Chapter 2

Trouble?

Everyone began to file out of the classroom as soon as the bell rang, all eager to get as far away from class as possible. I desperately wanted to go with them. Today seemed to be droning on longer than usual, and I didn't feel like staying here any longer even if I did like Pitch. Lauren gave me an apathetic smile and quickly rushed out of the class room, joining some of her other friends as I was left in the dark and cold class.

The longer I waited for Pitch to scold me for zoning out during his class, the more anxious I grew. After all the story's I heard about what Pitch did to kids who misbehaved, it made me wonder if he would actually make me disappear for a week. Or have un ending nightmares. It was rather terrifying to think about what the Boogeyman could do to punish you.

After a couple more minutes of watching Pitch organize some papers and give orders to some anxious fearlings, which I must say furthered my fear, he finally turned his attention to me. Even though I was terrified of what he would do, I was relieved that we could finally get this over with. I had been looking forward all day to the Yeti's surprise dessert, and because of Pitch I might miss it.

Pitch strolled over in front of my desk, giving me a thoughtful glance. His eyes had become a beautiful mixture of silver and gold now. But they were still menacing and made a chill run down my spine. It was like he was reading my soul. It was almost unbearable to stare back at him, even if he was kinda cute.

"Why were you afraid?" Pitch asked with the slightest smirk spreading across his face.

"What do you mean?" I replied a bit taken back. I was expecting him to yell at me. Not ask me why I was afraid.

"Oh please, you were practically dripping with fear while you were zoned out. Which might I add I never expected from you." Pitch gave me a sideways glance that made me feel guilty. "I couldn't help but notice."

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to zone out during your class. Just... Today has been rather long." I apologized. Pitch just gave me an expectant look.

"Ugh, fine. Today we had to do a writing assignment on our story, and... It just brought up some stuff I can't seem to forget." I explained. Pitch still just stared at me.

"Ivy, why were you afraid?" Pitch asked me again, leaning down so that his eyes meet mine.

"...You already know. Besides why do you care?" I spat at him. I was getting rather irritated now. Pitch always knows everyone's fears, so why was he making me say them?

Pitch smirked. "Ivy, why were you afraid?" Okay, now I might kill him.

"You wont let me leave till I answer you, will you? Ugh, very well then. I'm... I'm afraid of my past. I don't remember what happened to me. I don't know if I died or not. I'm afraid that my sister never made it back to the house safely... I'm afraid that the man in the woods will come back. His eyes continue to haunt me, and yet after all this time I still don't know who he is. Or what he was." I explained. I felt something roll down my cheek, a tear? When did I start crying?

Pitch just kept staring at me. He was clearly thinking of something, but what? Why did my silly fears matter so much to him? "I'm sad to say I only know what happened from the point when I found you. I don't know much about your past. But I will tell you this. I might be the 'Evil Boogeyman' feared by everyone, the one who causes you fear. But I will always be here for you when something is troubling you, and trust me I will know when something is."

"Um... Thank you Pitch. But why? You never care about stuff like that." I pointed out.

"I don't know. You have always been my favorite student in this hell hole. Besides, it's hard to scare you when you're zoned out thinking of something else." Pitch shrugged. I restrained from smiling. I was his favorite?

"Haha, point taken." I smirked. It was rather nice to know that I could go to Pitch when ever I felt troubled.

"You might want to get along now. Lauren is beginning to worry about you. But for the sake of my reputation, act beyond terrified." Pitch gave a malevolent smile. I couldn't help but do the same, there was no way I could pass up the chance to scare the crap out of Lauren.

So I gathered up my stuff and prepared myself to act terrified, even though all I wanted to do was laugh. "Ready?" Pitch asked as he lead me to the nearest shadow. It would be my second time shadow traveling. The first time I was actually terrified, and nearly fell on my face. But this time, I was rather excited.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I replied, preparing myself for the sudden dizziness and jolting movements that were a part of travailing.

With a malevolent laugh from Pitch, he pushed me into the shadows. I couldn't help but let out a tiny gasp. Even though I knew I was going to go through the shadow, I still couldn't help but feel like I was going to slam into the wall. I felt the ground shift beneath my feet and I stumbled out into my dorm. I actually screamed as I tumbled over and landed with a loud bang on the floor.

Lauren shrieked and jumped against the opposite wall at my surprise arrival. I wanted to laugh, but I had to remember to act afraid. It was a bit easier since I was a tad shaken up from being pushed through a shadow.

"Ivy! Are you okay?" Lauren cried once she realized it was me and not some evil force of nature. She held out a hand to help me up, and I took it with a shaking hand.

