Her name was Alice. Alice Kingston. The transfer forest girl from middle of freaking nowhere. She was so innocent. I bothered me in a way. How innocent she was, but she had that kind of gaze that made me think she was more then what she looked like.

"Hi," she stuck her hand out at me, for a second I just stared at it, not believing that someone would want to talk to me, "I'm Alice. Alice Kingston."

"Cool," I muttered.

"So," she shrugged her shoulders, "What's there to do around here?"

"I don't know," I pulled my English binder out of my locker and slammed it shut, "Ask someone like Taylor or Hazel."

"I don't want to ask the in crowd," She murmured. I held up my hand.

"Wait," I asked, "What?"

"I don't want to ask the in crowd," she repeated.

"But they're the in crowd," I said, "Why wouldn't you want to ask them?"

"Because they don't know the secrets to the town," she fixed her gaze on me again, "But people like you do."

"What secrets?" I stated.

"Oh," she shrugged, "The usual secrets. Like how James is cheating on Taylor with Hazel and she hates that you're dating her brother." I put my hand up against her mouth. She licked it.

"Why did you lick me," I questioned, wiping my hand on my pants, "But more importantly, how did you know about Will, and James?"

"It's a talent," she wiggled her eyebrows. I laughed.

"Well come on then Alice Kingston," I grabbed my science textbook and shoved it into my bag, "Let's go see what other trouble we can stir up."

"You never told me your name though," She commented, walking besides me.

"It's Kora," I stared straight ahead, "Kora Bane." And if I was actually paying attention to what she said afterwards I would have heard her whisper Anemi, but I wasn't.

"Look," I groaned inwardly, it was Hazel and the in crowd, "The little, innocent newbie has latched on to Bane."

"Leave me alone Gonzales," I muttered, attempting to push past her.

"Negative ghost rider," she shoved me back. I felt the thunder building inside of me, "We need to teach newbie here a lesson."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Alice stared into her eyes.

"Who are you to say what I can and can't do," Hazel snarled.

"Someone who knows that as much as you say your past doesn't define you it does," Alice snapped back, "For someone whose had so much torture in their life you don't show that much sympathy for others. I'm sorry that you've been beaten, raped, and tossed into a gutter but that sounds like a personal problem. Not mine, not Kora's, and not anyone's in this school. If your past doesn't define you then you shouldn't let it. But you are letting it control your actions."

"Big speech for a little girl," Hazel growled.

"Pity she's right then," I stated.

"Shut up Bane," she commented.

"Negative ghost rider," I mimicked, "You don't own me." That's when she attempted to hit me, but I wasn't there.

"Run Alice," I called over my shoulder; I looked back long enough for her to dodge the in crowd and take off after me.

"That was exciting," she grinned at me.

"You know what Kingston," I said, "You may be innocent but you got guts, and the gift of sight. Hello Theia."

"Hello Anemi," she replied.

"Now," I stared off into the distance, "What were you saying about secrets?" She laughed.