Chapter 7

I found myself thinking about the demigod when I was in English reading a book I've never heard about that my class was already half finished with. A girl named Jude with black skin and black as night hair. Her eyes were heavy lidded with lots of mascara and eyeliner. She wore all black and she mistook me for someone who would enjoy cutting myself.

"You're one of the new kids right. You must be Adriana." Her voice was husky and low. She totally ignored the fact that we were supposed to be silently reading. Dr. Stone looked so sleepy that he almost looked stoned. I'm pretty sure he didn't mind that much if we whispered. He looked like he would love to just leave right now.

My eyes took in her chains and piercings. She would be so pretty if she didn't mess up her face so mush. Should I answer her, people might take me for her friend then they'll think that I'm a cutter too. I eyed her wrist wearily.

"Yeah."

Mary saved me by turning around to face me from the chair in front of me. Her blond curls bounced with the movement. She shot a warning glace at me then looked at the girl Jude.

"We aren't supposed to be talking Jennifer." She whispered fiercely at Jude.

"It's Jude."

"What ever." She turned back around giving me another warning glance. I nodded knowing that she really feared for both of our reputations. Mine was already pretty fucked up but she had that pretty princess title to keep.

Jude's dark eyes locked on my middle finger of my right hand then went back to my eyes with something that I've seen on little girls faces when they watch Hannah Montana. She looked utterly star struck.

"You…you're part of the Black Rose." She whispered but it still sounded really loud like every ones.

"Leader actually." I knew that this girl was one hundred percent human and I don't really come across fans in my line of duty.

She did something that sounded slightly like hypervenhalating. "The leader." She repeated like she couldn't believe it herself. "I'm a huuuue-g-ah fan." She explained. "My adopted brother told me many stories about you! I wrote a book about you and your group, did you know you have like bazillion websites only know one knows you are! You are really wanted you know."

"Part of the job." I shrugged.

"I'm…anything you need. I'm your girl."

I nodded my head politely and even managed a smile. "Thank you."

"That ring…does it really, you know, sicken the the soul so there is less chance of coming back again."

"I've never really asked my victims."

Jude laughed. "Do you mind if I tell my friends about you?"

"Uh." She looked like she would take my secret to the grave if I told her to. "I think it best that those who can see will see for themselves."

She nodded and the childhood hope was still glittering in her eyes.

"Didn't you see that girl? Why would you talk to her? I mean Jude, she just…She's not good company to keep." Mary looked around the crowded hallway as I swapped my English books for my map to find the gymnasium. I studied it silently as I pretended to listen to what Mary was saying.

"—she writes like gothic novels. Last year she wrote about this girl 'with eyes like a silver predator who slowly crept up behind the midnight black unicorn and slashed the horn off making the stag die until it rises again.'"

I remembered that night. That was one hell of a karkadann. Those things are huge unicorns like bigger then Mary's house huge. And they could kill with their horn but when you went to cut the horn off it sliced like butter and the thing is just gone. It was a hard fight. I think I was in the hospital for a whole five hours before I broke out.

"Seriously, she's not right. I wouldn't be surprised if she does…" She lowered her voice again. "Drugs." I rolled my eyes and shut my locker. I was going over the route to the gym over in my head so I wouldn't get lost.

"And did you see those piercings? I heard she has a tattoo on her shoulder of a scull."

"Hey, Mary. It's done. I'm not like going to marry the chick." I looked around looking for the seven hundred hallway which apparently has both the library and the cafeteria in it as well. I should steer clear of the library just in case this school heard about the incident. "I have to get to gym. I don't want to be late on my first day." I lied.

"Oh, right. I don't want to make you get a tardy." She looked so guilty for talking to me. "I better let you go or I might be late too and I have physics which I'm not doing so hot in right now." She looked at the ground. "See you later."

"See you." I fought my way through the thick ocean of bodies.

I pushed the heavy gym doors back. The gym wasn't new or huge like school number five was. I walked up to the woman in the jogging suit and the 80's hair cut who I assumed to be the gym teacher. She had red hair with just the slightest bit of grey settling in the roots. She had a big chin and thin lips. When she spoke she sounded like a man.

"Yes?"

"I can't participate in gym today. I don't have any clothes."

"We all have old uniform gym clothes. You may have one for the day miss…"

"Lee."

"Adriana."

"Formally."

"Well miss Lee, I'll have Skylar show you our clothes for barrowing." She put a little emphasis on the word as she looked me up and down. She actually thought that I would steal her used, stinky, old uniforms. Right.

She beckoned to a girl with fierce green eyes with a bark of her name.

"Skylar, show Adriana here where we keep our gym clothes."

"Sure thing." She sounded like a cheerleader, Mary is a cheerleader.

"I saw you this morning with Mary on that bike. You're so brave. Nine out of ten people in motorcycle crashes die." She looked at me soberly then was intoxicated once more with sunshine and butterflies.

"Yeah."

"I just could never do that." She pushed open a closet door and it didn't even smell like B.O. inside. She opened a drawer and extracted a pair of maroon shorts and a white t-shirt with the school's logo on it, a maroon goat face with the word Blazers written under it. She pulled out a pair of pumas which was good because I hate Nikes.

