Fire Will Rain // Xavier Thorpe

15.

At the end of the weekend, I hug my mother goodbye. "I'll see you in another two years," I laugh lightly. My eyes are full of tears, but I hope my humor makes me seem like less of a wimp.

My mother smiles sadly. "Maybe sooner, my dear," she says to me and walks off. She doesn't look back, as I watch her. Her red curls fly in the breeze behind her, disappearing more and more with each step she takes.

Xavier comes up to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. I lean in closer to him. He's a head taller than me, so I fall perfectly on his chest. His embrace is warm and comforting, allowing me to pull myself together.

"That honestly went better than I expected it to," I say to him.

"I'm happy for you, Alice," He genuinely smiles at me. I look up at him and he kisses me on the forehead.

"Thank you for being there for me," I kiss him on the cheek. We stare at each other for a few seconds before I grab his hand. I pull him along and we walk back into Nevermore and up to his dorm.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

I sit down on Xavier's bed with a sketchbook and pencil in hand. It had become a sort of nightly routine to spend my nights up here with him. A few hours a day of just each other's presence before I had to get back to my dorm an hour before lights out.

Xavier sat down beside me and just watched me draw. Times like these were so peaceful. I found myself drawing my mother. Usually, my thoughts became present in my art; it made it hard to ever hide my true feelings. In my illustration, I highlight my mother's crazy curls as she walks into a vast emptiness. I think I already miss her.

I place the notebook on Xavier's bedside table and scoot myself closer to him. I lay my head on his chest and he reaches his hand out to smooth down my hair. The boy wraps his arms around me, and a comforting silence falls between both of us.

My eyelids feel heavy. I could faintly notice my boyfriend braiding my hair as I drift off. He was gentle, being careful not to tug too hard and disturb my peace. I smile and fall into a peaceful dream.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

I woke with a jolt, completely disoriented. Xavier was getting up and heading over to his window. I rubbed my eye sleepily and that's when I heard the screaming. I jumped up, now wide awake, and moved over to Xavier by the window.

"Holy shit," I say.

Burnt into the Nevermore lawn was the phrase "FIRE WILL RAIN".

"What does it mean?" Xavier asks. I shrug, staring at the orange flames burning the green grass below. Students were screaming down below, unsure of what to do.

"Alice Carrow, please report to the principal's office immediately, I repeat..." An announcement was played over the speaker, repeating a few times.

I look over to Xavier worriedly. He looks angry and stares at me with clear frustration.

"That's so unfair. They think you did it!" His yells.

"It's fine, let's just get this over with," I sigh.

I take a deep breath and walk out the boy's dorm. Xavier follows me out, hell bent on accompanying me to the principal's office.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

"Alice, come in," Principal Weems greets me at the door.

"She didn't do it," Xavier frustratedly tells the older woman. I let go of his hand and walk into the room. Xavier stays at the door frame, leaning on it with his arms crossed. I can almost see the anger wafting off of him.

"That's for me to judge Mr. Thorpe," Principal Weems looks unfazed by his behavior. She waves her hand for the boy to leave. Xavier gives me a reassuring look before reluctantly standing away from the doorframe. Weems shuts the door until I can no longer see my long-haired artist. I sigh and take a seat in front of her desk.

"Now, Alice, did you set fire to the school lawn?" Weems asks me.

I scoff. "It wasn't me. I was with Xavier the whole time," I say.

"So, you were in a boy's dorm after school hours?" she says. I don't say anything. "You were in an out of bounds dorm hall, while currently being in isolation?" Weems scolds me further.

Shit.

"I still didn't do it." I fold my arms.

"Look, Alice. You're the only student here with pyrokinesis abilities. Considering your past, you're the most likely suspect."

I stay silent.

"Three expulsions for arson-related purposes. Two separate arson incidents that have resulted in deaths. Crackstone's statue. That fire in the woods on Parent's weekend and now this..."

"The first ones were me, but I had nothing to do with Crackstone's statue or this," I say angrily, "and that fire in the woods wasn't me either." I was definitely lying about Crackstone's statue and the fire in the woods, but not the Nevermore lawn. That was way too cryptic to be me, not to mention I was quite literally asleep and had a witness.

"Since we have no hard evidence, you're off the hook for now," Weems tells me, placing some paperwork in her drawer. She still looks skeptical.

I stand up and turn to leave.

"But Alice. You have two strikes now. One more and you're out," The principal calls after me.

I sigh and walk out the door. This was just great.

...............｡o*★*o｡...............

𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥'𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘

We're getting closer to the end...

I hope your enjoying so far! It's so nice seeing you guys voting and commenting. You guys are so sweet.

-crimsonplanets

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