Salix

Chapter 1

A smile slipped onto my face and I caressed the leaves of my brassica oleracea. It was thriving well in my greenhouse after I had rescued it from being stepped on outside the school gate. The poor thing had sprouted in the worst spot, and I had to dig it up in the wee hours of the morning so that I wouldn't be stepped on by students going to school while trying to save it.

"Kamille? Did you finish watering your plants? Lunch is almost over," said my friend Mona, appearing in the doorway. She had a pencil shoved haphazardly into the side of her hijab, and a sketchbook tucked under her arm.

"Ya, I'm done. We can head to class now," I replied, giving my plants one last longing look before meeting Mona at the door. It hurt me every time I had to leave them. Even in class, I could hear them calling me back.

Mona grasped my arm and had to drag me out of the greenhouse. She knew that if I continued to linger I would never leave.

"C'mon Kamille. We have chemistry next and you know how Xander is when you're not there," she paused so we could shiver in fear, "That man is frightening."

Although I couldn't help but agree with her in the privacy of my mind, out loud I defended him, "He's not that bad, Mona. He's always nice to you! And practically everybody! All he does is smile. That's all."

"I know! That's what makes him so scary! Remember last year when that jerk from the hero class called you a useless sidekick? Well, Xander was smiling as he shoved a pencil in his eye!"

I gulped, because I did remember, and I remembered not sleeping for three days straight in fear. Xander was nice, but when he was angry, it was a nightmare. However, he never hurt me. Just everyone else around him who got in his way.

"Ya I remember... let's not talk about it." We sped up our pace and hurried to chemistry, lest we make Xander wait for us. That would be a nightmare. He would smile at me throughout the entire class, arm around my shoulder, clutched tightly to ensure I didn't leave his side. Sometimes it hurt, but when I mentioned it, he always eased up – although he never let go.

I suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway, paces away from chemistry.

"Mona! I forgot my books!" I immediately turned around, ready to go to my locker, when Mona grabbed my arm.

"You're gonna go get them now? We're almost there! I'm not going in without you. He told me to go get you from the greenhouse so you wouldn't be late to chemistry. He'll kill me if you're not with me! He showed me what he'd do!" I eased my arm from under her vice grip. Mona's telepathy was more of a curse than a gift most of the time. Due to her telepathy, she was the only one other than me who knew how Xander really was, since most other people just believed he was protective of me.

"It's okay! Just check if he's in the class. If not, then head in and I'll meet you there in two minutes top."

Mona shut her eyes, and an intense look of concentration crossed her face. I knew that she was scanning everyone's consciousness looking for Xander's. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"He's not there yet. But hurry, okay?" I nodded in response and chased her off with a push. It wouldn't do if she made me even later just because she didn't want to face him alone. I mean, neither did I, but at least I sucked it up.

I made my way to my locker, grabbed my chemistry textbook, and shut it with a clang.

"Late again, Kamille?" chimed a voice from behind, deep, yet soft, in its baritone. I jumped at the sound, dropping my textbook. I didn't dare turn around and face him. I stared at the faded red of my locker door, inspecting each dent and ding closely. Maybe if I didn't look at him I wouldn't get in trouble (although I knew that's not how it worked).