Part 4
Viola was more nervous than she could remember being in a long time. She hadn't been in crowds of people for such a long time. She just hoped she could pull the act off enough.
She wished she knew what Taylor's classes were, then she could at least be with someone she knew, even if it was only his name.
~Oh knock it off,~ she told herself. ~Falling in love is bad - bad!~
She tried to cling onto the thought as sort of a wake up call to remind her what had happened when she had fallen in love with Aubrey Redfern. He'd even made her change her name!
A thought struck her and she wondered if she should change it again when she signed in at the high school. But then again, she had already told Taylor her name was Viola Redfern. He might think it was strange that she was changing it. What if he wanted to know why? What would she tell him?
She looked up at the front of the school, taking a deep breath before heading up the steps. There was nobody around, so classes must have already started. She found the reception without much trouble. Brainwashing the secretary wasn't hard, the easiest way for her to get around having no ID papers.
She was escorted to her first class, the pit of nervousness in her stomach growing. What if she was dressed all wrong and they laughed at her? She was starting to regret her choice, but before she could turn around and run she found herself in front of a classroom full of strangers.
A girl who looked like a Harman witch caught her eye. She had the pale gold hair and the violet eyes that were supposed to be traits of the famous witch family. Another girl sitting near by her was wearing a black iris on her necklace. Black irises were symbols of the lamia, the born vampires. Viola herself wore earrings in the shape of black roses, the symbols of made vampires.
She couldn't see Taylor. The two Night People were studying her with interest. She found a seat near by them. She realised she was disappointed Taylor wasn't there.
But her disappointment was short lived. Class ended shortly. The vampire girl gestured for her to follow them.
"You're new, aren't you?" she said.
"Yeah, I got here the other day." Viola wasn't much for small talk. Aubrey hadn't picked her for talk, he'd only chosen her because she looked good.
"Why here?" the Harman girl asked. "Nothing ever happens here."
Exactly why Viola had chosen to come here in the first place. She shrugged. "It sounded nice." Lame, but true. "I'm Viola Redfern," she offered finally.
"Coral Galena, that's Nerissa Harman."
Nerissa was looking at her in a calculating, evaluating way, which made Viola nervous.
"What have you got next?" Coral asked, breaking an uncomfortable silence.
Viola found her schedule, relieved when Coral offered to show her where class was. As they headed down the halls it became clear that Nerissa was the key figure here. Everyone seemed to know who she was.
And Nerissa - she acted as if their attention and admiration was something she *deserved*.
"Well, I'll see you at lunch," she said with a toss of that perfect gold hair. "We'll meet in the cafeteria and you can tell us everything about you."
Viola sighed. That didn't sound like much fun. At least she had some time to come up with a decent lie.
"Nerissa thinks she's God's gift to Caledonia," Coral said as they headed into the classroom. "There's only one other Night Person here, Morpheus Redfern. We sort of stick together."
Taylor had mentioned a Morpheus Redfern to her yesterday. And speaking of Taylor - there he was, walking in the door. He stopped, clearly recognising her from last night. Before he could talk to her, the teacher came in and class started.
Viola could see Coral eyeing her suspiciously.
~I'd watch out for him if I were you.~
It was Coral's voice inside Viola's head. Viola was confused. ~Why?~ she asked.
~That's Taylor Harret. He's Nerissa's human toy. She'll be pissed if you make a move on him. And on the first day in a new town pissing off the most popular girl in school might not be such a hot idea.~
~Maybe not~ Viola agreed meekly. She was disappointed again. Of course someone like Taylor would have a girlfriend. And it would be someone like Nerissa.
Viola felt her lips curve a little. Of course, there were always solutions to problems...
* * *
Viola was more nervous than she could remember being in a long time. She hadn't been in crowds of people for such a long time. She just hoped she could pull the act off enough.
She wished she knew what Taylor's classes were, then she could at least be with someone she knew, even if it was only his name.
~Oh knock it off,~ she told herself. ~Falling in love is bad - bad!~
She tried to cling onto the thought as sort of a wake up call to remind her what had happened when she had fallen in love with Aubrey Redfern. He'd even made her change her name!
A thought struck her and she wondered if she should change it again when she signed in at the high school. But then again, she had already told Taylor her name was Viola Redfern. He might think it was strange that she was changing it. What if he wanted to know why? What would she tell him?
She looked up at the front of the school, taking a deep breath before heading up the steps. There was nobody around, so classes must have already started. She found the reception without much trouble. Brainwashing the secretary wasn't hard, the easiest way for her to get around having no ID papers.
She was escorted to her first class, the pit of nervousness in her stomach growing. What if she was dressed all wrong and they laughed at her? She was starting to regret her choice, but before she could turn around and run she found herself in front of a classroom full of strangers.
A girl who looked like a Harman witch caught her eye. She had the pale gold hair and the violet eyes that were supposed to be traits of the famous witch family. Another girl sitting near by her was wearing a black iris on her necklace. Black irises were symbols of the lamia, the born vampires. Viola herself wore earrings in the shape of black roses, the symbols of made vampires.
She couldn't see Taylor. The two Night People were studying her with interest. She found a seat near by them. She realised she was disappointed Taylor wasn't there.
But her disappointment was short lived. Class ended shortly. The vampire girl gestured for her to follow them.
"You're new, aren't you?" she said.
"Yeah, I got here the other day." Viola wasn't much for small talk. Aubrey hadn't picked her for talk, he'd only chosen her because she looked good.
"Why here?" the Harman girl asked. "Nothing ever happens here."
Exactly why Viola had chosen to come here in the first place. She shrugged. "It sounded nice." Lame, but true. "I'm Viola Redfern," she offered finally.
"Coral Galena, that's Nerissa Harman."
Nerissa was looking at her in a calculating, evaluating way, which made Viola nervous.
"What have you got next?" Coral asked, breaking an uncomfortable silence.
Viola found her schedule, relieved when Coral offered to show her where class was. As they headed down the halls it became clear that Nerissa was the key figure here. Everyone seemed to know who she was.
And Nerissa - she acted as if their attention and admiration was something she *deserved*.
"Well, I'll see you at lunch," she said with a toss of that perfect gold hair. "We'll meet in the cafeteria and you can tell us everything about you."
Viola sighed. That didn't sound like much fun. At least she had some time to come up with a decent lie.
"Nerissa thinks she's God's gift to Caledonia," Coral said as they headed into the classroom. "There's only one other Night Person here, Morpheus Redfern. We sort of stick together."
Taylor had mentioned a Morpheus Redfern to her yesterday. And speaking of Taylor - there he was, walking in the door. He stopped, clearly recognising her from last night. Before he could talk to her, the teacher came in and class started.
Viola could see Coral eyeing her suspiciously.
~I'd watch out for him if I were you.~
It was Coral's voice inside Viola's head. Viola was confused. ~Why?~ she asked.
~That's Taylor Harret. He's Nerissa's human toy. She'll be pissed if you make a move on him. And on the first day in a new town pissing off the most popular girl in school might not be such a hot idea.~
~Maybe not~ Viola agreed meekly. She was disappointed again. Of course someone like Taylor would have a girlfriend. And it would be someone like Nerissa.
Viola felt her lips curve a little. Of course, there were always solutions to problems...
* * *
