Power

Chapter 3

Eli's group is not that bad. In fact, I kind of like them. The main players are Eli, Collin, Jarred, and Misty. Collin is a tall guy with a booming voice and lots of energy. Along with Jarred, his best friend who is notably shorter but just as enthusiastic, the pair is definitely one to be reckoned with. Misty is one of two girls in the group, but the only who appears to have any pull. She spoke up with Eli during lunch last Friday. Somehow, she pulls off having her a brilliant black hair in a bob cut, which adds to her ferocity. There are six or seven other people scattered around the table, but those four seem to be the leaders.

Eli introduces me quickly, and everyone is very welcoming, though the look he gives the other three seems to be one of warning. The guys are quiet for the first few minutes, but jump back into what seems to be their normal personalities pretty fast, poking fun at Eli and practically everyone else at the table. Misty, on the other hand, eats her lunch in dead silence. I speak a bit, mainly when I am asked something directly, but for the most part I just observe, trying to figure out what makes this group so different than the rest.

Whenever students walk by the table, they give a large berth and pause their conversations, casting their eyes to the floor. I notice the same happen at Charger's table, at which their leader is not present. Instead, they leave a seat empty, and those who are at school don't try to hide the fact that they are staring at me for the duration of lunch. I am extremely grateful when the bell rings, freeing me from their scrutiny.

"See you after school Talli. We'll meet in the parking lot,"Eli says before swinging his backpack over one shoulder and leaving, giving me no time to agree or disagree. I gather my things and start heading to my own class, and am surprised when Collin tags along.

"Hey, since we're in the same class, it makes perfect sense to walk together," he grins, hands stuffed in his pockets, aside from his thumbs, which are hanging out. I raise an eyebrow at him. I hadn't seen him in my history class once throughout the entirety of the last week. But, he seemed nice enough at the lunch table, so I don't fight it. Plus, he takes the seat where the LION girl usually sits, which I am more than okay with.

The teacher begins her lecture without even glancing at the students in attendance, and Collin gives me an 'I told you so' look. I roll my eyes.

"Is this really your class?" I finally ask him, deciding to test the waters.

"Eh, I have history sometime, doesn't matter when I show up as long as I do," Collin shrugs. For the power he seemed to hold at lunch, he seems pretty laid back.

"Why did you decide to come with me?" I probe further.

"God, is it a crime for a guy to be a gentlemen anymore?" He jokes, though the accompanying smile soon fades. "Sorry baby cakes, but that makeup doesn't cover up what must be a mess of a face under it. I don't plan on letting anyone else scratch it up, at least not on my watch."

"You don't even know me," I shoot back. "We hadn't talked once before today."

"So? You're one of us now. We protect our own," he says fiercely, with the same certitude Eli had in the car earlier.

"I'm one of you?"

"Yah, you're a Serpent now. Or at least, you will be," he says, and with that I felt every eye on me. LION girl, who is sitting across the aisle, pulls out her phone and start texting furiously with an almost gleeful expression. The entire room is silent, aside from the drawl of the teacher.

"Why is everyone looking at me?" I whisper to Collin, though I am sure they can all still hear me. He looks around, probably realizing the same thing.