StarLight

Chapter 50: Panic Is A Hinderance

~~~~~~~~~~~
Skylar
~~~~~~~~~~~

I stuck close to the others while we were at school, keeping an eye out for Alden.
"Mary, can we be real for a moment?" Toby asked, having wandered off again.
"A woman like you deserves anything she wants." He went on.
I couldn't help but look to Arya before rolling my eyes.
She sighed in agreement.
"And what you want, is me. As your date to the spring fling! It's okay, you don't even have to ask." Toby added.
"I'd rather choke to death." Mary replied with before slamming her locker shut and pulling on her headphones, making a quick get away.
"Yeah... I think I'd have the same reaction if anyone asked me." I whispered to Arya.
"I can't believe Toby is asking literally every girl here." She replied.
"Just be thankful he hasn't asked us yet." I replied before we both went quiet, Toby walking over to Darcy.
After a couple moments of chasing her pathetically, he walked over slamming his head into a locker as Jim awkwardly waved to Claire.
"Well, I asked every single girl." Toby stated in defeat.
I raised a brow before looking to Arya.
She only shrugged in response.
"They all said no?" Jim questioned.
"You already know, I got a few 'as ifs' and a couple 'not in a million years'. One actually gagged. I took that as a 'not interested'." Toby pointed out.
"You'll get your date." Jim said in response.
"Just tell me who it is. I asked everyone. Except Claire, left her for you. Nor did I ask Skylar, she'd punch me in the face. And I didn't ask Arya because she kinda scares me." Toby added, whispering the last part about Arya.
"You should ask Claire, Jim." I stated with a sigh, putting my arm around Arya.
"I think Arya and I will go together. Girl power and all." I added.
"What a wonderful way to ask." Arya stated, causing me to nod.
"Right, skips the awkwardness." I stated.
We shared a look before laughing.
Once I gathered myself, I looked back to Jim.
"All seriousness though, you've already done it once. Or did she ask you?" I spoke, pointing my finger at him at the end.
"Does it matter?" He asked in response.
"She asked him." I stated aloud before looking towards Claire's direction.
"Lady Skylar." Blinky suddenly spoke, now next to us.
I took a step back from the shock.
"Oh, hey." I greeted, looking to the others for any reason as to why Blinky was here.
"I spent the afternoon in the school library, and you three are apparently a popular topic of gossip." Blinky went on, gesturing to Arya, Jim, and myself.
"Blinky, what are you doing hanging out at our school?" I asked softly, glancing around.
"Well, that's an interesting story." Blinky replied.
"Wait, you said people are gossiping about Jim, Arya, and Skylar?" Toby asked.
"I didn't hear much, but for Jim, the words 'wussing' and 'out' were frequently revoked. As for Arya and Skylar, they're saying they are... what's the word? Lezz-bee-ands?" Blinky spoke.
Arya and I glanced at each other.
"Do you mean lesbians?" I asked slowly.
"Yes, that is the word." He stated with an affirmative nod.
"Oh gods." I muttered.
"I will go find someone to go to the dance with." Arya stated teasingly.
"Betrayer!" I exclaimed playfully.
I then stopped, looking back to Blinky.
"What were you doing in the library anyway?" I then asked, raising a brow.
"I exhausted all of trollmarkets resources pertaining to the mark Jim described of. Then I thought, what about the library in Arcadia Oaks High?"
"And?" Toby questioned.
"Sadly, all I learned was that Jim was a wuss when it comes to the fairer sex and Arya and Skylar are lesbians." Blinky stated.
"Okay, we aren't. Or I'm not. Are you?" I spoke, looking to Arya.
"I am not." She replied, offering an awkward smile.
"Not that there's anything wrong with being a lesbian anyway, but we aren't." I finished, looking back to Blinky.
"I see, a miscommunication then." He stated thoughtfully.
Toby then let out a soft gasp.
"Look at that hypnotic, bewitching allure of that swaying mole." Toby suddenly spoke, looking behind us.
"I'm afraid to look." I admitted before turning.
Arya stared blankly.
"Excuse me, seems I was wrong about asking every non-Claire, non-Arya, non-Skylar girl in school." Toby added before walking away.
"Does he even know if a female is, in fact, beneath that costume?" Blinky asked.
"I have no idea." I admitted.
"If it is, I believe we should be more afraid." Arya added.
I looked at Jim.
He only shrugged.
"We do need to be afraid." I whispered.
"Hey, you! Do you have a visitors pass?" Coach Lawrence suddenly called out, pointing at Blinky.
"My dear sir, I dare say, my humanity is my pass." Blinky replied.
"Yeah, that's not gonna work. You might want to run." Jim and I said at the same time, Jim placing a hand on Blinky's shoulder as I pointed over my shoulder with my thumb.
"Why on earth would I-" Blinky was cut off my Coach Lawrence grabbing him.
"All right, all right. Let's go, Stranger." Coach Lawrence spoke, hauling Blinky away.
"Stranger Danger!" Coach Lawrence then shouted.
"Very well!" Blinky replied with, trying to keep up with the Gym Teacher.
That's when I saw Strickler reading a book.
My fist clenched involuntarily, however, my anger slipped from me when I saw Alden in the corner of my eye, body tensing.
"Let's go." I murmured to Arya.
We walked past Strickler quickly, my body close to Arya for protection.
"Young Athena." Strickler greeted, causing me to look at him and pause in my step.
I grabbed onto Arya, glancing over to see Alden was staring at me.
"Strickler, just the person I wanted to see." I stated, a look of confusion passing over his face.
"You see, I can't do the tutoring. I know you really want me too, but my grades are already slipping, you know. So, someone who's grades aren't that great shouldn't be tutoring. Now we really have to get going, studying and all that. Bye!" I spoke quickly before walking again.
"But your grades are fine." Strickler spoke, the confusion almost laughable.
I would have laughed if it wasn't for the panic that had a hold of every fiber in my body.
A heavy breath escaped me once we were off of school grounds.
"I have to go to Trollmarket. Vendel is expecting me." I spoke, Arya nodding.
"I have a few things to grab from home first. I'll meet you there." She replied, causing me to nod.
So, we went our separate ways.