Young Writers Society

Sorry, guys. . . I misread too much. -_- Time stamp and a couple of details changed. Hurr.


Alex Pyreta | B Block | 5:47 pm

I thought I had found my place, really. And it was logical in all sights: hide the crazy girl behind the crazier girl and no one would ever give her a second glance. Or at least she'd feel invisible. But when it came to the mention of Dawno, my anger tended to boil.

But Nolan was so cute in his vulnerability. Even with that horrible snake of his. Would it benefit them both if she were to. . .

Why not? You haven't given a damn about any of my suggestions.

I followed each one precisely.

And where did that get you?

Four hours of working for Dawno and a trip to the infirmary for Aquatic Malaise.

Good thing you like pain, then.

One day I'll be free of you.

One day, you'll die, too.

Your days are numbered.

So are yours.

You're a dying ember.

Okay.

But Nolan was limping away from me. So "Stop!" I said, and he stopped. I crept around the corner of the hall and looked up to him shyly. My mouse-voice didn't carry far, and neither did my plan. "Dawno has four sub-chambers in his office--..."

Nolan stood, almost attentive. But his eyes were groggy and I could tell that he could fall over dead at any moment. "I. . . I had to clean them before dawn this morning to avoid expulsion." I swallowed the knot in my throat, and I was doing it. I was talking to a boy.

Nolan seemed totally confused, which was bad. I was confusing him. Internally, I gagged myself.

"They-..." Ugh. It was harder than I thought it'd be. "I'm getting nervous. . . Come to my room so we can talk?"

Bart-Fire Day of classes-Dorm B-5:00pm

"Come on, don't be a wimp Zeke!" I shouted before pulling him with me at top speed.

"Don’t be an idiot, Bart!" He shouted, forcing himself to run so I wouldn't pull his arm off. "You shouldn't be running at all."

"Yeah Yeah, torn liniment might be put in a wheel chair," I blabbed. "They just don't want to see me running; they're trying to keep the quick at their speed!"

We got to the dorms, and I think whatever Mr. Banner was telling me to put on my leg was starting to work, because it didn't hurt anymore. We arrived right as the explosion was dying down. A kid was being carried off to the infirmary, and a girl, who I guessed was his roommate, was following close behind. Someone had closed off the room, something about a safety hazard. My ass.

"Come on, let's see what happened," I commanded, and edged closer to the room as the hall way emptied.

"It says not to go on," Zeke started. "Maybe we should listen....?"

"You;re dad is Sonic, right?" I asked casually.

"Grand Father actually," he corrected. "Why?"

"Well, after the Cafe incident, I had a lot of time to read, and I was going through a list of the greatest heroes. Your gramps was one of them," I said, he looked away. "It said he was an impulsive guy, not one to shy away from what happened. He liked to know the workings, the goings on."

"Yeah, what's that have to do with anything?" Zeke asked, confused.

"Well, if I were him, I would want to see what happened, ya know, curiosity is a Hero's best friend."

"I wouldn't exactly call you a hero..." Zeke mumbled, I ignored it.

"But, hey. I'm not your grand pappy, and I ain't you either. You know who I am though? I guy who is gonna go inside that room."

I didn’t wait for Zeke to answer, and carefully opened the door. It opened out, so I had to be careful not to tear the tape. After I was able to get it open enough to squeeze through, while not letting my presence by known, well you guess. Yep, I went in genius.

The room was a mess to say the least. There was a heavy, steam like mist floating about, and it smelt like my gym sock’s gym socks. I examined a bowl, and saw a small trace of bubbling liquid, I dipped my hand in, and pulled a stinky substance out of it. Rubbing it between my fingers.

"Are you gonna eat that?!?!?1" Zeke asked in pure shock. My tongue was floating right in front of the mystery ooze.

"O kros kot," I said, my tongue hanging out still. "Of course not," I repeated. "I was just gonna lick it. it actually smells pretty sweet, compared to the room.

"Well, can we leave now?" Zeke asked.