"I think these will fit you." She looked me up and down. "The shorts may be a little snug." She used that innocent voice that the bitchy ones used when they were trying to make you feel bad because they really were feeling intimidated or truly believed what they said and had to point it out.

"In that case I won't have to role them up to show off my ass." I said just as pleasantly to her and turned to leave with my clothes.

Cheerleaders—those who do it for the sport I totally understand but all the rest—mind as well all be blonds.

And the shorts fit fine.

We had to stay still while Mrs. Akins—the coach with the man voice—took down the names of all the absent kids. I stood with four boys standing around me telling me how they are foot ball players—like I would be impressed with that.

"It's a choice gym class for the next few weeks." A shaggy brunette with puppy dog eyes told me.

"You can pick either Frisbee or Football or track." A boy with red hair and freckles smiled at me when he spoke.

"Well, I can't throw a Frisbee for my life. I'm not very strong." I said without really thinking about what I was saying. I just wanted to actually blend in for once, just a little bit. If I had to pretend to do so then I would.

"You can be on our football team babe." The strong boy with a buzz cut of hair looked like he liked the idea of tackle football. I pursed my lips at his eager face. Too bad I don't go out with guys, like ever.

"Thanks." I didn't sound grateful in the slightest because just then I saw a blond head talking to a few boys. Gym class? Good, I will enjoy kicking her but at everything.

"Do you know her?" I asked the boys with my eyes still on the back of Annakeyla's head.

"The new girl yeah, I had study hall with her." The blond boy said with a smile. "How come, you guys like friends?"

"Never met her." I said dismissively. "I was just wondering because since we're both new I'd like to have some one who can relate to what I'm going through right now."

"I understand what you're going through." The freckled boy said, I think he mentioned his name being Patrick but I didn't really care.

"Me too." The blond one, Eric, piped up.

"I don't but my shoulder is available as is my Friday night." The brunette whose name I could remember easily because I once killed a man named Wade and that's what his name was too. Wade, the one I killed, was a Poseidon demigod. Get it, Wade like wade through water.

"Hey, man I called dibs!" Eric pushed Wade back and they got into one of their boy fights. I shot them a dirty look. Dibs? Really? If they want to live they will never decide who gets me.

Patrick watched the boys dispassionately. He watched me from the corner of his eye before making up his mind. I gave him props it was scary to approach me, even demigods and monsters always hesitated in my presence even if they didn't know who I was at the time.

"She moves around a lot. The only people she's been hanging out with a lot are her brother and Misty. Not that I blame her I mean Misty—" He looked at his shoes. "She doesn't really seem like your type."

"My type being?" I raised a deadly gorgeous eyebrow.

"Nothing against the two of you it's just like…you both…I'm not trying to sound cheesy or anything but you both look like you are from another world like you're seeing stuff other then what everyone else is. You're like complete opposites within the same margin."

This was one observant mortal.

"So you think that we are similar but have totally different personalities."

"Just something about the two of you just seems really…different, alike, I can't describe it okay!"

I smiled—showed my teeth rather.

"Don't grow up to be a public speaker."

He beamed at me. "Wasn't planning on it."

"Okay. Frisbee, go to that wall—" Man voice Akins pointed to the far wall to my left. "Track can start out with Miss B. right now and Football line up by the doors." There were a bunch of hoots from the boys as they pummeled over each other to get to the doors.

"You're coming right?" Eric made sure once more. I nodded. I wasn't lying about throwing a Frisbee and all the girls were going out to track basically just going out to walk and gossip. No thank you.

To my disappointment I wasn't the only girl going out for flag football. Annakeyla decided that she wanted to wrestle with some sweaty boys too. I stifled a groan when I saw her snap her blue flag belt around her waist. The boys around me watched her closely as she did it. They were probably looking to help her. I rolled my eyes and fastened mine on before I could get any offers.

"Get in groups and I don't want to hear any mean statements." She shot a look at Wade at the last part.

Annakeyla was attacked by boys just as I was. They were claiming us and fighting each other just to do it. "Get away!" I growled and the boys froze looking at me. "I already have a team." I caught the eyes of the boys that had gotten to me before class. "Find some thing else to ravish."

Annakeyla had a more difficult time then I getting all of her pursuers away from her. I snickered as I walked by holding the football under my arm. My little puppies were trailing after me thanking god that they were lucky enough to have me on their team. I looked back at her once more and smirked she stared at me, exasperated.

"Who do we play first coach?" Eric asked, his eyes kept flickering to my legs then up to my face.

"You've got blue." Man voice Akins said.

Great. I beamed as I watched Annakeyla and her decided team wearing blue belts walk up to the coach.

"Were going to kick butt!" I yelled loud enough so that Annakeyla could hear me from the other end of the field. The boys all roared and grunted in agreement, taking the advantage to give me high fives. I knew what their intentions were but they were clear aware of my boundaries and I was sure that they wouldn't want to cross them.

"Audrey, chuck the ball!" Patrick sprinted towards the end zones that were marked down with white spray paint and bright orange cones. I threw a perfect spiral with ease since he hadn't run that far.

