Chapter Three

Shiromy gasped and stumbled away from him, consequently crashing unceremoniously onto Jade's desk, bottom first.

Jesse crossed his arms and tried to hold back a grin, while she briskly seated herself next to her friends, trying to shut out the laughter of her peers (who had no doubt, taken notice of the whole sequence).

"Uh, Thanks," he sniggered teasingly. " Mornin' to you too Garson! Hmm, it's nice to…"

"Don't, Ingram- can't you see? She's embarrassed already!" Philomena hissed at him, coming to her flustered friend's defence.

He snorted at these words and threw an amused glance at Shiromy, eyes still dancing with unexpressed laughter.

Without another word, he sat right next to her and was soon flocked by his friends and the rest of the female population of the class.

Cursing herself silently, Shiromy wished she had said something smooth rather than acting the tumbling idiot.

"Where are all those blasted one- liners when you need them?" she pondered, adjusting her glasses and trying to appear calm and collected. If she were a few shades lighter than her own complexion, he would have had the additional delight of seeing her blush crimson.

Glancing at her friends, she realised that they shared her embarrassment. Shiromy sighed and stared at her desk. So much for her wonderful plans…

…………

"Goddess, he looks hotter than ever," whispered Philomena as they walked away from the classroom, ignoring the jeers their classmates gave Shiromy. School was over for the day.

"Oooh I would've thrown myself at him! He was standing so close to you Romy, so close!" squeaked Jade, shaking her elegant chestnut bangs, hazel eyes bright with excitement.

Shiromy glared at her.

"Do you know how…" a pause as Jesse strode past them with his friends, chuckling and turning to give her a two- fingered salute. "…humiliating that was! Actually, 'humiliating' is an understatement." she finished, exhaling sharply.

All throughout the school day, she was forced to pay minimal attention to what was being discussed in class. This was due to the fact that Jesse had gone into the trouble of ensuring that he was seated beside her in every lesson. And maybe also because he had bestowed various suggestive winks and smiles on her every so often…

"He must've known that I could not help looking at him," she thought.

Shiromy watched her friends gawk at the subject of her musings cruising swiftly down the road in his car, stereo thumping infectiously. She looked away and at once, realised something.

"Guys, he has a Ferrari now. Maybe I…"

"Go easy on him Rom, it's not as if you're…"

"Bah! I always have to be the piggy in the middle don't I?" Shiromy retorted.

"…deadset on getting another truckload of detentions this year. We are seniors now and you should behave more…"

"Whatever you say, Miss Perfect Prefect, I'll still…"

"For goodness sake, you're the one who ends up in trouble anyway!" tweeted an annoyed Jade. "Romy, you have to let him go," she pleaded to no avail. Her aggravated friend marched off to the bus- top and stood away from them.

Jade sighed and looked at Philomena. "What are we gonna do Phil? I feel so sorry for her. She has been bearing all these harrowing feelings for too long and…"

"I've got it!" whispered Philomena, energetically. "Let's set her up with Sanjo! He'd always kinda liked her you know!"

Jade looked a little sceptical and reluctant.

"But he's an Old Soul…" she began.

"…And she only thinks of him as a friend. I think." Philomena added, starting to look unsure herself. "If only we were part of the Nightworld. Who knows? Maybe we could've even found our Soulmates by now. Poor old Romy wouldn't be wasting herself on…you know who," she concluded quietly.

Her friend sneaked a suspicious look at them; remains of a dark frown still lingering cloudily on her face.

"I heard that Phil. I heard the words 'Nightworld' and 'Soulmate'.  What makes you think that our soulmates will be Nightworlders? I thought you of all people, would know that they could just as easily be humans! Imagine Jade in her bird form, singing her little heart out for her um…pleasantly surprised boyfriend. Ohhhh, how quaint!"

Shiromy's friends were glad. Her old cynicism had returned; the sulkiness miraculously vanquished.

"Well- since you're yourself now and not a vicious vamp, we can catch the bus safely without fearing you'll drain everyone out," kidded Philomena, dodging Shiromy's slinging palm.

As they got on the bus and chatted on the way home, Shiromy's friends did not hear what she was keenly thinking.

"I'll get you yet," she gravely decided.

~ I won't be broken again ~

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