"You don’t have to be here kid, I'll leave when I'm ready," I said with a smile/

"Don’t call me kid, kid, I'm older than you," Zeke said. Whoa Hedge boy got a spine. "And fine, get expelled for all I care."

He slipped back out of the door, and left me with the ooze. I scrapped it and left it to crust on a desk, and then left. "What happened to when you're ready?"

"I was ready," I shrugged.

Zeke left me in the hall. Why were his panties, or why was his fur rather fur, all up in a bunch? I was about to walk back to the dorms as well, when my leg gave me a painful jab. I needed to sit down. I saw another room open, and slipped inside. it looked like no one was in it, so I sat down.

I laid there for awhile, waiting for the pain to go away, just staring at the ceiling. I wished Bolt was with me, he always would sit on my chest and shoot off little fre works for me to watch. After what felt like an eternity the pain left me. it was a sweet relief. I checked a clock, it was about six ten.

I left the room, and came face to face with Nolan, along with what seemed like his third girlfriend. Alex. The girl who had melted the skin off my face.

"Why the hell are you here Bart," Nolan barked at me, he wasn't in the best of moods.

"Relax buddy, I just needed a place to rest for a bit," I said, pointing to my stab wound and melted head. He didn't seem to care about what he had done to me.

I walked past them, giving the best fake limp I could, and gave a groan with every motion. It would either make him feel sorry, or laugh.

I walked at a normal speed to my room, and slowly. I wasn't hungry, so I went right to bed when I got there.

I woke up in about half an hour, my body was aching. I took the medicine I had out, rubbed a large blob of goop on my leg, and face, and then took my pain killers. I felt a heck lot better, so I decided to take a walk.

Nolan Lehnsherr - First day of classes, 5.49 PM

"They-...I'm getting nervous. . . Come to my room so we can talk?"

Corda raised an eyebrow but Nolan ignored her. This sounded interesting, to say the least. He followed Alexis to her room, but he kept his distance. She *did* burn him. Corda stayed behind stubbornly, but she came along when Nolan gave her a pleading look.

This could be their chance to get back at Dawno.

Her room wasn't far off, thank God. Nolan's leg was already hurting like crazy from all the limping he did. He should have stayed in the infirmary a little bit longer. But never mind. What was done was done.

Everything was fine until she opened the door to her room. It wasn't the room itself making him uncomfortable either. Sure there were tons of candles burning, but that wasn't it. It was the other girl in the room that made his skin crawl.

Liz. Crazy Liz who had alternately clung to him and shoved him away.

She was reading a book but then she looked up and saw him. "Nolan!" And just like that she flung the book she was reading aside and slunk up to Nolan. "You came to visit me!"

Nolan almost stiffened when Liz latched onto him again. He was going to need to boil himself alive at this rate. Corda, seeing her friend's discomfort, narrowed her eyes and cleared her throat.

It did nothing apart from earning her a glare from Liz.

The candles flickered and the light in the room dimmed. Right. A firestarter, a telepath, an obsessive-compulsive telekinetic and a...um...crazy person. All in the same room. Nolan realized how suicidal it was to trap himself in a room with these three. Corda didn't get along with Liz, and Liz didn't seem to get along with Corda either. Add in Alexis, who tended to burn everything she wanted to.

Nolan turned to Alexis with a genuinely charming smile. "Alexis, can we, ah, take this outside?"

She blushed and nodded. The candles in the room turned bright again. The foursome left the room and just as Nolan was positive the day couldn't get any worse, Bart came along.

And the bastard had a smirk on his face.

Nolan understood. Three girls, one guy...NO. He was not going to let Bart destroy whatever reputation Nolan had for being respectable.

"Why the hell are you here Bart?" Okay, that came out a lot rougher than expected.

"Relax buddy, I just needed a place to rest for a bit," he said, pointing to his stab wound and melted head.

He walked past them, giving the most terrible impression of pain Nolan had ever seen. He had to bite back a laugh, but Liz and Corda had no such restraint. They burst out laughing, while Alexis giggled.

Well, maybe that idiot was able to do something good for once. He lifted the tension.

