When Lightning Burns [COMPLETED]

Chapter 3: Rory and Luke

           

The next week passed more quickly than she'd expected. Her days were so full that she was in bed before she knew it every night. And the dancing wore her out so much that she didn't have time to think too hard about her upcoming dates with Rory and Luke. She wondered what they did all day.

Rose mostly left her alone. They hadn't fiddled with the rankings yet, so she wasn't sure where she stood in the class. Hopefully Female Thirty–five would be a distant memory soon. She would aim for Female One. Number one right now was a calm girl with a neat, straight, black ponytail and bright blue eyes. Like Julie, she didn't talk to anyone. Maybe she had secrets too. Or she was smart enough to not get involved in any of the stupid posturing the other girls did. They had only been training at the Academy for two weeks, yet all the drama made it feel like months.

After her tutoring sessions, Julie took shortcuts through back alleys and wound around as much as she could. She never saw the men in black suits. And either she lived in the safest neighborhood ever, or Rory or Luke were trailing her and making it hard for anyone to do anything, though she never caught them at it.

She wanted to hit something. Why wouldn't they let her be?

Kara was missing, and no one seemed to care. Her dad told her that the elders were still looking, but he didn't know how much. Kara was a dud, after all. She was probably going to leave anyway, so they wouldn't want to waste time on her.

Julie really hated the Fey. Did that mean she hated herself?

She blew a puff of hair out of her eyes as she finished up yet another tutoring session, taking a moment to look at her reflection in the dark windows lining the hall. No, she didn't hate herself. That seemed too angsty for her. She was doing the best she could for herself, her friend, and even her family.

When she got outside, Rory was leaning against the wall waiting for her. Right, it was Friday. Still, it confirmed her suspicion that he and Luke followed her around. How else would they know her schedule? But somehow to the Fey this was wooing and not creepy. A stalker could take lessons from them.

A few girls eyed him and giggled as they passed, trying to get his attention. She sighed. Why couldn't he be with one of them?

For a moment she debated about leaving him standing there, but she squared her shoulders and walked over. She had promised. And she didn't want either of them trying to push her like they did last week and interfere with her plans to find Kara.

"Ready?" he asked with a smile, grey eyes warming.

She looked down at her t–shirt and yoga pants. "Like this?"

Rory looked her up and down. She quivered under his scrutiny. Stupid body. Stupid connection. "I'll take what I can get."

She rolled her eyes. "Let me just go back and change. It will take ten minutes."

"Okay." He followed as she turned to leave.

When she got to her door, she paused, "you might as well come in and sit down. It seems stupid for you to wait next door."

"I haven't seen your place yet." He smiled.

"Really?" Julie was surprised he hadn't opened the door and slipped in when she wasn't around. Or even when she was sleeping. That was the kind of thing he did.

He held up his hands. "I'm trying to be better about respecting space."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You know that being suspicious only makes your eyes sparkle even more violet."