Chapter Thirteen

       ES were kissing behind the door when I opened it. They were too engrossed with each other that I am sure they didn't see me. Even so, I shouted,

“Ewww, take it outside, guys.”

        I wasn't in the mood. Between finding out that Alee would be going to school instead of me and Mason being her mate, I felt like I needed a break in my room/basement. Alee moved upstairs to a different room from me. Everything is changing so fast and I don't think I can keep up. Even so, I got ready for work. I decided that I would rather joke around with people that are not connected to me personally. They wouldn't know if I was sad or needed a break. Besides, Elias would never give me one after I used all of them staying away from the prince and daydreaming about him at the same time.

“Whatsup?” Dean said from his chair opposite the computer screen.

“Life's good.” I said.

“It's time you got here.” I heard Elias voice.

       He slapped Ellie on the back of his head and said,

“E and S, take your stupid make-out session away from the control unit.”

      Savannah had the guts to look down on the floor and apologize.

“I'm sorry, boss.”

      Is this the nineteenth century or am I dreaming? I think Savannah and Ellie swapped bodies. Savannah was never a quiet girl but ever since Ellie came in, she's been too obedient. Ellie looked around sheepishly while scratching his hair.

“We were going to go to the suit-room.” he said.

“Don't!” I screamed.

“Why not?” Savannah asked, “That's the best place we can get privacy. Jacob and Sarina were there when we went there initially. I think it's free now.”

       I released a sigh and Elias smirked at me. He raised his eyebrows suggestively and I recoiled. 

“No, thanks” I said.

        He started laughing while Savannah and Ellie ran to the suit-room. My day can't get any worse, I thought.

“So, Lea. I love what you did with the prince.” Elias said.

       I turned back towards him and said,

“Yeah. Thanks.”

       The prince was killed three days ago and he has already congratulated me on how I killed him. Why would he mention it again?

“I don't get it. How did you get there without the take-off room? It's really beating me, you know. That thorn within your heart that's always pinching you no matter how much you try to adjust yourself, you know. I feel that way too. We've always told each other everything. Do we not trust each other anymore?”

“I trust you, boss but what's the catch? You are acting strangely.” I said.

“Well, I believe in action. Trust comes from action not words. No one's better than you when it comes to dragon combat but I still can't shake that feeling.” he continued.

“What feeling?” I asked.

      He stared at me and said,

“Someone is lying.”

“How did you come to that conclusion, boss?” 

“Payment's long overdue and nothing comes from a nice kill than money. So, why?” he said.

        I closed my eyes for a while and said,

“Boss, why don't you confront the buyer. I believe she's the one lying in this case.”

“The customer is always right, Lea. Plus she's a powerful witch that can sense death. She's a special customer of mine and she specializes in swift death. She pays immediately after the mission is carried out.” he said while he stared at me.

“Maybe she's late or delaying the payment.” I said, trying to cover up the fear I felt from the questions.

“Or maybe the prince is yet to take his last breath.” he said while staring at me, maybe to gauge my reaction.

        I took joy from he not being able to sense when I am lying. I looked him in the eye and shrugged. I think he took the message because he broke eye contact with me and looked away. I turned away from him, heading towards the mission board but what he said gave me a massive pause.

“Lea.” he called me.

     I answered him in an indifferent manner while I kept on walking.

“Why haven't you asked me for your payment yet?” he asked.

      I paused for a little while before I kept on walking.

“Boss, I figured you would give me when she pays.” I said.

       Even as I killed the werewolf hunter in the desert and I cleaned my blade with a white handkerchief, what he said bothered me. He's right. I never pass up a chance to ask for money, especially when I am done with a mission. The bounty on the prince's head is much and I would have asked for it but I didn't. It read in bold letters that there's something fishy going on. He knew that I didn't kill the prince but he wouldn't tell me because he didn't know where the prince was. And he knows that I don't know either. I hate him because he's more perceptive than most outside using his werewolf powers. It doesn't matter anyway. Alee's released and I don't have to protect her anymore.

        When I got back, Alee was in the basement. She sat on the chair opposite the table with her legs up to her chin and her hands wrapped around her legs. She looked up when I appeared in the basement. I stared back at her but she didn't stick around. She stood up and left the basement. I threw myself on the bed and sleep took over immediately. 

       The next day, I got ready for school. I walked up the basement stairs and outside the door to the living room. Alee stood in a tight blue high-waist jean trouser and brown cowboy boots. She wore a white vest and a blue jean jacket over the vest. She styled her hair, which I've never done, and packed it in a ponytail. She had on a tinge of pink lip gloss on her lips and a lot of bracelets on her left wrist. Everything she wore was new and not at all what I bought for her. I have to say, she's really pretty but I won't say it to her.

“Let me guess, your boyfriend got these for you.” I said.

“Come on, Minty. I don't want to start another fight with you.” she said.

“Oh, really? Is he picking you up then?” I asked her.

“Not really. I told him that I wanted to bond with you.” she said.

      I laughed and said,

“Bonding? Really? You talk smart ass for someone who hasn't spoken for eight years give or take.” I said.

“I learnt it from you.” she said.

      I laughed and said,

“Excuses won't get you anywhere. If you need help navigating the school, your boyfriend's available. I just can't deal with you now.” I said.

      She followed me to school but left me after she saw Mason in the packing lot. As I looked away, I made eye contact with Emily. She stared at me in disgust, like I did something wrong. 

Like protecting my sister was a bad thing, I thought.

