Guardians - 2.
You wish you had decided to come down for dinner last night instead of just inhaling your leftover travel snacks and crashing out. Now you have some built up anxiety over something as simple as going downstairs for breakfast. It's weird how even the smallest things can affect you when you're in a new environment.
It's now or never, though, because if you leave it much longer you'll be too anxious to go at all. You can't exactly just live in your new bedroom for the rest of your education. Although that does sound pretty relaxing compared to what you just walked into.
Around 2 dozen sets of eyes land on you, most people stopping mid bite just to get a good look at the new girl. Your face heats up and you just know there's a blush covering your skin. You hate that you're so easily embarrassed. You also hate that you're being ogled like a new attraction in the zoo. The shiny new toy in the playroom. Why is it that common decency flies out of the window in this kind of situation?
Whatever. You can do this. Right? Just walk over there and get your damn breakfast and take it to a table. It's so simple. No big deal and yet, you're not moving. It's like your legs don't know how to work anymore. Traitors.
A tray is thrust into your hands before you can object. You don't know what surprises you more, the fact that it's exactly what you would have ordered for yourself, or that it's Lena who hands it to you. She doesn't say anything to you, hell she barely looks at you before stalking away from you with a scowl that you're somehow already accustomed to. You're not even given a chance to thank her.
You walk to an empty table, choosing not to sit at the one that Lena is occupying with Sam. It'd be too awkward. Especially after last night. Most people go back to their business once you sit down, but you still feel like someone is watching you and a glance behind you confirms that Sam and Lena are still looking your way.
You think that you've maybe offended them by choosing to sit by yourself, but who could blame you after their weird moods last night. You try not to worry about it, instead choosing to focus your attention on the french toast in front of you. Telling yourself not to worry and actually doing so are two different things, though. At least it's Saturday, and you don't have classes to worry about yet.
You decide to get out of here for a little bit, fresh air would be nice and it makes sense to check out more of the town. You bail as soon as you've finished breakfast, feeling eyes follow you as you leave the dining hall. A few students stare at you as you pass them, their eyes widening for reasons you can't understand. Anxiety builds in your chest, and you're glad you have a thick hoodie tied around your waist and don't need to go back upstairs for a jacket. You need to get out of here fast.
You can't even put your finger on what it is that makes you feel so uneasy, but it drives your feet forward until you burst through the heavy front doors. The early morning air casts a nice chill on your skin and you take a deep breath, attempting to calm yourself. You walk down the long driveway, focusing on the gravel crunching on your feet and counting each step you take.
It takes several moments for the heavy weight inside your chest to disappear and you stop, glancing back at the school in the distance. You don't remember the driveway being this long. The iron gates up ahead are open and you determinedly walk towards them, it can't be a coincidence that you feel calmer once you reach them.
There's static in the air as you walk through them, the hair on your neck and arms rising as goosebumps appear on your exposed skin. You swear you're being watched, but you can't see anyone around.
You quicken your pace, glancing around at the thick forest on either side of you. You'd probably find Shadow Hill beautiful if you weren't so damn creeped out by the place. With a sigh, you pull your cell phone from your pocket and speed dial a familiar number, waiting impatiently for the call to be picked up.
"Danvers! About time! I've been trying to call you all morning." Winn, your closest friend from NCU, sounds almost panicked and it makes you frown. You quickly remove your cell from your ear, not seeing any missed calls. You place it back to your ear.
"I don't think there's a great reception on school grounds," you say as way of apology. "I've been kind of distracted, I was meaning to call you last night."
"I was just worried, that's all. I'm glad you called. How is it?" You sigh at the question, wrinkling your nose and glancing around you as you slowly edge your way into town.
"Quiet," you say. "A little weird, and I think everyone hates me."
"That's, like, impossible. You're just nervous and out of sorts, Kara. It's only been a day." Winn has a point, and it kind of pains you to admit it. "Seriously, dude, you'll be fine once you've settled into classes. It's me you should worry about. I think I might actually die of boredom without you here. James is super lame."
