The heart of Cleopatra

His proposition

Chapter fourteen

Meanwhile, back in Asterin Charlie stood outside with his ear pressed against his phone in hopes Cleopatra would answer his call. An hour had passed since the begin of the school's mixer and Cleo was nowhere to be seen.

"Is she not picking up?" Oliver asked Charlie getting more deflated as time goes on. Charlie shook his head once again listening to Cleo's voice mail. "Well she did say she might not come."

Charlie groaned and ended the call without leaving a message. "She should be here, it's a school event." The mixer wasn't important to Charlie but her whereabouts was. He hadn't seen her in days and hadn't received even a message. As he began to write a text a smug voice came into their proximity.

"What's wrong? The psycho not turned up." Charlie looked to with a whole new level of rage heading towards the arrogant blonde.

"Shut it Ralph, before I make you." Charlie spat. Ralph laughed at him as the two girls he had on his arms giggled at their dates comment. "Shouldn't you be going? I assume they charge by the hour to keep you company." Ralph's humour turned to frustration, Charlie had been quick on his feet before, but now anything that came out of Ralph's mouth had a sarcastic reply awaiting.

Ralph scoffed at him. "Whatever dude, at least I have girls. You're just being stringed along." He left Charlie and Oliver in the cold air waiting for their friend who was most likely a no show. If only they knew that a few hours away Cleo was about to encounter a fire that nearly took her out.

***

Monday morning rose and Cleo definitely has had better days. She was sore from the hard fall and was still finding shards of glass in her wounded hands, the large abrasion on her eye was far from subtle and it still stung. This weekend had been one big reminded that Arcane is a fighters world.

Cleo groaned as she attempted to cover her eye up with concealer, but it only made it throb. She looked at her rough completion and accept the extra attention she inevitably will receive. Cleo sat on her bed to wrap her hands in bandages keeping them from further irritation. Her crisp and boring uniform was hung up ready to start the week just as she left it before she made her return to Arcane.

"Where are you?" Cleo asked herself throwing her pillows around in hopes of finding her phone. When the clock caught her eye she figured she'd have to have another technology free day and worry about it later.

***

Thoughts and possible schemes flew as fast as the wind as Cleo weaved in and out of cars on her way to school. She realised as much as she disliked Asterin, this place has turned into her safety net.

Cleo's bike helmet had done an impeccable job hiding her gashes but she knew it would only last so long. The stares in the main hall made a small smirk appear on her swollen lip, Asterin had never experienced such a sight among its prestigious and well behaved students. Cleo is never one to follow the rules or stereotypes.

"Look who finally showed up. I must say I'm surprised considering you seem to have fallen off the face of the earth for the past two days." The frustrated private school boy said acerbically behind Cleo's locker. "You really let Oliver down, I know a mixer isn't exactly your scene Cleopatra, but you have to accept that you're here now." Charlie have a fair point but Cleo did not appreciate how small minded he was being.

Cleo sighed as she pushed her last book into place. "I was busy and I told Oli not to get his hopes up."

Charlie huffed at her very vague reasoning. "Busy doing what?"