Chapter 15
I make my way to my next class after Mr. Finch clears his throat loudly, his brow raised with an annoyed expression plastered on his face. A look I take great joy in creating on that man's face.
I head past the groups in the corridor and make it to the music room, anticipating more frustration and drama from the lesson.
Pushing the classroom door open, I make my way toward the fourth year seats in the room, and take my place in an empty space beside the window.
Looking out toward the yellow and red tones of the leaves falling from the trees outside, I remember back to the facility, when even a window would have been an impossible luxury.
The sound of a chair scraping off the grounds pulls my attention, drawing me toward the seat in front of me.
I’m met with two bright turquoise eyes that look as if they have small flecks of lilac running through them. Either I was seeing things or he was part Fae or Elf. Their appearance was always the most alluring and mesmerising in the supernatural community.
They curve upwards as a wavy brown and lilac strand tumbles down onto them.
The boy pushes his hair back as a slow smile spreads across his full lips. It pulls at his almost golden skin and perfectly sculpted features, making him look even more breath-taking.
A navy tie hangs loosely around his neck as he casts me a knowing look. He gives me a quick wink before turning and taking the seat to the front of me.
Did he not know who I was? Or not hear the crap they all spread about me?
My brows pinch together. A Navy tie.
Or was it because he was a fourth year? I didn’t have many interactions with the years above me. I had hardly even seen any of the fifth or sixth years since I came back either. Maybe they hadn’t heard? Or just didn’t care?
A small group of girls across the room squeal, pulling me from my thoughts.
Their eyes are glued to the boy in front of me and almost in a daze as he gives them a small smile and wave.
Their cheeks flush bright red as they giggle, their voices becoming louder and more shrill with the small piece of attention.
“Ezra.” Calls a raven-haired girl from the back of the second year seats. Her voice sounds cold and discontent. She sits between two tall boys; one gives her a small chuckle while the other raises a brow.
“Yes, Morgan?” The boy, Ezra , gives her a playful smile, eliciting more noise from the girls in the front seats of the second year area.
Morgan rolls her eyes, before narrowing them at Ezra.
“Don’t make them louder than they already are.” She glares toward the small group of girls, a couple of them flinching with the cold look. “It's annoying .”
One of the girls steps forward, a petite blonde I’ve seen with Ivy's group before.
“Annoying?” She scoffs, her small freckled nose scrunching upward. “Why are you even talking? Nobody asked for your opinion, or wants it .”
Morgan chuckles, but there's no humour in it, only an icy bite that sends a chill down my back as the room's atmosphere turns cold.
Her laugh fades as she tilts back in her chair, a calm grin stretching her lips.
“It's pathetic watching you all cling to some false hope, and think you’ve got a chance...” Morgan looks the blonde up and down, her grin quickly disappearing. “When you don’t.”
The blonde's eyes widen before she quickly schools it, but the blush reddening her cheeks remain. “Who do you think you are? You’re not even–”
“I’m not what?” Morgan flicks her raven hair off her shoulder, revealing her smooth porcelain skin, bright amber eyes and sculpted features. She had the face of a model, but with the poise of a viper.
The blonde furrows her brows, her frustration boiling over as she opens her mouth to speak again.
“Be careful,” Warns Morgan, cutting her off before she can talk, “Don’t say something you’ll regret…or I’ll make you regret saying it.”
Jake Andrews steps forward and places himself in front of the blonde.
“Tandy’s right, no one asked.” The asshole shifter snarks with a cold glare set towards Morgan. “Why even get involved? Just stay in your own corner. And stay quiet.”
The room falls silent as the two boys beside Morgan stand up, their glares focused fully on Jake and the small group now forming around him.
A mocking chuckle falls from the tall brown-haired boy to the other side of Morgan.
“No one asked for a headache from all the noise either, or to be surrounded by annoying flies, but unfortunately we share a class.” He shrugs, a nonchalant look on his face as he grins.
“And as for staying quiet ,” his grin grows dark and menacing, “If you want peace, I’ll happily send you somewhere you can permanently get some. ”
Both groups look at the other like they're going to shift any minute. Tandy and the girls beside her take a couple of steps back, in anticipation of some kind of clash.
