Ryesen finally decided to try what was served at the school's cafeteria instead of skipping lunch as she has been doing for the past few days. The cafeteria was exactly how she imagined it would be, packed and noisy. Even noisier than Tír na nÓg festivals. The smell of heavily greased food filled her lungs, yet she was overwhelmed with the the new experience to mind.

Following on the steps of the person in front of her she grabbed a tray and sled it in line studying the choices that were on display. New experience be damned. How can humans eat this stuff? Nothing here seems edible. She couldn't tell what was what. It was either mushy stuff or fast food and both choices made her stomach uncomfortable. In the end she dropped back the tray as she settled for a plastic cup full of sliced fruits and a bottle of water.

Her eyes ran across the sea of students to find a place to sit. A vagarious move caught her eye. Travis! He was on his feet waving at her and pointing to a seat next to him. Nope! No way! She turned the other way. She wasn't the only one who saw him. The eyes that were watching her, now were watching him too. Why wouldn't he stop? All the other guys she shot down stayed down. This one keeps surfacing right back up, no matter how many times she rejected. Some of those times, no, all those times she gave a cut throat unfriendly rejection, which made her feel bad. Until he came back again. 

She started to return his, 'good morning's followed it with a, 'now, go away'. She answered his stupid daily question in those folded papers he kept sending her when teachers weren't looking.What else does he want from her? Wasn't that enough? Whispers and glances started to follow them. She could hear her name and his being formed in the same sentence and that was starting to get on her nerves. He was starting to get on her nerves.

Two black buns caught her eyes making her head in their direction. "Hi...", Ryesen chirped as she stopped in front of an almost empty table at the very far end of the cafeteria.

Zoe's head jerked in surprise. She swallowed the bite she took and her words fumbled, "Oh.. um... h.. hi".

"Do you mind if I joined you?", Ryesen asked.

"Y... Yes. Of course. Here", Zoe rushed to clear some space for her and move her stuff to her side of the table.

Ryesen slid down the seat next to her with a smile. She pealed opened the plastic cup she was holding and poked at the fruits with a fork.

Zoe didn't need to look around to know that eyes were following Ryesen. Zoe's palms started to sweat and her nervousness meter was rising. She picked the table that no one uses except for loners and weirdos who none of them talked to any of them. Having a girl like Ryesen at this table was like... like having a fancy luxurious ball of ice cream being added to a bowl of soup. It didn't come together, and that confused Zoe. "Um, Ryesen. Are you sure you want to sit here? I mean don't you prefer one of the cool kids tables".

Ryesen shrugged, "I think you're cool", and then she added, "You're easy to talk to and I like your company". Then she smirked, "Plus, you didn't ask me", and that's when her tone changed to higher pitch and the questions rolled out of her mouth, "What products have you been using on your hair? What moisturizers do you use on your skin? Is that your real eye color or are those contact lenses? Or which mascara are you using? Or can I touch your hand? What's you secret diet? Can I run my fingers through your hair?", she threw her hands in the air, "Can you believe one of the guys asked me if he could smell my hair? I mean come on, leave my hair alone!"

Zoe laughed, "That tough?".

Ryesen pouted sounding as desperate as she felt, "Help me!"

Zoe laugh more, "Well, you came to the right table then".

When Zoe laughed Ryesen had to laugh too. It was silly now that she told someone about it. She has been hiding in the library for the past week. It was the only place where she could shush people freely. However, hiding wasn't the solution. She didn't come here to skulk in the shadows.

She didn't discuss that with Ovia or Jarle. She made a promise to herself to work things out on her own. It was needless to talk about something she already knew the outcome of. Jarle would remind her of who she was and her title. While Ovia would advise her to snap a few teens like twigs and others will get the message. Sometimes it's hard to tell which one of those two was originally Dark and which was Light.

"Is that all you're eating?", Zoe asked looking at the sad fruit salad she was poking at.

"I didn't like any of the other choices. I'll start bringing lunch from home from now on".

"I have some fish sticks left if you like", she offered.

Ryesen smiled, "That is generous of you to offer, but I don't eat fish. Vegetarian"

"Oh", I didn't know that", she made a mental note to remember. "My grandmother packs our lunches every day. Including me, my sister, two brothers and my parents".

Ryesen smiled, "It must be nice having siblings".

"If by nice you mean loud, noisy and things are always missing from your room, then yeah. It's quite a picnic", Zoe grumbled.

Ryesen laughed. She was happy that Zoe was getting more comfortable talking to her. 

"What about you?", Zoe asked.

"Only me", Ryesen said before biting a piece of pineapple. The sour-sweet taste filled her mouth. It tasted nothing like the ones in Tír na nÓg, but it was good enough to eat.

