Chapter Four

I took my sweet time walking overto the dividers and cringed when I looked behind them and found a tiny sittingarea. I stared, mouth agape, wondering how I was going to get through thishour.

Kiran bumped, purposely, into myshoulder as he walked by and took a seat on the floor directly in the middle ofthe small space. Talbott followed close behind, although he was careful not totouch me as he entered. I was amazed at how quickly my infatuation with Kiranturned into disgust. Had I known he was going to sell me out in front ofeveryone, I doubted I ever would have found his faultless features so alluringbefore.

Regretfully I took my seat next toKiran on the floor. I pulled my knees in as close as I could and disdainfully,rested my forehead on them. I gave myself hope that there was a way to avoidthese irritating boys in the hole we had been banished to.

“So what are you?” Kiran askedpointedly. I lifted my eyes and found him staring at me intently. Avoidance wasclearly out of the question.

“What do you mean?” I asked dryly.I had lost all patience with him. For the first time I noticed Talbott staringat me, as well.

“What are you?” he asked again,pronouncing each word crisply and clearly. If this was some weird game, I wasnot in the mood. I laid my head back down on my knees.

“What he means to say is…. whichare you?” Talbott interjected, apparently hoping to elicit some type of answerfrom me; I, however, had no idea what kind of answer they were even lookingfor. After responding with silence, he continued, “We were not aware of youbefore we came; are you Witch, or Psychic?”

My head snapped up in reaction tohis ridiculous question. I saw then that they were just playing another joke onme. How irritating. I was speechless, and my temper was slowly rising. I mayhave made a fool of myself before, but that did not mean these teenage boysneeded to continue humiliating me.

“She’s not one of you?” Kirantilted his head towards Talbott and asked softly.

“No, not in the least. And I cannotget a read on her. Can you?” Talbott responded just as softly. They spoke toeach other as if I was not there and my patience drew thin.

“No,” Kiran responded, almost asfrustrated as I felt. The strangest thing was that they actually maintained astraight face as though they really were serious.

“I’m neither,” I almost laughed asI said it. “I am actually an elf, a Christmas elf. Santa gave me some time offso that I could go to school. He’s such a nice old man,” I rolled my eyes, notjust at them, but at myself, I couldn’t believe I was playing their games.

They both laughed a littlenervously and looked at each other. Kiran adjusted his sitting position and ourlegs bumped each other. I couldn’t tell if he did it on purpose or not, but assoon as there was contact between us, I began to feel the prickles and heatlike before. It wasn’t intense and my pride promised me I could handle it. Therewas no reason to panic and flee from the room, at least not yet.

“Where are the papers we aresupposed to grade?” I asked Talbott, seeing a large stack of loose-leafnotebook paper in his hand. “Can I have some, please?” I choked out manners,trying to be the better person, although they were making it extremelydifficult.

“Talbott will do it,” Kirananswered quickly, without even looking at his friend.

“I would rather grade my share,thank you,” I suddenly felt sorry for Talbott, to have a friend like Kiran, butI shook my head trying to rid myself of the feeling. I needed to remember thathe had been just as bad as Kiran. Ok, well maybe not just as bad, but the merefact that he indulged Kiran put him in the same category.

“Really, Talbott will do them. He’sactually probably already finished,” Kiran insisted. I looked to Talbott but hejust smiled. I realized that Talbott was going along with Kiran’s ordershappily and was not going to hand over any papers.

“Ugh. Fine,” I resigned.

“Your last name is Matthews?”Talbott asked unexpectedly.

“Yes,” I was getting tired of this.

“Nothing?” Kiran asked crypticallyto Talbott.

“Nothing,” Talbott responded justas cryptically.

“Do you have any questions for me?”I assumed Kiran was talking to Talbott, because I could not think of any nicequestion that I would have wanted to ask him. Any question I would have askedwould surely get me into trouble. “Eden,” he nudged my foot with his; there wasinstant electricity shooting from my toes up through my leg. “Eden, do you wantto ask me anything?” He gave me another one of his impish grins and looked atme with such intensity that I found myself squirming.

“What?  No,” I said with surprise. “I don’t have anyquestions for you,” I let a little venom slip into my tone, and rolled my eyesagain. “Except, why you felt it necessary to act like such an ass before?” Isaid it before I could stop myself…. I knew whatever I asked would not be kind.

Kiran let out a small laugh, butTalbott started to stand up next to him. His body had become tense and he wasin a fighting position. I just stared at him completely confused. I cringed alittle and pulled my knees in tighter. The last thing I wanted to do was fightTalbott…. No, sorry, the last thing I wanted to do was apologize to Kiran;maybe it would come to fighting after all, although I thought it was verystrange that Kiran’s friend would be so defensive over such a small thing.Maybe they were gay.

“It’s all right Talbott, sit down,”Kiran was still amused, and I guessed it was at my expense.

“She can’t talk to you like that,”Talbott growled. I was amazed at his devotion to Kiran. I found theirrelationship strange, and felt more uncomfortable than ever. Was he reallygoing to fight me for calling his friend an ass? Truthfully, I could have saida lot worse.

I sat there silently, sizing themup. If they were gay, then the girls in this class were going to have anunhappy surprise, not to mention poor Mrs. Woodsen. Other than Talbott’soverprotective aggressiveness and his obvious devotion to Kiran, they did notseem like lovers. Maybe Kiran was straight and Talbott was in love withhim.

Kiran suddenly let out a roaringlaugh, nearly rolling over in hysteria. I continued to stare at them, moreconfused than ever. Talbott sat back down, but his face was suddenly brightred. I realized he was having a hard time looking me in the eye.

“If she is who she says she is, ofcourse she can. Now calm down, you’re not going to fight a human girl just forspeaking her mind. I was rude, and for that I apologize,” his voice turned toliquid and he reached out to touch my hand, resting it on top of my knees.

I pulled it away quickly. Both boysturned to look at each other; when Kiran returned his face to mine, I could seethat his smile was now carefully controlled. He was frustrated with me. A waveof regret washed over me, and a small tingling of fear ran down my spine. Iquickly shook it off. It made no sense to be scared of these bullies; surely,they were just playing another game.

“Don’t be silly Eden, let’s putthis all behind us and become great friends,” His voice retained a smoothfluidity, frustrated with me or not.

“You’re right. It is silly,” Ithought of a hundred snotty things to say, but in the end, I lost my nerve. “Iaccept your apology. Thank you.”

I could see that he wanted to saymore, but the bell rang, so I stood up quickly and started to gather my thingsto leave. Before I could, he reached out his hand to grab my arm gently. Asudden, pulsating electricity overwhelmed me; I willed myself to continue tostand, doing my best not to show any signs of distress.

“As long as you are who you say youare Eden, I know we can be the best of friends,” he tightened his grip on myarm as if to make a point. As he did, the electricity became stronger. My earsstarted to ring and my vision blurred, but somehow I managed to respond.