Of Witches and Ghosts

Academic Battleground

After the incident on Saturday at the mall, the weekend progressed in a quiet manner.

Sam spent Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday in her room looking through her album. However, when she wasn't doing that, she was out in the backyard to pick up the pieces of her poor Gramm's garden. She was mostly just tearing out the dead stuff and enriching the soil again. Without magic. What she would plant in place was what she was still contemplating.

When Monday came around, Sam was filled with a strange sense of dread. And not the typical dread that comes with Mondays. It was heavy. Like her bones had been replaced with thousands of pounds of stone. And there was the most uncomfortable tingle on her left side.

Maybe after what had happened to Zoey less than four weeks ago, she was still in shock. Maybe it was because she was going to be the "New Girl"; whoever felt great about being the new kid in class?

Or maybe...a rift had reopened somewhere? It wouldn't surprise her, but it certainly would infuriate her.

Sam shook her head. Ridiculous.

These worries were unfounded; she just wasn't used to this town or its people...or its ghosts.

After breakfast with Gramm, Sam left for her first day of school.

Somehow, she found Danny waiting for her at her gate unsurprising. The two of them walked to school in comfortable silence.
It was strange; she felt comfortable enough around him to let her guard down a little and be lost in her thoughts. And she's only known him for a week or so.

Sam stopped at the entrance, staring at the foreign building that would become a big part of her daily life. Danny walked two feet before he realized she was no longer beside him.

"You okay, Sam?" Danny stepped closer, concern clearly marked his face. "It's not that bad. As long as you're not getting stuffed into lockers." He thought back to the incident at the food court, though. It was quite obvious Sam could handle herself.

Sam took a deep breath and unconsciously pulled a bit of calming energy from the earth. She felt the soothing sensation prickle from her toes to the tip of her nose. It was like a warm hug. It didn't stop the frustrating itch in her side though. 

If she could fight demons, banshees and a goddamn succubus from France, then she could damn well go to a new high school.

"I've had my share of bullies in New Orleans," she spoke icily. "They all just met the end of my boot."

Danny chuckled and gave her a gaze of amusement. 

"I won't doubt you on that. C'mon, I'll walk you to your, and inevitably, my doom." Danny linked his arm with Sam's as he led her into the school.

Once again, no trace of agitation from this boy touching her.

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"Ugh, check out the new girl. Do you see what she's wearing? Can you say poor Wednesday Adams?"

Sam had only been in class five seconds and she was already starting to loathe this annoying Hispanic harpy that Danny had earlier identified as Paulina Sanchez.

Sam checked her outfit. There was nothing wrong with the baggy black jeans and cropped green top she wore. With a black sweater cardigan over it all. She also had her artifact watch hanging around her neck.  Sam could make it look like Paulina's hair was falling out with just a quick glamor spell, but since she was no longer casting, she would have to settle for her second most fearsome weapon, her sharp tongue.

"I've heard better wit from toads. Next time, bring a textbook, maybe I'll actually hear something intelligent out of you," Sam waved off Paulina dismissively, not even caring about the war she had just fueled.