"And your parents?".

Ryesen lowered her fork, she knew such questions will come up sooner or later, "My father...", how could she put this? Stick to the basics. She told herself. "Well, father is away for... work... and I'm staying with... relatives for the year before going back home". That sounded good. Believable even. Technically, she didn't lie. Her father is in another realm, and is responsible for the well being of the Lights while maintaining the peace with the Darks. As for Ovia and Jarle, she does see them as family. So, not a single lie came out of her mouth. Her conscience was clean.

Zoe felt sad that Ryesen wasn't staying. She was probably the first friend she liked in high school. "ًWhat about your mom?"

That part always caused her heart to ache, "Mother passed away when I was thirteen".

Zoe's face twisted with sympathy, "Oh, I'm so sorry".

Ryesen gave a little smile, "its fine". She could still talk to her mother after she joined The Ancient One, but she still misses her nonetheless. She looked away blinking a few times. That was when she saw a pair of baby blues gazing at her with a dreamy expression. Someone was talking to him but he was far from listening until they smacked him on the shoulder.

Ryesen growled and turned away. Zoe was watching what was going too.

"I think he's into you", Zoe said in an attempt to smooth things a little bit.

Ryesen growled again, "I don't want any boy crush drama. That's his deal anyway?". She was sure if she kept growling like that she might as well turn into an Orc.

Zoe glanced at the table to her left then quickly shied away. He was lost in the girl next to her, "Well, I've known Travis since middle school. He's kind of a big brother to everyone that's why everyone likes him. He's always helping. Always caring. Always standing up for bullies and kicking their butts. And if you ever need help he won't hesitate". Then she suggested, "He's a nice guy if you gave him a chance. You might even like him".

"I can't do that?". To Ryesen, what she just heard was all sweet and nice. She might even liked him if circumstances were different and she didn't have any, well, previous engagements.

"Why?", Zoe asked, "Is it because you're only here for one year?".

"Who's only here for a year?", a voice exclaimed from behind them had them twisting on their seats.

Ryesen growled rolling her eyes and turned her back to him. Of course it was Travis. And to think with her back to him that he would get the hint and leave. Then again, when did he ever? Instead, he pulled a chair and joined them, sitting to her right. Calm your nerves. She told herself as she breathed deeply and slowly.

"I wasn't eavesdropping, I swear. I just heard the last part that's why I'm asking. Who's here for a year?", he asked again. He knew that she won't give him an answer, so he looked at Zoe.

Zoe got all flustered. She didn't want to ignore him, but at the same time she wanted to respect Ryesen's privacy and not share her personal life without her permission. In an attempt to get out of a sticky situation she lowered her head and just shrugged.

He knew then who it was and looked at her, "Why? Why not staying?", disappointment was settling deep inside him.

"Why do you keep following me?", Ryesen speared her fork in the cup losing her patience and looked at him.

"I thought it was clear with all the papers I dropped in your locker everyday and all the things I did. I like you", Travis stated without hesitation meeting her eyes.

That startled her at first, even caused a jolt in her heart, but then when she thought about it objectively she believed it couldn't be real. He was only attracted to her for what she was. Just like what Jarle told her, -A superior being-. "Maybe you should stop putting stuff in my locker. And for your information, I never opened any of them or had the least interest of knowing what silly thing you wrote in them".

Travis smirked, "Yeah you might be right, but then you hadn't threw them away either", he scratched his chin giving her a mischievous look, "Now what does that tells us?".

That last thread that was holding her nerves snapped. She did't need another guy forcing his way through her life. Not here! Not again! And not a human! Ryesen had enough. She pushed off her chair roughly that it fell back with a loud clatter having a few conversations around them to stop and watch what was going. She didn't care. She wanted this nonsense to stop and apparently this guy doesn't know how, "It means nothing!", she looked him straight in the eye, "And stay away from me! Don't follow me! Don't talk to me! Don't put things in my locker! Don't even look my direction! Stop ruining my day!".

The smirk that Travis had on died and was replaced with surprise and then hurt, "I... I'm sorry. Ruining your day wasn't my plan. I just thought I was being funny", his voice lowered losing its cheerful edge.

"You're not! So Stop and leave me alone!", she turned around and stormed out. Her chest heaving and her heart racing as she walked the hallway. Why was she feeling horrible? Why did that look in his eyes caused her heart to ache? Wasn't that what she wanted? For him to leave her alone. Then why was she feeling like she did something awful? 

Hello sweethearts! Lilly here

I hope you all are doing well.

What do you think so far?

Your votes and comments really make my day :) 

Love you lots!