     Beside her sat Randy holding her books on her laps. She didn't glance at me but she was looking at Alee in adoration. She tapped Emily on the arm and whispered to her while Emily glared at me. She nodded at Alee cuddling with Mason on his motorcycle and finally, Emily tore her eyes away from me. I looked over at Alee and Mason. Mason was glaring at me. He raised his right middle finger up and gave me the bird. Alee turned towards me and immediately looked away. Mason held her and whispered something to her ears and she giggled. Disgusted by what was going on, I turned away from them and went through the doors of the school into the hallway.

         My locker was filled with wet tissues. It soaked the books in my locker and made me feel disgusted. I didn't have to ask to know who did it. Mason's pack members were a pack of mad wolves. Why would they carry out a childish prank such as this? I looked around the hallway. They were everywhere, staring at me, maybe trying to gauge my reaction.

        I closed my locker and turned around. Leaning on the locker beside mine, I crossed my legs, folded my arms and watched them. I refused to be bullied by no good people without manners. I don't care if Alee is their Luna. She needs to learn how to rein their bullying and mannerless attitude.

They stared at me from wherever they stood. Some of them left the hallway while others continued to glare at me. They were awfully quiet for people who just threw wet tissues in my locker. Normally, any bully would think of something else to embarrass me with but they didn't. I'm thinking Mason told them not to harm me in anyway.

      The first bell rang and they turned away from me. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Alee walk through the corridor, surrounded by Mason, Emily and Randy. I stared at her as she walked pass me while laughing at whatever the couple or Mason said. She didn't spare me a glance. She wore green contact lenses which I noticed but didn't comment on. I thought Mason would have something to say about her eyes. He seemed to like it so much yesterday and without her unique eyes, we look so much alike.

      Obviously, Mason didn't say anything and that alone annoyed me. Within me, I said,

“Mundare quid sordidum, vicissim manus temporis et sit ita.”

     I don't have to look in the mirror to know that my green eyes are glowing in response to the magic words. My locker was cleared up of all tissues and a thought occurred to me. I made my way through the empty corridor, towards Randy's locker. Why not pay evil for evil, I thought. Clearing my mind of any thoughts, I concentrated on her locker and said,

“De Malo ad malum, fac similiter ut voluerunt ad como.”

      I did the same thing to Emily's locker, wishing them evil for evil. As I turned to go back to class, I heard clapping behind me. I turned towards the noise and saw new boy clapping. He smiled and said,

“What an interesting display of magic. Am I wrong?”

“Who are you?” I asked him.

“Someone sent from the heavens to save you from yourself. Tell me, where did you learn to do that?”

     I held his arm and dragged him towards the stairway. Covering his mouth, I looked at every corner around the stairwell before I glared at him. He winked at me instead and bit my palm. I removed my hand immediately and whipped it on the rail.

“What is wrong with you?” I asked him.

    He didn't struggle when I roughly manhandled him and even if I covered his mouth, he didn't make any sort of noise which is weird.

“Wrong!” he said, “The question is, what is wrong with you? I don't know much about magic but I know that you can't do it in plain sight.”

“It wasn't in plain sight. I can watch my back.” I said.

“And yet, you didn't know that I was there.” he said.

“Look, I appreciate you pointing that out to me but I don't know you and you don't know me. So, how about we go our separate ways and never speak to each other ever again.” I said.

“But I would like to be your friend. That kiss was very inspiring.” he said.

       I looked around to make sure no one heard him.

“It wasn't for me. I was in a slum and I guess I needed a spice of romance in my life. I can't be friends with you.” I said.

“Why?” he asked.

“I have a boyfriend.” I said.

“Really? Is it Mason? I hear that he's your go to boy before some girl stole him from you.”

“He's not my go to boy. Look, I like staying alone and you are disrupting my flow.” I said.

“Not really. Don't worry. I wasn't asking to be your boyfriend. I've had my share of girlfriends already plus kiss buddy...” he winked at me, “I'm only looking to be your friend.”

“Whatever... I need to head to my second class for the day anyway. Just don't distract me.” I said.

      The bell rang immediately and I walked out of the stairwell, new boy trudging behind me. 

“By the way, my name's Jay and I love certain kisses brought alive by magic.” he said, walking faster to catch up with me.

        I ignored him and kept on walking faster. I slowed down when I got to Emily's locker. To my surprise, it was filled with frogs, green live amphibians hopping in her locker and others hopping around the hallway. Emily was screaming while Randy held her. 

Was it Randy? I thought.

       If it was Emily, she would have received wet tissues in her locker and not hopping frogs. Randy turned around and immediately I made eye contact with her, staring at her narrowed brown eyes. She was angry. I could see it through the deep sinking pit that is her eyes. She broke free from Emily and shouted,

“You cursed freak. You will pay for this.”

      Her pack members held her from going near me. She kept on screaming and I heard some side comments about me.

“Emily's not the only one that got that.” one said.

“Randy's worst. She had big fat rats munching on her books when she opened her locker.”

      My eyes widened as I heard that comment.

“I heard that the green-eyed girl is the problem.”

“But I doubt that she did all this. It's not possible.”

“Oh yes, it is. Maybe her bag still has those awful creatures. I think I have seen her before in the pet store.”

“I heard that she killed her parents for the fun of it.”

“I heard that she tortured her twin in a dungeon under their house.”

“She has a twin?”

“She almost killed her but as far as I know, her twin escaped.”

       I heard the side comments and felt like they should hear my side of the story. Instead, I straightened myself and went for class. From the result caused when I cast that spell, it turns out that neither Emily or Randy planted those wet tissues in my locker.