"All patched up and done, Alice Black! Perhaps next time you will be more carefull and fight back next time. That boy had been getting into so many fights with Premidas and other little ones!" And then they were all gone once more, leaving Alice with an empty agenda. She already knew that Kanni, Kaleb and Tash were waiting outside waiting to pick the shape-shifter up, and now Brad was in the bed beside Alice's, swearing loudly and heavily. It gave Alice something to feel better about, then looking down at her own hands to find the silver vapor rising from the skin once more, coiling slowly and dreamy around her wrists and around each slender finger. This power scared her than anything else and wanted to know what Gabriel was really planning to do here. Was she, a Verae, some test subject of Clarissa to prove to the gifted world that Veraes could live as normal people? No. Clarissa was like a mother to all of them. Alice couldn't see the woman doing something like that.
   "You bloody better be seated where you are young lady!" Apparently Madam Lunna had set a portrait above Alice, screaming when the shape-shifter lifted herself off of the bed. His eyes were large and blue, nearly bald and wore clothes that were too big for the small elder. "If you take one more step I'll be screaming for Madam Lunna and kingdom come to here! So if you were smart, Miss Black, you'd get back into your bed and await the healing of your burns!"
   "Have you been watching me since I got in or something? Since it's really none of your buisness in case you wonder why I ask." This was stupid. Now everyone in the school was watching her as if Alice was a threat to others and herself. Brad deserved to be killed if anything, anyone did who blamed her for something that she had no control over. The shape-shifter had even saved the school and nearly 600 people. Why didn't anyone praise her for that instead of fearing and hating her? And then the door opened as Kaleb walked in, looking slightly worried and humble with themselves to find Brad moaning in a bed next to the bed which the shape-shifter was seated on with the portrait letting out a huge sigh of relief.
   "What happened to you Brad? Must've run into someone with a grudge against you," sneered Kaleb with a toothy grin, fingering the loose metal and leather choker tie as the boy let out a groan becoming aware of what Kaleb had just said. "You need to pick your opponets more wisely...if you know what I mean."
   "Ha ha, Kaleb, very funny." This time Alice had spoken, feeling slightly helpless in her own defense. "Don't tell me that Kanni or Tash have killed themselves...If so, did Kanni kill Tash or did it go the other way around. It would be a shame if it did..."
   "Nah, neither of them killed each other...yet. They got stopped by Themrus to pass out flyers to some dance tomorrow night to celebrate the new year and to rehearse on the speeches. My mother found that if she announced it somewhere where students would die if they didn't go, they would pay more attention," said Kaleb, sitting on the foot of her bed to wince at several needles hanging from the cieling, their finest point stuck into the wall. "Let me guess, you?"
   "It's uncontrollable when I fell threatened. But it all comes out to the conclusion that I'm a worse freak than last year. We're all freaks, which makes us different I guess," sighed Alice, laying back on the large pillow and asked, "Flirted with anyone yet?"
   "Why should I? We all know that somethings have happened between us that I don't want to break and flirting with mindless girls would break it." He was now very close to Alice, who had been nearly afraid to breath and felt her heart race ahead of her. Finally the shape-shifter got the courage to respond, "Well then, look to your left and behind you because they've been watching ever since you walked in."
   "Hem hem." Brad had indeed been watching to two, folding his arms as he looked odd glaring at the two with his two black and bruised eyes with one of his cheeks swollen badly. Kaleb looked slightly disappointed and pulled away from Alice suggesting, "I guess I'd better sign you out so you can get dressed and ready for the feast."
   "But why wait?" The shape-shifter leapt up from the bed, leaning the portrait onto the bed so it's voice would be muffled walking away with Kaleb with her arm locked in his to the door where Kaleb turned around to point and yell at Brad, "You touch one hair on Alice and you'll need something more than a cure!"
   
--"Is this really how you feel? Or is this just how you're supposed to feel?"

