Wyvern High

i do not own the keshia'ra series or any of it's characters. they all belong to Amelia-Atwater Rhodes...K?

Danica Shardae stepped into the walls of Wyvern Academy for the thirteenth day in a row. It was an action she strongly disliked and resented each time she did it, but here she was yet again, carring it out.

At least I have Rei by my side, she thought casting a warm glance in the direction of her next door neihbor and closest friend.

He seemed to acknowledge it, but only let it show for a few brief moments before returning his features back into their normal expressionless palet.

Danica herself did the same.

A steady walk up three flights of stairs brought Danica and her companion to the forth floor of the school, a few paces more and they were at the entrance of room 108. Math.

Rei politely stepped aside letting Danica through the door first before entering himself. Though Danica and Rei were early, they wre not the first to arrive. A number of Avies ( fellow residents of Hawk's Pride- a development on the furthest side of Wyvern) were already seated, books and tablets open, pens at the ready.

Danica and Rei joined them on the side of the room they occupied. The other empty seats were left for the sliths, or residents of Snake's Head, who casually slinked in minutes later.

Danica discreetly took in there appearances for what seemed like the hundreth time.

Everyone in the institution wore it's standard, school issued unimform. Every Avi could have been a poster child for the good scholar; their scholl atire was imaculately inplace, with not a single dress code violation in sight.

The Sliths, howevere, looked like they just stepped out of a hiphop, rock video. The boys' pants were either baggy or adorned with chains of silver and metal studs. Their faces weren't quite so differently decorated. With the Slith girls, it was the same, only the clothes were tighter and more revealing.

"What are you looking at?" Someone snapped. Danica realized she was no longer stealing side ways glances in the Sliths' direction, but full on looking at them-one in particular.

Zane Cobriana was staring at Danica, eyebrow raised, but he was not the one who'd spoken.

To the right of him, a platinum blonde with a witheringly intimidating scowl was glaring daggers at Danica.

"You have a problem, Sweety? I'll be happy to fix it."

Danica's insides froze. Though the two groups had grudges against each other for years, she wasn't expecting hositilty of such a high degree from someone she'd just met and done nothing to.

"I'm sorry," Danica started to say, but Rei spoke first.

"Mind your own," he grumbled coldly.

Danica was sure noone knew exactly what he meant, but the warning in his brewed tone was more than clear.

The blonde wisely backed off, saying no more, but others still stared in anticipation of another verbal lashing.

The teacher came in, and one by one the class looked either at him or at their papers, pretending that what had just occured didn't. All except one.

Rei looked down at his desk. The blonde looked away. Danica hung her head and begin idley taking notes, all the while she could feel Zane Cobriana's gaze still upon her.

Wyvern High Ch.2

Wyvern High

Ch.2

Word of the incident in first period spread fast, and though it was small, it was all that was needed to ignite the short fuse to the bomb of tension between the already rivaled groups.

By the end of fourth period, Danica couldn't take it anymore. The evil glances, the foul comments deliberately spoken in whispers loud enough to be heard. Her verbal assaulters were sure to keep their jarring at a brief hostile glance anytime Rei was around, but if Danica was with someone other than him, they had to suffer the extra negative attention intended for her.

Danica knew it would be even worse at lunch, so she decided to skip it.

Cowardly as it seemed, she wanted to hide, and though Rei would be worried, she felt like she had to be alone for a while and not be burdened by all the chaos.

The girl's bathroom didn't seem like a likely haven. Though the Avies and the Sliths unofficially used separate bathrooms she would still have to deal with the sympathies of her respective group.

If she went to the girl's locker room, though, she would definitely be alone.

Danica made her way towards the gym, a building adjacent to the main one. In the girl's locker room, she sat in a dry shower stall and pulled the curtain closed.

There she sat alone with her jumbled thoughts and mixed feelings. She stayed there, the minutes slowly ticking by, until she was sure lunch was close to over. She had to start making it to the building now, if she wanted to make it to class early.

Danica rose slowly ready to exit bizarre her sanctuary. She slide her right foot paste the curtain, but then hastily drew it back in. She'd heard something. A series of things. First stumbling. Then laughter…and next…breathing-heavy and laborious. The breathing came closer-too close-and Danica tentatively peered from around her flexible plastic shield.

