“I’ll see you after school.”  Drake said and before I could strut off he pulled me back by my wrist. “Don’t take what the bimbos said seriously.”

“I’m not.” I was see past tense but he doesn’t need to know that. “See you later.”

I cannot believe this actually happened. Sebastian is here and Staci wants my head served on silver platter. Today can’t possibly get any worse.

I bumped into someone and relaxed when it was just Arnica and she creased her brow. “Hey where did you two disappear to?”

“Nowhere. Why were you in reception?” I asked to change the subject.

“I’m welcoming the new girl. I couldn’t bear watching Scarlet flirt with Tom any longer.” She said angrily.

“You okay?”

“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be?” She asked really quickly. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and looked away from me. If I didn’t any better, which I don’t I would say she has a crush on Tom.

Oh Scarlet… I changed the subject to avoid getting her upset. “New student? It’s the second semester seems pointless.”

“Tell my father that.” A girl said in a rich French accent and walked up beside Arnica. Her fuzzy chocolate hair cascaded down in waves on her shoulders, her eyes are a vibrant green with golden flecks, she has perfect flawless olive skin but all that prettiness is hidden by her poorly chosen wardrobe.

“Alicia, Émilie Bellemare.” Arnica introduced.

“Nice to meet you.” I said and shook her slender hand noticing the ink on her skin hidden by her sleeve.

Why has she come last period? Seems even more pointless than moving schools near the end of the year.

“You to.” She replied.

“What part of France are you from?”

“Gevaudan.” I failed at geography I don’t know what part of France that is and I don’t want to ask.  The doors flew open suddenly and I felt Neva rushing in circling around and blowing everyone’s hair rapidly. Books flew out of people’s hands and hit everyone.

“What is going on?” Arnica asked trying to control her hair.

~ I’m bored ~ that’s not Neva… That’s the flirting wind spirit. My uncle… That is so weird… I have an uncle that thinks I’m hot.

Ewe.

“You’re kidding me right?” I tied back my hair with great difficulty.

“What did you say?” Arnica asked.

“Nothing.”

“What kind of weather do you get down here?” Emilie questioned.

“Would you stop it?” I hissed at the wind.

“I can’t hear you what?” Arnica shouted.

“I’ll see you later. Nice meeting you Emilie…”

“What?” They both shouted but I rushed away finding the nearest exit and waited for him to gush out and hit me. I walked over to my tree and propped back on it making sure no one can see me and crossed my arms over. I yelped when he almost knocked me over and right now I probably look like a retard because I’m slapping the air. “You can’t storm in and see me while I’m at school.” I hissed at him. He blew through me giving me that tingling feeling. Would he stop harassing me?

~Why not? ~ He asked seductively. ~We’re cousins~

“We are I thought you were my uncle?”

~Nope. Really family stuff doesn’t count for spirits. Seeing as we have no blood and so technically we’re not really related~ he whispered the last part right in my ear making a shiver crawl up my spine. Not the good kind of shiver either.

“Okay.” I said awkwardly. “My not Cousin… You can’t be visiting me here because no one in the school is going to react well with a mini hurricane happening in the hallway.”

~ That was barely a breeze ~

I want to shout but I feel like that’s what he wants. “What’s your name?”

~ I can’t tell you ~

“Right well then I’ll call you Casanova because he was the ladies’ man which is something you can only dream to be.”

~ Casanova? Hm I like it ~

“Oh good.” I said sweetly then screamed in his… face? “Don’t follow me at school! That is the forbidden zone and you have to tell the others that to. I don’t need a real hurricane destroying the school.”

~ Why does Neva get to visit you and I don’t? ~ Even though his voice is so deep he sounds so childish.

“I know she will behave.” He did it again. He sent tingles all over me making me giggle despite how mad I am. Ugh I’m hopeless. “Stop it.” I snapped through clenched teeth.

~ I just wanted to visit ~

“Where’s Neva?”

~ You enjoy her company more than mine? ~

“Yes.”

~ If I had a heart you would have just broken it ~ His voice is sarcastic and if he was sincere I would have felt guilty but not this time.

“I speak the truth.” I said. I watched as loose strands of my hair flinched and he tucked them back behind my ear. “I have to go to class.”