"So, Alexis," Nolan said, "what was that about Mr. Dawno you were telling me?"

Alexis Pyreta | B-Hall Commons | 5:52 pm (Level 0.6)

As Corda and Liz laughed at Bart, I let out a soft giggle and let it die at that. Turning to the window, I put my room key into an almost-invisible key hole in the wall, twisting it to open the door to the outdoor commons area. "Out here. . . "

Nolan sat hesitantly in a rod-iron chair and I pulled up one right beside him. Liz kept close to his arm at all times, and Corda just sat back and glared at all three of us.

"Dawno. . . " I began, nervously. I leaned over to the lantern on the table and let an ember roll off my fingers and onto the wick, illuminating Nolan's face in a soft light. I smiled. "Dawno has sub-chambers beneath his office."

Nolan lifted an eyebrow and I could feel Corda's fiery gaze hammering the back of my neck. "He had me clean his little web of rooms this morning to get the admins away from my file."

Nolan nodded, and I smiled a bit more. Liz cleverly caught on, and watched Nolan, and not me.

Anything to make you insignificant.

I fought her voice back. I couldn't tell if it was the regular voice-in-my-head or if someone was implanting thoughts. This was a bad idea, I suddenly realized.

"I remember the rooms being soundproof..." I looked down at my hands folded in my lap. "I remember because I dropped the broom against one of the chemical racks and it didn't make a sound."

Nolan looked down at me, intrigued. "So you mean soundproof. . . Literally. . . "

I nodded, looking over at Corda. "It works as a vacuum," I murmured, keeping what little courage I had on the surface. "But everything said in Dawno's office can clearly be heard in the chambers."

"Odd," Liz whispered, but her whisper was against Nolan's arm again, almost seductively.

I'll subtract four points from self-confidence!

Sometimes, it was hard to fight off the voice of reason.

"...but I'm sure you don't really..." I looked off into the lantern. "Care."

Nolan Lehnsherr - First day of class, 6PM

"...but I'm sure you don't really care."

Nolan blinked. Crazy Liz giggled and he wanted to shake her off his arm so badly - he needed space - but he didn't. He just stared at Alexis with the most curious look in his eyes.

"Of course I care."

Where did that come from anyway? Liz snorted and this time Nolan did squirm out of her grasp. His arm was still offensively dirty, though. He could see minute specks of dirt other people wouldn't mind.

"No, no this is stupid and it's all -"

"Alexis. Is there something wrong?" There had to be for her to be this...mopey.

Liz suddenly squinted at me, then the other two girls. Was she trying to regain his attention?

"Liz?"

"N-no, it's nothing! I-I'm fine! Really!" And just like that she ran off.

Nolan raised an eyebrow. Girls. Who understood them? Alexis cleared her throat and got up.

"I-I should be going now," Alexis mumbled. "This was stupid." She turned to leave, shaking her head.

At the back of the room Corda watched everything quietly, and Nolan knew that his friend had something to say but was thankful she didn't blurt it out like Liz would have. Thank God for Corda being...well, Corda.

"Alexis, wait."

She paused at the door.

Nolan hesitated, but he knew what he had to do. There was something wrong with Alexis, and she needed to tell somebody.

"If you ever want to talk about it, I'm in my dorm. Dorm A2." Nolan gave her a reassuring smile. "Feel free to drop by anytime. I'll be willing to listen. And if it's Dawno, don't worry about it. I've got him covered."

In her dark corner Corda, playing with a cockroach, raised an eyebrow. A cockroach. Ick. He hoped that was a sanitized cockroach, but chances were it wasn't clean.

Bart-B Block- 6:05pm-Monday

"And if it's Dawno, don't worry about it. I've got him covered," Nolan said. That was the only thing I cared about. All the stuff about girl drama and whatever, that was trash to me. If Nolan was connected to Dawno, I needed to how and why. Dawno gave me the creeps, he seemed like he was up to no good. And while I was no Angel, I knew bad.

I was sitting below their window, rubbing my leg to ease the pain. I didn't actual mean to eavesdrop, but when it started to hurt again I needed to rest, and it was the closest wall to lean on. But it was a seer luck that it had happened.