   The wardrobe wasn't much help in room #131, Alice's room. The clothes were organized by how the new house elves like them, not how the shape-shifter was used to the way Gabriel had done them back home during the entire summer. The beds had new sheets compared to last years and the room seemed to be more colorfull and more brighter than ever. The shape-shifter still clawed through her closet. Kaleb had gone somewhere else, promising to meet her infront of the main doors where the feast would take place. Finally, after nearly thirty minutes, Alice had decided on her dark denim jeans, a black sweater with the design of two wings on the back sewn into the clothe to match her silverish hair and still wore the scarf, reminded of how cold it was in the entire school by finding frost caked onto the windows. Several things had only changed in the entire room compared to the school, and it would be something Alice would try hard to remember this year compared to the last.
   Students were already beginning to make their way to the feast, some even talked about the fight that Alice and Brad got in to. It nearly had ruined the whole goal of hers' to try and not think about it all until a more important moment came along. Then it became even harder when most had found out that Alice had been listening.
   "I mean, come on! How does she really think she is?"
   "I know! Flirting with Kaleb and all when he's only faking it!"
   "And what's with Kanni? Shouldn't that girl be terrified of it all too?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    "What do you want?" Premidas growled to Kaleb who was glaring at him with a stern gaze.
   "Oh, drop the bad ass attitude! I know this isn't your day, but come on! I'm your best friend, do you think you could hide it from me? You can't even hide it from Kanni and Alice, Premidas." Kaleb shot back.
    Premidas crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "So what do you want to know?"
 (((* i don't kno what u had Kaleb in mind saying to Prem, so I'll leave this part to you*))
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    "Hey, everyone, I'm giving away a million bucks!" Clarissa's voice suddenly hollered into a speaker-phone and the chattering suddenly ceased. Everyone directed their attention to the priciple dressed in a pink suit standing before them at her table. "Good, I thought that'd get your attention." the lady laughed at the low grumble of complaining voices.
   "This year we have a new staff! I would like to welcome Mr. Gabriel Black, he will be replacing the Brewing class since Mr. Brige had to suddenly resign. I know he will be missed, but let's not dwell on the loss, shall we? Also, for Cureology we will have Mr. Bibbs, and for Star-gazing we will welcome Miss. Cozar! I know you will treat these new teachers with respect and not scare them off on their first year, right? And I'm sure you've also all witnessed our new security system called "Hall-Specters". They are not seen or felt by you, but keep in mind they always watch. They're a created creature founded by our very own Annikaology teacher, Mr. Themrus!
   "They have been programmed to target rule-breakers so don't try to fool them, they are much smarter than you think. Well, enough about that. This year's new students have been sorted and I would like some of the older ones, keeping your first year experience in mind, to show them around and help them a bit. Well, now that we have that settled, I won't deprive you of the delicious food before you. Please, dig in!" Clarissa bellowed and clapped her hands.
   Many little dwarves came scurrying out carrying large silver platters and plates, cups, juices, and carts were rolled alongside the tables laden with baskets and trays of food. The students didn't even wait until the plates were set on the table before reaching over and helping themselves.
   Kanni swiped a goblet of red wine and took a sip, feeling the tingling sensation of warmth sliding through every vein. "Hm...where is Prem?" Kanni asked as Alice took a goblet as well, eyeing it undecidedly.
   "He and Kaleb told me to go ahead. Kaleb wants a word with him." Alice lowered her voice signaling that it wasn't a good sign. Tash seemed to be listening too, but Kanni didn't care.
    "You think Kaleb is gonna get on him for the fight too?"
   "Probably. You're not the only one who worries for Premidas's future in this school. Clarissa hasn't kicked him out yet, but I think she's running out of punishments and might have to resort to that...then again, I hope she doesn't expell him. He has no where do go from here..." Alice's voice trailed off and Kanni got the general idea. Premidas had almost no family except for his bitch of a little sister Mari and his horrible crack-addicted mom.
   "He lost the two that were closest to him, Kanni." Alice suddenly said. "I think you should know. Then maybe you can go a bit more easy on him when he has his mood swings..." And so Alice began, tracing the exact same words Premidas had told her that one late afternoon when both were in the hospital...Those days she had learned so much about him.
   She told Kanni how the hijackers killed his dad who was the only person on that subway of cowards trying to save the people. How they shot him and then, unable to drive the subway, jumped the track and killed his sister who gave her life...using her body to sheild Mari and Premidas. Premidas was only ten then, and was very frightened. He barely spoke for the next two years, scarred forever by the horror Alice was sure he sometimes wished he never over lived. She secretly thought he wished sometimes the subway would have taken his life as well as almost all the rest of the passengers including the hijakcers.
   And ever since then too he had gotten his horrible rage. And also after the incident he began to become a trouble-maker and got into many fights. Tash was listening intently to Alice's story and Kanni caught her nodd her head sadly in agreement to what the shape-shifter said, not adding or correcting anything. Kanni dropped her gaze. How come Premidas never told her this? Did he trust Tash, Kaleb, and Alice all more than her? She had to admit it hurt a bit.
   "So you can understand why Clarissa and Kaleb are so close to him. He doesn't get close to people very much, and it takes time to win his trust. But thing is, once you are his friend, he'd do anything to protect you from the pain he had to feel." Alice ended with some admiration. And who didn't admire Premidas's devotion? If only things could have been better for him...he didn't deserve the pain.
   Kanni balled up her fists. The world was so damned sometimes...hijackers, murders, terrorists, wars...what other types of pain and destruction would the humans bring upon themselves? Alice lightly patted her shoulder. "You had no idea, huh? Well, now you do. So go a bit easy on him, cause I'm sure Kaleb is really packing it into him right now for that fight."
   