~ But can’t we go and just have a little fun? ~

“Not now.”

~ But later? ~ He asked satisfied.

“If it will end this conversation and you promise not to bother me when I’m busy yes.” He tickled me again down in my lower parts and I felt something cold brush over my lips before he was gone. “He did not just kiss me…” And that other stuff… I seriously need to talk to Neva about this. I started back for the building and just as I was about to walk in Arnica and Emilie walked out.

“What the hell was that?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged.

“That was so strange.” Emilie said then stared at me blankly. “It’s like the wind just followed you out.”

My insides just tightened. Why would she say that? Keep a blank face, stay normal. “That would be weird.”

“Definitely.” She said without any emotion. Does she know? Does she sense the spirits lingering around or is she one of those types that read so many supernatural novels she just assumes everything is suspicious?

“Did you see Chris slip over from that wind?”

“Is he an enemy of yours Alicia?”

“Our relationship is on the mends…”
“If the wind follows you around I’m sure you could command it to knock him over.” It is official I don’t like the new girl.

“That’s a very awkwardly interesting thought. Too bad that I can’t control the wind…”

We stared each other down and Arnica cleared her throat.

“Okay now you’re both being really weird.”

“I’m going to class.” I said breaking the stare down. What is up with this girl?

“Do you have Literature?”

“Yeah why?”

“Emilie has it to.” Oh great.

“Let’s go.” I strained a smile.

~ (❄) ~

I used to love Saturdays now I work on them. Funny how life is… You go through school for a long time of your life and then you work for the rest of it. Seems so pointless to be living… Wow getting a bit too deep there.

Anyway it’s finally Saturday but I have to work this morning teaching. Me teach? Is that safe? I’m pretty sure I am too young and mentally unstable and they’re letting me wear blades on my feet.

I should give myself more credit but I still find it eerily suspicious that she hired me straight away without a proper interview.

“Come on girls I thought you all skated before.” I yelled over the music.

“We’re bored of this old music!” One of them shouted.

“It’s Mozart.” I said with fake enthusiasm. “I’ll use my phone to find something better.” I added defeated.

“Can you teach us the toe loop?”

“Oh what about the triple Salchow?”

“No I want to learn the triple lutz!”

Shocked I asked them. “How do you all know these moves?”

“We weren’t born yesterday.” One in a cute little pink coat said with such sass I had to laugh.

“Okay well if you can all manage to skate around without falling this time I’ll teach you the toe loop.” I’m supposed be falling the ‘plan’ but these girls are better than Susana says. She made it seem like they were lost causes and that’s why I should be teaching them. Still debating whether or not that was an insult…

“Yes!” I forced myself to lean off the railing and leaned over to get my bag and grab my phone.

I shouted for Devin knowing he hates being called upon like a slave. So naturally I will keep shouting at him. I’m not hiding the fact that I don’t like him very much and why should I?

“What?” He snapped once he was right in front of me.

“The girls need music.” I smiled innocently.

“I’m not supposed to change…”

“You are useless then. As usual.” I sat up on the railing and spun myself around. I sat down in one of the seats and quickly untied my skates.

“She doesn’t like it when…”

“I’ll accept the consequences Devin you just go back to your wet dreams.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh I forgive you this time.” I patted his cheek and ran up the stairs in my black socks listening to him rushing up behind me.

“Didn’t realise you were a bitch.”

I grinned and asked over my shoulder. “Is it turning you off?”

“A little.”

“Then I’m succeeding in my goal.” I walked behind the desk about to connect my phone to the speakers but he got in between me and it.
“Hey! This is my desk! You are stepping over the boundaries. You do not cross over this line ever.” He said so seriously, I just want to punch him in the face then give him a hug. He has no life. Who else would claim right over a work desk, protecting like he was Gandalf from Lord of the rings?

“Devin I thought you were fun. Did you have a late night or something?”

“I am fun.” He exclaimed outraged.

I shouldered past him. “Right, right sure.” I rolled my eyes and played Cold play - sky full of stars. I walked around the desk but froze and turned to him. “Hey Devin… Did she ask you questions on your interview?”

“I’m her nephew that was good enough for her.”