I was about to get up when Crazy Liz ran out of the dorms, and towards me. Crap. I quickly rolled into the bushes next to me, hoping I had some ninja skills. I didn't. "Bart?" I heard her squeal.

"Yeah?" I asked, acting as if I wasn't hiding in a bush.

"Why are you in a bush?" she continued.

"Why aren't you?" I slung back, worst excuse ever.

"Were you listening to them?" She asked again. This girl was all questions.

"Them? Don't you mean us, not including me, but you saying us," I said, wow that came out weird. Blame the pain killers. "And sort of, I didn't mean to, just happened."

She didn't answer, as if she was thinking about what to say. "You gonna tell Nolan so he puts me in a wheelchair?"

"No, I'm on your side," Liz said. What the heck?

"You're on my side, yet you almost broke my arm not even twelve hours ago."

"That...well all you need to know is I am now," Liz said. "And trust me, you could us an ally."

"Yeah well I'll pass," I said and got up. "I prefer my limbs the way they are." I ran right out of the bush, and straight for the other dorms. It suddenly felt colder, which was sort of strange. I didn't see anyone around bending weather. Then it hit me.

I looked down to see my pants torn into shreds, all but the band and a bit of hanging cloth was gone. I was basically nude. I picked up my speed, and basically broke my door down getting in. Kumo was in there with another girl. I got two strange looks as I scrambled into the closet, and pulled on boxers and new shorts. Nothing strange about this.

Now then to Nolan. I walked right passed the duo, and into the hall, right to Nolan's dorm. I knocked three times, gently. "Who is it?" he called. Putting on what I though as a decent impression I answered "Alexis."

There was a soft click and Nolan called me in. I opened the door to find the telekinetic reading on his bed. You're not Alex."

"Its not my fault I haven;t hit puberty yet! Gawd!" I shouted at him, He rolled his eyes at me.

"What do you want Bart," he hissed at me.

"Dawno," I said with all the seriousness I could muster.

Nolan is now level 2. He can now move medium-sized objects with his mind, such as tables, chairs, telephones, etc.

Nolan Lehnsherr - 6.35, Dorm A2, First day of Class

When she said her name he thought she was coming down with a cold and had to refrain from telling her so, or else she would have believed she truly was coming down with one even if she wasn't.

But when Bart came in Nolan had to raise an eyebrow. "You're not Alex."

"Its not my fault I haven;t hit puberty yet! Gawd!"

The boy failed at being humorous. Nolan rolled his eyes. "What do you want, Bart?" On the other hand, this would be a wonderful time to try and murder the prick. No witnesses, and Nolan could say he saw a murderer come in and kill Bart and everyone would believe him. Bart coming in here was Bart with a death wish.

"Dawno."

"You can have him. Just don't go around campus holding hands and making faces at each other." Nolan returned to his book. "It'd make me sick. And if you're asking for help with your lover, I can't help you."

"NO! Damn it, Nolan! I don't need your -" Bart was seething and Nolan was ashamed to say it made him happy. "Look, I'm not looking for a fight -"

"Could have fooled me," Nolan muttered. He narrowed his eyes as Bart stepped towards Nolan's side of the room. "Dirty people belong in the dirty side of the room. Stay away."

Bart went on, ignoring Nolan. "But I do need your help. Dawno seems to like us, and that gives me the creeps."

"Like us? Hold on - he doesn't like us. Maybe he likes you, but he definitely doesn't like me. He's planning to use me for Christ's -"

"Use you? What do you mean use you?"

Nolan half-shrugged. "No idea. He's planning something big, I'll give him that."

"He asked me if I wanted his help, you know. We're on the same side here, for once. Work with me!"

"Bart. I don't want to talk about Dawno unless you've got information. And then maybe I'll consider working with you. So do you have anything else to say?"

Bart- Monday- 6:45- Dorm A2

"Look, I know you think I'm the bad guy here," I said.

"I don;t just think. I know," Nolan said.

