{ 23 ] 2014

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"Thank you for letting me sit here with you, its been a hectic first day..."

-

A month had gone by since Harley found Calum in Brisbane and they had since returned to Sydney. For the span of that month, she had noticed the way he had drastically changed while he was away. He had likely been through some trauma that was now always present in his mind. It presented itself in an irrational fear he was displaying towards water. 

He returned to St. Genevieve's without a problem, and returned to his classes. But Harley noticed there was something in him, something always hesitant. And then there was the fact that he never showed up to school on rainy days anymore. Harley was worried about Calum and the negative effects that had taken place in him. She had, a few times, suggested that he visit the school's psychologist, but he refused with the excuse that he was absolutely fine. But he was not fine, and Harley knew it. He knew it as well.

Harley was in home class, sitting next to Cindy and some of the other cheerleaders when her teacher gave an announcement to the class. Calum hadn't showed up to see her in home class like he used to. They didn't have the same teacher, but he always found a way to sneak out to visit. That was a thing of the past. Ever since his return. he had made it a point to give her more space. It was almost as though her were avoiding her.

But she didn't want to think about that. Instead, she focused her attention on the announcement. "Your fourth year college counselor has asked me to remind you all that you need to submit ten applications to different universities: four state universities, four out of state, and two privates. If you want to submit more than that, you will need to pay them from your pocket. The school will only pay for the ten that you choose."

"Ugh." Cindy rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Why do we have to apply to ten? I already know I'm going to whichever school Billy decides."

She can go anywhere because she has all the money in the world, Harley thought to herself.

She herself did not seem to be too interested in going to a university. Her family had enough money, there wasn't a subject she thoroughly enjoyed enough to make a career in it, and she knew that if she wanted something, she could easily mind control her way to it. It was unfair for the rest of the human population, but it was a privilege she had been born with. Even so, Harley had long submitted her applications with one in mind. Most of the ones she had chosen were either in Sydney or close to Sydney. Now that she was with Ashton, she didn't want to go too far away from home despite the fact that he could easily move with her anywhere.

"Failure to apply to ten universities will result in your inability to attend this Friday's fourth year beach trip." Her teacher informed. There were a few shocked gasps heard in the classroom. Friday was only three days away and it was evident that many of St. Genevieve's fourth years had not finished submitting applications.

Harley was sure that Calum was one of them.

-

She found him in the library during lunch. It was a large building with four floors that according to a few of her classmates resembled the library of Hogwarts. Harley wouldn't know, since she had never read the books, or watched the movies. 

He was in the first floor, which was actually two floors down from the main floor, and found him in the back. That was where the study rooms were located and he had reserved one for himself. Harley saw him through the glass doors and walked inside. He had a brown lunch bag in front of it, which he was looking absently at. Outside, the sun was blaring heat and light. At least it meant he wouldn't be leaving school early, like he had done on a few other days that past month.

Harley dropped her backpack on the wooden table and sat on the chair next to him.

Sighing, she began, attempting to make some small talk. "The deadline for the university applications is Friday. Have you done them yet?"

He shook his head absently. "I'm not going to a university."

"If you don't do them, then you can't go on the beach trip." She pointed out.

"I don't care." He replied. 

"Calum," She paused for a moment, biting down on her lower lip. She wanted to find the right words to tell him, to try to convince him, that he needed to find a way to get over his fear. "You need help, I'm very worried about you. I talked to the school's therapist yesterday, and I didn't give her all the details, but she said she'll be glad to meet with you." 

The school therapist was a small and petite white woman with unruly curly blonde hair, blue eyes, and dressed like a hippie with her white puffy shirt and gypsy skirt. She was known to give after school yoga sessions with the yoga club on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Her name was Miss Loney, and she was in her late twenties. She had been very friendly and understanding with Harley when she explained Calum's situation to her. She hadn't really gone into detail, she had only mentioned that his parents had recently died, and that his uncle was mistreating him. It was almost entirely true, except for the fact that there was so much more in between that she wasn't mentioning.

Calum immediately refused. "I'm not crazy. I just don't feel like going to the university, or the beach."

"Going to the therapist doesn't mean you're crazy." Harley assured him, and he noticed the way she was using a different tone with him. This was more calm, and slow, maybe even hesitant and careful. He didn't like it. "I just think you need to talk to someone, and since you won't talk to me..." She trailed off.

"Because you're with him." He finished for her.

She frowned. "We talked about this already, Calum." Placing a hand on his shoulder, she tried again, "At least promise you'll think about it. And if you don't want to go alone, we can go together. She said she has tomorrow after school free, since the yoga club doesn't meet on Wednesdays."

"Thank you for letting me sit here with you, its been a hectic first day..." A girl rushed into the study room and her American accented words trailed off when she saw he was no longer alone. Harley was equally surprised, but she was surprised to see that someone else seemed to be having lunch with him, someone new. The girl was wearing the wrong uniform, which meant she was probably new and hadn't been told yet that formal uniforms were only used on special events. She looked young and inexperienced, which let Harley know that she was more than likely a first year. Her dark hair came down in soft waves that contrasted with her overly pale skin. That same pale skin made her bright grey eyes stand out. She looked from Harley to Calum and quickly blurted an apology. "Sorry. Are you busy?" She hadn't even really acknowledged Harley, only Calum.

"Yeah." Harley replied at the same time that Calum said, "No."

Harley looked to Calum now, and finally took the hint. She grabbed her backpack off the table and offered him a small wave of her hand. "I'll be seeing you later then."

-

"Do any of you know about some new girl?" Harley asked the rest of her friends at the lunch table. After her brief conversation with Calum, she had gone to find the others. Paúl, Dempsey, Niall, and Andrea were sitting together. They were more neutral to each other than Michael had been, he clearly despised Niall and Andrea, or was not very fond of them. But he was long gone, and from what Harley had heard from them, they were in Jamaica. Jack had left not too long after, claiming that he didn't want to third wheel with them, and word had it that he was in Brazil, somewhere in the Amazon jungle, healing people in exchange for food and shelter.

Niall and Andrea shook their heads in response to Harley's question.

But suddenly, Dempsey spoke up. "Yeah, actually. My chemistry professor suddenly quit the other day and they hired a new guy like that." She snapped her fingers together. "He's an American guy named Dr. Kenneth Barnes, and he said he had a fourteen year old daughter who would be studying here. This school is small, and if you've never seen her before, chances are that's her. He said her name is Michella."

"Do you think..." Harley started, "they're like us?"

Dempsey shook her head. "If they were like us, we would know. You can feel it when someone is a shifter."

-

no author's note for now because i have to go. but i'll post one when i get back. 

edit: okay, im back. i had to leave quickly because i had was going to perform with my choir at the scholarship lunch. and it was amazing. i had such a great time. then they gave us dessert and it was amazing.

anyway, qotd: do you all like michella barnes? already she and her dad are mysterious. he suddenly got hired within the span of two days, and now michella has tried to befriend calum. what do you think of her? i cant answer this question today because i know everything about this character, and i dont want to give it away. anyway, thank you loads for reading. it means so much to me!

-clary xx