Breakthrough

Chapter 38: Back To School

"Ugh, seriously?!" 

"Yes. Now put it on!" 

"This is seriously cramping my style..." 

Ruby stared at her new uniform with a heavy hint of disdain. After Darren's visit, the group had decided it was a good idea to enroll Sophie, Brooke, and Ruby into Rainwood Academy. Not only would this help them blend in more, but it gave the girls something to do during the daytime. 

Darren had called ahead and done some over the phone meetings with the headmaster, claiming that the girls were part of his family and needed desperate education since they were in their final year. Surprisingly, this had worked with spectacular results. Darren had also worked his magic into making Luke and Rosie seem innocent in their long absence from school, using the attack on their home and anxiety as a prime example.

As understanding as the school had been, Luke was on a strict warning that anymore tardiness or periods of absence would result in permanent expulsion. 

"Ruby, hurry!! We can still make the bus if you're quick!" Rosie exclaimed from just outside the bathroom. 

Ruby emerged a mere moment after Rosie's sentence, wearing a modified version of her uniform. She had cut the skirt shorter with scissors, it had slightly haphazardly cut edges along the bottom, but it weirdly fit her, despite being so short. She had also tied a knot in her shirt halfway up, revealing her stomach and showing off her shiny belly button piercing. The blazer remained in the bathroom, she wouldn't be seen dead in that.

"You're gonna get in so much trouble..." Rosie smirked at her friends boldness, slightly worried for her being cold in such a revealing version of their uniform.

Sophie and Brooke had kept their uniform intact. Frankly, they didn't see an issue with it.

"We good to go?" Brooke asked, eyeing up Ruby with mild interest. 

"Yep! The bus should arrive in five minutes." Rosie replied, checking her phone to make sure. 

Together, the five of them left Kasper's abode and made their way to school. 

Lily watched them leave from the window of Kasper's guest room. Since she couldn't hide her pointy elf ears without a hat on constantly, the group agreed it was too risky to send Lily to school too. Instead, she was given free reign of all Kasper's snacks, entertainment devices, and any other facilities his house provided. 

Overall, Lily was fine with this, even though she was bored out of her brain.

"Why aren't elves allowed at school??" She asked aloud while flopping on the guest bed. That question remained on her mind for a few more seconds until she got bored of wondering. 

Food was the next thing that clouded her thoughts. She seemed to remember Kasper mentioning a particularly juicy sounding chicken breast in the fridge. 

She quickly scampered downstairs giggling, no longer bothered by the fact that she couldn't attend school with the others. 

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The ride to school had been uneventful to say the least. Several stares were directed at Ruby and her obvious destruction of her uniform, not that she minded. Rosie had spied her brother sat with Ava, she didn't know why he had insisted on leaving early to meet her before the bus arrived. As for Kasper, he sat alongside Lucille, avidly discussing her current book which was named "A guide to making friends." Rosie suddenly felt bad for the poor girl, after Damien died she had probably felt very lost in social scenarios. 

Ava had, of course, seeked out Luke the previous night, explaining that her anxiety had started playing up again knowing that she would have to face the Lewis that had been abusing her in school the following day. Seeing as Luke was the one who had witnessed this first hand, he had agreed to stay with Ava as much as possible, helping to push down her worries.