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"Who is this dork?"

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I WALKED OUT of the shower stalls feeling more refreshed than ever. The hallways were mostly empty I noticed. I couldn't help but wonder if it was because of the so-called Bonfire that was happening.

I guess that's how the Converts at Kingsland spent their Friday evenings.

After all, it was the beginning of the weekend. Arriving at my door, I pushed it open glancing around to make sure everything was still in place. Since I lost my keys, I couldn't very well lock the door before leaving.

Luckily for me, everything was still in place.

I swiftly changed into my pyjamas, feeling fresher than ever when I snuggled into my night slippers. My eyes trailed to the open window and I gingerly moved to withdraw the curtains. I couldn't help look but look down into the King's gardens, searching for any kinds of movements.

When I saw nothing, I moved to close the curtains, my eyes falling on the shiny trinket I had put on the table before going to shower.

I mindlessly fumbled around with it, moving to my bed, sitting cross-legged. I wanted nothing more than to be in this moment feeding my silence.

It felt like forever since I had come to Kingsland.

I never really had time for myself. I kind of missed the days I spent alone in my room just thinking about life and daydreaming about something more. I chuckled to myself at these thoughts.

Here I was having everything I dreamed of, friends, normal teenage life at a high school, and there I was wishing I could go back to the time when these were all simple wishes.

My gaze dropped to the pendent I was fondling, eyes tracing its shape. It was shaped a little like the sun, round in the middle but with curvy rays protruding from all around it in the most perfect little shape. The edges were designed with what seemed like the uttermost care. It also looked old for some reason. Shiny but old. I flipped it around, feeling rough cuts on it. Bringing it closer so that I could have a better view of it, I spotted the tiny engravings on the back. Two initials-

E&H

My eyebrows furrowed at this, fingers trailing over the engravings. H must stand for Harvest but what about the E?

The only people I had seen around Harvest were Daya and Raskei. Both were as different from each other as night and day, and neither of them had any one of their names beginning with an E.

Who was this mysterious E?

Harvest said the Trinket was very important to him, which meant whoever E is, was as equally as important to him- that's if she was still alive-

I assumed it was a she. Anyways. Harvest was right about something. The pendent was very pretty.

Knock, Knock

My head spun toward the door, looking at it quizzically. Who could that be? Daya would never knock but even if she did, there was no way it could be her. She seemed to have a clear agenda when she left and none of it sounded like she was coming back early.

My heart thudded inside my chest as another suggestion popped up in my mind, a dark shiver crossing my spine.

When the knock came yet again, I gathered up my courage moving toward the door. Taking a deep breath in I swung the door open my face almost getting knocked on when Claire stopped midway.

"Gosh, what took you so long?!' she huffed eyes widening.

I looked back at her in confusion, eyes trailing between her and Lira as she popped a gumball in my face. I stepped back to avoid being splashed by gum as Claire talked.

"C'mon put some slippers on and let's go!" she squealed excitedly. I looked back at her questionably bidding her explain, "it's Friday, there's a bonfire in the King's Courts," she huffed.

My face fell in relief at the sudden news. It was just the bonfire.

I wasn't up for that just yet. I shook my head slowly faking up a yawn. All I wanted was the room to myself and since Daya wasn't coming back anytime soon, I had exactly that.

"No, no, you have to come," Claire pouted, she turned slightly to an unbothered-looking Lira, "help me out here."

Lira rolled her eyes stepping forward as she folded her arms, "look I don't want to go out there, and honestly you don't have to either. Sure, it's where everyone else goes to socialize but who needs 'em? Look at me, I haven't been to a bonfire in three terms and I'm doing alright," she huffed.

I froze at this, looking over at Claire who was also looking at Lira with an unreadable expression on her face.

Now, there's a lot of things I was but there was one thing I never wanted to be, like Lira- only when it came to the social aspect of things. She was much Like Raskei if Raskei could actually talk.

Very secluded.

I walked back into the room feeling their eyes on me, grabbing my notebook and slipping into my slippers, coming back to the door, jotting something down- 'let's go'

Claire squealed in delight grabbing my arm, whilst Lira looked at me funny, "was it something I said?" she asked and Claire and I chuckled as we paced along the hallway.

"Oh, this is going to be fun! There was a bonfire last week, but I couldn't go because- well, I was alone and Lira isn't exactly a social butterfly," she explained glancing over at her roommate who was walking to her right.

I knew that.

Lira only shook her head looking out ahead of us as we made our way out into the night.

The cold attacked me but it was bearable with warm Clair clutching onto me. I looked around noticing a few more students heading in the same direction as we are. Only one thing, they weren't dressed in their pyjamas as Lira, Claire and I currently were.

I thought more people would be dressed casually and Daya was just being extra because of that hidden agenda she was going to carry out.

Lira seemed to have noticed what was going on in my mind because she spoke up, "Don't worry about them reddy, since you don't have a boyfriend to look good for, your Pj's are fine," she smirked.

