Telluric

Chapter VII: Northern Lights

VII

A winter breeze cooled Graywood as Noah arrived early to homeroom. Ms. Ramona sat behind a desk, flicking her finger on an smart phone, and the only other person there was Mayla. Mayla scribbled silently on a paper that seemed to be homework.

When he arrived, Noah glared at Ms. Ramona, who vacantly rubbed her leg and didn't see his scowl. Mayla looked up from her work and watched as Noah approached Ms. Ramona, slightly hobbling from a healing wound.

Clearing his throat, Noah attracted her attention.

"What?" She snapped.

Noah leaned down to her ear and began to whisper.

"Why did you steal Clary's book." He asked politely. Ms. Ramona squinted at him.

"What do you mean?" She asked, as innocently as she could.

Noah held up the spider brooch. Ms. Ramona looked at his hand and held up the item. When it was free from his grasp, Noah rubbed his hands together, watching Ms. Ramona handle the brooch.

"I have no idea what this is." She told Noah, handing back the brooch. Just then, Parvati trudged in wearing what Noah noticed was her signature white sweater. Diego followed closely behind her.

"You know exactly what that is." Noah whispered loudly. Ms. Ramona smirked and shook her head.

"I really don't."

"I'm not arguing with you. I will find out what you want with it." Noah nearly stomped back to his seat.

"What was that about?" Mayla asked when Noah returned. Noah only shook his head. "Tell me please?" Mayla pleaded, while Noah debated whether or not to tell her.

"It was some sort of... thing that had to do with Clary." Noah explained. "Some larceny involved. No big deal." Mayla narrowed her eyes and nodded suspiciously.

Mayla then leaned in to Noah's ear.

"Be careful with Ms. Ramona. I know you don't have her for any classes, but still, be wary. Something is... different about her." Mayla warned Noah. Noah and Mayla looked up to Ms. Ramona, who was glaring at the group.

Diego looked worried, frowning at the intimidating glare. Noah glared back, and Parvati moved slightly from her comfortable position, her sweater wrapped around her comfortably.

"Don't worry." Noah told Diego and Mayla. "It's going to be fine."

"I'm not worrying about that bi-... her." Mayla responded. Diego continued to look uneasy, snapping holding his knees in anxiety. Noah never thought that Diego's intimidating-looking red eyes could ever look frightened, though he supposed he didn't know Diego that well anyway. Noah turned to him.

"It will be fine, Diego." Noah told him, while Diego nodded vacantly. Noah began to rub his hands, which were red and raw from his continuous rubbing on the last few days.

Parvati shifted again, looking uneasy, even in her sleep. She then jolted up with a start, seemingly exasperated by the sudden tension within the air. She looked around the room with her earth-colored eyes, scanning and determining what the cause of such tension could be.

"The vibes are absolutely disrupted." She burst out in her silky voice, holding a slight Indian accent. "And I sense they won't return any time soon." She looked to Noah coldly and then looked back to her desk.

"What do you mean?" Noah asked. Parvati didn't answer. "Darkening clouds..." Noah reminisced on what Clary told him earlier. 'The clouds are darkening on this town. Don't let them strike you with lightening, or frighten you with thunder.' She had told him. Noah frowned. He turned to Mayla, Diego, and Parvati, and they looked back.