        *I'll let you do the talk between Kaleb and Prem...cause I don't kno what u had in mind for him to say to Prem, ok? ^^;*

--"Why couldn't it happen earlier, and why now?"

   Doors could be heard slamming in room #131 by Kaleb who had been knocking the door frame for several minutes now after the feast had ended, waiting for Alice to open the door. Calling hadn't helped any since he always reached the answering machines. Tash had gone over the line this time and just couldn't let things go like a pit bull after Alice had left, ranting on about how she hopped Gabriel would be sacked for having such an ill-mannered god-daughter. No one had even stopped the shape-shifter due to the sudden windows imploding on themselves and the lights going out with a pop. Her powers were getting worse and more out of control. And now Alice was nowhere to be found in the corridors, leaving her own room locked. Kaleb felt nearly sick and disgusted with himself for not going after her earlier.
   "Alice! Alice, come on! Open the door before I tear it off of its hinges!" The yells weren't much help and silence continued to answer Kaleb. His heart raced ahead of him as he breathed in longer heaves of air. And then Kaleb tore the lock off of the door, kicking it open to find the room in complete darkness. The entire room hadn't been touched since Clarissa had ordered the house elves to tidy each room up. The messaging machine beeped with a number flashing, begging to be heard once more which meant that Alice had listened to the messages before leaving the room. If only Tash had kept her mouth shut then the whole evening would've been saved and enjoyable compared to this. Kaleb had looked once more around hissing loudly into the dusk, "Dammit! Why does she always have to be so complicated?"
   He knew why and he was ashamed to act like he never knew. Kaleb had then shook it out of his head and exited the room to run through the corridors as he moved students over with a wave of his slender fingers to move easier. He needed to think of where Alice would retreat to. It must've been some place where Gabriel once was with her, only discussing small things that didn't make a change in the flow of things at all. Uncrowded, quiet, and dark. The roof. Often enough Kaleb had brought Alice up to the roof to help with homework instead of doing it at the library. Taking a turn, Kaleb headed to where the fastest way to the roof was and was surprised to find another Hall-Spector suspend another student. They were appearing very much for just the first day of school to begin.
   The ladder that led through the higher floors was weak, but Kaleb had held it firmly against the wall with his powers to keep it strong. Dust continued to engulf his feet each step meaning that no one had used this ladder recently. Cold drafts were felt through the narrow passage after going another story higher from where Kaleb orginally started. Soon stars were seen in the dark sky as Kaleb climbed onto the tall roof, hearing a small voice that hadn't been recognized by him until his fists steadied himself on the wide roof to find Alice perched on the edge of a fire place that no longer spitted out smoke.
   "Why the hell did you even try to find me?"
   The question came so sudden that Kaleb hadn't even expected it. "Because I found it nessecary to come after you before you got a hold of Tash's hair. And I-"
   "You told Premidas about me, didn't you?" Whispered Alice, her eyes shining brillantly over her shoulders. "You told him after I made you swear that you wouldn't."
   "I was about to, okay? I admit that but I didn't. And I didn't come here to recieve sarcasim from you," whispered Kaleb to her, finding it easier to talk to Alice when she wasn't facing him. "Tash should've kept her mouth shut, alright? But you don't understand us, Alice. You and Kanni just seemed to come alive again and we had no idea what had been going on between you or Remus. We didn't even know what had happened until Ulthar showed up."
   "Well then Mr. Agretto. If you think you understand me so much then why not write a book about me?" Kaleb wouldn't take this, pulling Alice down from the chimey to pull her in his coat, pressing his face against her shoulder and whispering, "I won't take this from you Alice. I can't. We all know what happened but that doesn't mean you can swing by me so easily."