"Heh, funny stuff," I said with an eye roll. "All I need to say is this Nolan."

"Fine, but after that you leave," He commanded, His powers took me instantly. Stupid manipulation.

"Nola, I assume Dawno came to you saying he would help you take revenge," he nodded slowly. "Right after, he said you were going to try and get me, he came to help me."

"So?" He asked simply, growing impatient.

"Well. Its obvious he's working an angel here. He wants us to fight. He wants you to attack, and shoot you down, and vice versa. He wants us to tire each other, he wants us to tear each other apart."

He looked at me tired. "Bart, you need to be somewhere, right? You have a treatment session at the infirmary."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that," I said in a trance. I walked slowly to the door, but before I touched the knob I turned around. "Ya know, it can wait."

"No it can't. You leg is starting to really hurt," Nolan said. I winced as a sharp pain erupted out of no where. "I'm fine," I said through gritted teeth. I could see Nolan frustrated by this.

"Your eye is stinging, and your whole body is aching, you should probably go," Nolan said once more. This is when I snapped out of it. I knew his powers. He was trying to get rid of me.

"No it doesn't," I said. My head exploded in agony as I uttered the words, as if it was factoring some impossible data. I felt warm blood dripped slowly down my nose. Nolan was shocked at my resistance of his powers. I walked right back to him and got in his face, the shock turned into disgust as my blood fell onto his face.

"Now, tell me what you know about Dawno, or else," I said and made a small ball of lightning in my hand. Nolan slowly chuckled as he just looked past me. I took me awhile to realize what had happened to me. With all the pain from the past few days, it just seemed normal, but as I felt the familiar warmth on my back, I snapped. The bastard has stabbed me again.

"You call me psycho! Me the villain?!?!" I asked in full rage."Look at me, and then look at you. Who has thrown more punches, and made more scars. I case here peacefully, and you stab me."

I pulled the piece of glass from my back, and pushed it to his face. It wasn't a stabbing push, but just to show him what he had done.

"Try and say you took the high road Jackass," I said and stormed out. It was a final straw, before I fainted and fell a bloody mess in the hall.

Alexis Pyreta | A-Block Hall | 7:00 pm | (Level 0.7)

It may have seemed odd of me to give into her requests. It even felt odd, really. But something about spending even that short bit of time with Nolan. . . It seemed to soothe over any kinks in my mind. I didn't mind going two blocks down just to get some coffee for Liz and me, and I didn't mind the walk through the crowded cafeteria to get it.

More astounding than that: I hadn't heard from her in almost an hour. By her, I mean the voice I had named Eve. I figured that, if Eve had been such a pain in the side to Adam and God, then she could suffice to be a pain in my head. But that's far beyond the point. Spending an hour without her? That was great. Though, in all honesty with myself, it felt like losing a friend. But maybe the loss of that friend gave way to finding new ones.

Particularly in a breathtakingly handsome telepath in room A2. So, as a kind gesture that would seem otherworldly to Nolan, I brought him a coffee along as well. I let out a soft sneeze when I passed the commons between A and B blocks, trying my hardest not to breathe in any more of the sneezing powder one of the pranksters had let out. It wasn't foresight; it was predictability.

I neared room A2, stopping as I came across a lumpy boy-mound in the middle of the hallway. I wanted to care; I really did... But Nolan was so close and this body smelled like a gym sock's gym socks. And blood. So as discretely as I could, I stepped over his body and left it alone in the hall, knocking on Nolan's door.

"Who is it?" he called from inside. I smiled and leaned against the door frame, still a bit stuffy from the sneezing powder.

"Alexis..."

"Go away, idiot, before I stab you again."

My bright eyes widened, tearing at the mere words. "But... I-It's really me..."

I heard a bed squeaking and a few soft footsteps, and then the door opened just barely, revealing Nolan's face in front of mine. I smiled a bit more than usual, but kept my eyes in his.

"I brought you a coffee from the cafeteria..." I said, holding out the thick cup. The face on the other side of the door smiled, and he took the coffee from me.

"Thanks, Alexis..."

