Divine Blue [Book One]

Chapter Three

Taylor flipped her locker open and picked out her textbooks for the first two classes of the day. She filled her backpack with the items she needed and began organizing the rest of its contents in an order that paralleled her schedule. As Taylor did this, she sensed a couple of figures approaching her from her side.

"Hi, Taylor," one of the figures said to her. Taylor turned around to see Adrienne and Beth standing before her. Beth was standing just behind Adrienne smiling. Someone who matched Taylor's degree of discomfort. Taylor noticed Beth's short stature. This wasn't something she had noticed in the lunchroom the day before. Beth was petite with short, light brown hair, and her clothes seemed small enough to have fit a doll.

"Hey! How... how are you guys doing this morning?" Taylor stuttered. She mentally kicked herself for not being able to talk with more allure.

Adrienne looked over at Beth for a moment, searching for what seemed like approval. Adrienne looked back to Taylor. "Most of us hang out in the gym in the morning before first bell. We have a little time. Wanna come?"

Taylor shut her locker door and lugged her backpack onto her back. She shrugged. "Sure!"

The girls walked the halls in unison towards the gym. There was a long silence before Taylor heard Beth speak.

"Some of the seniors told me yesterday that Mr. Ames makes everyone do a project with some sort of chain reaction with a catapult, like a simple machine," Beth said, her words laced with nervousness.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Beth. It's the physics equivalent of a third grade model solar system," Adrienne told her facetiously as they continued along the hallway.

Adrienne turned her head towards Taylor for a moment before saying, "Beth is the token genius of the group. She worries about ev-er-y-thing."

"When I start getting college solicitation letters, you'll appreciate my tenacity!" Beth fired back.

"I didn't really mean it as a bad thing. I was just giving you shit," Adrienne replied, laughing to herself. She turned back towards Taylor. "Beth is also very sensitive."

Taylor could only manage a smile and a nod of acknowledgement before they reached the gym doors. The doors were propped open with stoppers, and Taylor could immediately see several small cliques of students in the midst of lively conversations.

Beth, still salty, joined a small group that included Grant, Rhiannon, Matthew, and Kelsey.

Adrienne stopped after entering the gym and swiveled herself around to face Taylor. "We can go sit down on the bleachers, if you want to. I know you're probably still trying to get used to the routine of this place," Adrienne offered Taylor, a twinkle in her eye.

"Yeah, I'd like that," Taylor responded, pleased with this proposition. Taylor found Adrienne's eyes and shot her a fleeting expression of gratitude.

Adrienne winked at her.

Taylor followed Adrienne over to a stretch of bleachers that was away from the congestion of students that had gathered. They both set their backpacks on the floorboards behind them and sat down. Taylor turned her attention for a moment to a group of four guys playing in a small basketball scrimmage on the other end of the gym.

"I get the sense you're more of a people-watcher," she heard Adrienne say next to her.

Taylor gave her attention back to Adrienne, appreciative that she had broken the ice for her. "I guess I've spent most of my time watching everyone else's lives play out." Taylor paused. "I'm sorry. That was probably more of a philosophical response than what you were looking for."