Guardians of the Watchtower: North

Chapter 9

The weeks that followed, Sylar made it a point to sit with Ivy at every available opportunity, At lunchtime, he would search the grounds for her till he found her and sit with her to eat, despite her protests. He was very persistent and she'd give in more than protest. Ivy knew Kate was plotting against her when Kate had spotted them in the library eating lunch together. A look of pure hatred spread across Kate's face, Ivy knew that she wasn't going to play fair. To her surprise, in the next few days, everything seemed to be dying down, people were talking less about her and talking to her. Professors actually started writing encouraging notes on the corners of the assignments they'd return to her praising her for her writing ability and other accomplishments. Things were getting better.
It was the last day before break most of the students were excited about leaving on family vacation or about the resort they would be staying at for the week, not listening to any of the professors. The bell rang ending Government class. Ivy rushed to her locker to grab her Trig. and Philosophy books for her last two classes of the day. When she opened her locker a note fell to the floor, Ivy quickly picked it up, on the outside all it said was "IVY", she set her books down in her locker and opened the note:
"Meet me in the solarium before 7th period I need to ask you something important......Sylar."
Ivy bit her lip nervously. Why would Sylar leave a note for her when they would see each other in the last period, Philosophy class? An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach like a brick. She could smell wet earth before she heard it.....
"It's a trap, don't go! "
Ivy froze, the voice was clear as day to her, and she was sure everyone around her heard it, but when she looked around it appeared that the whole world was oblivious to the voice's warning, they kept laughing, talking and slamming lockers in their wake.
Ivy grabbed her things and snuck around the back of the school to the solarium entrance. She peeked in and saw Kate with a group of girls gathered around a huge bucket of what looked like mud. Kate was laughing as the other girls threw full cups of rotten compost in while she used a water hose creating a soupy mess. They strung the bucket up, making a trap that would dump when the door was opened. Ivy knew it was intended for her. Kate was trying to calm the laughing girls down and have them hide, as she readied her cellphone to take a video.
Ivy wasn't about to let Kate ruin the last day before winter break and tried to think of a quick plan to get even. Deep in thought, she did not notice the bell ring and found herself alone in the back hallway. Quickly making her way down the hall to get to class, but sure enough, she was stopped by none other than, the provost, himself.....
"Hedera Fomalhaut!, Wandering the halls on the last day before break! Get to class, this instant!"
That's when it clicked. Ivy knew exactly how to get even with Kate.
"I'm so sorry, Provost. My locker is jammed and I can't get my books out for Trig class. I was looking for the janitor and was trying to catch up with him. "
"Well, that does not excuse you, Where did you see him last?"
"I saw him go into the solarium, but when I tried the door it was locked, so I went around to the back and that door is locked too! I tried knocking but he didn't answer. Would you please go with me? Maybe he'll answer this time."
"Very well, follow me."
Ivy grinned so big, as she followed behind the provost to the main doors of the solarium. He knocked, there was no response. The windows connecting the solarium to the building were tinted and he couldn't see anything inside, he pushed the door. It opened a little, he turned to Ivy and straightened his blazer with what looked like a nervous habit rather than a necessity.
"They are not locked now maybe he's left."
"I didn't see him leave sir."
"Very well," and the provost pushed the door open and stepped into meet the fate that was intended for Ivy. Half a dozen girls jumped out laughing and pointing for a split second before they realized what they had just done.
The provost was covered from head to toe in compost soup. Spitting and grunting aggravatingly as he wiped the nasty, vile smelling, tar from his face and pulled a lump of half rotten tomatoes from his shoulder. He threw it on the ground at his feet, Seven girls stood in shocked silence, as all hell broke loose!
"Do you want to please, explain to me why you are here! And, why am I completely covered in compost!!!!!!" At this point, the provost was yelling, at this point
" All seven of you are suspended the week we come back from break!!!"
"But Provost this wasn't meant for you," Kate let slip, then shut up real fast as the provost straightened and looked Kate square in the eye.
"Who was this meant for Katelyn Greene?"
Kate looked around, like a deer caught in headlights, and at that exact moment Ivy stepped forward, from behind the door, Kate looked her square in the eye.
"No one, sir."
"You're lying, that's another week's suspension, Miss Greene!"
"But sir!"
"Who was it for???!!!"
"For her!!!" Kate yelled as she pointed at Ivy, the provost turned and looked at Ivy.