“Okay.” Before I rushed back down he gave me a remote so for once I gave him a genuine smile. I forced on my skates and slid across to the girls. “Did we do well?”

“Yes.” They all said except one who was struggling to stand up.

“Dani...” I skated over to her grabbing her hands and pulling her up onto her feet. “Are you alright?” She nodded sadly.  “Do you want to learn the toe loop?”

“Can I sit out?” I noticed she was leaning more on her right foot as she gripped onto my arm.

“Sure.” I shouted for Devin again making some of the girls giggle and ordered him to help her with taking off her skates and sit with her.

“You’re not my boss Alicia. Remember that.” He growled.

“I asked nicely.” I replied sarcastically then went back to the girls. “I’ll demonstrate first.”

~ (❄) ~

I left all the girls to practice the move and skated over to Dani the girl who even last week kept collapsing. I sat down next to her and gave her a comforting smile.

“How’s your ankle?” I asked.

“It hurts.” She whimpered shaking out her brown curls to hide her face.

I sighed. I don’t want to ask her this but I feel like I should to help her out. “Are you sure skating is your thing?”

“Yes?” She replied as if asking me if that was the right answer.

“Dani I think your talent is more in the dancing career rather than skating.”

“But I have to learn how to skate.”

“Why?”

“I just have to. I want the talent everyone else has otherwise I’m nothing.”

“Nothing? Dani that’s not…”

She interrupted me; I don’t think she can even hear me she is so absorbed in her world. “I’ll be a loser and the girls will make fun of me. I already am a loser and barely have anything. They always have something to brag about and as usual have I nothing.”

“You can’t really believe that.”

“It’s true.”

“No it’s not. That is just silly.” She looked at me as if I was the weirdo.  What are parents teaching their children these days? “Alright listen to this. Have you ever heard of Hans Christian Anderson?” She shook her head. “He wrote the little mermaid? No? Okay well I’ll tell you what he said anyway. ‘The whole world is a series of miracles, but we're so used to them we call them ordinary things.’ Dani for a girl your age you get more than what a lot of girls get in other poorer situations.”

“Are you going to try and guilt me by telling me about the poor children in Africa?”

“You get those talks to?”

She stared up at me with sad eyes. “My mum would talk about them and the miracles… You sound like her.”

“She sounds very wise.”

“She was. But I hated when she talked about them she made me feel like I was selfish.” I took notice that she is talking about her mother in past tense and my heart poured out to her. There’s something in me that loves my real mother deeply even though I can’t remember the time I shared with her. It’s like the memories had gone away but the feelings stayed put to torture me.

“Same here. It’s just skating Dani and I used fall over a lot when I was your age.” I lied. I could have I don’t know I don’t remember.

“You did?”

“Yes that’s why I prefer dancing.”

“I love dancing more but it was either skating or dancing my dad didn’t want to pay for two classes. I chose this because my mum skated. I want to do it for her.”

“Okay then. We’ll both do our best next time.”

“We? You’re a good skater.”

“I’ll be a better teacher.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s my dad’s fault that I can’t skate. He sucks.”

“So does mine.”

“Dani. Come on let’s go.” Her father called out from on top of the stairs and she quickly stood up running to him on a limp.

“I’ll see you next week Ms Angel!” I waved at her as she left and I flinched when Devin suddenly sat down next to me.

“That was nice. Your quote…” He smiled flirtatious down at me with his resting over my chair.

“Never gonna happen assface.” I stood up as he scoffed. “Gross.”

I visited Susana in her office and leaned on the doorframe while she packed her bag ready to leave.

“How’d it go?” She asked not looking up at me.

“Very well. Dani twisted her ankle though.”

“I have lost faith in that one.” She muttered. She’s only ten! How can you lose faith in a ten year old? That’s the coldest thing I’ve ever heard and I talk to winter spirits.

“I’m sure she’ll do fine.” I stated with a little venom but she didn’t notice.

“Nice music choice by the way.” She slung the bag over her shoulder and ran a hand through her blonde hair.

“They wanted something different.” I shrugged.

“Alright well I’ll see you next week.”

“Wait I want to ask you something.”

“Shoot.”

