Chapter Two

Her sneakers padded across the tiled floor as she sped up the stairs of the building. She was searching her bag for something and at the same time trying to reach her destination – homeroom. On my first day too, she thought angrily. The bags under her eyes gave everyone the hint that she was having trouble sleeping. She got in another fight at the bus station and ended up slightly bruising her cheek which began turning purple. Groaning, she placed her hoodie over her head and entered the classroom.

"Ms. Jefferson, late as usual," her math teacher, Mr. Dane commented. She nodded and went to take her seat. "On your first day of 12th grade too. You're not in middle school anymore, Jefferson; get a grip." Maria Jefferson nodded again hoping he would take the hint that she did not give a damn. Her classmates started giving her the usual looks. Freak, they would say.

She took out her notebook and began solving the problem. Mr. Dane, being nosy as usual, came up to her and slammed his hands on her desk. "What the…!" she exclaimed.

"Might I ask why you're wearing a hoodie in my classroom?" he asked harshly. Even the teachers treat me differently. "And did you finally go and get that demonic tattoo removed?" he added. Maria froze. The class was listening attentively; she was sure of it. She did not answer and continued her work. Suddenly, her hoodie was pulled back and her face was revealed to the entire class. The purple bruise became more visible and her cheek was swelling up. "What the hell happened?" he screeched. The students began whispering to each other. "Quiet everyone, Jefferson, go get that bruise treated at the nurse's office," he added. Maria immediately stood up, gathering her things and leaving as fast as she could from the humiliation.

She pulled her hoodie over her head once more as she walked down the empty hallways to the nurse's office. She did not look where she was going and knocked a guy on his shoulder. "Sorry!" she exclaimed as she passed, no mood for conversation. This day was so horrible.

Maria soon found herself being treated by the nurse. The nurse was the only kind one to her in the whole school. Mrs. Brown dabbed the bruise lightly and looked at the glassy expression in Maria's brown eyes.

"What happened this time?" she asked gently. Maria sighed but her face showed no change in expression whatsoever.

"Those seniors ganged up on me at the bus station," she muttered. "I couldn't be a chicken, Mrs. Brown! I had to fight back!" she exclaimed furiously.

"And look what happened to you," she sighed. "Well, life's full of problems, dear. What about that tattoo? Did your aunt and uncle try to…?"

"No, it wouldn't remove. I don't know why," Maria pulled up her sleeve to look at the tattoo on the inner part of her left forearm. It looked so creepy. "It's behaving like a scar," she mumbled. "And it used to be black before. Now it's faint and not so black anymore. It used to burn. You remember."Mrs. Brown sighed.

"Alright, it's recess. Just go get a snack and head to class. Don't get into any fights. Forget about the scar a bit," she advised. Maria smiled and thanked Mrs. Brown before leaving her office. She pulled her sleeve back down and headed to her building.

The sun was shining brightly in the sky. The school building was as dull as usual, even under the brightest of days. It was English class, in 11th grade. Maria walked into the classroom, feeling so messed up. She barely got any sleep and her temper was getting on everyone's nerves. Even her dear aunt and uncle had to suffer her wrath every morning.

She sat in her English class, dark circles under her eyes. She wanted to sleep but no one could see just how exhausted she was. Her nightmare-filled nights kept her awake. She was having vivid dreams about a snake-like man and pain. She would wake up, beads of sweat on her forehead, pillow drenched with tears and her blanket floating in midair. Maria thought it was a ghost at first, holding up her blanket in the air like that but later she realized that it was her own doing. She was making the blanket float.

Mrs. Pike, the English teacher began teaching. It was 9 o'clock in the morning when Maria felt a small tingling sensation on her forearm. She shrugged it off as one of those normal numbness feelings. But the tingling sensation did not stop. Instead it increased to a burn that shot through her veins at full speed. Maria gasped and looked around the class but no one was paying so much attention to her. She slowly pulled up her sleeve; the tattoo was jet black and she felt like she was burning inside. She stood up to leave when the burning increased again and caused her to fall on the floor, shaking…

Rhea Sunders stood waiting for Maria outside the classroom. "I heard you got purple again," she said without much of a greeting. Maria grunted in response and folded her arms across her chest. Rhea pulled back her auburn hair and tied it into a bun. She studied Maria's immobile figure through her glasses. "You need to sleep."

