icarus

viii. glass

Lunch is going to be a disaster.

Yara can feel it, in her veins, in the air, in the faces of everyone she looks at. Her legs tap furiously, as she leans back in her chair, arms folded. She glances at Zane who looks less ready to go into a rampage.

Her shiny desk is like a canvas, and everything in her wants to paint on it. The black pencil in her grip suffers but she doesn't look at it, rather at her brother.

"Wanna talk?" She offers.

Zane groans and cups his cheek. "No." Yara giggles, and pats him on the shoulder. She can feel Atlas staring at the back of her head but she pays him no mind and focuses on the little doodles on the corner of her notebook.

************

It's lunchtime. They have a table that's specifically for the upper listers, center of the cafeteria. Tanner chose the seats when he became king and that's where they sit for lunch. Arlo, Isabella, Olivia, Zane, Tanner, Atlas and Xavier are all sat at the round table, muttering about something. The entire cafeteria sneaks glances at them, whispers of what they are wearing and mannerisms and food choices. Her Prada boots echo dimly as she is the last to arrive, and Yara sits gracefully, flashing everyone a curl of her glossy lips.

"You're late." Xavier says, contempt muddying his eyes.

Yara pushes her hand up and under her chin, her smile still as distant as can be. "I wasn't aware that there's a specific time that we had to meet up. I'm here, and the bell for lunch just rang."

"You should have known that Tanner wanted us here befo–"

She sucks her tongue, and cuts Xavier off, poison coating her tongue. "I'm sorry we all haven't spent so much time kissing Tanner's ass, the way you have, that you both are now telepathically connected. Not all of us have our youth to waste." Zane huffs, and gives her a fist bump under the table. Isabella rolls her eyes, and Olivia doesn't react, holding onto Tanner's hand. Her eyes are fixated on the blond who isn't looking at her.

Arlo laughs, and Atlas still wouldn't look at her. Good riddance. Xavier is flushed, and almost growling, the same way a wild animal would, snarling all over the table. "I tried texting."

"Ah." She nods in understanding. "You're still blocked, that's why."

Tanner interrupts. "Xavier." He says calmly and Xavier instantly keeps quiet. "Atlas, welcome. We, as per the usual tradition, will have a little party as your initiation in my room. Dress comfortably as it'll be only us, and you can't bring a plus one." Tanner says with a smirk, flipping blond hair away from his green eyes. Yara rolls her eyes. Tanner snaps his finger and people she barely knows from the B-list surround their table with their usual preference for lunch.

The blond who is whispering in Olivia's ear casually waves a hand and they all disperse. Atlas is sat beside her, and his cologne forms a bubble that traps her, and his eyes steal looks at her and she ignores them. Yara is eating slowly and when he bends to her level, albeit not staring at her, she stills, because he's so damn close.

"I'm sorry." He whispers, and she pauses, unsure of what to do. "You're right. Boarding school is my punishment, but not Westwood, that's my choice." He takes a bite of his chicken and sits back up.

Yara glances at him, and pats his thigh. "There there, you're forgiven. I'm sorry as well. I was being pushy." He turns his head to hers and smiles before saying in an equally low tone.

"I wasn't joking, you could buy me dinner and I'll be completely at your mercy." Yara pauses as she pulls her phone in front of her. Her cheeks heat, and she isn't sure of what to say. People didn't often make her speechless, she made them speechless and she doesn't know what to do when the table is turned.

Tanner stands up, pulling her attention from the boy beside her. "C'mon, Olivia, and Arlo will help me plan the party tonight. Xavier, if any teacher asks of me, tell them I have a stomach bug or something like that." He walks off, his hands in his pockets, Olivia following behind him with a grin on her face. Arlo pats Zane on the back before leaving. Isabella curls against Atlas, and he moves away from her and directly into bodily contact with Yara.

Isabella's brown eyes harden, and she harrumphs, taking her Louis Vuitton bag and storming off in peep toes that look as unstable as her.

Zane chuckles, and takes out his phone. "Remember to call dad tonight, and," He glances at Atlas. "Welcome to Westwood Prep, Atlas." He pats Yara's head, not even touching his food as he whistles away.

Atlas laughs, a breathy snigger. "Remember what I said, Yara." The aforementioned girl raises an eyebrow. "I meant about dinner."

"Ah." She nods. "You really shouldn't be telling me that you can be easily bought with any meal at all. What if I use it against you or something?" She bats her lashes, and he stands up, taking his bag. Everyone is staring at them, she can feel it but she's used to it after all, the stares, and the pride that comes with the envy in their eyes.

He pushes back his plate, lips curling in barely visible disgust. Atlas shrugs. "It's for only you, Yara. Just you. C'mon, let's get out of here." She doesn't look at Xavier, neither does she look at Atlas when she walks infront of him, although him and his throaty chuckle follows her out of the cafeteria.

***************

It's finally time for Atlas's initiation, and Yara is slowly getting ready for the party. She is wearing her favorite Marc Jacobs pajama set, black silk shirt and pajama pants. Her dreads are pulled away from her face and her face is bare. She can hear her phone ring and she picks it up, looking at the unknown number and hesitates before picking it up.

"Hello?"

"I decided that if I left it up to you, you'd never call so hi Yara." Atlas says into the phone.

Yara's lips twitch, and she laughs, crossing her legs as she sits at her vanity. "I did wash my hands again, my apologies for being sanitary."

"Eh." He says with a non-committal tone, as if he'd be shrugging. "I figured I'd take charge. Do you like a man who takes charge?" He asks quietly.

She stands and sprays her perfume on her neck, whilst putting her phone on speaker. "I do like a man who takes charge. Do you know one?" Yara's lips tugged in a smile. She shares a three room suite with Raven and Vivienne and she can hear one of them knock. "Hold on. My roommate's knocking. Come in."

Vivienne comes in. "Can I borrow your avocado face mask? I ran out and I can't find my other set." Yara nods and points to the glass bottle with green paste and she blows kisses at Yara.

"Have fun at the party, darling."

Yara peeks at the door. "Okay, she's gone."

"You are positively amusing." Atlas deadpans and she can hear shuffling in the background. A door closes and there's the click of locks being activated.

She takes a bag, and pushes lip balm in a Louis Vuitton shoulder bag and palms the keys to her room and locks it when she leaves. "I try my best, Mr Harding." Atlas laughs, and she walks to the elevator and pushes the button for the floor of Tanner's room.

"I can help you, y'know." The ride is short, and when the elevator door opens again, he's at the side of the door to Tanner's room. His head cocked as he finishes his sentence. "I'm after all a very pleasing person." His eyes are on hers, light and dark so different yet the same piercing look in them. "I can show you."