Jealousy | A Rosewood Chronicles FanFiction

Part 4 - The Welcoming

"Everyone, this is Aric. My new roommate. He says he knows you." Raphael said, and Ellie started laughing subtly. 

"Oh yeah we know him all right." she snickered.

"Ellie!" Lottie said, nudging her friend to stop her from laughing, but even a small smile crept onto Lottie's face. 

"Sorry." Ellie said, sighing.

"Aric's from Maradova." Kate said quickly. "His mother worked in the palace so we became friends a while ago." Kate lied through her teeth. She glanced at Jamie, who's head had jolted up at her story; maybe it was because it contained parallels of his own.

Aric stood next to Raphael, his face pretty much blank.

"Well thanks Kate for ruining my introduction." Raphael said with a smirk. "But anyway, Aric this is Binah and Percy," he said, then put his arm around Jamie again who frowned, "and you probably already know my comrade in arms Jamie."

"I do." Aric said, nodding at Jamie. "Although I can't say he seems to happy to see me." he smirked.

Jamie rolled his eyes discreetly, but Kate saw it. What was his problem?

Raphael laughed. "C'mon, let's go." he said, wandering alongside Aric towards the field where the students were gathering for the welcoming assembly, the others trailing behind.

Kate found herself next to Jamie and Percy, Jamie's face set forwards.

"What is it?" Jamie suddenly asked, his eyes still forwards.

"What's what?" Kate replied, turning her attention to the ground beneath her feet.

"You were staring at me."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were." he sighed. "What are you thinking about?"

"Why you don't like Aric." Kate said without thinking, looking back up at Jamie.

He sighed again. "I don't not like him."

"Then why are you always so weird around him?! D'you think I've not noticed you avoiding him all summer?"

He seemed to think for a second, and Kate wondered if he was trying to think up an excuse."It's just...strange. Having another partizan around."

Kate bit her lip. Whether Jamie was being honest or not was indefinite, but at least he was opening up a bit.

"Shouldn't that be something good? Y'know you can...share partizan stuff..." 

Jamie laughed. "I don't have anything to learn from him."

Kate raised her eyebrows at Jamie's abrupt tone; something was bothering him, and she needed to find out what.

_______________________________

"Valued students of Rosewood." The gruff voice of the Headmaster echoed out across the field where the students were sat, waiting for the speeches to be over so they could watch the fireworks and enjoy the rest of the evening. "I hope you have all had a productive time away and are all feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new year at Rosewood." The headmaster continued. 

Kate tried to stay focused on the speech, but found herself distracted by Raphael and Aric in conversation, one of them occasionally laughing and earning them glares from some of the other students. Aric would occasionally turn around and glance to Kate, a mannerism that was a true giveaway he was a Partizan if you knew what one was or how committed they were.

The Headmaster continued to drone on about the values of Rosewood, sounding just as bored as everyone else was, when suddenly a shriek echoed out across the field. Jamie instinctively moved to Ellie, and Ellie in turn instinctively moved to Lottie, and Aric stood up in surprise, earning a look from Jamie.

Hundreds of heads turned in the direction of the cry as a girl yelled through the confusion, "Somebody help him, please!"

The teachers immediately rushed down off the stage, fighting their way through a crowd of students but it was too far away for Kate to see what was going on. Aric had found his way to Kate, a worried look shadowing his face but he seemed somewhat calm.

"Are you OK?" 

"Fine why wouldn't I be?" Kate replied shortly, still stood on the tips of her toes trying to get a better view.

"Here." Aric said, kneeling down and putting his hands out flat. Kate raised an eyebrow sceptically, but curiosity at what was happening at the other end of the field got the better of her.

Aric's strength was almost scary as he lifted her up so she could see over the heads of all the students.

Professor Devine was beating a path through the students, holding up a red-headed Ivy boy sagged against her side. Kate recognised him as a year 8 boy: Horace Silverton-Smith. Professor Devine guided him with an arm round his shoulder as his bloodshot eyes kept rolling back into his head and his skin was covered in a strange porcelain sheen. Suddenly, a sweet smell overpowered all their senses. It was familiar, but Kate couldn't place it.

"Settle down everyone!" the Headmaster exclaimed as loud as he could. "Remain calm and we will push on with the fireworks!"

A low murmur rippled across the field as the anxious students tried to comprehend what had happened.

"Poor Horace." Binah said, appearing beside them all.

"What happened to him?" Raphael wondered aloud, obviously expecting Binah to shed some light on the situation. But nobody, not even Binah, had an answer.