"As always," Maria muttered. "Nothing's changed this summer," she added. People still treated her in the same way, a freak. She still had one friend. She still was single and she still was having some weird abilities. "I want to quit school."

"I doubt that's going to happen. Hey, freak, how was your summer?" Jake Masterson, the head of the football team, asked. He stood beside Rhea, his black hair sweaty, green eyes ogling Rhea. Maria rolled her eyes.

"You're full of shit, you know that, Masterson?" Maria asked. Jake grinned like the fool he was. Maria did not flinch as he approached her and stood right in front of her, his breath almost tickling her.

"Jefferson, when are you going to learn? You will never fit in here," he said.

"No good comeback. I see," she commented, shoving past him and entering the classroom.

"Hey, I'm not done talking to you," Jake protested, following her to the classroom. He grabbed her arm and twirled her around to face him. They both did not notice the two students sitting in the classroom.

"What do you want from me? Leave me alone!" she snapped, yanking her hand away. She rubbed the spot where he gripped her hard and continued walking to her seat. Jake leaned on her table as she sat down, a nonchalant look on his too annoying face.

"Keep this in mind, Jefferson. You will always be the freak of the school. You and your silly witchcraft voodoo or whatever they call it," he explained in a low tone. Maria heard a chair shifting slightly across the floor. Before she realized what she was doing, she spat on Jake's face.

"There's my magic. Now, try and shove it up your ass if you can," she answered. He looked angry but he did not hit her. Jake turned around and left the classroom. Maria smirked under her hoodie and leaned back on her chair.

"That was quite a show," she heard from the other side of the classroom. The person's accent was British.

Maria turned to her left to see two guys sitting together, looking confused. "Urm, I guess," she muttered uncertainly. One of them chuckled slightly. The other rolled his eyes. "If you're here to also make fun of me, I'm not in the mood right now, so take a number," she explained.

"We're new. We're not here to make fun of people," one said. "I'm Blaise. This is my mate, Draco," Blaise was dark in complexion. His eyes were dark brown and his voice was husky. Maria did not reply. She thought it was safer not to. Maybe they're playing a trick on me. However, when she turned to Draco, she was suddenly dazed. He had the most beautiful grey eyes she had ever seen. They showed no expression though, just a hint of fear. She could read them because they were the same as how she would look at herself in the mirror and stare into her expressionless eyes. They were almost the same. Draco stared at her with the same interest. She blinked and looked away.

"Maybe it is better I don't say my name. You'll find out at the end of the day. People will be calling someone a freak. That's me," she muttered and turned to face the front of the classroom. Why is it so hot in here? She breathed out.

"Why do you wear your hoodie like that?" Draco asked. Maria turned to them again.

"Because I want to," she replied. Draco smirked and turned to face the class. Why did he smirk? Did I do something? She pressed her lips into a thin line and turned as well. Students began filing into the classroom. The biology teacher, Mr. Reynolds, was entering too. His hands were piled with books.

"Hello class, take your seats," he cast a glare in Maria's direction. "Ah, Ms. Jefferson, I see you haven't changed this summer," he explained. Maria leaned back on her chair in a relaxed manner.

"Good to see you too, sir," she said the 'sir' as if it was something vile in her mouth. He hid back a snort.

"Remove your hoodie," he instructed.

"No sir, she got blown in the face again!" Thomas Smith exclaimed. Maria turned to look at him when she caught Draco's eye. He was staring intently at her. She felt slightly uncomfortable. I never felt like this before. Why did she feel like this all of a sudden and with a newcomer?

