Chrysalis

Chapter 4

Notes: This chapter is a bit earlier than I had planned. Thanks a lot for the likes, and especially, thank you so, so much for the comments, it means the world to me.

No particular warnings except for the fact that English isn't my first language... and that the plot is going so extremely slowly. I'm sorry about this, it's just the way I write I guess.

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Chapter Four

Lilac eyes carefully lingered on each word written on the notebook as Maggie sat silently at her desk, giving a final check to her English homework. So far, she hadn't spotted any mistake.

It was the second period, and Alfred, Feliks, and Tolys were in different classes, leaving her virtually alone. Some of the other teens were chattering as they waited for the teacher to arrive, but hardly anybody had even spared a glance at Maggie. One of Alyssa's friends ('lapdogs', Maggie's mind corrected automatically), the redhead from the previous day who had turned out to be named Riley, had almost tripped Maggie as she was getting to her desk. From the barely concealed giggles that had followed, Maggie had gathered that it had been on purpose, but in the present moment, Riley and the other girls were ignoring her. It was better that way.

A bag was dropped with a thud on the desk at Maggie's right.

She raised her head from the notebook, ready to greet the one she supposed to be Natalya, but she found herself frozen in the motion. The girl who had put down the bag was Natalya, engulfed in an air of cold indifference, but she wasn't alone. Standing at her side was a boy Maggie had never seen before, who looked too old to be a sophomore.

To put it simply, the stranger was huge. Maggie had thought Ludwig's size to be impressive, but the sight in front of her proved her wrong. The boy had to be several centimetres taller than Ludwig, and even if his sweater was loose-fitting and partially covered by a long, massive scarf it didn't hide his broad shoulders, suggesting a muscular body. In a contrast that looked almost unsettling, the boy's face was round and chubby, dominated by a big nose and deep violet eyes. He had an extremely fair complexion, and the straight, slightly shaggy hair that framed his head and covered his forehead in a messy side-fringe was a pale silvery blond that bordered on white. His full lips were curled in a smile that on anybody's face would have looked innocent, but for some reason gave him a creepily threatening air.

"Marguerite Williams, am I right?" he asked affably. His voice had an unexpected high timbre, it sounded almost childish, out of place with his impressive physique and strong Russian accent. "Can I call you Maggie?"

The boy's smile widened at Maggie's wordless nod.

"Good! Ivan Braginsky," he said, holding out his hand.

Maggie took it, her stomach knotting. Ivan's finger closed around her slim hand and squeezed it in an iron grip, she could almost feel her bones grating against each other.

"N—nice to meet you," she muttered, ill at ease.

At last, Ivan released her hand, the smile never slipping from his face. Maggie had to conceal a pained grimace, but she didn't think Ivan had meant to hurt her.

"Natasha told me you'd like to play on the hockey team, am I right?"

Ivan hadn't stopped smiling, but there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes as they carefully examined the girl in front of him.

Oh, he must be Natalya's brother! The hockey team's captain...

"Yes, it's true," Maggie confirmed, blushing under Ivan's sharp gaze.