Page 33 of Satanic Shadow
Mel begins writing down notes from the chalkboard. “And that has been a horrifying experience.”
I have no idea how these two are sisters. One is moody and scary, and the other looks like she’d climb a tree to save a kitten before handing over every bit of money she had to a homeless man. Kindness drips from her.
Across from me, Dane sits with his legs parted wide. His pencil twirls around his fingers. Not once has he looked at me in the six days since leaving my room.
We passed each other in the hallway and neither of us paid any attention to the other. I could sense him behind me while waiting to get my lunch, and when Valin took me aside in class and apologized for his behavior, especially when he told me to be careful who I’m friends with.
In classes where we’ve had to sit together, we’ve stuck to solely focusing on the work. If words were used, they were short and necessary. In mortal studies, he had to show he knew how to call me, so that night, he rang once and hung up.
The communication between us is limited, and it’s weird, to be honest. I’m used to him firing rudeness in my direction or tripping me up, knocking my work from my hands or turning my food into dead animals.
That seems to have stopped, along with everything else.
It’s like I’m a stranger to him now.
Which is fine. I can’t stand him either.
It seems having his dick rubbing against me is a forgotten dream. Just to play tricks and piss him off, and to see if he’s trying to pry into my mind, I think about Valin and I training as he holds a sword to my throat. He tells me that Dane isn’t good enough before bringing his lips to mine.
Dane’s shoulders tense, and I try not to chuckle.
Slut.
My pencil falls from my fingers, and I glance back over to him. Did he say that out loud? No one bats an eyelid in our direction, and the teacher is still writing on the chalkboard.
Well, drawing several stick figures in different positions of giving oral.
Dane continues to write, and I glare at the back of his head.Asshole.
He stops and looks over his shoulder at me. We both frown, and slowly, he turns to face the front of the classroom.
He… heard me? And I heard him? What kind of weird witchy crap is this?
Then I remember the voice in my head when Valin was in my room. I had involuntarily wanted Dane, and the distinct deep voice had said,Where the fuck are you?
Oh God. Is this a paired-up thing? Can Orsen and Mel talk to each other?
I go to ask my friend, but the sound of the grandfather clock halts me.
It’s the end of class, and I aim to drag him into an empty class with my nonexistent vines and demand answers. But when I get into the corridors, he and his group of friends are gone.
I walk to the food court with the twins, holding my leather satchel against my chest.
Can you hear me?
Nothing.
Dane?
Nothing.
I guess that’s good. Maybe I imagined it, imagined it all, or it was just a coincidence that he looked at me after I called him names in my mind.
Once I’ve eaten, I excuse myself and make my way to the bathroom. I freeze as Dane turns a corner, nearly smashing into me.
Our eyes lock, and I wait for it. The name calling. The bullying he’s put me through since I got here. But no vines snap out to restrain me, and no black masses of shadows try to swallow me into an abyss.
Your hair is stupid.
