I tap my feet in impatience as I wait for my new friend. I has managed to make up a storyline up in my head, think of numerous ways to kill and torture Adena , and daydream about the upcoming weekend.

And still, no sign of the bathroom girl.

Where is she? Is she avoiding me now? I dint see why she should or would for that matter.

She told she was happy that we were now friends, although she sounded like she was more excited about having a friend more than the person of which she made a friendship with. Taking a peek of the hallway, my eyes swivel up and down the quiet space.

I frown.

No sign of her yet.

Lunch is in 5 minutes though and I’m only here early cause I wanted to save us a spot.

That’s fine. I’ll just wait for her.

As the seconds slowly tick on, my patience starts to wear thin and I almost combust.

Where the hell is she?

Just as that thought crosses my mind, the bell rings and the four rich bitches(exception Daisy for of course) along with everyone else, walk out of their class which lucky enough for them is right in front of the lunchroom.

They walk in my direction and I take in each of their outfits one by one, wanting to have something to pass the time by, and begrudgingly appreciate the colour matching.

As they walk passed, a girl an inch below my 5'6 height named Daisy Asghar avoids eye contact with anyone so fierce you’d think she was actively trying to avoid making eye contact with someone in the hallway.

Wait……Is….is bathroom girl her? Did I talk to Daisy for the first time in four years in the bathroom stall?

I stare at her for a few curious long seconds and she must have sensed my curious gaze as she turns up her eyes to look at me.

Swift recognition and blithe horror run through her dark eyes rimmed with red. I gasp she turns away and walks more stiffly even though her steps are brisk.

I-I feel so confused. And yet I don’t.

Is…..is the person who keeps hurting her and destroyed her confidence Adena?

I look at the disappearing back of each girl with a heavy heart. Each girl had a noticeably slim to their shoulders, even as raised up as they tried to keep it.

She must have trusted me enough to be able to tell me something like that(or not, as it were) and now I feel like I owe it to her to keep away from Adena any way I can.

Although how I’m going to achieve that, I’m not so sure.

But for Daisy, I’m willing to go through hell and back. I'm not even so sure what us is about her that makes me feel this way but I would protect her with life and die if I have to.

‘You could ask help from them. That if you feel comfortable enough with that.” Fern advises, making sure not to mention who they are as we both know who it is, picking her words with careful thoughtfulness.

I grimace. ‘Maybe but I’m not so sure they’ll agree to it.’

She sends me a sympathetic look through our mindlink and I send a mini hug back.

Let’s just hope I can even talk to them without trying to rip out their throats with my hands.

I take a deep calming breathe in and walk down towards the door. Resistant g for what feels like a millennium, I reach over, my hand enveloping the cold silver handle, and push it open.

I make a straight beeline for them, only looking at them so lock eyes with anyone and be intimidated, and come to a stop in front of their table. Not even our table, it’s their table.

Does that mean I’m cutting them off?

I shake my words off for the time being and focus on the mission.

“Um, could I ask you guys for a favour?” I ask, not beating around the bush. They raise their heads up to look at me finally then look at each other.

Eberlyn turns back to me. “It depends. What’s the favour about?” I try to shove down the flash of hurt that clogs its way up my throat.

I clear my throat for good measure.

“Um, it’s a who actually. Daisy needs to be away from Adena for however long you people can manage.”

Riley furrows her eyebrows. “I get that but why? Why is she suddenly more important to you than us?” She retorts in a semi passive-aggressive tone. I clench my teeth and try to listen to the soothing voice of Fern.

But her words get to me.

I let out a laugh. It’s not as sweet or kind as it’s supposed to be. “Do you always have to make everything about you? This is about someone who needs help.”

Disappointment slithers it’s way into my admonishing tone before I can stop it. I can’t help that my feelings come out pouring like a waterfall out my mouth.

Eberlyn shifts her gaze to Riley with a pleading look in her eyes. “Don’t.”

But Riley pays her no mind. It’s almost as if everything she’s saying is going in one ear and out the other.

“Oh, so you admit she, a stranger, is more important to you than us, your friends? Is that what you’re trying to tell m-us?” I stare at her in half disbelief and half anger at her words.

Did she really just? No, I couldn’t have heard properly.

“What?” Comes my confused response.

“You heard me. Is she more important to you than us?”

I blink. Then blink again as the anger claws at my throat and come out.

“I can’t believe you. Someone else is in danger and needs help but you want to make this about you. You’re impossible.” I shake my head and wrap my arms around my chest.

“Why are you being so selfish? What does it get you? I thought you were better than this.”

Her eyes flash.

“Oh really, I’m the one being selfish? Does it look like I'm spending more time with a total stranger, who doesn’t even ever stop her friends from bullying you and making you miserable, than us, who have done that for you?” Her words cut through me, hurting me like the jagged end of a steel dagger.

The hurt subsides just for a few seconds before the anger cuts through it. “…That’s because friends do that for each other.

They stick up for each other, have each other’s backs.

