Typhoon & Tempest

Chapter Ten

Lily was shaking slightly as she walked up to Nova High's gates on a chilly Monday - the weekend passed with no more events besides several terms worth of homework she had to quickly skim over. No more surprise visits from werewolves or from her inner creature.

She was still panicking like she was about to be ambushed - were people still talking about her outburst on Friday?

Lily shifted the straps across her shoulders, anxiety crawling around her stomach. She felt sick. As the gates loomed, she paused and dug into her pockets of her jeans for her phone and earphones. 

Music always calmed her down. It also allowed her to focus on something other than people's gazes of pity or curiosity. She liked music, and it somehow made her feel like she belonged somewhere else.

With one earphone slotted in place, Lily's music soothing in her ear, she walked through the dreaded gates of Nova High. She kept her head down while heading to the main entrance and tried to ignore the burning stares of the students around her.

Lily tuned out her thoughts, and those stares, trying to focus on the music in her ears. Renegades? She realised, losing herself to the rhythm before it was interrupted when someone called her name. 

"Lily!" She froze and turned to the source of the shout, and relaxed only a little when she saw Jack wave a ring-covered hand and head towards her with a curious Claire and a nervous Karen in tow. Lily removed her earphone as they reached her, and was pinned under Jack's curious stare.

"How's your weekend?" Jack asked, shifting her bag. Claire was tapping her pen against her notebook like she was rushing to finish some homework before class started. Karen was clutching her binder like her life was stored inside.

"It was alright, had a tonne of homework to do." Lily said, fiddling with her earphones as her anxiety slowly churned in her belly. 

"Yeah, Mrs Khan told us that you've been added to all these new classes," Jack frowned. "That sucks."

Lily shrugged. "There's nothing I can do."

"Besides drown in homework?"

"Yeah," Lily smiled a little, and nodded to Claire. "Is that what you're doing?"

Claire blinked. "Oh, I've done my homework. This is Jack's."

Jack smiled innocently at Claire. "Thanks a tonne!" 

Claire scrunched up her nose but continued filling out Jack's notebook. The witch turned back to her. "What's your first class?"

Lily picked out the timetable she'd tucked into her back pocket. "Vamp Science?" She said warily. "Is it Week B?"

"Yep - you're with Karen then." Jack turned to the vampire next to her, who warily looking at Lily through her long dark hair. Her binder was still gripped tightly in her hands. "You okay?"

"Yes!" Karen squeaked as Lily looked at her. "Sorry, I'm just a bit nervous!"

Claire frowned. "Karen, babe, you're always nervous." 

"Well, I-you know..." Karen sheepishly looked at Lily. "I'm sorry, I just can't get Friday out of my head."

Lily stiffened and shuffled her feet. "You're not the only one."

Jack scoffed. "The song's not that bad."

Karen blushed. "No, I meant-"

"I know but you're being ridiculous." Jack crossed her arms. "Just don't touch Lily's bracelet and you'll be fine." The witch looked to Lily, to her bare wrist, and frowned. "Where is your bracelet?"