“Oh um well I would like to know… um…”

“Alicia I have to go how important is this?” She asked annoyed.

“I just want to know why you hired me straight away.”

 “Someone sent me a good word about you and that if I didn’t hire you I’m an idiot.” I froze in shock and she walked passed unfazed.

I snapped back into reality and shouted out. “Who?”

“I’m sorry I have to go.”

“Wait!” How fast can this woman move because by the time I got outside the building she was just gone.

Poof.

“Oh come on.” I whispered crossing my arms over. I looked around searching for her and a obscure shadow caught my eye from across the parking lot. Someone quickly jumped into their black car when I looked at them but they rolled down their window. Inside its dark, too dark to see the individual inside and I began to grow scared. I can’t tell if the person is staring at me or not which made a shiver crawl up my spine. What if it’s that hooded man?

Whoever it was sped off leaving me an uneasy mess because I’m walking home.

~ (❄) ~

“Mum, dad! I’m home!” Please be alive!

“How was work?” Dad called out from the living room and mum must still be out working. Please don’t be slaughtered by a man in an ancient hood.

I replied kicking my shoes off and struggling to pull off my jacket. “Workish. But on the positive side I think I may have changed a ten year olds life.”

“Dear God you didn’t skate over her and chop her in half did you?”

I chuckled as I entered the room undoing me braid. “I said changed her life not gave her an early… funeral.” I paused when I saw Harry setting up a new DVD player. He didn’t look at me or bother greeting me so I pulled back on my jacket ready to leave. “Hey Harry.”

“Hey.” He waved pathetically still not looking at me.

Alright then…

“I’m going out.” I stated.

“You just got in.” Father commented looking up from the instruction manual.

I replied sternly burning holes in Harry’s back. “I forgot I had friends.” I snug into my boots and left without another word.

~ Care to explain? ~ She hit me.

“Harry is being rude and I’m not in the mood.”

~ Oh that rhymed! ~

“Yippee.” I trudged through the snow into the woods.

~ Watcha doing? ~

“Taking a walk.”

~ Okay. ~

“Did you tell your brother off?”

~ What? ~

“You need to make some ground rules with those boys.”

~ Which one? ~

“I don’t know the flirty one that keeps touching my privates.”

~ Seriously? He visited you at school? ~

“Right in the hallway creating a tornado… I told you this.”

~ Come on Alicia don’t deny our love ~ This time I didn’t flinch hearing his seductive voice.
“I can’t love someone I cannot see.”

~ Sure you can. It’s all about substance not looks but I can assure you my looks are worshipped. ~

“So is Nicki Minaj’s fake ass.”

~ Who? ~ He asked confused as Neva burst out laughing.

“Never mind.” I smirked.

“Alicia!”

~ Ah wolf’s back ~ The brother shouted.

~ Let’s go ~ No don’t leave me alone! I scowled.

“Alicia wait.” Harry ordered.

“No you’re a werewolf catch up!” I continued on not looking back.

“Alicia look at me.” I kept walking. “Alicia?” Why should I listen to him if he was practically ignoring me before? “Don’t do this. It was annoying when you were young and it’s annoying now.”

“I’m sorry am I being rude? Is talking without looking at the person irritating?”

~ She says while not looking at him ~ Neva whispered.

“Alright, alright I get it, it sucks when people do that.”

“Yeah it does.”

~ She says with disdain ~

“Shut up.” I snapped and the spirits cracked up.

“Alicia?”

“Yes?”

“Your thong is showing.”

“What?” I turned around. “I’m not wearing one… Damn it.” I face palmed. I can’t believe I fell for his trick. I gave a deathly glare and pointed at him. I feel like a scolding mother in this position. “Stop smirking I forbid it.” His grin broadened so the big bad wolf revealed such big teeth. “Nah! Stop it you’re not allowed to smile.” I smacked his shoulder playfully. “Stop it!”

“Usually you’d take a couple of hours to bounce back.”

“I grew up a bit.” I started trudging up the hill again. “Are you coming along or did you just need to kiss my thong less butt?”

“I’ll kiss anything as long as it’s on you.” He muttered under his breath.

“What?” I acted dumb.

“Nothing.”