DANE'S CELL PHONE wouldn't stop ringing, which had started to annoy Riven. With Sky at their side, near the platforms that lined the side, they watched the rookies who were fighting each other.

Riven peeked over her shoulder at what must have been five thousand messages from Terra to Dane. Were they having an affair? Riven wanted to laugh and mock Terra, but then she could strangle him with vines...

"Could you try to be a little less stupid?" Sky asked, making his best friend smile.

"That wouldn't be funny. And it wouldn't even look like me.

"Looks like you forgot about the two black eyes and sprained ankle on the first day," she continued. "Last year, remember?"

In fact, Riven wouldn't want to have to remember that. Images flashed through his head, making him squirm into a grimace. It had been a lost cause, but it had been part of his life. Unfortunately, he could never forget those things.

However, Sky quickly walked away when he saw Stella, the princess of CrazyTown, from afar, as if calling him to come to her. Fool Sky: Why did he even care?

"You're on that phone so much, it's explained why you liked my pictures on Insta last night," Riven hissed at Dane.

A warm red rose under Dane's pale brown skin.

"I was curious about the veterans," he tried to justify, stuttering. "My finger slipped!"

"Oh yes?" He laughed. "I'm feeling generous, so pay attention to this: choose your friends carefully and focus your mind. You fought with Kat and lost, I'd say your problem is there."

"On my cell phone?" Dane asked, lost.

"No! Did you hear anything I said?" he accused, irritated. "Lack of strategy."

How contradictory, since Riven himself didn't have the strategies a specialist should have when it came to Viperine. Since the intense makeout session they'd had in Dowling's office, he hadn't been able to think of anything other than that girl, who must have been more troublesome than he was.

Besides the nightmares about those damn sneaky snakes.

"Hey, Mikey!" shouted Riven. "Let's practice."

◈

AT THE END OF THE DAY'S LESSONS, Viperine never thought she would have to go back to the greenhouse outside of mandatory. Unfortunately, she had left her jacket there in first class and needed to get it back.

However, when she opened the doors, Professor Harvey was not there, but Terra and the boy she had discovered was named Dane. She heard little of the conversation, but she was sure the boy was making a fool of himself for Terra to repeat things.

What impressed him the most was that the Earth Fairy seemed to be desperately flirting with him. Viperine shouldn't even care, it was normal among teenagers, but this way... She couldn't stay there another minute.

"It's a ghetto for protection," Terra said a second time. "Against the burn, in case you haven't heard."

"I heard," he assured her. "Too crazy that they came back out of nowhere."

Dane's phone suddenly vibrated. He picked it up from the table, typing something. Terra was instantly restless. She didn't try to hide it when she realized who she was—a weird, jealous girlfriend.Viperine rolled her eyes.

"I forgot my coat," she said, making Dane and Terra startled.

"Viperine, hi," Terra exclaimed, too strained.

"Hi," Viperine hissed, crossing her arms. "My coat."

"Oh, yes, of course," she gabbled. "It's right here."

Terra walked to the other side of the greenhouse, looking for Viperine's coat. Dane stared at the blonde. She stared back at him with half-closed eyes. She moved closer to Dane, terrifying him.

"I would choose my friends better," she whispered mysteriously. "It's just advice from a friend."

"What are you talking about?"

Terra's high, sharp question made Viperine clench her jaw. She barely spoke to the fairy, but just being in the same room with her was enough to make her want to put an end to it.

Viperine took the fur coat from Terra's hands with some brusqueness, turning away and marching out of the greenhouse. If Terra bothered, she didn't care. Viperine had more to attend to.

◈

◈

BEATRIX'S BEDROOM DOOR was about to be kicked down by Viperine.

"Stop it! I've heard!" shouted Beatrix, finally opening the door. "What the hell, Viperine."

She didn't know whether to curse the noise she was causing or the fact that she saw the blonde leaning against the wall next to her, as if she was dying of pain. Beatrix wrapped her arms around Viperine's shoulders, helping her to her feet as she pulled her into the room.

It's a good thing Beatrix didn't have roommates. She closed the door with her foot, quickly running to put the squirming girl in her arms on the bed. Viperine went down with a thud, clutching her arms and hands against her body as if something was crushing her.

"What happened to you?" she exclaimed, desperate.

"Call Verena!" shouted Viperine, almost voiceless.

She couldn't tell if Beatrix had left or not; she was too focused on the excruciating pain she was in. It was as if the bones in her body were being crushed—strangled.

It wasn't human or natural pain; it wasn't even her own pain. It was created by magic for someone... Anakin. Viperine opened her mouth as if she was going to scream, but no sound came out of her.

She hoped the world of unconsciousness could open doors for her soon. She had never felt anything like this in her entire life, nor had she thought that such a level of pain could exist.

"What happened?" someone asked, taking her hand. Verena.

"Something... something caught..." she tried to say. "Anakin."

"Go to the herb room and get a brown box that's on the second shelf," Verena ordered Beatrix. "And go slowly so as not to alarm anyone."

Regrettably, she was still conscious. She heard the door close. Dying in pain, the last thing Viperine wanted was to get scolded by Verena. At least not hers.

"I warned you not to let him loose," she scolded her, taking a deep breath.

Verena lifted her free hand in the air, closing her eyes until she felt a weight build in her palm. Using the bond Viperine and the snake had, she brought him into the bedroom and curled him in her hand.

Viperine took a deep breath, feeling the pressure and pain ease considerably. The discomfort was still there, but it would pass. She tried to take the animal from Verena's hands, but she pushed it away from her touch.

"If I see him around, or if I hear that someone has seen him loose around the school, I'll send someone to pick him up and you won't see him for a while," she threatened. "Are we understood?"

Finally, Verena placed it in Viperine's hands. She caressed his body, noting small torn marks on Anakin's skin. Fortunately, he would soon change.

"What are you doing?" she asked, confused.

"Making sure you're okay," Verena replied, seeing the grimace on Viperine's face. "When Beatrix gets back, make some tea with the herb. It will help you."

Verena sat up in bed, wearing a smile that seemed genuine. Viperine dropped into Viperine's soft, once-made bed.

The pain she would feel could be close to the pain of Hell. However, at least there, everything was warmer.

━━━━━━

9.15.22

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