I just nodded and let her help me up. Once I was on my feet I dropped my stuff by my bed and sat down, holding my face in my hands.

"Ivy, what did he do to you?" Lauren asked as she sat beside me.

I just shook my head. "Nothing... Has dinner already been served?" I asked, trying to change the subject since it was becoming nearly impossible to keep down my laughter.

"No not yet. In fact your just in time. Here, come on. It should take your mind off of what happened." Lauren smiled as she grabbed my hand and pulled me up from my bed. I gave a tiny smile and nodded, good. I didn't miss the surprise dessert.

We locked the door to our dorm and headed to the dinning hall with the rest of the students. We got our own dorms here at Guardian Academy, so we live on campus. Thankfully I shared one with Lauren, so it was more like a fun vacation most of the time.

It is always such a breath taking walk from the dorms to the dinning hall. Thanks to Mother Nature our campus was filled with various sorts of exotic trees and flowers. The grass was a perfect soft green like no other, and having fairies, elves, and mini eggs roaming around was even more exciting. It was nothing like my old school I went to.

"Hey! I heard you got held back by Professor Pitch!" Alberto cried as he ran up to meet me and Lauren.

"Shut up Al! She doesn't want to talk about it." Lauren snapped.

"It's okay, I'm fine Al." I smiled. Alberto was like my brother. Him and Lauren were the first ones to become my friends when I first arrived, so we all held a close bond like no other.

"Good. If he hurts you, you tell me and I will beat him up for you." Al proclaimed. Me and Lauren shared a look and doubled over laughing.

"Yea, you and what army?" Lauren laughed.

"What? you don't think I could take him on?" Al asked defensively. I laughed even harder to the point where it was beginning to hurt.

"Haha, yea. Cause you could totally take on the Boogeyman. Sorry to break it to you Al, but he would have you knocked halfway across the universe before you could even blink." I laughed.

"Humph, I don't know. I don't think he could take all of this." Al smirked as he flexed his arm, revealing a tiny lump of muscle. Lauren and I both fell to the ground clutching our stomachs we were laughing so hard.

We all laughed all the way to the dinning hall were everyone was already beginning to eat. The Yeti's had already set out the food and the professors were all already gathered at their own head table discussing some random topic. Pitch was among them, even though he usually choose to stay a bit distant from the rest since he despised them all.

We sat somewhat close to the head table, and began to pile our already laid out plates with tonight dish. We had the Yeti's famous rosemary rolls, braised chicken breast, amazing lumpy mashed potatoes, and some random assortments of vegetables. But what was best of all, was the dessert. For our surprise dessert, we had a cookie cup. It was a perfectly baked cookie in a silver laced muffin cup with chocolate chips, and white chocolate in the middle.

Alberto didn't even care to start with his main course, he just began to devour the cookie cups. It made Lauren and I laugh even harder to the point were it was impossible to eat.

"You will make yourself sick if you just eat sugar for dinner." I pointed out and I pinched off a piece of a rosemary roll. They were my favorite things to eat.

"But mum!" Al complained.

"Haha, shut up and eat some vegetables." Lauren laughed as she replaced a cookie cup with some vegetables. Al rolled his eyes and sighed as he took a bite of vegetables. He acted like he had just eaten poison.

Suddenly a monument of laughter erupted from the professors table. North and Jack were both doubled over laughing as Bunnymund glared at the two. Toothina was smiling and shaking her head along with Katherine. Pitch was just looking at them like a bunch of fools. How was it that he ended up with the rest of them? He hated their guts from what I heard, so why would he be helping run the Guardians Academy?

"So Ivy, what did happen? You don't have to answer, but we are all curious." Al asked again.

"Let's just say fearlings are far more terrifying than any of you will ever know." I mused shaking my head. I must say I'm a great actor, for Lauren and Al both got goose bumps.

"Lets just be glad your alive." Al shook his head and began to stuff his face again.

For the rest of the evening we all laughed over earlier events and how Alberto thought he could actually take Pitch in a fight. He got very detailed in what he would use and how he would do it. It was almost too funny to stand. He eventually crashed from his sugar overload and went off to bed, leaving me and Lauren to go back to our dorm to study for up coming exams this week.

We studied and tested each other on history facts and science notes for over an hour until it was nearly impossible to stay awake. Once we couldn't keep our eyes open we gave in and went to bed, turning off the lights and allowing the dream sand in for a peaceful nights sleep. The beds here at the Academy were like soft clouds, and the pillows like silk. It was so easy to go to sleep, so easy to just forget the piercing eyes that haunted me. Sadly, I would have to get up tomorrow and remember it all again. But for now I left my self in the hands of Sandy and drifted off to sleep.