Dark Vision (Ballad of the Seer, Book Two)

Chapter 3 - Just Another Day

The last days of winter break were relatively uneventful. Lily slept in both days. She figured she better do it while she still could. She hung out with Duncan and her friends. It was perfectly ordinary - which was amazing. But then it came time for school once again. She almost cried when her alarm woke her at six-thirty that morning. Whoever decided that school should start so early should be shot, she thought bitterly as she stood in her warm shower. After she was out she had to hurry. She had spent too much time in the shower and she was in serious danger of being late.

Once she got to school she saw that she was not the only person not ready to return today. Everyone looked sluggish and tired as they searched out familiar faces. Lily saw lots of hugging and waving all around the parking lot, as she walked up to the front steps of the school, where her friends were gathered. She giggled when she saw Duncan in his heavy winter coat. His sandy hair was hidden underneath a sweater hat and over that was the hood of his black hoodie. She wondered if he was ever going to adjust to the winter weather. It probably didn't help him that it had snowed again last night.

Duncan tried to smile when he saw her, but his lips were quivering too much for that. Lily took his face in her gloved hands and kissed him. Afterwards, he buried his face in her shoulder and hugged her tightly, trying to keep warm. She didn't mention it to him, but this was relatively mild weather for this time of year.

"Thank God," Duncan exclaimed, when the bell finally rang and everyone started filing inside. The others all laughed at his excitement. Duncan rushed past everyone, not waiting for Lily or anyone else, as he pushed through the crowd, to get into the warmth of the building.

When Lily walked through the door, she saw Duncan looking sheepish. She rolled her eyes. "You are a terrible boyfriend." she told him.

"Sorry," he said. "It was just so cold." His teeth were still chattering.

Eric clapped a hand on Duncan's shoulder. "Dude, you're such a wimp. This is nothing. Last year, this time, we had snow banks up to here." He held his hand up to his chest. It was a bit of an exaggeration, but not by very much. Duncan's lip quivered a bit, as if he had gotten colder just thinking about that.

"Seriously, man up, Lover Boy." Dianna said.

Everyone teased Duncan before they left to go to their classes. Lily, Duncan, and Bobby were the only ones left together. Lily and Duncan had reorganized their new schedules to have as many classes together as possible. They only had two classes apart this semester. One was because Duncan still had to take gym. The other was a required class that he had to take that she had already finished.

Once they had gotten to their class, it took Duncan another five minutes to get out of his many layers. Lily hadn't realized it before, but he was wearing two jackets - his father's army jacket, and an overstuffed bubble jacket over that. Not to mention the hoodie that he kept on. There was a pile of clothes on the floor by the time he was finished. He tried to stuff it all under his chair, but some of it still stuck out. The teacher almost tripped over something every time she passed by Duncan's desk.

-

When the bell rang, ending first period, Lily gave Duncan a quick peck on the lips before rushing off towards her next class. They had different second periods and his was only two doors down. Plus, she just didn't have time to wait for him to collect all of his winter gear.

When Lily got to her AP Art History class there was only one seat available. And it was right directly in between Carson Lawry and Sara George. Lily groaned and took her seat. She could feel both of them staring at her. Their thoughts of loathing and disgust were so loud that she was having trouble ignoring them. She closed her eyes and wished that she could be anywhere but here.