She gathered her things and stood up slowly with shaky hands.
She wanted to cry so bad, but the tears refused to come out.
"If only I had listened to my mom."
By the time she got to her classroom, she was five minutes late. Most of the students were already seated, scribbling notes, while some were pretending to care. Professor Thorne was there already.
She slipped into a chair in the back corner and tried to hide the dirt on her vest.
The boy next to her turned slowly, noticing her.
He had soft brown eyes, curly dark hair, and a silver pin shaped like an ink bottle on his collar. His nameplate read Alec Myles.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
Beatrix flinched. "Yeah…..yeah I'm fine."
He looked at her uniform. "That dirt says otherwise."
She sighed. "It's not a big deal."
He raised an eyebrow. "Did the walls jump you, or was it people?"
She gave a small, dry laugh. "People of course, or do the walls move too?" She replied jokingly.
"I think they do..at least, so I heard."
"Oh my goodness, are you serious?"
Alec raised an eyebrow. "Let's not go there, what happened to you?"
Beatrix sighed.
"Let me guess," Alec said, leaning in a little. "You spoke to Lucian."
Beatrix stared at him. "How did you know that…..?"
"I sit near the gossip vortex in the dining hall. Trust me, everyone heard."
She groaned and let her head fall to the desk. "This school is cursed."
Alec grinned. "Aren't you surprised I know about the school, yet I'm still with the new intakes."
Trixie raised her head in curiosity. "That's true, why though?"
"Hey, you two…what are you talking about?" Professor Thorne's voice sounded.
Although he was standing at the front of the class, his voice sounded like he was talking directly to their ears.
"Sir it's nothing, I was just showing her the page you asked us to turn to." Alec replied without flinching.
"Good…you should always put her through, considering she's new."
"Yes sir." Alec replied.
"Be her guardian angel in this school, till she knows her way around." Professor Thorne added before turning to the board.
"What?" Beatrix exclaimed.
Alec smiled, like he's been expecting that all his life. "I am now officially your bodyguard." He teased.
"I thought he assigned Lucian already." She said,
"Oops…change is constant, nothing remains the same in Eclipse."
Trixie nods slowly. "Oh I see."
After class, the two new friends walked together down the stairs toward the dining hall. Alec held the door open for her like she was some royalty.
Trixie giggled. "Don't do that next time, people are watching, so they don't get the wrong impression."
"What if they weren't watching? I can, right?" Alec teased.
"You're such a tease."
"My pleasure… So," he said. "Do you want revenge, or redemption?"
"Huh" Trixie tilted her head. "Revenge for what?"
"The bullies…"
"Uhmm…I wouldn't want to gather enemies right now, I just want to clear my name or something."
Alec grinned. "Welcome to the club then."
"Can you help?" She asked.
"The welcoming gala is in a few days, be my date and we clear the air." Alec suggested. He was tense, hoping she wouldn't turn him down.
"Great idea." Trixie smiled. "I'll be your date….at least I get to free myself."
"Good."