I throw a pointed glance at Eberlyn who avoids my gaze. Huh. At least she knows. “And they sure as hell don’t use that against each other.”

Riley opens her mouth to reply but someone beats her to it.

Eberlyn hisses at this as she looks at both of us, leaning towards us with a look that said a lot of things but her mouth lets out one word instead which is enough to shut the both of us up. “Enough."

“Fine. Are you people going to help or not? If not I can just do it by myself, I don’t mind.” I ask politely even while I'm simmering in anger, my hands visibly shaking, and have to bite my tongue while I wait for the response.

“I’m not,” Riley answers from the left side. I let the disappointment wash over me and stuff the hurt in the corner of my heart.

‘Is she serious!? How can she be so selfish?’ Fern's disappointment and anger at my friend reach me through the mind link which slowly calms my burning fire for a while.

I stiffly nod in assent and turn to Eberlyn hopefully. She looks down at her hands. “I don’t how ill do it but I'll try,” She offers in a quiet voice. “ Least I can do anyway” she adds.

I try not to smile in thankfulness but my lips refuse to listen to me so I don’t try to hide it or stop it from happening.

I know this penance for what ages going but I can’t stop myself from what I do next.

“Thank you.” I say and reach over to pull her into a short warm hug. I see Riley's eyes flash for a second but she purses her lips and stares down at the table so I think nothing of it.

Besides, I have other things to worry about other than her unreasonable pettiness.

I distance myself from the hug and wave her goodbye which she shyly returns. I hum as I make my way towards the lunch line and wait my turn.

“Hi.” A quiet voice speaks next to me, demanding my abrupt attention. I raise an eyebrow but don’t move my head to know who it is.

I already know. “Why didn’t you tell me your name?” I ask her, picking up a straw and tearing it open with my hands.

“I-I’ didn’t know how.” She whispers in a quiet struggle.

“You must have had a great good reason for doing so. It’s okay if you don’t want to say.” I placate, letting her off the hook as I change the direction of my words.

I can almost feel her sad watery smile. “I'm not allowed to talk to you. Or anyone really.”

I gape at this and finally turn to her. “What? Why?”

She shrugs and wipes at her eyes. “If you’re not part of our social circle, you can’t talk to anyone that is not part of it.”

Pure, unfiltered rage rushes through my veins and before I know it, I'm standing over Adena gleefully pouring a random cup of strawberry smoothie onto her seemingly perfect headed hair.

She screams and I jolt back into reality.

“I guess now you actually are a strawberry blonde.” I lash out, practically shivering in anger, as I know, from whose ever knowledge it was speed from, that she wants to change her natural auburn hair colour and become a blonde. “Have a nice day, blondie.” I walk over to where Daisy is stood frozen in shock and grab her hand.

“I think we should run.” I suggest, taking a glance back at Adena and her posse who are getting up at this second. She nods and we speed out of the lunchroom, running like there’s a blaze at our heels.

“Bathroom!” She exclaims as she points in its direction. I nod and we rush towards the bathroom, stumbling in through the opening door.

A student peaks at us as breathe heavily, both out of breath. “Close the door.” I hiss out, breathy rasps coming out in time with my wheezy breathing.

They nod their head in a very robotic manner and do as told.

“Damn, I'm really unfit.” Daisy exclaims in agonized pain as she holds her sides. I look over and can’t help but let out a snort.

She glares at me and wipes a hand across her wet forehead. “Meanie.” I shake my head while my shoulders tremble with laughter.

I unclamp my hands over my mouth. “Sorry.” She rolls her eyes but then she snorts as well.

“It is kinda funny.” She admits.

“If it’s any consolation, I’m unfit too.” Her eyes widen in surprise at my confession.

“No way. You’re like super hot.” She says and blushes.

Aw. Cute.

“Thank you but I have a roll. So like that’s debatable.”

She chews her lip. “I still think you’re hot.” I smile.

She drags her faze elsewhere. “Thank you, by the way, for standing up for me. No one’s ever done that for me before.”

“No one? Not even your so-called friends?” I ask.

She shakes her head softly with a disappointed frown. “No. Although I think they would have, I hope, but they’re just too scared of Adena.”

I purse my lips. “And no teacher ever noticed anything odd with your group of friends?” I probe gently, not wanting to upset her anyway lest she clams up.

Because I need to know how angry I should be before I report this to the council.

She twiddles with her thumb in quick succession yet synchronized hand movement and lowers her gaze.

“Daisy.” I call out her name gently. She shakes her head and lifts her hand to wipe her eyes at the same time that a tear spills out the other.

I pull her into a warm hug and she buries her face into my chest, crying into my shirt while grabbing a small fist full of a top section. I stroke her back as her body shapes with the whimpers she emits.

She sniffles and closes her eyes. “You know what’s funny? Whenever she’d threaten me, I’d believe it and-“ she scrunches her face as if she doesn’t want to go on. “You don’t have to-“ I start seeing the wobbly look on her face but she shakes her head.

Stubborn.

