Lucy Fer

Chapter Three

I tugged my skirt down for the zillionth time and took a deep breath.

Come on, Lucy Fer. You can do this. You're a demon, for Hell's sake.

Filled with new resolve, I pushed open the double door of Helena Huber High, and followed the signs leading to the Principal's Office.

The hallway was empty, as it should have been, considering the fact that I was exactly thirty-two minutes late for first period.

Time was a novelty for me. 'Down under', time was more of a feeling than a fixed principle.

But anyway. I pulled open the door and walked into the office stiffly, surveying the room with unabashed wonder.

It seemed cramped. Metal file drawers were stacked side by side, overflowing with papers, and towering over the plastic chairs. The secretary's tiny desk was cluttered with stationery and files. She looked up when I walked in.

"Yeah? Can I help you?" she said loudly, as if I were deaf. I hated her instantly.

Now hate is a funny thing. It suffocates you; constricts your throat; clutches at your heart, all in an instant.

"I'm the new student," I replied evenly, tugging at my tote bag for good measure.

She blinked at me blankly. After a second, she smacked her forehead. "Right. That's right." She rustled through the papers on her desk. "Aha. Lucy Ferdinand?" Her eyes met mine.

"Yes."

"Well, we got your transfer forms only last week. It says here that you're transferring from Lilith High," she said, paging through the papers in a thin blue file. She looked up. "We've never heard of that school. In fact -"

"Really?" I cut in, moving to stand right in front of her.

I concentrated on her eyes. They were as blue as the sky above. Simply putrid.

I saw into her soul, her innermost part. There was no light in there, not even a faint flicker. All there was, was a dark, empty abyss, void of any salvation.

She wasn't a Believer.

"Listen to me," I growled, maintaining eye contact. "You had forgotten about hearing of Lilith High. It had slipped your mind. In fact, now that you remember, an old friend of yours had been part of the alumni. Remember?"

She nodded her head. "Yes. Now I do. It's a good school. Nice facilities."

I smiled at her. "Good." I paused. "Now is that my timetable?"

"Yes." She handed it to me.

I thanked her and turned to leave, bumping into a tall, green-eyed boy dressed in black from head to toe. I nearly flew backwards.

He reached out and steadied me to keep me from falling.

"Whoa, new girl. Watch where you're going," he muttered, releasing me.

"You bumped into me, not vice versa." I pushed past him. "Clumsy oaf."

"Your skirt looks like a belt, by the way!" he called after me.

I ignored him, but when I turned the corner on my way to second period Math, I pulled it down once more.

*

The cafeteria.

It was interesting, seeing the clusters of cliques sitting at different tables and ostracizing the kids that were forced to sit alone.

Where would I fit in?

Throughout the morning, I had been subjected to blatant staring and hushed whispers, yet no one had come up to me.

Perhaps they sensed an evil presence.

I stood beside the bins, tray in hand, scanning the large room for an empty table. Was that -

"Hey! New girl! Come here!"

My eyes focused on a table in the furthest corner. The boy from the Office was there. I rolled my eyes and shuffled to his table resignedly. It was better than sitting alone like a reject.

There were four other people sitting there - three guys, one girl. She shot me daggers.

"Take a seat, new girl." Boy-in-black gestured opposite him.

"It's Lucy," I told him, setting the tray on the table and sliding onto the bench in an unladylike fashion.

"That's funny. I don't remember asking," he said sardonically. Someone sniggered.

I felt rage bubble inside of me.

No, Lucy. Control yourself. You want to be normal, don't you?

I smiled sweetly at him. "So why have you invited me over here if you're going to be an asshole?"

I had plently of experience with assholes. My whole family was a group of them.

"I enjoy toying with new blood," he said idly. "I'm Daniel, by the way. And that's George, Jack, Saul, and Ben." He smiled at the girl beside him. "And this princess right here is Becky."

She shot me a dirty look. I resisted the urge to possess her.

"Nice to meet you guys," I said brightly, directing my grin at the male population of the table. They grunted in unison.

Daniel started playing footsie with me under the table. I caught his eye.

"Triple H needs some fresh meat," he said, "otherwise, what's the point?"

If normal girls engaged in footsie with goth idiots, then that was what I would do. I let my foot slide up his pants leg. His eyes widened.

It just made sense in my head.