Lyan
Once in the locker room everyone just started taking off their clothes and I suddenly could see everything, and when I said everything I meant everything.
But before I could respectfully check everyone out Orus appeared before me. This was the second time I had seen him completely naked. I had to fix that habit, but my whole body said otherwise, reacting to his mere presence by flaring up and making me feel funny.
" Aren't you going to shower?" Orus asked, positioning himself so that I couldn't see the guys behind him. Luckily, I had a good excuse, there were only 5 showers and there were over 35 students in this class, so it would take a while for the showers to empty.
" I'll shower last. There's still many people left"
" Fine" Orus sat down on a nearby bench and called me over. " I'll wait with you" Oh no, oh no, this couldn't be happening. The tingling sensation in my body quickly became dread and fear.
" It's fine, just shower now. I'll see you later in class"
" No. I'll stay with you"
" Why?" I asked, growing more panicked by the second.
" 'Cause" He didn't give any more explanation and we waited in awkward silence for the showers to be vacated, all the while I was silently hoping Orus would either get bored or finally read the room and leave.
As expected, he did none of the above. He just waited in silence while growling every mow and then. I used the fact that he was no longer in front of me to let my eyes roam free, but it was useless. By now most of the guys were gone and so was the excitement, only dread remained.
" Looks like it's our turn" Orus pointed out, and as a matter of fact it was. Everyone else had already showered and left.
We both stood up, but while Orus walked to the shower, I just stood in place.
" Aren't you coming?"
I had two options. Appear like a homeless and dirty person that didn't like to take showers or let my identity be discovered. I chose the former.
" I don't really like to shower"
Orus looked at me weird but let it be, which I appreciated. Instead he just put his clothes back on and said " I'll follow you". Fuuuck.
" I need to go to the bathroom" I ran to the bathroom and hid inside. Then, having no better option, I changed clothes and came out. Orus knew what I had just done but didn't question me. He just raised his brows and continued following me for the rest of the day like a good, loyal dog.
This pattern continued for a few more days. When I thought I had finally gotten rid of all the annoyances a new one popped up. They were like weeds. They refused to go down. Although Jack was no longer following me I had gained a new stalker, Orus.
Those days I could hardly find Jack. He seemed to be looking everywhere for his pendant and I had started to feel really bad about it, so I decided that I would give it back in a few days, just so that he learned his lesson, not because I didn't want not just one, but two stalkers.
Jack
I was feeling like I was losing my mind. I'd spent almost all week looking for my necklace, but it was nowhere to be seen. I had even asked everyone I had met that day if they knew about my necklace, but nobody talked.
I couldn't lose it. Not like this. That pendant was the last remain of my late mother. Everything of hers had either been destroyed or lost when the institute arrested her. All that was left was the green, heart shaped nacklace she had given me when I was four.
There was no way in hell I was gonna lose it. I would do whatever I needed to do to get it back, even if it meant walking the same path as my mother and use forbidden black magic. But I'd go down swinging.
Once in my room, which was filled with posters from some bands I liked and had clothes scattered everywhere, I lifted my mattress and picked a black candle, some hair, a dead rat, which I had hunted the other day in the forest just in case I couldn't find my pendant and that by now had begun to smell, and some paper.
I drew the incantation onto the paper and placed the candle on top of it. Then I wrapped the hair around my finger and with a dagger I always kept mear me, but that luckily I didn't have to hide thanks to the free weapons rule of the school, I cut into the rat's flesh while muttering the spell under my breath.
White aether started gathering around my fingers and I thought about the necklace, about how much it meant to me and how badly I wanted to find it.
Once the spell was completed the white aether went from my hands and under the door. Trembling with excitement at the idea of finally finding my pendant I had to calm myself down and force myself to clean everything up.
Chanting a normal spell this time I cleaned the blood and made the paper, now with the incantation engraved into it, and the corpse disappear. Then I hid the candle and the hair back under the mattress and got up.
Following the white thread was easy. I had suspected it would lead me to somewhere inside my dorm, but what I didn't expect was for it to lead me right into Arun's room.
I opened the door and followed the aether into his room and to his desk drawer, which had no locks and no spells, so I had no difficulty opening it. Once I did I found an open bag of Cheetos and put my hand inside. I took everything out and found money, my nacklace and panties.
Why he had panties I had no idea, but I knew I would confront him tonight and then. Then I would get my revenge.
The feeling of betrayal was not new to me, coming from a prominent family meant I had lots of enemies, but I hadn't thought Arun capable of that, much less after I had treated him so well and looked after him, but now all good will I could have had was gone. He was gonna pay.
Lyan
It was already dinner time and I hadn't seen Jack all day. He had been missing classes for a while, but he never skipped meals. This was weird.
Ignoring my senses that told me something terrible had happened I focused on eating and then went to my dorm.
Once inside I immediately noticed the atmosphere was weird and Jack was seated on the couch with my stuff on his lap. Once I entered he looked me in the eyes and I immediately knew he had found my Cheetos bag.
Orus
I'd been living with Jack for quite a while but I had never seen him with an expression similar to the one he had when we entered his room. He seemed ready to murder someone, preferably Arun, but I wasn't going to let that happen. Slowly positioning myself to cover Arun I waited for the drama that would surely follow to unfold.
Mark
From my room I could see Jack pacing around with his necklace and some stuff on his hands. I didn't know when he had found it, but at least now he had. I was beginning to feel bad for him, but now I also felt bad for Arun. He was cooked.
' This'll be fun' Oscar said, but I ignored him, picked my jacket, a blanket and my pillow and decided I could sleep today on the stairs. I didn't want anything to do with this drama, and much less did I want Jack to find that I had something to do with this.
Passing by an unrested Jack I left the room.
' Boo, go back' Oscar whined and tried to wrestle control form me but I ignored him and powered through.
Leaving, I decided to ask Arun tomorrow how everything had gone.