"You got blown in the face? Interesting way to start your new year," Mr. Reynolds muttered. "We have two new students."

Maria knew who he was talking about. She kept her face turned away from them when they introduced themselves. There was something about them that frightened her especially Draco. It was as if she knew him from somewhere. But she did not know where.

The class was like always. Mr. Reynolds gave really snide remarks at times. At the end of the lesson, Maria sped out of the class, eager to end the day and go home. Rhea was standing outside. She had a bright smile on her face. "You'll never guess! There are two new students and they're freaking hot!" she exclaimed but did not notice 'the two new students' coming out of the class. She blushed crimson as they passed. Maria chuckled.

"They're English, Rhea."

"I know, the accent is just a bonus," she was so giddy. Maria shook her head as they headed for lunch.

Draco and Blaise were sitting at their own table in the cafeteria. Maria sat with Rhea and watched them with fascination. They were sitting with disgusted looks on their faces, repulsed, as a matter-of-fact. They did not get any food. They just sat there, barely acknowledging anyone who wanted to interact with them. Then what are they doing here? Rhea caught Maria staring.

"Okay, don't stare so much. They might notice."

"I'm just curious, that's all," Maria absentmindedly played with her food. Perhaps she was not the only outcast anymore. She smiled to herself but did not realize her plate was floating in midair.

"Maria," Rhea muttered. She turned to Rhea. "Maria, concentrate. Your plate is floating!" She gasped and the plate fell back on the table with a loud clang. The whole lunchroom must have heard that. Draco and Blaise were staring at her. But they were not mocking her. It was like they clearly understood. She could not be sure. "What's wrong with you? I thought you learnt how to control that magic of yours," Rhea whispered as the students erupted into murmurs. Maria shrugged.

"Lost train of thought, I guess," she muttered. She adjusted the hoodie over her head and began eating her untouched food. Rhea sighed and attended to hers.

Lunch finished fast and the next subject on the timetable was chemistry. Rhea and Maria headed to the lab hastily.

"Honestly, Jefferson, your partner is not that bad," Rhea said uncertainly.

"He's not! He stopped chemistry because of being paired up with me, Rhea. Look, I'm going to do this experiment alone," Maria replied and headed to her bench. She stared at the beakers lined up and ready to use. She could not do this alone right now. Stupid life, she thought furiously. After wearing her lab coat, she opened her notebook and began writing the instructions when she heard someone sitting beside her, a book dropping lightly on the table. Maria slowly looked up to meet the mesmerizing grey eyes she was desperately trying to stop seeing.

"Hi, I'm your new chemistry partner," he muttered uncertainly. Stupid English accent, she thought. Maria nodded, hiding her burning face inside her hoodie. He chuckled.

"Okay, what's so funny, Malfoy?" she asked, frustrated.

"I'm just fascinated by you, Jefferson," he stated, a smirk forming on his lips. "I find you amusing."

"First person to say that," she mumbled. "Alright, let's start the experiment." Immediately, his smirk disappeared and was replaced with a frown. "What's wrong? Are you afraid of chemicals?" She handed him an extra lab coat. He held it slightly but she could see the effort he was putting to not look disgusted by it.

"What's an experiment?" he asked. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "And what are chemicals?" She did not want to laugh. He reminded her of her first day in America when she had no idea what a pen was or what mathematics was. It was completely humiliating so she chose to not spread anything. She was not heartless. So, she decided to play along.

"Well, the teacher has given us some solutions and he has written the question on the board, telling us what to do. This," she handed him a beaker filled with some hydrochloric acid, "Is hydrochloric acid. We have to add it to the other solution which is sodium hydroxide to make a neutralization reaction." Draco had a thoughtful expression on his face. "This is just the basics, by the way."

"Wow, then I'm bloody doomed. But it's alright; this seems a bit like potions." Maria looked at him, eyes wide again. Did he just say potions? A spark of recognition ignited within her and she found herself replying.

"Yes, exactly like potions."