-"I can't leave this place and you should know that."

   "Meh." Clarissa had been coaxed by Themrus and Gabriel to not continue screeching of how many students had been suspended today, her face buried into her hands and continued to redden as her hair was combed out by a small pixie with a large comb. 53 students had encounted the Hall-Spectors today and recieved punishment. And Clarissa still needed to think of one for Premidas to teach him a lesson. Too many things were already happening for her to find out that Ulthar's daughter had been coming into her office to discuss if it was wise to allow Gabriel to teach any more and the animagus was fummed in a large red armchair, his arms crossed and continued to glare at Clarissa hissing, "Do you think it is wise enough?"
   "Gabriel! The girl is just a child who doesn't have any idea of politics or how to keep an entire school under control!" Whispered Clarissa. "Themrus, is there anyway the Spectors made some kind of mistake with the number?"
   "It's against their nature to cause a flaw," answered Themrus, looking worried to find Gabriel tapping his foot impatiently. "And we shouldn't be frightened by some girl who has her head in the clouds my dear friend."

   "Tash! Don't you ever hold your mouth?" Premidas scolded his friend who was running her fingers through her bright orange hair. She flipped it over her shoulders and shrugged.
    "Guess not."
    "Tash! That wasn't funny!"
   "And I didn't mean it to be! I was merely excericing my thoughts and rights of public speaking and suggestion." Tash retorted with a bored look.
   "I see you haven't changed a bit." the animagus growled.
    "And I see you have! I can't beleive you hang around those two girls. They could wreck your whole reputation and look what that Kanni girl has gotten you into already? Do you always fight their battles? Are they really that weak?"
   "..."
    The two were sitting outside again, on the benches, now that the feast had slightly dwindled and students were allowed to walk of their heavy stomachs only to come back and fill it up again later. Premidas had this time, with Tash's nagging, put on a heavy brown coat and didn't shiver from the cold, only the chills jolting up his spine every now and then. After what his friend had said Alice had stormed out, soon followed by Kanni and Kaleb. And Tash didn't seem the least bit guilty feeling. He groaned and rubbed his brow.
    "See? Look what they're doing to you...You've been nothing but stressed ever since school started-"
   "-which hasn't even been a day yet," Premidas interjected.
   "Usually you're carefree and wild on the first day of school, playing pranks on everyone and causing playful trouble...not getting your face ripped up with fists and strangling people to death!" Tash yelled, both fists clenched now. "Can't you see what you're becoming? This isn't the Premidas Anthen I knew-"
   "-well I've changed Tash! And maybe you will never know how much, but I've changed, damnit!" Premidas roared, jumping to his feet and slamming a fist into the wood. Tash backed to the side, surprised by his rage. Then her eyes dropped in sorrow and her hands folded gently in her lap.
   "I see." she whispered.
    Premidas growled. How come she always did this? She always acted to sad when he got mad, like it physically hurt her. He couldn't take it anymore. All these people all suddenly jumping onto his back. He wanted away. He turned on his heel and stormed away with a heavy brsik pace, with only one destination in mind: the roof. That's where he always went when he needed to escape, also where he and Kaleb would plot out pranks and excuses to get them out of the trouble.