“She’d immediately try to act all sugary sweet with me, offering to buy me anything I wanted and being nice, but the feeling never really went away. And if I ever disagreed with her or even tried to?” She laughs bitterly and wipes the snot underneath her nose.

My heart breaks into pieces for her and I have to visibly make an effort to breathe in and out to calm myself down, even though Fern is ready to rip Adena to shreds too.

“It’s going to be better okay? I can promise you that.” I weave my hands through her hair as I tell her this, making sure to keep my touch as light as possible.

She sniffles and raises her head higher to meet my concerned gaze. “How do you know that? You can’t see into the future.” She asks staring up at me with eyes slightly rimmed red.

I chew my lip but don’t say anything in the contemplative silence.

Her eyes widen in shock. “You actually can?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Can you just trust me on this? Maybe one day you’ll know but for now, just trust me okay?” A disappointed sigh leaves her lips but she nods a small smile highlighting her face.

“I do. Just don’t leave me alone with her.”

I won’t.

Later, I'm clicking my tongue in impatience as I spin the house keys as I walk to the forest, multiple scenarios of killing Adena rushing through my head.

I mean I know I can’t do it, not because I'm scared, but because don’t know if I could I would get away with it.

Stepping foot inside the forest I take a small detour to a small section of it where I won’t be disturbed.

Releasing a sigh of relief as I enter my quiet place after separating the tree branches that civet it up thanks to how long they are, I go sit under my favourite tree and close my eyes.

A soft cool breeze caresses my face and I smile slightly, my shoulder unhunching.

“Little one, you look tired.” A light musically voice says, announcing their graceful presence. I smile lightly and peek out at her my eyes half-open.

“I didn’t know that obviously.” I answer half sarcastically, half-amused but it’s said in such a light tone that it’s not even noticeable. She lets out a tiny tinkling laugh. She understands me so much even when I've said so little and would t take my sarcastically remarks to heart.

In fact, she would no sooner than be hurt with my sarcasm than she would report it to the others to make my life harder than it already and would instead retaliate with her own flare of sarcasm. In another life, I believe we could have been sisters.

“I guess I should have seen that coming. Now, what’s this about?” She asks, getting down to business. I open my eyes and sigh.

Her flowery pale blue hair greets me first, floating around my face almost getting in my mouth with the breeze that carries it.

Always trying to suffocate me with your hair, aren't you?

I pick my words carefully. “It's Adena. She’s been terrorizing students at school. And it doesn’t look it’s going to stop anytime soon.”

She hums. “And you want to bring this to the council because of Asghar.” She announces casually with a raised eyebrow, eyes alight with semi playfulness that teased the bubbling anger to the surface more.

I open my mouth but nothing comes out.

“How-?” I ask after a few seconds of silence.

She smiles. “I’m a goddess remember? Plus my sister never shuts up about her children.”

Ah.

“You should do it. Who knows if it'll eventually get out of hand?” She thoughtfully taps her chin with long blue glowing fingers that sparks every once in a while. Her hand clenches into a fist. “I won’t stand aside and let a helpless human be bullied by one of my own. It’s just not right.”

“You really think so?” I ask, giving her a worried look.

She nods. “Besides someone to give that girl a bitch slap back into reality. I would rather do it by myself but rules are rules.” She shrugs, lifting her pale blue dress up with the movement, but I can see the frustration and irritation in her pale blue eyes. I cover my mouth with my mouth in shock, mirth shaking my shoulders.

She’s always been so polite. I’ve almost never heard her be vulgar like this. It’s kinda nice. She should let loose more often.

I reach over and wrap my arms around her in warm embrace. “Thank you!” I end the hug and she smiles. Something about it reminds me if my upcoming birthday thus Saturday.

“Oh, um, who’s my soul mate?” I ask, vaguely aware that site won’t answer my question because she’s bound by goddess laws or something to not tell me. I don’t think I have the patience to wait a whole week to just find out which one person is my mate. That’s just bonkers and would drive me mad. Mad me ain’t pretty.

Her smile tightens just the littlest bit, not too much for it to be noticeable but enough for me to but enough to notice the small twitch of the corners of her lips.

“You’ll know well in a week, little one. All in due time.” Is all she says before she then decides to disappear. I blink. That was unexpected and especially for her, out of the ordinary. What gives? I huff but let it go to the back burner of my mind for the time being.

I get up and dash to the packhouse, excited for the upcoming event of Adena getting her ass handed to her in a very public way, it’s practically a national embarrassment, and start humming happily as I near the building.

Slipping the key into the keyhole, clicking into life as I twist it counterclockwise, my feet start tapping on the wooden boards in trepidation and excitement.

I push it open gently and peek my head around the corner. People of all ages, ranks, kindred spirits and family lines mile about the place. Aged people sit with their mates on couched chairs, smiling fondly at each other as they whisper in secret.

I allow myself a small smile for a moment, taking in the beautiful scene before me before I make my presence known by clearing my throat. Heads jerk towards me. Joyful, happy faces become somber once they take in my expression.