This has been sitting about in my docs for a while, sorry for the shitty quality.

Aelin was sitting on the benches outside Adarlan High, her eyes narrowed. Of her friends, she was the first in the morning. She was always the first to arrive.

Which meant that she always had time to observe the rest of her year in their mornings. It was pretty interesting. She'd grown used to the tell tale signs of lying and fakeness. The popular ones that were actually really insecure.

She scanned her year, recognising faces.

There was Ansel, pretty and popular but surprisingly a good friend of hers. They'd bonded when Aelin had been made science partners with her.

Nox Owen leaned against a wal, the skinny boy flipping a coin casually as he talked to his friends. They were occasional acquaintances with teasing words usually passing between them.

And then walking across the courtyard, her henchmen (or henchwoman as they were all female) in tow, was Manon Blackbeak.

Captain of the inner school's winning five-ball team and arguably the most beautiful girl in the whole school, she was the centre of attention in their year. Aelin could see that. That white hair so artfully pulled back from her face and those black flecked gold eyes that gleamed with a dangerous fire. Tall with a killer body and legs that probably would make most men go into shock.

Yep, she was that beautiful.

But Manon just didn't care. Manon Blackbeak didn't make friends. She didn't talk to be people, she didn't even spare people a second glance if it didn't benefit her. There was just her group, the Thirteen as the school liked to call them, that she talked to. Thirteen young and beautiful woman who all seemed deadly enough that most people felt a little uncomfortable. Aelin didn't though.

People idolised them. Absolutely gorgeous, the top of the sports leagues and even the top of their school in grades. They acted like they didn't even try. They were amazing, she'd give them that.

But like always, there were people that hated them. Boys that had been turned down when they'd asked one if the Thirteen out. Girls who were just down right jealous. Even teachers occasionally took a disliking to them.

Rumours flowed like water down a stream. There were nicknames galore for the Thirteen and they weren't the nicest. The school had all nicknamed them 'witches' for their devilish grins and just general wickedness. Some people called them the 'Ironheart witches' for their ice cold hearts and uncaringness for others feelings.

But most called them the 'Ironteeth witches' after the vicious hickeys that appeared on Manon's closest friend, Asterin, who also happened to be her alleged girlfriend. Asterin had worn them in with pride, even going as far as winking whenever she got stares. Manon had made no comment on whether she was the culprit or not.

Most of the school was ready to throw the lesbian tag on the Thirteen. 'Of course, that's why they didn't want to go out with me'. Aelin didn't really know what to think.

As she was watching them walk, the golden haired Asterin leaned forward and whispered something in Manon's ear. Almost immediately Manon's eyes latched onto hers. And they stared.

Aelin held the stare, not willing to look away in shame. The Thirteen paused in their walk to all turn and look at her and for the first time, Aelin felt uncomfortable in their presence.

Tension filled the air. People were beginning to notice and many eyes fell to her. Aelin bit back a snarl.

But then Manon just rolled her eyes and waved a hand with an air of pure arrogance. Aelin's blood boiled. Grins spread across the witches ranks as amusement set in.

They kept walking. Aelin was fuming as she sat back.

"Getting an eyeful of Adarlan High's finest members?" a voice said from behind her. She recognised it immediately.

It was her best friend Dorian, pushing his boyfriend Chaol's wheelchair as the two of them joined her.

Dorian was one of his strange friendships Aelin had definitely not expected to make. Rich, intelligent and good looking, Dorian was obviously expected to be one of the popular lads. He'd tried to at first. He'd made friends. But that boy was such a bookworm that he just didn't fit in with them.

Chaol was actually originally Dorian's personal bodyguard until an accident involving Dorian's father ended with causalities and Chaol losing the use of both legs. Dorian had inherited his father's wealth, though he wouldn't be able to access it until he was eighteen.

He'd taken over his father's company and under the guidance of his father's close adviser, was actually doing pretty well.

Aelin leaned back, still spitting fire in her mind. "Hmph. As if I'd gave a rat's tail about those witches."

Chaol let out a laugh and wheeled himself up beside her. "You're just jealous because Elide likes her better than you."

Aelin spun on her seat to glare at him. "She does not!"

Chaol let out a cough and indicated behind her. Aelin spun back around and the very girl they'd been talking about had now joined the witches. Her inside bubbled at the sight of Elide clinging to Manon's arm.

So Aelin had said that Manon didn't make friends. There was only one exception to that rule and that was Elide, a small girl who practically worshipped the ground Aelin walked on. Which was fine because Aelin would never abuse that.

Manon however, there was no guarantee. Gradually the girl had befriended the Ironteeth witches, God only know how. Suddenly Aelin wasn't the only that Elide idolised. Elise had somehow slithered under Manon's barrier and gotten to know her. And Manon didn't even push her away. No, that witch seemed to like her friend.

"I really don't like her hanging around with them," Aelin scoffed. "Nothing good will ever come of those witches."

"Speaking of goodness and all," Dorian cut in, obviously trying to not get into a conversation about the Thirteen. "Did you hear about the new transfers coming in today? Apparently they're all smoking."

