Four Elements Book 1 - Hidden Powers

Chapter 2 - That happy feeling of new friendships - part 2

"Well that guy sounds slightly creepy to me, you should keep away from him." Jessica said before biting into her sandwich.

They were sitting at their lunch table in the cafeteria. It had gotten windy and colder outside so most of the students were eating inside.

"Oh, come on, don't be ridiculous, he's just a little outcast, that doesn't make him bad," Andie replied.

"Doesn't make him good, either! I still say he's creepy." Jessica insisted.

"Tell me one thing in what I described that is really creepy." Andie challenged.

"Yeah, I mean, look at us! How would we have become friends if we thought like that?" Emily pointed out.

"Well, you weren't creepy!" Jessica insisted.

They rolled their eyes. Jessica was kindhearted, but pretty much the most stubborn person you could ever meet.

"Neither is he," Andie said, setting her bottle down. "Really, he's not. He's a little strange, granted... but he doesn't seem like a bad person."

"You're too naive, sweetie," Jessica said, pointing her spoon from her yogurt at her.

"Maybe. But I like to think there's good in all of us. You just have to give it a chance to come out."

Jessica didn't seem convinced. Andie didn't try to change her mind. She knew she wouldn't. It would have to come from Jessica herself. Andie turned to Isabelle.

"What d'you think?"

"I don't know, Andie..." Isabelle said with a sigh. "I mean, you're the only one who really saw him. I guess I'd have to as well, to have an opinion."

Andie sighed. She supposed that made sense. And Isabelle was always very rational and practical. She had almost immediately been dubbed the smart one in the group. Oh, the others were also quite clever, but Isabelle's more reasonable, clinical way of thinking sometimes took precedence over the rest. Jessica for instance, had a sharp mind, but tended to jump to conclusions. Emily was never sure what to think and Andie was often more worried about making the right choice. You have to admit, it's almost never as easy as it sounds.

"So, spill. Who are you going to homecoming with?"

That was Jessica. Straight to the point.

"We don't have to go with anyone, and it's not like anyone's going to ask us," Andie shrugged.

"Not true!" Jessica said. "I was asked by Ben Willows."

Andie raised her eyebrows.

"The captain of the basketball team? You hate the guy."

"I only pretend to hate him. That's the first rule. Never show you like them."

"... No offense, Jess, but that sounds a little ridiculous. I mean, how are you supposed to know if they like you back if you don't tell them?"

"They need to see it!"

"You know how unobservant most boys are in that domain," Emily said. "I mean, I don't think Michael ever would have noticed me if I hadn't gone and talked to him."

Michael was Emily's boyfriend. They had met that summer and had been together for nearly three months now.

"Well, Andie's probably not going to have much trouble finding a date," Jessica grinned.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Andie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You have the dark stranger," she grinned.