The Ties That Bind

IV: Avoidance is the Worst Approach

I'm warning you now that this chapter is going a whole lot shorter than my previous ones. This won't be the new length for all my chapters but I've kind of been having writer's block so this was all I got. I hope you still like it and sorry again for how short it is!

I try not to think about them the rest of the day. Which I suppose is a stupid plan. Don't they always say avoidance is the worst approach to things like this? Then again probably no one else has three guys they barely know come up to them and practically admit to their face that they are really magical beings from another world that existed along our own. Something tells me this wasn't exactly your everyday conversation. But then again, the way people are nowadays, you never really know.

It is harder than I originally anticipated trying not to think about them considering that I have to sit the rest of the lunch at a vacant table where I have a perfect view of them. I don't exactly know anyone else well enough to invite myself over to sit with them and plus with the odd looks I've been receiving I doubt that my presence will be very welcome at any other table. And I'm certainly not going to sit with Olivia and her cronies only to receive what I assume will be looks ranging anywhere from pity to I-told-you-so. I figure that the latter would be more likely when it comes to Olivia.

I look over at the clock and groaned when I see we still have 10 minutes left. Contrary to what I previously thought, I hadn't actually been sitting at the brother's table for that long of a time.

I try picking apart my lunch but I'm not exactly feeling up for the food. I mean honestly, I think, who had the gall to say something so ridiculous in such a serious manner? I shake my head trying to clear them from my thoughts. There are better things that I can occupy my time thinking about, though I can't quite come up with anything at the moment.

"Hi!"

I look up from my food, which is becoming increasingly less appetizing, to see the owner of the overly perky voice. What I see is a small redheaded girl with a couple of freckles. She is wearing a white button down shirt and light-washed jeans.

"You're Grace, right? Grace Thoreau?"

I nod.

She grins down at me with a radiantly white smile. "Welcome to Northridge! I'm the official welcoming committee here to show you all the ropes of the school."

I'm not sure if she was entirely serious. "Well my sister is Olivia Smitely, so I kinda.. already..."

Her face drops at the realization. "Oh. I'm sorry. With the different last names, I didn't realize-" She laughs a little to herself as if she suddenly remembers a private joke. "I guess I should've already learned about that." I see her glance ever so slightly in the direction of the table where the three brothers sit. "I guess you also don't need this welcoming package." She lifts up a small green and gold bag in her hand neatly tied together with a metallic gold ribbon.

I want to just leave it at that. After all, that's all I really need to explain to her and now she can just leave and move on with her day and so can I. But the look on her face makes me not want her to have to leave this situation in such an unfinished way.

"Um, actually that welcoming package looks really nice. I could still take it. I might need a little extra welcoming." I smile inwardly.

Her expression immediately brightens. "Really?" She handed me the bag and takes a seat opposite me at the table. I can't help but be a little surprised. It's not that she doesn't seem nice (maybe a little too nice) but I wanted to just be alone.

"I'm Meg Feitt, by the way. So how have you been adjusting?" She asks pleasantly. "I remember my first year was hard."

"It's not too bad. I made some frie-" I almost say friends but then I catch myself. I thought Richard, Anthony, and Thomas might be considered friends but not if they couldn't even tell me the truth.