The Elusive Heart of Nova Hart ✔

59// bone to pick

soulsofstars we're almost at the end and im forever grateful that you've stuck around so far <3

BONE TO PICK

    "I think I'm coming down with something," Nova told Caroline on Monday morning, going so far as to place her hand on her neck. "Yeah, it feels a little warm. Maybe its a fever. I heard there's a virus going around—"

    "Nova Hart," Caroline folded her arms across her stomach in a no-bullshit attitude, pinning Nova with eyes full of incredulity. "Are you trying to chicken out of going to school today?"

    "No?"

    "Good," her sister bit out, throwing Nova a dirty look. "Because Nova Hart is a goddamn queen and she wouldn't hang her head for anyone."

    And Nova knew her sister was right. This wasn't like her. She didn't back down from a fight. She was a winner, but she also knew how to take a loss.

    It was like a badminton tournament, sometimes no matter how well she played, the opposing party beat her. And she'd learnt to take that beating, to take the fall. So that when she came back the next time, she came back stronger.

    Hell, she came back swinging.

    The spring dance had been just another loss. Another beating. Another fall. But Nova knew the art of rising, of getting back up, of brushing off the dust and looking her opponent in the eye with a fire in her bones.

    And that was how Nova strode into school that morning— with her chin in the air and her head held high. For she was a queen, and hanging her head meant allowing the crown to fall off.

    No coward who hid behind anonymity was taking away that part of her. Not today, not ever.

    The time for tears and self pity was over, now there was only anger throbbing in Nova's veins. Anger, and the burning need to put the conniving bastard in his place.

×××

    "I knew you wouldn't chicken out of coming to school today," Addy said from behind her and Nova closed her locker, turning around to find Piper there too.

    "Anybody who knows Nova well enough knew she'd be here," Piper amended, smirking.

    "I have a bone to pick," Nova raised a brow, lips twitching. "No way in hell was I staying back home."

    "There's my girl," Addy grinned.

    "Got any leads on who he might be?"

    At Nova's question, Addy's smile dropped. "No," she admitted with frustration. "Can you believe nobody paid attention to the dude passing around those flyers?" She shook her head with a scoff. "Except for the chaperoning teacher, but even that was a dead end."

    "Yeah," Piper chimed in, "turns out the boy's just one of those types to pass around stuff. You know, the kind that volunteer to distribute the test sheets in class and all that."

    "So where'd he get the flyers from?" Nova frowned. "Somebody would have had to give it to him in person."

    "Turned out to be some girl by the name of Mallory," Addy shrugged. "She said she found it by her locker the morning of the dance, since we had school that day."

    "Like we said, a dead end," Piper sighed.

    Nova's eyebrows drew together, the wheels in her head turning. Mallory... She knew that name.

    It rubbed at her the wrong way, and the feeling was too strong to ignore.

    Wait a minute... "Wait," Nova held up a finger, "wait. I know a Mallory."

    "Okay?" Addy cocked her head. "But what does that have to do with anything right now? She's just another pawn."

    "No," Nova shook her head decisively. "Oh, no. That little bitch's been playing me from the start." She curled her palms into fists and stuck her chin out, her head running with millions of possible ways to bring Mallory to her knees.

    This school was Nova's territory, and some girl who joined here the last semester wasn't going to make her feel uncomfortable in her own skin.

    "I'm lost," Piper declared, looking from Nova to Addy and back to Nova.

    "She gave me one of the notes during chemistry period once," Nova explained. "And now she's the same one who mysteriously gets handed the flyers? Coincidence? Nope. It doesn't feel right. And she will answer to me."

    Addy nodded just as the warning bell rang, "but we need to head off to first period now," she said. "We'll deal with her during lunch, alright? Just wait for us and we'll take the troll down together."

    Nova cracked a smile, the promise of avenging her pride and dignity adding fuel to her ever-burning spirit and coursing through her veins like wildfire.

    Nova Hart simply wasn't a force to be trifled with.

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*laughs uneasily* might get a tad bit dramatic — but nothing over the top! :'D