KT'S POV

What happened this morning?

Did I seriously kiss Fabian?

Did he seriously kiss me?
I keep trying to tell myself that it was nothing. Fabian was upset so he kissed me to… I don't know, relieve his stress. I'm friends with him. That's all.

On the other hand, maybe I can't get it out of my head because it did mean something to me. Maybe I can't get forget about it because I'm not supposed to. Was there something behind the kiss?

I am racking my brain throughout the class. My head is spinning and I feel dizzy. My parents were right - love really is a game. You never know if you're a piece discarded, sitting in the box, waiting for the right player to pick you, or if you're in the game, moving along the board, making your way towards the finish.

Am I a game piece? Or am I still waiting? Even the game pieces are still just 'pieces in the game.' We're all being played, and we can't choose our paths. Our paths are chosen for us.

Just to clarify, I'm completely, utterly confused.

I like Fabian. He's so sweet, kind, smart, and cute, I guess. But I just don't know if I can see us being together. After all we've been through, being with him I feel would just create tension between us, a significant awkwardness that causes distractions. We wouldn't be focused on Sibuna. And, what if we were to break up? Then what would happen? Our closeness would dissolve, fade into nothingness. We'd go our separate ways and it would be exquisitely difficult to be around each other.

On the other hand, we don't know unless we try.

I want to talk to Patricia. She and Eddie, I'm fully aware, have suffered through ups and downs, probably more than any couple I've ever come to know. But the two of them have this connection between them. It's something so special, so perfect, it can't be broken. It can't be taken away. To me, it seems like the ones most broken are the ones who love the most. I see how they look at each other, how they care for one another. They truly, deeply, love each other - even if they will never admit it.

I want a bond like theirs - something so powerful it can't be revoked. I want to know what Patricia feels makes her and Eddie so special. Do I have a bond like that with Fabian?

Although, come to think of it, where is Patricia? Or Eddie? I assume that Patricia has taken an ill Eddie back to Anubis, though there is no way to be sure.

I manage to suffer through another few periods until French. Madame Kahn has a nice way to end the day. He bland speeches send me into daydreams where I can relax and think. Please. I speak French fluently. It's not like I have to pay attention.

That is, until, the unexpected happens.

Madame Kahn is rambling on about French grammatical patterns when a girl walks into the room. She looks younger than a high school student, about 13 or 14, so it seems out of place for her to be here. She has this vibrant look to her, almost as if she brightens everyone's day just by being here. Her straight copper hair cascades down her shoulders and chocolate brown eyes stare at our class, complimented by a bright smile.

"Hi! Um, I'm Cassidy. I'm sort of lost, I think. I'm not exactly good with maps," the girl says to Madame.

Madame raises an eyebrow. "How old are you?"

"13, ma'am."

"Then you must be extremely lost. This is the high school premise of the campus. The middle school section is on the other side of the building."

"Oh, ha, actually, you see, I am in high school."

I'm pretty sure everyone in the class is laughing on the inside… as they cackle and howl on the outside.

"I mean I have an eidetic memory. I remember everything from 2 years old and up… so I am graduating a lot earlier than expected."

"Yeah, she's lost," a boy in the back calls out. "Hey, ginger, America's that way!" He points behind himself.

"Watch it, snotbag," Cassidy snaps.

"Ooh, I'm terrified, little girl's gonna hurt me! Someone, call the teletubbies! This girl needs backup!"

Cassidy sneers at the boy and faces Madame with a smile as if the argument never happened.

Madame Kahn grins brightly at Cassidy with that model-like jaw. "You'll want to head down to Mr. Sweet's office. KT there will take you."

"S-Sweet?"

"Yes, dear, he's the principal of this boarding school."

"Oh." I see a lump form in Cassidy's throat.

I rise to escort Cassidy to Sweetie's office. Cassidy follows me, but not before taking one good, long gaze at Madame.

"Have we met?" she asks after a few moments of silent staring.

Madame smiles, but there's something behind her grey eyes. "Well, I think I would remember a… pretty girl like you, dear."

I watch Madame. When she lowers her gaze, I think the light hits her eyes oddly because I swear her eyes flicker red momentarily.