TELL ME THE TRUTH

Chapter Nine

Jeanne 

2013

The next morning when I arrived at school, I beelined to my locker and grabbed the books I needed. Francesca was waiting for me, her fire-like hair pulled into low pigtails.

"So, what happened after I left?"

"Good morning to you too, 'Cesca. I'm doing just peachy, thanks so much for asking."

She rolled her two-toned eyes.

"We worked on levitation."

"That's it?"

"And drawing out my power. He's so much like Mr. Gregory," I whined, referring to our least favorite teacher, who worked us to the bone in class and for homework.

Francesca threw back her head and laughed, attracting a multitude of stares to us. There was no ignoring her.

She looped her arm through mine and we began to walk to our first class, which was coincidentally Mr. Gregory's calculus class. "Any progress on the personal front?"

I groaned. "If you mean, do I still want to smack him everytime I see him, then sort of."

"Sort of?"

I ducked into the washroom, pulling Francesca with me. "So here's the thing, 'Cesca, he still affects me. Jell-O legs, butterflies, tingles, the whole shebang."

"But you want'a smack him at the same time."

"Not all the time." I sighed before continuing. "Just some of the time."

She made a face and took a moment to think. "And you're sure you didn't fall for him?"

"No!"

"Just checkin', girlie, I mean, 'cause it'd be so horrible if you did. Have you looked at him?"

"Y'mean have I noticed that he's a prime example of winning the gene pool lottery? Yes, I have. But have you spent more than five minutes in a room with him? He's so damn annoying!"

Francesca cackled. "True."

"And what the flip makes him think he can get away with what he did?"

"I hate to play devil's advocate," she began.

I groaned again and shoved a hand through my hair. "I hate when you start sentences like that."

"Shut up and lemme talk. I hate to play devil's advocate, but maybe he had a reason."

"There's no excuse for what he did," I hissed before storming out of the washroom and to my first class.

Francesca waltzed into class ten minutes later, ignoring Mr. Gregory when he fussed at her. She took her normal seat beside me and set about whispering about some guy she'd met on her way through the school.

Typical.

I was so glad that she was my best friend, even though she could tick me off sometimes, and the fact that she was also supernatural was even better. I didn't have to hide my new life from her because she was a part of the Underworld. Friends like her were priceless.

The rest of that school day passed relatively quickly, and when the final bell rung, I was overjoyed to be free for the weekend. There was only minimal homework and two whole days to relax.

"Jeanne, wait up!" A voice called from somewhere behind me. I slowed and a rough, warm hand wrapped around my shoulder. Tingles shot through my blood as I recognized the touch. "We need to practice your powers," Ryan said.