“Victoria! I can’t believe you just did that!” Lacie said as she came flapping down from the hall ceiling. The teenager couldn’t believe that she wasn’t seen by the other students. “She knows who you are now!”

Walking quickly the teen nodded but didn’t speak directly to the tiny terror. “ I don’t know enough. There is to much go on I’m not equipped to understand.” She ducked into a girl's bathroom that was close to her next class. “I need to know how to fight these monsters. How to stop a Mazikeen, how to free ghosts. That gnome today how long was he there.” She held out a small woven collar with a small paw print metal disk. “This belonged to my kitten that …” she made air quotes. ”ran off over ten years ago. About the first time, I saw you.”

“Hey, I know its rough. Just hang in there you can acclimate to everything.” Lacie said. “I’ll try to tell you everything I know.”

The teenager glared at the pixie. “Starting at lunch, I need to get into class.” She ran to the door across the hall as it was just closing and had her back foot through the door just as the bell rang.

“What am I going to do with that girl?” Lacie said looking up in exasperation. The pixie nodded as if she was hearing something out of the range of normal people. “So a crash course then?” she waited a moment “Alright if you say so.”

X X X

“Hi, Caroline, hows your day going?” Victoria said as she sat down in the quadrangle with a lunch tray. On it was a partially wilted salad with a whitish dressing and a sandwich from the cafeteria.

“Better than yours if that's your lunch.” The blond girl said looking at the tray in her friend's hands. “Your moms not cooking anymore?”

“Nah, extra hours when she can pick them up.” She sighed. “I didn’t get a chance to make my lunch this morning.”

“Well thank god it’s Friday.”She said as she looked at her friend. Victoria was so wrapped up in getting settled she missed the predatory gleam in the blond girl's eyes. Yesterday was so crazy.” Caroline said to start the conversation.

“Yeah, it was it's like my life is getting completely out of control.” Victoria grumped.

“I just hope no one ever finds out about what we did to Karen.” She whispered. “I mean Yeah I know Cora hit her with her backpack but the whole body disappearing thing.” The girl visibly shuddered.

“Wait, what? I was defending you and the other girls.” She said shocked.

“Shhh, I know that but think the cops would believe you?” A look of horror passed over the teenager's face. “Seriously do you know how mad it sounds? I’m sorry officer we had to squish her head she was a monster trying to mind control a bunch of cheerleaders.”

“But, but that's what happened.” Victoria hissed glancing around the quadrangle to see if any of the other students had heard.

She saw the blond look down at her watch and start picking up her things. “Gotta run I just remembered I need to talk to one of my teachers.” Before Victoria could ask her friend was away and through the door back into the school. She dejectedly sat down by herself and started to eat. She was seated with her back to the door didn’t see the talk dark-haired olive-skinned boy that came through the door. He paused as he looked around then no seeing too many students walked over behind Victoria.

“Hey got a minute?” She heard a voice she recognized. Turning she saw Michael.

“Uh, yeah sure, you betcha.” She felt her self blushing. “What can I do for you.” She walked over to her and chuckled.

“Well, I was thinking the dance is next week. If you don’t have a date…” The girl's mouth opened in shock.

“Wait? Me? You’re asking me?”Her voice squeaked up in excitement.

She noted his self-confidence smirk at her then how he combed his dark hair with his fingers as he smiled at her with his bright blue eyes. “Yeah, I’ll pick you up.” She couldn’t believe how confident he sounded. “Oh, I need to run, got a thing. “ He said as he hurried back through the doors.

“Shit, I need to get his number.” She said aloud in excitement.

She heard a thunk as a tray hit the table next to her. Turning she saw Luke. He had a tray carefully held in one hand as he was trying to read the book in his other. “Wow, great timing. You won’t guess what happened to me just now.”

He grunted. “I hope it's better than the suspension Michael got last class.” He said angrily.“It's going to be next week before we can play dungeons and dragons.” He said in a huff. “Fecking Dr. Dorgon.”

“Wait, what? Hold o…” She grew speechless. Something has got to be messing with me. “Where is Michael right now? What did he do?”

“Probably in the principles office.” He put down his book and started eating. “As to what he did. Chemistry class last period. He set off a stink bomb. It was pretty funny but….”

“Oh, wow. So um yeah never mind my news.”

“Wait, what did you have to say?” Luke asked as he looked at her owlishly and took a bite of his sandwich.

“Uhm well see that thing I’ve been wanting badly?”

“Michael, to ask you out? Yeah not likely to happen. Oh, speaking of dates have you seen Caroline?” He asked his friend.

“You just missed her. She left just before Michael came in.” She said nervously. “He well I thought it was he had a question for me. But Yeah So no date for me still.” The love-struck boy missed her words and intonation completely. They both applied themselves to their meals and the teen started looking for Lacie to show up and add more weight to her oppressive day.