Mystic High ✓

MH │17

In the previous chapter: The girls visited Mistreach, planning to spend their Sunday at the local pub, taking a day off from school. They bumped into the student council.

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

They were all sitting around the large oval shaped table in a corner of the pub. Despite its size, probably capable of squeezing in twenty around it, Oriane thought it felt particularly intimate with the ten of them all crowded around – especially when she didn't really know the boys very well. Barely even seen them around aside from Robert.

Robert and Charlotte flanked her on the stand-alone dark timber chairs. It was surprisingly comfortable with the cushions. Jessica sat opposite Charlotte on the sofa against the wall, right next to Zachery on her right, followed by the other two boys whom Oriane hadn't been introduced to yet on his right. Marian and Scott, the one with the red robes, sat on either end of the table. So, in essence, the girls sat on one half of the table, and the boys sat on the other.

Robert had been a gentleman and had gotten and ordered his own and Oriane's rose tea. Now he sat with an arm behind Oriane on the top rail of the chair, leaning back casually. She could just about feel the warmth emanating from him and, despite the strong aroma of cottage pies and wines, she could still make out his scent – which was like sunshine, driftwood, and sage rolled into one. His proximity, his earthy scent, the smile when she looked his way, stirred something within her.

It made her fidget, clutching the hem of her pink dress. Maybe she was kind of overdressed for this occasion, she thought, looking over at everyone else's rather casual outfits. She should have just worn her usual jeans and–

Robert leaned into her ear suddenly and whispered, "You look really nice in your dress, Anna." As if he knew exactly what she was thinking about. Oriane's eyes widened at him, then blushed.

And he rewarded her with a heart-stopping grin. No one had ever looked at her that way before. Not that there were any opportunities previously what with her enrolled in an all-girls school the last twelve or so years of her life.

"You look really nice too in um..." she stammered. Could she be more of a dork? "your robes."

Robert laughed out loud, "Sure I do. Is it the whole authority-look?" He winked, though she recalled that he had previously said to her he thought the robes too attention seeking and he didn't care much for it.

She blushed some more. If she kept this up, she would probably end up fainting from all the blood rushing to her head.

"Hey hey hey, you two love birds," called out the one in the beige robes, though supposedly it would have been a faded yellow had it not looked so washed out. He looked like he was from Middle Eastern descent, with sharp black curly hair and a tall nose. He snapped his fingers at Oriane and Robert, startling her in particular.

Robert hadn't seemed fazed – likely so used to his friend's antics. "Oh I'm sorry, I don't think I've introduced myself properly. I am Edan and my brother from another mother next to me," the one in

light purple gave a half-smile. He wore round glasses, with brown bangs hiding his eyes. He was smaller in stature than, say, Robert. "–is Ozzy. He's in a quiet mood today, looks like." Edan shrugged. "Back on topic, any ideas for the battle royale next month?"

Oriane perked up at that one. "What 'battle royale'?"

"Oh. Didn't you get an academic calendar and stuff when you entered?" Edan remarked. She felt Robert's fingers lightly brushing her shoulder, as if trying to distract her. It was working, but she wanted to know more about this 'battle'. "It's like a talent show, really. It's hosted by the student council at the start of the first terms. It's just a big party, to be honest."