After Dark: Derek Hale /DISCONTINUED/

2 - Intution

The sound of basketballs bouncing against the hardwood floor matched the uneven thumping of Viola's heart.

"Viola! Over here!" a voice called towards her direction.

She scanned the gym bleachers before she came across a single familiar face among many others. She exhaled in relief, squeezing her way through the thick blanket of teen spirit and towards the black-haired fashionista that awaited her.

"Hey," Viola breathed out, tucking a strand of her red-brown hair behind her ear.

"I'm so glad you could make it today! I mean, its only your first day at school which would obviously be super exhausting and even more so of the fact that you came in the middle of first term so I would be totally cool if you wanted to go home but its amazing that youre here watching a dumb game where acne-prone, sweaty creatures - well, some call them boys, run around a court with a spherical object trying to get it in a netted hoop! Thanks!"

Viola felt like she was the one out of breath just from listening to that.

"Yeah, don't sweat it. It was really no problem, Jade," she laughed, swinging off her tote and making a space for herself on the cold metal bleachers.

Viola wasn't going to lie, she really was tired from today. She had to run from class to class trying to find which room she was supposed to be in, and then there was the whole trying to make friends in class while also trying to behave for the teacher and get on their good side situation. Obviously, it didn't work very well because she ate lunch alone.

Then she met Jade during art class. Jade brought paint to Viola's easel and helped her figure out which supplies were where. Viola complimented Jade her on her outfit, which Viola thought really was cute, and she guessed Jade deemed her good enough to befriend. Viola was pretty flattered when Jade asked her to watch the junior boys basketball game with her since she looked like the type to have others silently begging for her to ask them. Viola was right, of course. Jade was obviously stunning and everyone knew it. There was also the fact that she was easy to talk to (if she ever gave you the chance to talk), and how it was never awkward because she could talk your ear off for days.

In the gym lights, Viola envied her charcoal hair that was so artfully imperfect it made everyone elses look like a tradgedy. She realized when she saw her mouth moving that Jade was talking to her, and felt mean for not really listening.

"... and then I was like, 'Woah, excuse me, mister! I'm only sixteen!' Can you believe some men? Ugh, you're so lucky you're still a cutie. If a pair of jugs and hips come in, you're done for," Jade exhausted dramatically.

Viola picked up quickly on the fact that Jade could make what would be heard as an insult sound like a great compliment.

"Yeah, lucky me!"

The pair took a moment to drink in the excitement of the crowd, the bounce bounce bounce of basketballs travelling across the court in practice, the squeak of their shoes, the rustling of a few pom poms already shaking a couple of rows ahead of them. It was when Viola looked around the crowd of crazy hormonal teens that she realized that people kept glancing at her. Never smiling, just awkward eye contact quickly averted. After awhile, she started paying more attention and before she knew it, she felt like the whole world was staring at her, screaming "Intruder!" The game still had about 10 minutes till start and Viola didn't think her absense would bother anyone.

"I'll be back, Jade. I need to get some water," she croaked, her throat feeling strangely dry.

Down some steps, down a few more, almost at the door. WHAM.

"Oof," she stumbled back.

"Woah! Where's the fire?" a clear boyish voice chuckled.

"Sorry," she exhaled, trying to move around this road block.