Aelin arched an eyebrow at him. "Transfers?"

Dorian nodded. "Six in all. They'll be coming along at break." The boy leaned back, drumming the planes of his stomach. "We could definitely use some eye candy around here."

"What, am I not good enough for you?" Aelin asked innocently.

Dorian rolled his eyes in a way only he could. "Please. You know I play for the other team." Aelin kicked him.

"At that, you'd all be delighted to know that the reigning five-ball team are still the champions," said Aelin's cousin, Aedion. He prowled up behind them, making the lads jump. "Last night, they flattened the others."

"Is that really a surprise?"

"The Ironteeth are always kicking everyone else's ass. I'm surprised there was even a competing team this year. Especially after last year they tore apart Rhiannon's gang."

"You know what, we should start our own team," Aelin announced.

All three of the men looked at her and started chuckling. Aelin just arched her eyebrows until they all looked at her again. She was not joking. "You think I'm not serious but I swear to god, one day I'm going to kick that witch's ass," Aelin sniffed.

"You're kidding me," Chaol breathed. "There's no way you can beat the Thirteen. They're gods at five-ball."

"Pfft," Aelin scoffed. "Gods is a bit of a stretch. Sure they're good but they just need someone to put them in their place."

"Aelin, you are crazy."

"Problems of being a genius."

"Oh please-!"

"Hey, here comes Lysandra," Aedion interrupted.

A car had pulled up at the edge of the road and Lysandra, the only other female and last of their friend group stepped out. She quickly joined them, a somewhat flirtatious grin sent in Aedion's direction. Lysandra was what you'd call elegant. Somehow she managed to make getting out of a car look fabulous.

"Greetings, nerds," the woman purred, taking a seat next to Aelin. "How goes the people of our school?"

"Quickly and without a glance at our fair beauty," Dorian drawled.

They quickly descended into a conversation on who was the best looking out of the group. Dorian argued that his wealth had to give him an extra couple of points. Lysandra just indicated to her chest and Aedion made a choking noise.

The first bell rang, signalling ten minutes before the beginning of class. The friends moved as one, muttering and splitting up to go to their classes.

~•~•~•~

Aelin walked out of English, one of the few classes she actually really liked. Maybe it was her love of reading. That would probably make sense.

People shoved past and she had to bite back a snappy retort. Another person ran by her and then a whole stream. Aelin frowned. What the hell?

"Oi, the transfers are here!" Aedion was beside her, looking over the ever growing crowd of people. There was an excited hum in the air. Everyone wanted to see the new kids on the block.

Aelin, though she obviously didn't care, craned her neck to see them. Even then, she could barely see past the tops of their heads. There was so many people they had to retreat to the stairs to get a view. Words swam to her ears, admiring words.

"Damn, they are good looking."

"I know right?!"

"No homo but I'd tap that!"

There was a gasp and then someone wolf whistled. A ripple of laughter swept across the crowd. But not one person disagreed.

The school was in awe of the transfers. And finally Aelin caught a glimpse of them. The head of their year was leading them down the corridor. There was six of them in all and Dorian had not lied when he'd said that they were all smoking. Five males sauntered their way past the stairs, each gorgeous in their own right.

Confidence and laziness pooled off them. The way they walked told everyone that they knew how good they looked and they were totally in control.

Only one really caught Aelin's eye. He was at the head of the six and he did not walk with the same confident swagger. Instead he had this cold arrogance like he thought no one mattered. Like he was the pack leader.

He was good looking, she'd admit. Tall and muscular, that shirt was practically about to rip, with tanned skin and white hair swept to the side. A wicked tattoo ran down the side of his head and down beneath his shirt where many of the girls' eyes lingered.

She could almost feel the jealousy of the other boys in the school. Here was a man able to sweep your woman off her feet with only a glance. And he didn't even seem to care.

The new boy looked around and somehow, his eyes fell on her. She gave him her most sarcastically sweet smile. He didn't even react. He looked unimpressed and swept on with just pure arrogance.

Aelin immediately hated him.

"Hmph. They're not that impressive," Aedion muttered beside her. "I mean, even I could do better."

Even her cousin was jealous. He'd deny it point blank but it was obvious. Aedion was never jealous. Who were they? What was going to happen?

The only girl of the group, walking in the middle just smirked. Her hair was dark black, kinda like Lysandra's but there was not a single bit of kindness in those violet eyes. She gave bitter sweet smiles to the surrounding teenagers and then jogged up to cling to the lead boy's arm.

The sigh from the crowd was audible. Aelin also hated her.

She folded her arms in frustration. Arrogant bastards, the whole lot of them. When these guys and the Thirteen, Aelin didn't even know if she take it. The six of them, five males and one female walked on and all Aelin could do was boil beneath the surface.

Also for reference, five-ball is not an actual sport. It's something I made it. It's kinda like rugby but with soloing when you run. So like Gaelic football. But rougher. And without a goalie. ^-^