Morgan looks eerily calm during all of this, her eyes roving over the group a few feet away from her before they take on a strange shimmering hue.
“Hey, hey. Let's calm down here guys.” Ezra steps forward, looking between the two groups. His hands are up in the air in a pacifying manner as he takes another couple of slow steps toward them.
He smiles, trying to pull all the attention in the room back to him.
“There’s no need for anything to break out, let's keep it peaceful. I’m sure no-one wants to do anything messy like fighting.
Right?” He looks between the two groups of boys and then toward the small blonde.
She blushes as soon as their eyes meet, a small giggle falling from her lips before she turns toward her friends again.
There's a slight tick in his jaw as he smiles and a stiffness to his posture as he watches the other girls talk and giggle in hushed tones. Completely uncaring of the conflict around them anymore.
“I think it's best if everyone just takes a seat. Class will start soon anyway.” He flicks his gaze from the boys around Morgan to Jake and his group.
Their eyes meet, and Jake scoffs. “I don't care if things get messy . Maybe if you put a leash on–” He points to Morgan, but before he can finish his words, two growls fall from the boys surrounding her before they both start forward toward Jake's group.
“ Jake .” The word flows from Ezra’s lips and instantly everyone freezes.
The name falling from his lips sounded almost lyrical but so cold and cutting, it sends a shiver down my spine and goosebumps forming on my arms. He still wears a playful smile as he takes another step forward but it never reaches his eyes, a darker gaze now narrowed at Jake and his group.
Jake flinches slightly with the look.
“Morgan is family. And no-one disrespects family.” Ezra’s grin grows, but it looks less playful as he continues, making his way over to Jake.
“So watch your words. Or did you forget because I’m usually smiling, who I am?
” He now stands in front of Jake and leans in closer.
He then whispers something I can’t make out, but from Jake's palling expression, I’m presuming he’s gotten whatever threat or message Ezra was giving.
Jake then gives Ezra a shaky nod as Ezra slides a hand over his shoulder, flicking away some invisible dust there. Jake stands as if frozen to the spot, his eyes unmoving from Ezra and his jaw taut.
“Then we’re all good?” He turns to each boy around Jake, who now all wear pallid expressions and give consenting nods.
“Morgan?” He turns his attention to her and the boys around her.
“Another time.” She calls, a dark grin stretching her lips as she gives the group one final glare. A promise I’m sure she’ll keep, by the looks of her expression.
Ezra gives her a small nod, a softer smile embracing his lips as she concedes.
The two boys near her give Jake and his group one last cutting glare before slowly taking their seats beside her. Morgan turns her full attention toward them as they begin talking, falling into their own world again and ignoring everyone else in the room.
Tandy takes a step toward Ezra, a wide triumphant smile on her lips, as if it were her victory. Just as she’s nearing him, a pink blush tints her cheeks and she opens her mouth, “Thank you, I-”
“Let's all get along.” Ezra cuts her off with a tight smile, quickly turning away and heading back to his seat. She quickly closes her mouth, a small pout shaping her lips as her gaze lingers on Ezra’s back before slowly turning back toward Jake and his group.
A low sigh falls from the chair in front of me as Ezra takes his seat, his shoulders slightly sagging. He looks out the window and away from everyone's gazes, the girls across the room still trying to steal glances.
I guess all that would be very annoying and frustrating to deal with, even if he did, at first , seem like he enjoyed the attention.
He leans further back in his seat, his scent wafting toward me with the small movement.
A fresh and calming scent tickles my nose. Like lavender and something else, something familiar, but nothing that I could place.
Mrs. Fleur then enters the classroom, pulling me from my thoughts. The door hits off the wall as she enters in a hurry, late once again. She addresses the class and quickly begins the lesson, and I notice the few empty seats to the centre of the room.
Seria, Xander, Knox, Kane and Anders aren’t here.
If they all weren’t here, then they must be skipping or something.
And here I was wondering why it had been so peaceful.
I look toward the teacher rambling about ‘baritone and sopranos’ as I lean back in my chair. I guess it’ll be a peaceful class today.
And a small reprieve from all the usual drama.