   He wheeled into the hallway and towards the secret passage door. She hissed "sundae" to it and the door parted. Into a narrow and dark passage he scrambled, the door rumbling shut behind him. Then he came to the spiraling stair case, and rushed up it, suddenly slamming into someone else.
   "Ouch!" Kanni's voice snarled and shuffling noises were made as she picked herself up.
   "Kan? What the hell are you doing here?"
   "Good question. Let me know when you think you know the answer." Kanni retorted.
    Premidas growled. "You need to get away too?"
    "Why else? But looks like I'll have to go now cause you're going up there. How in the hell will I get peace with you in the same area?"
   "Ha, ha, Kanni. Funny, but I'm not laughing. And what do you mean by that?! How about I go to one side of the roof, and you to the other."
    "Sounds good to me. But I want peace...and quiet!"
   "Alright, alright, sheesh..." Premidas sniffed and followed the milthacti up the stairs. The girl pushed through the broken window and clambered out into the shackled roof, bracing her feet against the ridges for the snow and ice made it extreamly slippery, and the air was feircly cold.
   Premidas crawled up behind her when suddenly her right foot slipped on an ice patch. Kanni's hands scraped at the snow for a hold, but could find none in time. She slammed against Premidas as he tightened his hold on the shackles to hold both of them up. "Kanni, hurry! You're getting heavier," he puffed. Kanni quickly found her footing again and pushed up and away from him, making it to the flat roof top where she perched on a vent, letting the warm air shoot up all around her.
   Premidas, now wet with snow, dropped both brows. "No fair! You took my favorite spot!"
   "You snooze, you lose," the milthacti simply retorted.
   "But I just caught you and am now soaking! I think I ought to get a bit of warm air, Miss Merrane!"
   "Fine. Who said you can't? Or do you need me to help you crawl onto the vent?" she taunted with a small mischevious grin.
   Premidas scowled. He could never tell with her. He swung onto the metal next to her, feeling the gusts of hot air blast up his shirt, through his coat, and all around his face, drying his wet hair. "What are you listening to?" he asked when he saw Kanni pull out her portable CD player.
   "A mixed CD my friend back at home gave me as a farewell gift."
   "Oh...Do you miss it?"
   "Miss what?" Kanni's voice slightly softened.
   "Miss what you left behind? All your friends, family...and your normal life? Or, to put it better, your hopes of a normal life?"
    "Do you?" she retaliated and he hesitated.
   "No." His voice was firmer than he expected it to be. But she didn't seem to notice his unsteady breath.
    "Sometimes I do too." she admitted and then turned up her CD player until his slightly pointed ears could pick it up even through the blare of the vents. The stars shone so lonely above him. They were sort of how he was...Surrounded with many other stars just like it, all sharing the sky, yet each single one always looked to forlorn...so lost. He sighed. He turned to say something to Kanni but then realized she wouldn't be able to hear him through the music. Just when he was about to say something, she wouldn't hear. Every other time she was ready to listen and talk, and now that he finally wanted to get the weight off his chest, he was too late. And it seemed he always was.

--"I don't want to believe in this all...I don't understand, why can't it just go away?"