I shook my head, letting out the tension-sigh building in my throat. "Call me Alex."

He nodded and looked down at the cup, and then back at my eyes, almost not knowing what to say or do. "I really want to finish this book tonight, so..."

"Oh, okay." I didn't object or steal any more of his time, of course, but I wanted to. I remembered watching all the old movies when the girl would come to the guy's room, the guy would buy time and finally, they'd instantly fall in love. They'd kiss and pretty music would play in the background.

...and in that vision, Nolan shut the door.

Disheartened, I leaned forward, quickly placing an aubergine lipstick stain where Nolan's lips would be. "Cue music," I whispered, and turned, walking off to B-block.

Nolan Lehnsherr - Dorm Block A Hallway, First Day of Class, 7.15 PM - Level 2.2

He slammed the door in Alexis's face, still seething from Bart. The coffee was warm in his hand and its smell invaded the room. Black. Just like he liked it. How nice of Alexis to get it for him -

Wait. What?

Nolan glanced at the coffee in his hand and then back at the door. Oh crap. That really was Alexis, wasn't it? Damn it. Stupid Bart.

He opened the door again and saw her just as she sauntered away. "Alexis, wait!"

She paused and glanced back at him. Yeap that was Alexis. That was not Bart...unless Bart was a shapeshifter as well. And Nolan doubted it. Bart did not look a thing like Alexis. Alexis was much more refined than that irritating redhead. Speaking of filthy things, why did the hall smell of gym socks?

Nolan spotted a bloody heap near his door. Bart. Injured. Bleeding on the carpet. But he deserved it, didn't he? Nolan made a face at the heap before turning back to Alexis.

"Alexis," Nolan shook his head and gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."

Namely Bart.

Alexis seemed to mull this over for a moment. Nolan checked his watch. It was 7.18, and that meant one thing - dinner. Where was Corda? Usually she was around his dorm before dinner, talking with him and basically relaxing. Huh. She didn't come. Odd.

Nolan closed the door behind him and walked towards Alexis. "Never mind talking in my room. How about over dinner?"

Alex Pyreta | A-Hall | 7:15 pm | (Level 0.

This was a deciding moment in my eyes. Or maybe it was in Nolan's. Something hidden deep, deep down in those beautiful eyes... Allowed me to think clearly. And clear thinking, this brave, new feeling... "Sure..." It fascinated and glorified each aspect of my life.

But being dramatic, I feared, would just bring her back. Still a bit uneasy, but more enamored with Nolan than afraid, I smiled and put the two coffees down in the nearby garbage chute and got closer to him.

"Dinner sounds lovely..."

I tried to avert my eyes; I swear I did try. I just couldn't leave his sight without feeling cloudy again. If my being in his presence clarified so much, how much more would come of...a touch?

I stopped myself mid-thought and put an end to the fantasy in that second. There would never be a day that Nolan would be interested (or available) in touching me in any way.

Like I was some street rat, unworthy of being seen.

But his eyes...

His eyes made me queen over some fantastic new world in which that horrible s-word didn't exist.

It then wandered into my head: the question as to why Nolan was considered a villain.

God, so many questions, but I didn't care. He was a hero, at least in my sight.

But the vision stopped when his door clicked shut, and he smiled just slightly when he joined me in the hall. "Shall we?" he asked, and I felt an instinct to hold onto his arm like Liz did, but I fought it.

God, did I fight it.

Bart- 7:24 pm-Block A Hall- Monday

What the heck? They had just walked right away from me? I had landed right where Nolan's door opened. I could stand Nolan just ignoring me like that, but the Alexis girl had seen me, right in front of her, and acted as if I was just a stain.

I guessed I wasn't going to get any help around here, so I would have to get myself to the infirmary, some how. First step would be to try and stop this bleeding. I was able to crawl across the hall way, and was able to shoot a small spark and turn the knob. I crawled further in and pulled myself onto my bed. I took a pack of clean gauze and the ointment Banner had gotten me.

It was at that moment I saw the cage on my dresser, Bolt sat sulking with in. I quickly unlocked it, and the lizard ran over to me, His whole body was buzzing with energy, and the second he touched me I felt a huge shock, it refreshed me like nothing else could.

