*(Is this all we see?)*

~*Chapter 11*~

Class ended an Midnight was still stuck on the note. How did they get it in his bag? How long had it been there? Surely not Monday..or Tuesday. It was dry, and the dirt particles and rocks were falling from it when he unfolded the crumpled paper. Maybe--yesterday. He had left his backpack in class for lunch. Something he didn't do often. 'Maybe it was then--this is why I shouldn't leave it in class..'

After English was Math. Possibly Midnight's least favorite class. Or at the very least, the one he struggled with, along with english. Then again--maybe that was because he didn't always pay attention. Midnight hurried to his locker, opening it and throwing his English binder inside, trading it with his math binder.

With all his stuff in the crook of his elbow, Midnight curved around the corner of the school halls to get to the door, it was open. 'Thank god I'm not late..' The teacher was sitting in her seat when he arrived, only two other students were in the room at two front desks. He quietly walked over to one in the back, pulling over to sit and taking out his sketchbook. Flipping through the pages was usually seeing the same thing, random people, things in his visions, no one understood them, much to his dismay. Every time he would show the art teacher at the end of class she would always ask: "What does it mean?" And it was a pretty clear drawing of what it was too.

He started sketching. It seemed familiar as the drawing became more detailed. It was orbs, small and big white orbs shaping into a boy. Midnight didn't realize at first when he started the drawing what it was going to be at first but, now it seemed so clear. 'A boy..I know that..' He thought curiously. 'But-who is it..'  If it was even supposed to be someone he knew in real life. Maybe someone he would meet later.

After what had seemed like an hour, all the students started to pile in, even the bullies. Who this time, didn't slap his head or bother him like they would. Just glared. Their eyebrows lowered almost against their sharp, angry eyes. Midnight shuffled in his chair, making a quiet creak.  He snapped his head up at the sound of the teacher talking. "Today," She pushed her glasses back up her nose. "We will be working on the new unit. Quiz will be next Tuesday." 

'Quiz?' Midnight's shook his head. 'Already? Seems a bit sudden than the other times.' 

The math teacher handed out new papers, ones Midnight didn't recognize any of. He had gotten used to the papers instead of visuals like the guardian school activities but it still was weird having to get a paper for a new unit. It was way different in guardian school. 'It was easier there..'  He tried to push the thought in the back of his mind, the thought of what his mother said the night before. Why were they arguing over him? 'I'm not important..'  And the idea of him going back to guardian school, that was out of the equation when he transferred, so why was it resurfacing now?  More importantly, why was Lilly so focused on it?

Midnight shook his head, trying to not think about it any further. It would only stress him out, and his work wouldn't be good enough to pass. He picked up a pencil and began the paper, hoping his past work would help him out.

~~~~

"Little brotherrr!" Dawn taunted behind him, she had keys in her hands, jingling them. Midnight turned around. "What do you want?" 

"I got Leah's keyyys." She began. "And I wanted to know if you wanted to go somewhere with me. Leah isn't home so she won't know."

"Actually," Midnight objected. "she would know. When she gets home." Midnight threw his bag against the table leg, sitting on the chair pushed close next to it. "Also..Where is Mom?" 

"Which one?" Dawn asked, folding her arms across her chest, eyebrows folding in confusion. Midnight groaned. He smacked his hand against his forehead and looked back up to his sister with an annoyed gaze. "Our actual one, Dawna Mae Woods." Dawn scoffed at him. 'Probably from using her full name.' He thought. "Midnight don't start with that. Lilly is our mother, she had always been. I don't care what personal grudge you have with her, you have to respect that she's out mother." 

"By marriage." Midnight laughed sarcastically. "She is not my mother. I can't forgive her for what she did." 

"What she did?" Dawn widened her eyes. "It's her fault that she went to Orthidon to protect our family. It's her fault Leah hid her when she became a healer because she wanted to practice on her own?" Midnight didn't look up. 'You're defending her! How could you?!' He wanted to spat out loud, but knew it wouldn't do any good against his argumentative sister. "She did all of those things for us Midnight." 

"Whatever." Midnight muttered. "I will still only consider Fawn as my mother. No matter what you think." 

"Fine, I'm done arguing." Dawn rolled her eyes. "Will you at least forgive me enough so we can go to the store. I want to take you out after all that happened this week." Midnight knew he couldn't stay mad at Dawn. She was his twin sister, no matter what she did, he couldn't hate her--for long anyway. He nodded and sighed. "Fine. But this is only because I love you and can't be mad at you. 'Even though I still am you-' 

"Great!" Dawn lifted him by his arm with a huge grin. "You will forgive me completely when I take you to the mall, you love going there you child." 

Midnight let her take him, but the entire time she was taking him he couldn't shake the words she said. The stuck in his head. Lilly didn't do anything for them. Nothing. She was selfish, she did it all because she wanted to. Nothing would change how he thought about that. 

"Isn't this illegal?" Midnight asked while slipping into the seat of the car. 

"Yeah but--I have my permit." 

"Woah okay. We need an adult to drive don't we?" He attempted to climb out, but she shook her head before he could. "Don't matter. Live a little my younger brother. And don't tell" 

'Okay..' He looked out the side window. 'Just live a little. Have fun.' 

_____

A bit longer haha. This will also come back later so it isn't pointless (lolll) 

Thanks for reading! 

~Liz <3