Danica's breath caught in her throat.

It was Zane Cobriana, and the stunning blonde from first period was with him.

On top of him actually. They were passionately kissing, each one's hands grazing over the other's body.

The blonde started to unbutton Zane's shirt as he responsively slid his hand under her skirt.

"Zane…," she breathed.

Danica felt her cheeks redden, and she closed the curtain so she no longer had to witness the shameful sight.

She was surprised when she heard his voice.

"Adaline…"

"Mmm…"

"Adaline." Something in his tone seemed contradictory to his current situation.

"We have to get to class. We're going to be late."

Oh no, thought Danica as the realization of being tardy struck her. Adolescence in Hawk's Pride were held against the highest of expectations, and a detention for being late would sure not go over well in the eyes of her mother. But she couldn't just walk out of there now!

Zane would see her and not to mention Adalina. She was already on the girl's bad side. Who knew what she'd do to her out of sight of everyone else?

She'd just have to wait until they left.

Please, please hurry, she urged silently.

"Zane, I think we can afford to be a little late," Adalina said amused. She kissed him again.

"It would look bad…"

"Since when are you such a saint?" She'd meant it as a joke, but when Zane didn't return her kisses, her face became serious and angry. "What the hell is your problem?"

Zane didn't wince at her scowl. Instead he returned it. "I have to do good this year."

"To impress Hawk's Pride? Damn Avies? That's what you care about? Instead of this?" Her tone was incredulous as she indicated her flattering body. "Fing school?"

"The reason really doesn't matter," Zane said matter of factly. His voice held an intense authority. "I do what I want, when the hell I want, and neither you or anyone else has a say in it." His words were final.

Adalina for a few brief seconds said nothing, then in a defeated tone, she uttered, "Screw you," and left.

Danica was sure Zane would follow, but he didn't, and she wondered why.

She got her answer.

"You can come out now."

Danica's insides turned to ice as she hoped against hope that he wasn't talking to her.

"I won't bite."

The shower curtain slide open, and Danica fought the urge to cringe further into the back corner of the stall. It took even greater restraint not to scream at the top of her lungs when he took her hand in his, though she couldn't help flinching.

A small whimper escaped her, though, when he pulled her out.

"I did not hurt you. That's all in your mind. Now hurry before we're late."

It was then that Danica Realized that they had the same fifth hour together-without either Rei or Adalina.

Danica hoped Zane was intending on walking her to class, but he wasn't letting go of her hand.

If she yanked it away, he might think she was scared and being a baby by not letting him hold it. If she kept it there, though, would it seem like she was too scared to remove it in the first place?

Danica didn't want to further confirm her discomfort to Zane, but it was proving too much for her to handle.

She made her decision though, when they reached the main building. She very discreetly yet unexpectedly slid her hand away from Zane's so that they were only walking side by side.

When they came to the elevator-the quickest way to class-Danica really wanted to run, but she wouldn't give Zane the satisfaction. They stepped onto the elevator, the doors closed, and Zane pressed the fifth floor button.

First floor…

Time seemed to slow on the silent ride, and Danica could feel Zane's eyes on her…

Second floor…

…traveling her form up and down…

Third floor…

Danica put her hand out to press the 'door open' button, but Zane was faster, covering it with his palm…

Forth floor…

Her insides turned rigid. Zane's face was getting closer to hers…

Fifth floor…

Zane moved his hand to push the emergency stop button, but this time Danica was faster. She quickly covered it, the doors came open, and she sailed out.

Danica tried to walk faster than Zane, but he kept up pace easily, and when they entered class, it looked as though they were arriving together, and with Zane's still unbuttoned shirt, Danica could only imagine under what pretenses was forming in everyone's minds.

"Just in time," Zane whispered coolly, a full two seconds before the tardy bell rung.

"Danica, Zane," the teacher addressed. "So nice of you to join us. Everyone was assigned partners when they entered class." Danica took in the paired seating arrangement, and the only two empty seats left. Oh no, she thought with dread. " I guess you and Zane don't mind working together."

"Not at all," Zane assured, taking his seat.

Danica hesitated before doing the same.

She didn't want Zane to know the shattering affect he had on her. If he could be her partner, she could be his. She would not run scared.

Quiet whispers could be heard around the class. Danica tried her best to ignore them.

&

to be continued…