I didn't need to gauze anymore, I didn't have the tie to waste. Bolt was like a super battery for me, not being able to release his own power for the past week. I could even feel my wounds closing. I had heard my flash ancestors had a sort of healing factor. I had never had to power to access it. Until now.

I didn't feel like a million bucks, hell I barley felt like I could stay awake. But the pain all around me was lessening, and I felt like I would';t have to limp for a long time either. Even the burning heat under my eye was gone. I felt like I needed to puke and sleep for a year, but I could walk.

I was able to pick myself up at this point, without collapsing. I slowly made my way out of the dorm. Luckily for me two kids who were late to dinner passed by me. I was able to get them to bring me to the infirmary. I was beginning to think of it as my dorm room.

I only had one thought on my mind as they carried me to Mr. Banner. I had tried to stay calm in front of Nolam, be the one taking the high road. I wanted him to feel bad, I wanted him to see it wasn't all me. But at this point, I could take all the blame and still say I took the high road. All I cared about was one thing. Revenge.

Nolan Lehnsherr - Cafe, First Day of Class, 7.40 PM - Level 2.3

It was almost odd seeing Alexis laughing and talking to him animatedly. As if she was someone else when they were alone. For a brief moment Nolan wondered where Corda was, but when he saw Alexis he forgot.

It went on and on. If he'd seen Corda he would have invited her to the table - if Alexis allowed it, of course - but he didn't see her. Maybe she was staying away from him? He supposed that after what happened in Dawno's room she might not ever be as friendly with him as she was before.

"Mr. Lehnsherr, Ms. Pryeta! Enjoying our selves, aren't we?"

Nolan noticed Alexis tensing. Not good. "Mr. Dawno, good evening. We're doing great, thanks for asking."

Dawno didn't even flinch. "I heard about the incident with...a certain someone. I had to pull some strings again to get you both out of trouble."

Nolan almost slammed his head against the table. Bart. One day he was going to kill Bart with his own bare hands.

"My mother can pull her own strings, thank you. We don't need your help, Mr. Dawno."

He needed to get rid of Dawno before Alexis stiffened and returned to her old self. He rather liked the new Alexis.

"I have a favor to ask of you before I decide to leave your friend alone. I want you and Mr. Bishop in my office. Tomorrow. Together. You can bring one person to help you, but only one. Choose wisely, Mr. Lehnsherr. I have a feeling I know who Mr. Bishop would bring."

Of course. That was a no brainer. Probably the other speed demon. Two speed demons against a telekinetic and a...a what? Nolan had no idea who to bring. Corda would be the obvious first choice, he supposed, but she might still harbor some ill feelings towards him.

And just like that Dawno disappeared. A one on one battle with Bart? For what reason? So much for being the anti-villainy counselor.

"Nolan?"

Oh right. Alexis. "Alex," Nolan forced a smile onto his face again, and he looked as if Dawno had never interrupted them. "Where were we?"

Alexis Pyreta | Cafeteria | 7:47 pm (Level 0.9)

I did all that I could to block Dawno out. And, with much focus on Nolan, even with my eyes closed I could see his eyes, I avoided each supple word from the snake himself. A chill ran down my spine and I waited until I couldn't feel him anymore. Then, I looked back up to Nolan, who was watching Dawno off.

"Nolan?" I asked, my voice quiet and soft, as usual.

"Alex," Nolan forced a smile onto his face again, and he looked as if Dawno had never interrupted them. "Where were we?"

I smiled softly, grounding my heartbeat in his eyes. "We were speaking of the devil."

Nolan lifted an eyebrow, but then realized what I meant. "Oh, Dawno, right."

I nodded and took a sip of my green tea. I let a black fingernail dangle in the broth for a moment before retrieving focus on his radiance. "Beneath his office... Are a network of chambers. Real Harry Potter kinda stuff..." Nolan chuckled and I smiled, sipping the droplets of tea off my fingernail.