"He's not lame," you laugh, "he's just different from you. Not everyone is a computer nerd," you tease. "It's gonna be weird being so far away from you guys. Can you just promise not to kill each other while I'm gone? I'd really appreciate having some friends to come back to." You're mostly joking, but there's a part of you that knows it will be hard being away from them.
"I think we both know I couldn't hurt him even if he had both hands tied behind his back. I've seen tanks smaller than him." You smile, shaking your head at Winn's antics. You had known he would make you feel better with minimal effort. He could always help ease your anxiety. "Where are you?"
"Shadow Hill," you say without missing a beat. You can almost hear Winn's eyeroll. "Um…" you look around at the dingy town, deciding to head towards main street. It's your first proper look at your new, if temporary, home. The wooden buildings look outdated, like something out of the old movies your adopted dad used to watch. The storefront windows are dusty, almost impossible to look through. Where in the ever living hell has Coach Grant sent you?
"Kara, are you still there?" You wince, having almost forgotten you were on a call.
"Center of town, I think. It's like a ghost town." You try to ignore the fact that you haven't seen one damn person yet. At this point you're fully expecting some tumbleweed.
"Is there a bar? Did you pack the ID I made for you?"
"Yes to both," you murmur, frowning as you gaze around the empty street. You walk towards the bar, assuming there's gonna be at least someone in there. The line crackles. "You're starting to break up, Winn." You wait a beat, your brow crinkling when there's no response. "Winn?" A groan leaves your throat and you slide your cell phone back into your pocket. This town is really turning out to be an inconvenience
You take your fake ID out of your pocket as you get closer to the bar, rolling your eyes at the god awful picture that Winn had chosen. It's perfectly made, but the picture makes you curse him a little bit whenever you use it. At least you only need it for another year. You slip it back in your pocket, deciding it's a little too early for alcohol.
The outside of the bar looks like the rest of the town, dull and run down; like it has been derelict for years. You take a deep breath and push open the creaky door, instantly being slammed with a wall of sound. Country music that you don't recognize fills the air. So loud it only allows some of the conversations from the dozens of people within the bar to filter through to you.
Nobody seems to notice you, they're all far too distracted by some kind of game going on at the back of the bar. You don't recognize it, and the sheer amount of cowboy hats is seriously throwing you off.
You hate theme bars.
With a sigh, you weave through the crowd until you reach the bar. The bartender is at least dressed normally, a tank top and jeans, and it's not an unwelcome sight. It doesn't seem like she's thinking the same about you, though, not with the way her eyes narrow as you approach.
"You're new," she says. It's not a question. You nod, unsure of what to say and confused by her wariness. "I'm Lucy," she offers.
"Kara," you say. You don't miss the fact that she's staring at you, and you're starting to wonder if you have something in your teeth.
"Nice tat," Lucy says. She gestures to the side of your head, and you can't read her expression but you don't think it's good. You don't have any tattoos, and you start to think that Lucy has been drinking her profits. "I haven't seen one of those in a while," Lucy adds. She moves her dark hair out the way and shows you a small tattoo behind her ear, some kind of celtic symbol. "You're really not supposed to be here, though." There's an admonishment within Lucy's tone that you don't quite understand.
"Most schools prefer their students don't drink. It's not exactly unheard of for the rule to be ignored," you shrug. Lucy frowns at you, seemingly confused. "Can I just have water please?" You keep your tone light, polite. Lucy watches you for a moment, her head tilting as she studies you.
"Good choice. That symbol means more than any stupid school rule." Lucy moves away from you before you can muster up any kind of response. Your hand moves to your ear, fingers trailing over the soft skin behind it. You frown, realizing it feels more sensitive than it should.
