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Grill

Friday before school and someone's having nighttime troubles. "I don't know, they just... Appeared out of nowhere," Mona replied uneasily while Koh and Monroe listened from either side of her. The three castors were at Monroe's locker and Mona was informing them about her experience last night.

"Well, sorcerers have been known to be close to nature," Monroe started, pulling out a book, "it's likely that the plant life around you is trying to get closer to you."

"That makes sense if you think about that big ass weeping willow next to your window," Koh spat while chewing gum. "Its vines were probably getting cold so they jumped inside for warmth."

Flipping her blonde and pink dreadlocks out of her face, Mona turned to Koh in agitation. "Then why the hell would I wake up with this?!" She pulled up the mesh sleeve to revealed a fresh brand mark shaped like an oak tree. "It's been itching all morning but if I scratch it I keep seeing this... Thing." Monroe turned towards the mark with suspicion. "Do you know anything about this?"

Shaking her head slowly Monroe replied, "I think not scratching it is the best advice I can give you right now." She closed the locker door and the three stood studying the mark until a faint and agonized 'meow' came from the locker. Opening it, the three found Binx resting across the lined up books.

"Another sign?" Mona asked with relief.

"No idea," Monroe answered which made Mona and Koh exchange looks. "Hey," Monroe started with a thoughtful look, "there's a place on Benson Drive called the 'Killer's Grill.' Meet me there are school... With Aden." The two nodded before heading their separate ways. "As for you," she directed at the cat, "I have class now. Show me the signs later." Before the cat could react, she closed the door and turned to leave but head butted into someone.

"I'm sorry," he stated. "I'm all thumbs today." Monroe rubbed her throbbing chin while he rubbed his shoulder. "Dallas," he added with his free hand extended.

She looked up at and fear instinctively ran throughout her. "Monroe," she answered, ignoring it. Their hand shake was brief but Dallas still held her hand.

He nodded awkwardly before letting go and holding up a piece of paper. "Um, could you tell me where Mr. Stan's class is? I know it's the second day but, freshman year is always the worst, right?"

"Sorry," she replied feeling the fear bubble more than before. "I'm new too." Before Dallas could respond, she walked passed him and headed for her first class -English with Amun. 'He's something,' Monroe thought as she strutted to class, 'no human could elicit that much fear in any genetically powerful witch. Not even a consumed.'

Amun's class was filled with the smell of fresh vervain. The pot plant on the windowsill was blooming with vervain's usual small white, blue and purple flowers. Monroe took a seat near the back of the room, a desk away from the plant and a desk away from the very back of the class. Around her were students whispering about her being around Koh, Mona and Aden. She didn't care what humans thought of her. They're stupid beings that are rash and scared easily. Besides, it was no secret that she was 'one of them.'

Aden came in and sat at the desk next to the vervain and behind Monroe sat Lucas with James behind Aden. "Alright. Yesterday I gave you all the semesters curriculum so you should all know that we're going to read 'The Merchant of Venice," Amun's voice rang, drowning out the whispering. "A book written by who," he searched the class and everyone avoided eye contact except Aden, "De La Core?"

"William Shakespeare," Monroe replied rubbing the four point star on her wrist. It was aching and turning red by one of the points and she couldn't stop rubbing it. Slowly she turned to Aden, he was rubbing his star too. "It's Mona," she whispered to him. "She's been complaining about waking up with plants in her room."