"The rooms are completely soundproof, so it'd be easy to spy on him, given the right circumstances."

"The right circumstances?" Nolan's eyes strayed off as Corda walked in the door. I could feel her beaming the back of my neck again with her demon-glare eyes. But she didn't approach the table. She just left the cafeteria without another glance.

"She can be quite hostile, can't she...?" I meant nothing by the comment, really, but I was truly curious. I hadn't met a person so easily tempered or agitated.

Nolan nodded and forced a half-smile. "She has her days."

I looked down at his food. A sandwich of even cuts, no crusts, no blemishes on the bread, a carrot on the side, and three napkins precisely folded into triangles beneath his plate. "Don't we all..."

I peered down into my now-cold tea. Just seconds ago, it was piping hot.

"It's odd being here, you know..."

Nolan looked on, following my eyes into the teacup.

"When I was born, my village was in the midst of a great crisis. The mountains around our village were going to devour us with the next quake-- there were a lot of those-- and my mother and father died while fending off bandits from the south." I smiled, seeing my reflection in the still liquid. Off the tip of my index finger rolled a small ruby fireball, returning the steam to the cup. "The dreams come and go, you know, of the last time I saw them."

Nolan bit down on his lip, his hands folded on the table.

"And when people like Corda, grudging and easy to provoke, find their way to dislike me..." I shook my head, scarlet bangs falling in my eyes. "It hurts a bit, knowing how everyone has a sob story. And how it's no excuse to behave the way we do." I bit down on my lip, staining my right canine tooth purple. "It's no excuse for how I behave at least..." I shook my head again. "But the doctors say it's Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the Admins put Liz and I in the same room for 'therapy' and everything that's happened so far..."

"...all on the first day..." he said, filling in my anxious breath. I peered up again, smiling into his smile.

"So how is your pet doing now?"

Zeke
11:30pm, Monday, Week 1
Dorm A4

Knock, knock.
Zeke woke with a start, and from the thump that came from the bed next to him, he surmised that Dierdrie had as well. Swearing, his roommate climbed to her feet and made her way to the door.

"What do you want?" Zeke heard her harshly whisper. He didn't hear the other party's response, but her reply was "Well, tough. He's asleep and he has class in the morning!"
Zeke opened one eye slightly. He caught a flash of red hair and figured out who wanted his attention. Dierdrie continued to refuse Bart, and Zeke noticed his hands beginning to glow as his brow twitched. Uh-oh. Might have to defuse this.

"It's ok, Dierdrie," he said out loud, dropping the sleep act. "I'll talk to him."
Dierdrie spun around at the sound of his voice, then shrugged and headed back to bed. Zeke stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind him.
"So what's up?" he asked.

Bart handed him a slip of paper. "Check this out." Zeke squinted at the very neat handwriting.
Mr Bishop,
I would like to see you tomorrow in my office. I have asked Mr Lehnsherr to meet me as well, at the same time (third period, 3:00pm). You have both been given the chance to bring along ONE companion.
Do not disappoint me. ~I.D.

"I.D.?" Zeke looked up at Bart, confused. "Oh... Mr Dawno? What's he want?"
"No idea. I just woke up in the infirmary..."
"Again!?"
"... and he'd left that next to my bed."
"Huh." Zeke, despite his apprehension, was intrigued. "You going, then?"
"Don't really have a choice," Bart muttered. "I dunno what he'd do if I said no, but it couldn't be anything good. Anyway, I want to lay some cold, hard vengeance square into Nolan's face."
"Nolan... the OCD kid?"
"That's the one. Smarmy little ass. So you gonna come with and bring the smackdown too?"

Zeke stared up at Bart. He was so eager to do this. Zeke failed to share his enthusiasm.
"I guess if it's for a teacher..." he said flatly. "Are you sure he wants us to fight? Maybe he's just trying to keep the peace. Get you guys on the same page and all."
"Sure," Bart shrugged. "Whatever it takes to get you to come. Later!"
And before Zeke could say anything more, Bart was gone, with that familiar breeze that came with superhuman speed.

Zeke levels up next post! 8D