Desiree The Half Elf Princess Warrior: Keeper of the Rune

The Gift

CHAPTER ELEVEN

     "It's up to you now. You have to be very careful? There are eyes everywhere. The members of the Order knows your every move even before you do. Don't trust anyone." 

     The end of the school could barely come fast enough for Desiree after seeing both the dead spirits of her late guidance councilor, Miss Wiseman and the dead owner of the Silverbourne Museum, Aldus Silverbourne. And not to mentioned the appearance of the mysterious woman called Isabella. The spirit of the deceased museum owner's warning echoed repeatedly like a broken record in her mind. 

     As she stood at her locker, staring dejectedly at the words "freak" and "witch" that someone had deliberately spray painted on her school locker. At once, Desiree's oval-shaped, emerald-green eyes looked this way and that at the students in the hallway, hoping to spot the guilty person responsible for the graffiti upon her locker. The first person that came to mind was Hayden. She wouldn't put it pass the heartless teen and her friends to have done something like this. 

     Once more Desiree looked around, and this time she was searching for any sign of the aforementioned, but so far, she didn't see any sign of the subject of her utmost disdain. Warmth spread up her arm and into her heart. Just as well, Desiree thought. 

     She let out a quiet sigh of release. The close was clear. With no sign of the trouble-making trio  she could finally let her guard down. Glancing around one last time, she took a hold of the combination lock and entered a series of numbers until she heard a clicking sound. She opened the locking device. The first thing she noticed was a pink package atop her school books and other items, which along with everything else spilled out like an avalanche at her feet. Oddly enough, the package wasn't there prior to arriving to school that morning. 

     Several of the students were near enough to see what had tumbled out of her locker. The sight of the pink package gave them a shock and silence them just the same. Confused, Desiree crouched down to pick up the package. 

      Simultaneously, Genevieve and Chandler squatted down beside her. 

     "What happened?" Genevieve asked. 

     Desiree shrugged.     

     "I don't know. I figure it was someone's idea of a joke." 

     "That'll be my guess. I wonder who could've done this? That's downright mean and strange all at the same time," Chandler popped in.  He gave an incredulous look.

     "Your guest is as good as mine at this point," Desiree tossed back.  "But if I had to bet my bottom dollar, this has to be the handiwork of none other than Hayden. This has to be her doing. Her way of retaliating for what I did to her in the lunch room the other day."

     Desiree knew Hayden had to be the ringleader behind this latest instant. After their brief encounter it was only a matter of time before the other girl would take out her revenge upon her when she least expected. Again, she had failed miserable in listening to the warning of staying vigilant at all times.  After all, Desiree didn't trust the lanky female, remembering the incident in the janitor's closet, where she discovered Hayden's association with Anthony. Was Hayden deliberately making an effort to get Anthony's attention behind her back? Over my dead body, she thought.

     Genevieve put a hand on Desiree's shoulder. By now, everyone in the corridor realized something of significance had taken place, and everyone had fallen silent in reaction to the unexpected disruption. Desiree turned, and surveyed each and every student.