Jealousy | A Rosewood Chronicles FanFiction

Part 3 - Percy Butter

Lottie, Ellie and Kate made their way towards the field, already bustling with students.

"Do you think Jamie's new roommate will come?!" Lottie said excitedly, which was responded to by a familiar voice behind them, making them jump in surprise.

"I hope so!" Chimed Binah, a bright yellow sash draped over her shoulders, a Merlin symbol proudly showing that she was now the Stratus head of year.

"Binah!" Kate exclaimed. "You scared us!"

"My apologies," Binah grinned. "I'm glad to see you all survived the holidays."

"Barely." Ellie muttered, and Lottie coughed, trying to disguise her words.

"That sash really suits you Binah." Lottie said with a warm smile.

"Hey, Binah, you don't know anything about Jamie's new roommate do you?" Kate took the opportunity to ask, but Binah's expression suddenly turned troubled.

"Absolutely nothing - I haven't heard a single tiny thing." She began walking down the path towards the field, the others following. "It's all very peculiar. Although I do wonder if maybe-" a group of Conch students ran past and Binah seemed to remember herself, turning back to the three of them. "I suppose we'll just have to see."

Ellie was about to question her, then her mouth opened in surprise. "It's him!" She cried. They all followed her gaze to Jamie and a figure on the bridge next to him who Kate did not recognize. But Ellie clearly did.

"Who is it?"

"It's the boy off the TV! One of the kids who was kidnapped." She replied in a low whisper, then walked over to Jamie, the others following behind. "So this is the mysterious roommate." Ellie said with a smirk, shifting into the presence of never having seen him before.

Jamie nodded at them in acknowledgement, his eyes narrowing for a moment at Ellie. "Everyone, this is Percy Butter, he-" Jamie didn't have time to finish before they heard another voice behind them.

"Jamie, my furious comrade." Raphael materialized beside them. He put his arm round Jamie's shoulder, then pulled away and ruffled his hair, making Jamie grumble irritably as he flattened it back down. But this only made Raphael laugh. "And the pumpkin princess returns." He said, acknowledging Lottie. Then he saw Kate next to Lottie and nodded to her with a smile. "Kate."

"Raphael." She replied. They hadn't spoken all summer and it was awkward.

"Do you know how worried I've been about you all since the summer ball?" Raphael asked. "Not one of you thought to tell me you hadn't died horribly," he joked, but Kate could tell he was trying to hide how he was really feeling. "I still have absolutely no idea what happened. It's hard enough getting anything out of Anastacia but..." there was a pause as Raphael became aware of Percy. "Hey, weren't you literally on the news this morning? Something about a kidnapping?"

Kate kicked him in the shin hard.

Raphael had never been very tactful but that was bad even for him.

"What? I'm just asking." He shrugged. "Seems terribly stressful to come to school after all that."

They all looked at Percy; it seemed all of them were curious about this, but Raphael had been the only one brave enough to say it.

But Percy's face was blank; his eyes turned to Jamie as if asking for help.

"Percy is deaf, Raphael." Jamie said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, I...I'm sorry." Raphael replied, not knowing exactly what to say.

"I speak ASL fluently, but Percy speaks BSL." Jamie explained, also signing to Percy.

"At least you speak sign language though; you are roommates after all." Lottie said, and Raphael piped up again.

"That reminds me: I got a new roommate this term."

"Really? Who?" Ellie asked, but Kate was already smiling, knowing exactly who it was.

Then Aric came down the path to meet them.