Eric Johnson sighed. It had been a long day. A new student to teach, and he already had a bad feeling. Of course, that's the natural response to seeing someone like that.

Eric shuddered as he remembered the scars on her face. Of course, she had told everyone about her car accident. But it still scared him. It wasn't just the scars. It was HER. Those eyes of hers… He shivered. She scared him, to say the least. She was one of the students he placed in the 'trouble' category from the start.

He sighed. Tomorrow was her first day there. He hoped nothing would happen…

He shook his head, trying to clear it. There was no way this student was any different from the others. And none of the other teachers seemed to even notice her, or her scars. A small pity look here and there, but that was it.

He turned out the light. Time would tell…

"Rosa…?"

Eric looked at the new student. Her cold eyes looked at him, her scarred face adding a strange look to how she seemed to him. "Yes, Mr. Johnson?"

Eric hid a shiver. "Could you do problem nine?"

Rosa looked at the book with those cold blue eyes, and Eric was relieved to get them off of him. That relief was short lived, however, as she looked back up. "I think so." She replied.

Eric nodded. He stood to the side as she crossed over to the board. She wrote the problem down quickly, and finished it in less time.

She turned to him. "Is that right?" She asked the high school teacher.

Eric nodded. "Correct."

Rosa walked back to her desk. Her eyes had a faraway look to them.

Eric hid another shiver and continued with the class.

At lunch a few hours later, Eric came out of his classroom. Everyone was wearing winter coats, shivering and complaining that their noses were freezing. He smiled.

He turned his head, and there she was. She was standing there, her eyes cold. But that seemed to be the only thing that WAS cold. She was wearing a tee-shirt and jeans, a sweater tied around her waist. She looked like she would be comfortable in a blizzard with nothing but shorts and a tee-shirt. She was staring at something behind him.

Eric turned around. Behind him, the new substitute teacher, Mr. Black, taking care of Mrs. Anderson's classroom while she was out sick, was standing there. His arms were crossed, his eyes locked on the student across the lunch area.

Rosa's blue eyes were locked on Mr. Black's. He'd never mentioned a first name. Just… Mr. Black.

A shiver ran down Eric's spine. He had the feeling these two knew each other, but he didn't know where from.

He shook his head, trying to clear it. He was probably just paranoid. Normal people didn't go around finding hidden meanings in every look that was shared between two people.

Eric flicked off the light and set his head on his pillow. He tried not to think about that conversation he'd overheard after school that day. But he couldn't help it. He was curious.

SEVEN HOURS EARLIER

"So?" Eric heard Rosa's voice come through the door. HE froze. He had to keep going, but something held him back.

"So what?" The voice of Mr. Black answered her.

"Who is it?" Rosa's voice was cold and hard.

"Who is what?"

Eric could almost see Rosa roll her eyes. "You know what I meant, idiot. Who's the special?"

"I have no idea what you mean." Mr. Black responded, fake innocence sounding in his voice.

Rosa snorted. "You know as well as I do that no one's listening. Cut out the act. It's annoying."

Mr. Black sighed, as though he was patiently explaining something to a small child for the thousandth time. "It's not an act, 'Rosa.'"

Rosa sighed, clearly annoyed. "Fine. Whatever. If you want to keep up your little act-and that's exactly what it is, thank you very much- then you can keep it. See if I care."

There was silence, and Eric dared to look through the small window on the door. Mr. Black was smiling, looking at Rosa, who was fuming, furious. Her dark ocean-blue eyes were hard as diamonds, glittering with anger. Eric ducked down before those eyes could rest on him.

"If you must know," Mr. Black finally replied. "I don't know who it is."

"Really?" Rosa's tone was sarcastic. "Then why are you HERE?"

Eric could hear the shrug in Mr. Black's voice. "I know they're HERE, I just don't know who it is."

"Well THAT makes sense." Rosa said, the sarcasm still layered on thickly.

Mr. Black's voice darkened. "Careful, 'Rosa.' You are treading on thin ice."

"As are you, Watch Boy. " Rosa didn't sound at all scared, though Mr. Black's voice had sent shivers up Eric's spine.

Eric peeked in the window in time to see Mr. Black roll his eyes. "Don't call me that, 'Rosa.' As far as you know, it's Mr. Black."

"Whatever, 'Mr. Black.'"

Mr. Black nodded, his dark eyes shining. "Whoever it is, they're powerful. I can feel it."

Rosa rolled her eyes, brushing her short blonde hair back. "Yeah, yeah. Because it's all about power. That's all you care about."

"As a matter of fact, yes. It is."

Rosa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, until Elle came along."

Mr. Black's eyes went hard, and Eric realized that Rosa had just gone where people should never go with Mr. Black. "Shut up, Rosa."

"Make me, Mr. Black. Elle Elle Elle ELLE!"

Mr. Black's eyes were burning with angry flames as they stared at the girl. "Very childish, Rosa. I'd kill you now, but I can't be bothered."

Rosa rolled her eyes, but sighed. "You know, much as I hate to say it, you're right. But I'm sick of you going there with my family." Her eyes met his, ice to flame. "You probably shouldn't do that."

Mr. Black rolled his eyes and went towards the door. Eric started walking down the hall, as though he'd heard nothing.

SEVEN HOURS LATER

Eric couldn't get the small girl out of his head. Her eyes, her scars, everything about her screamed DANGEROUS. She looked like she'd seen the world destroyed, like she'd been unable to stop it from happening. She was strange like that.

The next day, Rosa was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, though it was obvious that it annoyed her. She seemed to love the cold outside, as though it was the only thing keeping her alive.

She was sitting alone at a table, but that status changed when a dark-haired boy sat next to her. Eric didn't catch any of the conversation, but it seemed that they were laughing a lot.

"Hi." The boy had said.

'Rosa' looked at him. "Hi."

"This seat taken?"

Rosa shook her head. "All yours."

The boy smiled and sat down before extending his hand. "I'm John."

"Rosa." She took his hand and shook it.

John smiled. "You sit alone a lot?"

Rosa smiled and shook her head. "I just came here. I didn't really have a chance to make friends."

John looked at her, a strange twinkle in his eye that made Rosa smile. "Well, that status has changed." He promised. "Friends?"

Rosa chuckled. "Trust me. You don't want to be my friend." Though she said it with laughter in her voice, her eyes betrayed her sadness.

John smiled, the twinkle returning in his eye. "I think I do."

Rosa shrugged. "If you want to risk it." She told him, smiling.

John nodded. "I think I do." He repeated.

Rosa smiled. It had been so long since she'd even had a friend…

Across the room, Mr. Black glared at the boy next to Rosa. This could be used to his advantage. This boy was not invincible.

As Kate Mendez would soon find out.

A/N: Of course it's Kate. Who else WOULD it be?