"Jeez, you should be on varsity." Wade muttered watching as Patrick stumbled backwards when the ball hit his chest.

"I'm not really the sports type." I showed my teeth.

The whistle blew and every one turned to face Man Voice Akins. "I don't want to see any tripping, tackles or any foul language. This is a clean game. Oh, and try not to hurt each other too much." She lowered her arm and Wade kicked the football into the air.

The game was on.

The four of us sprinted at the other team ready to grab at anything resembling a blue flag. Annakeyla managed to catch the ball swiftly and ran with two of her team mates flocking her on either side. Eric and one of Annakeyla's teammates head butted each other and fell to the ground. I went at Annakeyla with swift steps that caught me up to her side easily. I whisked the belt off before she could even make it half way across the field.

Take that.

I spit at her feet and got ready to run in the opposite direction for a second time. She looked at the ground in disgust then met my eyes with such annoyance, not just at me but at everything around her it seemed.

"Gimme the ball." She held out her hand for the ball that had fallen on the ground. One of her teammates placed it in her hand with a confused face. She hiked it quick and sprinted by me all the way to the end zone. I kept up with her easily.

"Wittle demigoddess doesn't like getting beat?" I asked in a calm malicious voice. Always the antagonist, that's what family number seven had said about me.

"What's your problem?!" She demanded in an angry voice. "I haven't said a word to you!"

"You're damn father is my problem."

"Ohmygodsandgoddesses, let it go, I'm not him!"

"Let go that he killed my entire family!?" My temper was rising quickly the more I talked to this ignorant little princess.

"You don't understand anything. It's not what you think." She tried to say as nicely as possible but I could hear the strain behind her words. I never take some one calling me stupid sitting down. I forgot where we were, it didn't really matter. The humans wouldn't see anything they didn't want to. I jumped at her with my claws ready. I reached back to grab my dagger from my boot when I realized that I wasn't wearing my dagger. I'm so stupid today!

I was vicious but she wasn't letting herself die easily. She looked like she really didn't want to be fighting me right now but she couldn't just stop. I wouldn't allow that or she would be dead for sure.

"Please. Adriana. We don't have to fight." She kneed me in the belly making me fly back. I growled and lunged at her again getting a good jab at her diaphragm with my elbow. She kicked me back again and caught her breath. I didn't need to catch my own. I was a huntress, a warrior, I fight to the death. I punched her with all of my might with my left hand and her nose started to bleed.

Her creamy white skin looked sad with the crimson leaking down to her lips. Her hair was messed up and her eyes were hopeless. "Please." She whispered.

"Why should I give you mercy when your dad didn't?" I kicked her to the ground. She looked up at me with a calm face. She didn't have any tears in her eyes but just because a girl doesn't have tears in her eyes doesn't mean that her heart doesn't cry. She may come off strong but there's no saying that she isn't feeling all wrong. I was relating to this bitch!

"What's going on?!" Man voice Akins demanded.

"You saw that?" Was all I could manage.

"Detention. Both of you."

"Awesome." We sighed in unison.

"Detention?" Mary whispered hoarsely looking over her shoulder at all of the gossiping kids tossing looks at me. I caught a couple of them and made them look down immediately. I had to admit that it was much easier with my cult around me in the other schools so at least I had somebody to be lonely with. Here I was just lonely all by myself with my whole out there-ness. We were mysterious together when we did something like...let's say start a fight. No, without them I just look like a psycho.

"For two weeks." I muttered sadly while catching the eye of a boy talking with Misty. He looked back at the water nymph, quick for a reason not to look at me. The ironic part was that it was that it was Wade.

"How are we gonna get out of this?" She put her delicate pink fingers up to her lips in distress. This. Is. Not. Your. Problem. I wished that it was that easy for her to grasp.

"We?" I raised an eyebrow at the blonde pixie.

"Well of course, silly, I am your sister now and sisters stick together."

Funny, I always thought sisters stole each other's clothes and bickered at one another. "Okay." The agreement didn't exactly fit what she was saying but I wasn't exactly paying attention.

Did Annakeyla just stick up for me? I beat her. She should be crushed. I beat her. I. Beat. Her. She walked past with the nymph at her heels. The strawberry blonde curls bounced as she turned her head to look at me like something was bothering her. I growled and she quickly turned away looking vaguely chipmunk-ish.

"What was that?" There was a bit of terror buried in her eyes as she spoke.

"Sorry, something was in my throat."

"Oh, okay"

"Hey I think I'm going to ditch the rest of the day." I said slowly as I watched the two girls embrace and Annakeyla walk away. I never really liked school I just showed up because it was a law that I had to and I didn't need the immortal and the mortal government on my tail. Not to mention school was a wonderful place to find a bunch of weak demigods and a few monsters even.

"Ditch." She inhaled with shock. "Mom will be furious."

"She'll be mad that I got in a fight too." I pointed out dryly. Why do I need to tell her what I'm doing anyway?

I headed towards the office first. Planning on acquiring those schedules then maybe I would take a cruise around the school to learn the places here. I didn't want to be caught at a disadvantage in my own...current placement.