My cheeks heated up, looking over at her and she chuckled at my expense, "why dress up when you're only going to be around smoke all night huh? There's no reason unless of course, you're just trying to look good for someone-" she paused eyebrows drawing together, "you aren't trying to look good for someone, are you?" she asked.

My eyes widened and I shook my head, Claire speaking up, "Let it go, Lira, stop teasing her," she huffed pushing her glasses up to her nose, "even if she was, she still looks cute in her jammies."

I smiled at the compliment, jotting down one of my own, "you too.'

Claire grinned widely but Lira faked a gag but, in the end, we all ended up chuckling together. We stopped at the Kings Courts looking out and yet we didn't see anyone, only a flame of orange in the far-off night sky.

Claire came to a pause beside me, "I thought the bonfire was in the King's Courts," she said turning to Lira.

Lira sighed, "Yes, it is, but since no one wants the grass burnt to a crisp, it's done that way" she pointed past the ground to what seemed like a maze.

My eyebrows furrowed as I stared that way-

"C'mon reddies," she sighed moving forward after another random student who was heading the same way.

We walked into the maze, swerving around. It seemed to have a lot of twists and turns.

"I think I would get lost here on my own," Claire huffed, hugging my arm tighter as we walked.

"It's easy, just follow the flowering hedges," she replied, pointing up at the tall hedges to the flowers growing on top of them. We followed the pathway until we came to an end, pulling out of the hedges into a large open ground, the bonfire spread in front of us so that it seemed the smoke was touching the sky.

People were seated around it and farther out, some just lounging about talking.

"There," Lira pointed out in a direction where there seemed to be a bunch of students lined up.

Not too much of a long line and it was quickly moving.

'What's that line for?" Claire asked as we walked towards it after Lira.

"Marshmallows, it's not a bonfire without some."

We got in line, conversing amongst each other for a little bit, my eyes trailing out to the beauty of the bonfire as Claire and Lira giggled over something.

When it was finally our turn, we were each handed a mini package of marshmallows. I looked down at the bag, pink and white marshmallows.

I had never really tried them before, also had never gone camping. The scenery around me made me feel like I was at camp, well- a very big camp that is, I noted looking at the number of students lounging about.

"Where are you two going?" Lira called from behind us.

Claire and I turned around noticing she was a few paces back. "Uh- I thought we would find a seat..."

"Sticks first. We need to find sticks to roast this, that way," she huffed pointing back into the hedges, "had I remembered we would have gotten some on our way here."

Claire and I grumbled as we followed her back into the hedges. My eyes darted around the spot in the maze Lira had led us too, trying to find a long stick I could use to roast the marshmallows.

It couldn't be too short because I just couldn't risk being close to the fire and not too long that it weighed my arms down. After realizing there was no such stick here, I moved further out, almost turning a corner when I bumped into someone, our foreheads budding and I almost fell.

"Oh- shoot, I'm so sorry!" a familiar voice exclaimed as I rubbed my sore spot, pain oozing through me.

Claire moved toward me as my vision cleared and I looked at the stranger.

"David?" she asked, and sure enough it was him, standing quite awkwardly there, rubbing his forehead momentarily before nodding.

"Who is this dork?" Lira asked, coming to the rescue.

"Oh, He's in the same class as T, and I," she replied, excitedly before her face dropped.

"Was- in the same class," David corrected glancing momentarily at Claire then at Lira.

Claire shot a look at him to which I couldn't control the grin that overtook my features. It was quite apparent by now that David was Mr. Know it all. He literally had the answers to everything, those darn blues.

"Uh-I-I'll just be on my way," he grunted his jaw ticking after the silence-looking at me for a second, "I really am sorry. I hope you're okay."

I nodded and he did too before turning away-

"Uh-the bonfire is that way-" Lira pointed the opposite direction he was about to head.

David stopped in his tracks, looking uncomfortable, "I- know, it just isn't- uh- it isn't really my scene," was his tight-lipped reply.

There was another silence between us, and Claire and I exchanged looks.

I think I could guess why it wasn't his scene. David didn't seem to have many friends, not that I was one to judge, but let's face it, no one likes a know it.

Even if it wasn't his fault, he was a blue. I guess it wasn't really that he was highly intelligent, it could also be the fact that he sometimes came out as a tiny bit arrogant.

"Neither is it mine, but I'm going," Lira huffed, folding her arms breaking the silence, "it may not be my choice but here I am." She added, momentarily glancing at us.

David pursed his lips, his jaw ticking, "Yeah," he replied, "uh-good for you."

Another silence dawned between us. When no one said anything, David grunted, which I believed was his way of saying goodbye, turning around and walking away.

Claire looked over at me, and I returned the look, feeling awful. We turned to Lira and she raised an eyebrow at us, not saying a word.

Claire sighed looking at Lira once more before turning to a leaving David.

"Hey David!" she called out to him.

He paused turning around to face us, "do you know how to make a s'more?" she asked.

He seemed surprised at this question before an unsure grin spread on his features.

•~•
Welcome to the gang, David.
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