New Student (G/t)

Chapter Nine

I stood on Victor's shoulder as he walked the hall. People gazed with shock as he held the cage where the elven boy sat quietly and the man slept soundly still. They would whisper about me, as if I could not hear them. I ignored them to the best of my capability.

"So what's your next class, little mouse?" Victor asked. I shrugged.

"Nathan never told me." I admitted. As if hearing me, Nathan approached us.

"Victor, will you please take Annabelle to gym class?" He said politely. He then looked at me and handed me a set of clothes; a simple t-shirt and a pair of shorts. "You'll need these." He said gently. I took them, but did not say anything. My heart ached because of how nice he was. How could someone that killed my parents think I still want to talk to them? Why do I still want to talk to him as if he didn't kill them?

"Why did you do it?" I blurted out. Both Victor and Nathan looked at me with slight surprise.

"What?" Nathan asked awkwardly.

"Why did you kill them?" I asked as my cheeks burned and my anger rose.

"Annabelle, this isn't the best time for this. We can talk about this when we get home."

"I'm not going home with you." My ears went back. "I'm going with Victor."

"You know you can't do that." Nathan said calmly.

"I am my own person. I am going with Victor. I'd rather be with a jerk like him than a liar." I said coldly. Nathan straightened in his stance.

"Fine. If that is your choice I cannot stop you." He said, a hint of something other than calm in his tone. I couldn't figure out what it was.

"Sir, I don't have to take her home if you don't want me to." Victor said awkwardly. Nathan adjusted his sleeves and spoke without looking at me.

"You're fine, Vic. If she'd rather go with you than the one that took her in, that's her choice. Please make sure she gets to her classes." He didn't bother to say goodbye before walking away.

"I hate him." I said bitterly as I felt tears arise.

"No you don't." Victor chuckled. "You, my little mouse, are a terrible liar."

"I am not lying!" I exclaimed. Victor laughed as he carried me to a large gym. It was terrifyingly ginormous compared to me. Some students ran laps around the room, their footsteps sounding like thunder. A few cheerleaders practiced dances and a few people sat on bleachers doing nothing.

"Don't worry, mouse." Victor said. "Maybe the teacher will just give you your own hamster wheel." He joked. I glared at him as a woman walked up to us. She was fit with her long black hair in a ponytail.

"Is this my student!" She said enthusiastically. She smiled cheerfully at me and bent down so she was eye level. "Hello, Annabelle! My name is Ms.Snow."

"H-hello." I said nervously.

"I knew borrowers were cute but I never knew that they were this cute!" She reminded me a teenager with the way she spoke. "I look forward to having you in my class, Annabelle. I was thinking you could start out with doing a few laps then a little bit of climbing." She said. I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"What about the other people?" I asked nervously. She laughed.

"You're not running with them, silly! I wouldn't put you in danger like that." She held her hand out. "Do you mind?" She asked politely.

"Just be gentle." I said sheepishly. She nodded understandingly as she wrapped her fingers around my waist then set me onto her shoulder.

"Thanks for bringing her to class, Vic." She said with a smile.

"No problem. I'll see you after school, Annabelle." He said as he waved. It was odd hearing him say my name when he usually called me "pet" or "mouse". Then again, he put on a show for adults. Ms.Snow walked over to her office where I was amazed to see a small yet large track. She noticed my amazement and smirked.

"When I heard I would be having a borrower in my class, I knew you wouldn't be able to do the things my class does. So I thought 'Why don't I just get her her own little gym?' and bought you this." She helped me down and set me onto the track.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do all of this..." I said bashfully.

"No need to thank me. I didn't want to you get trampled or feel left out." She went over to her desk and took out a small yet also big climbing wall that was my size. "I know you probably are used to climbing so I figured you'd enjoy this." She set it down and fastened it to the table. "I can get other things for you soon. This is a choice class so you get to do what you like as long as you're active."

"Thank you." I looked at the clothes Nathan got me. "Where can I change into these?" I asked. She thought for a moment.

"I didn't think about a changing room. Hmm. Would you be okay changing behind the climbing wall for now?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's not like anyone will peek at me." I joked nervously. Ms.Snow laughed.

"You're right about that." She looked at the time. "Oh shoot, I need to make sure the class is running smoothly. I'll come check on you later, okay? You'll stay active right?" She said. I nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you. I don't want to leave you alone but I don't trust my whole class around you. I'm shutting the door so nobody should bother you." She seemed to just remember something abruptly since she jumped. "Which reminds me! If you need me, just press this button." She put a large button onto the table. "Can you push it down?" She asked. I walked up to the white clicker button and pressed down. A loud ring came from the teacher's phone. "Looks like we're all set then. I'll check in on you in twenty minutes or so." She said with a smile. Before she left she stopped in the doorway. "I hope you enjoy your time in this school, by the way."

"Thank you. I am enjoying it so far." I told her. I wasn't lying. I was enjoying it for the most part. Once she left and I was changed, I ran a few laps around the track. Then began climbing the wall. It was definitely easier than climbing furniture, that's for sure. As I climbed with the rope attached to my back, I heard something that made me jump and nearly fall.

Someone opened the door.