   The food court was warmer than any other room in the entire building, heated by goblins that Themrus had brought in that were warming up heaters on the side of the walls. And students were still swapping invitations to the dance tonight as Kaleb and Alice found themselves a booth. The shape-shifter offered to go and get some breakfeast, squeezing Kaleb's shoulder gently before walking up to the empty large table. Some students were already aware that Alice had been near them, and instead ignored the girl to continue talking to whoever. It was slightly amazing how this all seemed like foul play. Bringing back the food, Alice had managed to avoid to trip over people's feet that stook out with intent, and then with the owner turning bright red to find Alice smiling back at them. Kaleb couldn't get over the fact about Tash last night, helping Alice set the tray on the table to begin eating.
   "Excuse me."
   A girl was leaning over Alice's shoulders, holding back long and thick blonde curls with a pencil behind her ear. The girl was the same age as Kaleb, who looked slightly unsure of to send his breakfeast flying at her or to stay seated and listen to her. The girl then blushed to find Alice staring back at her with a quizzical look. This wasn't planned at all from what the girl's face looked like. All Alice could tell was that the girl's name was Josefine by the sewed name on the scarf tightly wrapped around her neck. She began once more to speak, "I would've liked to know if...i-if you- I mean we! If we could go to the dance toget-"
   "No thanks." It was so quick that Alice had to take another minute to process what had just happened. However Josefine looked to be on the verge of tears and giggles, walking away quicker in the deepest shade of red Alice had ever seen in her life and finally asked, "Should I ask or leave it all alone?"
   "Leave it all alone. You don't want to hear half the things I have to say about these girls. Always with their heads up in the sky. The older ones are the ones to be with since they don't care about those things anymore. You're even lucky to be in that fifth year Defense Class," said Kaleb, drinking from his mug.   
   "So Themrus told you about that class?"
   "Trust me, if any teacher knows it's going to be found out by a student," he answered. "So then it's really no use trying to keep something secertized here at all."
   "You can say that again."
   "Did you decide to tell Gabriel or even Kanni about your..."
   "...powers? No, not yet. I've heard that Ulthar has been snooping around lately from other students who didn't even know I was there."
   "Well, whatever you heard was true since he was asking me last night after I brought you back to your own room."

   "And on a day like this..." Alice pressed her face in her knees, feeling survielance and didn't care. Remus nearly killed her and it wouldn't pass by Alice so easily for it would be something that haunted her for the rest of her life. Sneezing several times her hands threw back the roses to stand up, sniffling before walking closer to the stone to dust off the snow to find clawing marks in the stone, somewhat similar to Gabriel's. So the animagus lied, he had gone here to morn for his best friend's death after his own godchild nearly died. It changed everyone yet Alice felt foolish to continue to morn over this. As people may like, Alice saved their lives and they could see it that way or not, but it didn't change what really happened.
   "Purple, green, black...Why does our Verae continue to morn?"
   And Alice could still hear that voice that frightened her so much, feeling only more angry with her and threw her fists into the ground, hearing the snow crunch under her fists. Her chest heaved in air with a temper. Alice felt weak to be here and to continue to fear Remus. But who didn't? The man was powerful and had a lust to kill people who did nothing to him. This was supposed to be Kanni's special day and Alice instead had to come here and only remind herself more of last year. A blue mist then seeped from her skin, coiling around her fingers and upwards to her arm, melting the snow around her. It felt somehow comforting and yet strange. Alice still felt watched and didn't really care. She still considered herself a freak, no matter what people said...   
   "He was the man who left you all..."
   --Only because he felt Remus and his lust inside of him. Alice's mother, Mrs. Black had driven her own husband out of the house accusing him of several crimes that there couldn't be possible for him to do. It was only to get him and Remus away, to out cast him from the family. So Remus had been after her from the start, knowing things that got Alice emotional and weak easily as a Verae. And Gabriel's role was to sit and watch everything play out to Remus's plan, murdering his best friend without regret. Nothing was easy to understand about what had happened when her father, Marco Black, had left the house with Remus in him. Was Remus giving Marco the chance to simply control himself or was it that Remus needed to see whoever was related to this man? Her godfather had enough to deal with right now, yet it wouldn't stop them both from thinking over it and wanting answers to it all.
   Several more flakes landed on the tomb stone, only adding to the pile of snow that Alice had swept off of it before. Not many people visited Marco and Alice felt like she was perhaps to be the first in some time now. The roses looked to be several weeks or even months old, nearly crumbling whenever Alice picked on up. A candle stood under the tomb stone covered in snow and leaves. The shape-shifter hadn't moved, tracing the name in the stone with her finger, feeling some heat from the stone. The survielance of someone watching her grew more, yet Alice only thought it might be some bird or another person to come and grieve over another stone...