I walked down the granite flooring, trying to keep the clop of the lacy creme colored high heels to a minimal sound. I had a leather tote bag with my trigonometry supplies stuffed hastily into it over my left arm, and a freshly baked muffin (courtesy of the freshman cooking class) balanced on my right was oddly peaceful at MH before eight o'clock , like the calm before a storm. The light beamed in swirling patterns through the high windows; all the designs forged into them cast intricate shadows over the floor. The musty smell of dust and age that had layered over the thousands of lockers was tickling my sensitive nose, but whenever I felt as if I was on the verge of sneezing, the sensation went away and left me light headed.

"Renee!" I heard someone call. I whipped my head around and saw Catrine DeMew prancing to keep up with me. We weren't exactly friends, but we came to this school together on a split scholarship , her for the arts, and me, for the Dark Arts program. Her lavender-and-magenta streaked curls bounced on her white furred carried herself with a certain glory that I never possessed. As she walked up to me, I saw she was carrying a black bag with a half-painted canvas resting inside. I saw a pyramid, probably a request from the wealthy DeNiles.

"Hello Catrine." I mewed calmly.

Catrine smiled contemptuously, pursing her luscious metallic-violet colored lips. "My my, Renee. Its been a while since we've seen each other."

I nod, not knowing where this conversation is going.I go into the default mode. "How have you been?"

She swayed her hips , placing a hand on her had curves. She had the perfect angles in all the right places. "Lovely, darling. Just lovely. And, the more important question; how have you been?"

I bit my lip anxiously. What did she want? She hadn't talked to me all first-quarter and yet today she was calling for my attention. I tucked my bangs behind my ear, suddenly more self-conscious. "All right. And are you thriving?"

" This school is completely lacking the inspiration for the arts. Everything I create is never in modesty to those of the other students. They practically live to be shown up. But, darling, you cannot describe your weeks here as all-right. I saw you at the student meet-and-greet. Magenta suits you , Renee." Catrine sighed dramatically. "But personally, I think a golden shade or a gray pastel would do better with your eyes."

The clock chimed the five-minute warning bell. "Nothing very interesting has happened to me here, Catrine."

Catrine rolled her eyes and batted her lashes. She fumbled through her canvas bag for a moment , leaving me to stare off in the direction I intended to go. Trigonometry took at least a minute to walk to, minus one minute here for standing like an was always a pleasure to discuss the trials and errors of Pythagoras, or the advanced theories of Galileo with professor Shima ... Maybe , if I was lucky, the class would at least be half empty when I got there. I had some questions regarding the Pythagorean triples.

Catrine pulled out a plain index card, and then wrote something in fancy curled letters. Her number.

She arched her eyebrows and leaned in close, until I felt her breath on the nape of my aqua blue eyes bloomed with glamor. "No boyfriends or girlfriends, my petite chat? Passionate kisses or erotic scenes? I don't believe that a girl as smart and talented as you could ever be left without the company of a lover."

I felt a chill run through my spine. I cast my gaze over to a gargoyle statue standing on a podium. His expression was alike mine, awkward and bashful.

She smirked and flicked her head away, her white tail swishing from side to side calmly. "I'm always looking for inspiration, my dear. Maybe you'll be my next."And with that she brushed my face with her hand, as if she was inspecting it and stalked away. My cheek was warm from where she had touched it, or it might've been that I was blushing. I suddenly felt very light headed.

Brushing away the chills and the trance, I headed in the opposite direction, towards the East wing of the school. Monsters poured in from every entrance, filling the halls like ants through a colony. I recognized a few faces, and most greeted me with fake smiles. I was still thinking about Catrine. I never knew she was into did she mean by inspiration? I wasn't anything special to look at . I had nothing to look at. Could it have been that she wanted an experience to inspire her, like a kiss? That made me feel very hollow inside, like a deflating balloon. I had never kissed anyone, let alone got close to them.

I strode swiftly past Jasper and a new girl with a pale complexion and jet-black eyes were a shocking pink, like bubble-gum. He was laughing and holding her arm. My deflating balloon had finally run out of air. It was as if someone had put a large stone in the pit of my stomach. I blushed, but not out of sheepishness or embarrassment. The untouched, moist muffin in my hand was crushed by a force I did not know I owned.

It's his job to get friendly with the ladies. He's just acting.

He was a very good actor, in that case.

The soft sunlight had turned into a radiant glow of red and blue filtering through the multicolored panes. Gleaming marble was now shady brown, and the voices of monsters were fading. This was the Special-Ed wing, and the honors too.

Mr. Shima's class was mostly empty, except for he himself grading some quizzes. He had many lines of age on his chiseled stone face, and his troubled expression made him look many years older. His cold marble eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Ah, If it isn't the lady Renee!"He exclaimed happily. "You're a tad later than usual, and redder might I add, but its great that you showed up."

"Yes..." I say quickly, sliding into my seat. The kids around me look annoyed, and a bit curious. Ghoulia Yelps, an admirable goul, touched my bony elbow lightly. She seemed to murmur out "Okay?" to me.

I smiled fictitiously. Keep everything to yourself, in no one can you confide.