"You're so strong, Clara. You got through it all on your own."

"I had my dad."

"Yeah, but he doesn't know what it was like in that car. Only you do."

"Mad Hatter," she said through gritted teeth, pushing me. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Okay, okay, okay," I said quickly before clearing my throat. "Let's talk about something else."

"Let's talk about you," she said, pulling a smile onto her face. I'll never know how she's able to do that.

"What do you want to know?"

She stood up and scanned my room, her eyes settling on my desk. "What's this?" she asked, holding up the rose.

"A rose," I deadpanned.

"No shit," she rolled her eyes. "Who gave it to you?" She smelled it, smiling softly before putting it back.

"Nobody. I plucked it."

"When? How is it still alive?"

"Yesterday," I lied, staying rooted to the floor.

"And... what's this?" she asked, picking up a black journal. She gasped, "Tell me you write a journal and I can read it."

"This isn't The Vampire Diaries, no. That's a student planner. It has all the important dates, events, stuff like that. You got one too. If you didn't you will soon. It's barely been one week since you joined us," I chuckled.

"You've watched The Vampire Diaries?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Twice," I nodded.

She nodded too, "Impressive."

She strolled around my room some more, stopping at my closet. "Can I check for skeletons?"

"Go ahead," I laughed.

She opened my closet, snooped around, and as expected, came up empty-handed. "Nothing? Not even a secret letter or photo, damn it."

"Who would I get a secret letter from?"

"Who would you send a secret letter to, is the real question here."

"I don't have anyone to send a secret letter to, actually."

She stopped in the middle of my room and looked around some more. "Do you have a matchbox?" she asked.

"No," I answered, a little confused as to why she was suddenly asking me that.

"A lighter?"

"Why? Do you want to smoke something?"

She rolled her eyes and then walked over, standing in front of me. "You have candles in the bathroom that have been lit and have wax pooled and melted all over the counter. But there was no matchbox or lighter in there. How did you light them?"

Oh shit.

"There's a lighter there," I nodded.

"I didn't see one."

"It's in the drawer," I laughed.

"Oh," she chuckled. "I should have thought of that."

"Hey, do you have any idea when the principal is going to talk to you? You know, about how much you're liking or disliking the place?" I cleared my throat, fishing for answers. It's getting really annoying hiding my powers. I don't like lying to her either.

"She said she would do it at the end of the week. But today's Friday. She hasn't said anything yet. Why?" she frowned in confusion, sitting on the edge of my bed, trailing her finger along my nightstand. She opened the drawer which has nothing in it. "Why don't you have anything in your nightstand?"

"What do guys keep in the nightstand? Vaseline?"

"Ew," she laughed, closing the drawer. "But really? Nothing? No um, picture? Letter? Not even a phone charger or something?"

"You sound like you really want to see a letter," I smirked.

"I do," she nodded.

"You know, just because this is a kingdom, doesn't mean we talk through letters," I chuckled.

"But it would be so cool if you did," she whined, walking back over. She stood beside me, looking through the shelf some more. Then she looked at me and the copy of Alice In Wonderland that was in my lap. She sat back down. "Let's read."

"Alice In... Wonderland?"

"Yeah, why not? Read it to me," she nodded.

"You want me to read it to you?"

"Unless you don't want to. Then I can read it. Or we can take turns."

"That sounds fun," I shrugged, opening to the first page. And then closing the book. "You know what, Clara?"

"What, Callum?"

"I've known you just a week."

"Mm-hmm," she nodded.

"And I like you, I think you're great."

"Uh, confusion."

"I don't really like people that often."

"Yeah, I get that vibe," she smirked.

"But I like you. You're different."

"I'm not like most girls, am I?" she asked, flipping her ponytail behind her.

I laughed, "That's not what I meant."

"Aren't I quirky?" she asked, acting offended.

"No," I shook my head.

"Darn it," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"What I mean is that you're not... dark. You don't have any mystery to you. That's different here. Everyone has secrets at Arcane," I said, whispering the last part from dramatics.

"What's yours?" she whispered back, narrowing her eyes to slits.

"I've told you this before. I killed someone," I shrugged one shoulder.

"I don't understand that joke so I just ignore it and call it dark humor," she replied.

"It's not a joke."

"Who did you kill?" she laughed.

I stared at her, my eyes getting caught on her lips for a little too long. "A liar."

"Must have been a pretty big lie if you killed him."

"Her," I corrected.

"Oh, I'm intrigued."

"Well, it's a story for another time."

And what if it wasn't just a story?

"You should really run," I stated.

"Why?"

"I'm really not a good guy."

"Is that so?" She put her head on my shoulder, taking the book and opening it to the first page before handing it back to me. "Well, I think the bad guys are underrated."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because they always have a better past, better character development, and are usually ten times hotter." She looked up at me. "Don't you think?"

I blinked in confusion. "Does that mean Voldemort was hot?"

She rolled her eyes, working her jaw. "Not when he didn't have a nose," she scoffed. "But um, Klaus Mikaelson was. Kai Parker. Not from that show? Oh, Loki. Oh, you want to talk about women? Harley Quinn, hello"

I nodded slowly, "Okay. Does that mean you're calling me a villain?"

"I just think heroes are a little, I don't know, boring," she huffed. "And so selfless. So perfect," she rolled her eyes. "Nobody's that perfect. And everybody is a little selfish. Read the book," she smiled.

I blinked, turning my attention to the page.

She seems crazy. But I think I've seen crazier. Considering that I nearly died in this high school last year.

☆*･ﾟ✫ ✫*･ﾟ☆ ✫*･ﾟ☆ ✫*･ﾟ☆

The power finally came back on, sending a little jolt through me too.

"Finally!" she exclaimed as we both stood up and I put the book away. "I should go now, right?"

"You should," I nodded.

But you don't have to.

"Yeah, I have to shower and everything. So um, see you at dinner?"

"See you at dinner," I nodded, walking to the door with her. I opened it for her, holding it so she could walk through. "Bye, darlin'," I said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Bye, hun'," she laughed, playing along with the southern accent before leaving. She rushed to her room and unlocked it, going inside.

I don't know if I should be frustrated that I didn't read any of her thoughts today. Because maybe if I did, I would know what she's thinking. And I would know if she likes me too. I genuinely think she's a weird but amazing person and weirdly, she fits in here, even if she doesn't realize it. But then a part of me is very glad that I didn't read her thoughts.

I noticed that when I didn't, she talked more. And instead of listening to her thoughts, I was listening to her words and really understanding her feelings. Looking back at what she went through with losing her mom, being there in the car, blaming herself even though it's not her fault...

She's been through some fucked up shit. She's very strong. And I am undeniably drawn to her. I want to know her more. It's like, once you've got a taste, you want the whole damn thing. I really want to know her. I want to know things about her that nobody else does. Because she is so damn interesting to me. Maybe it's because I know I'm equally as interesting to her. But god, I really want to know her.

I told her earlier to run from me. But maybe I'm the one that should be running from her. She is strong enough to take power, regardless of who she takes it from, how she takes it, when she takes it, all that shit. She's dangerous and she doesn't know it. Which makes her even more dangerous.

I think it's safe to say- especially after today- that I know her the best here. And I can confirm, she's dangerous. Because once you know her, you want her around forever.

"Shit," I mumbled, closing my door and leaning against it. "I am very interested in you, Clara Desmond. And here I thought everyone is interested in me."

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