"Were you aware of this Fomalhaut?!!"
" No sir, my locker was jammed, and I was unable to get my books." Ivy almost looked the picture of innocents while at that moment getting the look of death from Kate. The provost turned and the look on Kate's face changed as if her look of death never existed.
"I can't believe you would deliberately and maliciously set up another student. I was wrong, Miss Greene you are suspended for three weeks and will serve detention until spring break, the rest of you girls are suspended for one week following the break. you Now, march yourselves to my office! NOW!!!"
"But sir!"
"NOT ANOTHER WORD GREENE! MOVE!"
"Fomalhaut, find the janitor, get you books and get to class now!" With that he turned and lead seven girls back the way he had come, leaving Ivy alone in the hall, outside the solarium. Once they were out of sight a "happy booty dance" broke out, like a forest fire on dry brush, she was smiling and dancing all the way to class.
The class was already three-fourths of the way over by the time she arrived and was forced to wait in the hallway yet again, but she didn't mind in light of what happened she was perfectly content with waiting in the hall, thinking about how the voice saved her and protected her from Kate. The eighth-period bell rang, she practically skipped to Philosophy. Ivy was greeted by Sylar's smiling face, at the door. The flush on her cheeks was scarlet and clear as day, As they walked into class together. Kate was already sitting at her desk, eyes swollen and red, she had been crying. For a split second Ivy actually felt bad for her, then Kate opened her mouth.
"This is all your fault!!! You freak!!! My parents are leaving me here over vacation to rot because I got suspended. All because of you!!"
Before Ivy could even say anything Sylar spoke up,
"Kate, Ivy's done nothing to you, including when you attacked her in the locker room, you're nothing but a bully, and the fact that you tried to set her up using me as the bait, is downright vindictive. and if this is how you're gonna treat someone special to me, then we aren't friends anymore."
The whole class gasped, Ivy just looked at Sylar at a loss for words.
The last thing Sylar said before taking Ivy by the hand and leading her down the row of seats,
"Grow up, respect and treat others how you want to be treated."
The class went into an uproar of laughter, hooting and hollering and Kate sat down and turned to the front of the room, scarlet red with embarrassment. It took the professor half the class time to calm everyone down enough to assign reading to do over break. Before Ivy knew it, still caught in the daze from what just happened, the last bell rang and the kids were screaming, hooting, grabbing their things and running for the door to freedom.
Sylar took Ivy's hand and her bag, they walked to the door together. Ivy looked back over her shoulder and saw Kate sitting at her desk looking at them hand in hand as they left the classroom. The look of defeat was written all over her face.
Sylar walked with Ivy all the way to her locker and outside, hand in hand. The entire school had already heard about the spat in Philosophy. Everyone was either watching them or talking about it. Sylar's hand gripped tighter around Ivy's as they made their way through the zoo of kids running to their cars and parents, hoping to be gone before any teacher could chase them down. The grounds were muddy from the melting snow that fell at night and melt in the daytime sunshine. Her driver was already standing with the door open, waiting for Ivy, like always. Ivy stopped a few feet from the car, Sylar turned back to look at her. He leaned down and kissed her temple gently making Ivy blush slightly as he let go of her hand so she could get in the back seat.
"Call me later." and he shut the door behind her.
The car pulled away, and Ivy looked back, even though she couldn't see through the tinting, that's when it dawned on her........she'd never told Sylar about the note.
The car started on its track toward home, Ivy was in a great mood, feeling like the last day had actually been a great day for her. The only thing that still bothered her was how did Sylar find out about the note? But her thoughts, as to the note, faded when she rolled the window down, it was chillier now that the snow had come, but the field that once was full of ripe vegetables were in beautiful fall colors, now left empty after the farmer's harvest. The trees had already lost almost all of their leaves and it made the fields seem like quilts with the stitches that bordered each parcel of property. Looking at it made Ivy sad somehow, the land was going into hibernation for the upcoming heavy snow, it was clear in the rolling hills of bare land, that it was indeed coming. Hopefully, it would stick this time, not having snow at this time of year made missing home even harder. By this time the Colorado snow was already covering half the city in its white fluffiness, making running for the bus to school a sliding death trap. But after all these years it was like second nature to her. Now things were different, this place was not home, no matter how long she would be stuck here. Ivy could feel the tears putting pressure on her eyes as she sighed to herself and leaned back rolling the window up into place.