feeling that they are talking about me all the time but none of them have ever approached me.” She looked around the room. “Sometimes I feel like they are watching.”
I checked out our surroundings but apart from Liam there wasn’t anyone really around. “You know where I am if you need me. I honestly don’t mind maiming that creep for you. Saying that, you’ll be able to do that for yourself soon. Your skills are really coming along. You’re doing really well with the training routine. All of the group are. It’s kind of weird actually how well you are all coming along. I get that you all have that extra boost from your animals or magic or whatever but still, you have to agree that it’s still a bit weird.” I pointed out. I wouldn’t be long before the whole group would be doing the full three laps at the morning runs. The conditioning sessions were going really well and the mediocre fighting skills which they had started out with were starting to get to a level where some of them could have considered competing if we were back at my old gym. All in just one week. It was insane.
“Yeah, I suppose that it is a little strange.” She shrugged. “I’m just a shifter and not very powerful at that. But I can feel your magic when we train. It’s like it nudges me along when I need it.”
“Well that sounds … creepily invasive.” I said. “I promise you that I had no idea I was doing that.”
“It’s not a bad thing Aria. It’s allowing us to train quicker and develop skills that would normally take us months to develop.” She looking suspiciously at Liam who was now just leaning against the bookcase watching us having given up the pretence of looking at books. “Looks like you are having your own stalker problems.” She laughed.
I glanced over at Liam and he grinned at me. “Yeah, he thinks he’s being stealthy. Best to just smile and pretend that you don’t see him so we don’t hurt his feeling.”
“As soon as I heard the rumours, I knew that they were true. They’ve always looked at you like you were the moon as soon as they met you.”
“Yeah, it’s been a crazy few weeks.”
“We should hang out more.” She said grabbing one hand. “We can pretend that we are studying in my room and you can tell me all the swoonworthy details about your mates while we gorge on ice cream.”
“I’d like that.” I smiled at her. “I’ll bring my ipad and we can watch a really bad movie and make fun of everyone in it.”
“Ooooo yeah, make it an action one, I like to laugh at the terrible bad guy lines. Next week?” She asked.
“Definitely. We can decide a day nearer the time.” I could not have been happier. Then I remembered what happened yesterday and I felt guilty again.