You use the front facing camera on your cell phone as a makeshift mirror, blowing out a breath you didn't realize you were holding when you don't see anything out of the usual. You rub the skin, tilting your phone to get a better angle. You assume you've bumped your head in the middle of the night or something. You don't know what you were expecting; a tattoo to have just randomly appeared on your skin? That's ridiculous.
You sigh, telling yourself to chill the hell out. You play around on your cell phone whilst you wait on your water, tapping on google maps to check how far away you are from school. The signal is still absent, though, and you realize you're in some kind of dead zone.
You hate the way panic rises within you. You've always been like this, unable to be comfortable in a new place if you don't have a visible escape route. Your sister never understood it, but it's not something you can help. It's just how you are. Your brain just seems to hate you sometimes.
A glass of water is placed in front of you, and you instantly grab it. You take small sips, forcing your breathing to regulate itself. Your mind is a muddled whirlwind, truly unable to find comfort in your new situation.
"You okay?" Lucy's voice filters through the anxious fog, her hand landing on top of yours. You flinch, but don't pull your hand away. The touch seems to ground you, pulling you back to the surface. You lift your gaze to meet Lucy's, but she doesn't return it. Her eyes are closed and she murmuring something to herself. You don't understand it.
You feel a little calmer, but you can't quite shake the bad feeling you have about this town. You can't even explain it, something just feels off. Your gut is usually right about this sort of thing.
"I'm fine," you lie. Lucy is the only person currently interested in speaking to you in this town, you don't want to scare her off by saying too much. Lucy doesn't look convinced in the slightest, but you're grateful when she doesn't push it. "What is there to do around here?" you ask, mostly just to distract yourself.
"It's best to stay on school grounds," Lucy says. You don't understand the emphasis, but you let her continue, your curiosity getting the best of you. "It's better there. So are the people." You want to question Lucy further, but the sudden appearance of Lena beside you almost stops your heart. Where the fuck did she come from?
"I'll drive you back," Lena says. She's not offering, she's telling. Green eyes focus on you, and it feels like they're piercing your soul. "How long?" Lena briefly turns her attention to Lucy.
"Twenty minutes." Lucy's response causes Lena to set her jaw, teeth grinding in a way that can't be comfortable. She holds out her hand to you, willing you to leave the bar with her. You don't understand the sudden urge to do exactly as Lena says, but you find yourself fumbling through your pockets for money so you can leave. "Your money's no good here," Lucy says, waving you off. She laughs to herself, as though enjoying a private joke.
"Come on," Lena urges. You allow your hands to join, and frown at the way she pulls you through the crowd. None of the patrons even seem to notice her barging past them. The fresh air is a relief against your skin. "Get in," Lena tells you. It sounds like an order, and you really don't understand why she sounds so pissed at you. Again.
"I didn't realize free will was against the rules at Shadow Hill," you snark, snatching your hand out of Lena's grasp. She smirks at this, impressed that you've shown a little bit of backbone. "I can make my own way back," you say, suddenly feeling emboldened.
"It's not safe here, not right now," Lena tells you. "Can you maybe trust that I know more about this town than you do?" There's a desperate edge to her voice that you didn't expect, and you're now even more suspicious.
"What happens in twenty minutes?" you ask, still not making any movement towards Lena's car. Lena sighs, her hand running through her hair as she throws a wary glance towards the bar.
"Something that will take longer than twenty minutes to explain. Can you please get in the damn car so I can get you out of here?" Lena's eyes are fixed on yours, wide and concerned. "I'll tell you anything you want once you're in the car." Damn it. Lena has now made you feel too nervous to stay here and she has the audacity to perk your curiosity.
"Fine." You relent and climb into the front passenger seat, rolling your eyes at the way Lena closes the door for you. You wish people would stop acting so weird and inconsistent around you. It's unnerving and, honestly, annoying as hell.
The back of your ear tingles when Lena joins you in the car and you notice that Lena is rubbing the same spot on her own body.
You don't miss the small tattoo before her hair falls back into place.