Inhibition

Chapter 6

Cat wasn’t one for big impressive speeches. It probably had something to do with the fact that she could write them just as well as the people saying them, if not better. She knew how people reacted to certain things, when a pause should be taken, and how to create a good ending statement. Cat knew exactly how the speech would go, what part of the human psyche would be channeled based on the context.

It made life a bit boring, like knowing the end to movies from the start. Knowing how these things go made Cat a bit of a critic. Just a little bit.

So it wasn’t surprising at all that she stood in the back of the crowd watching her own hands have a conversation, complete with the motions and the two very different, very fake voices for each hand.

Now, Finley had noticed this, and made angry slicing motions at her neck and grimaced a lot. She shuddered like she was having a seizure. It was a not so subtle, quit that, now!

Aidan had turned around, and having looked through his multitude of fans had caught Cat being, well, Cat. He had a barely there what the hell? look, with a slightly open mouth, and furrowed eyebrows. Then he gave himself a shake, the shudder even less noticeable to the untrained eye, and turned back to the new Headmaster. He had learned that sometimes, it was better not to ask.

Aubrie had walked straight up to her and proceeded to join the hand conversation with right hand Melanie and left hand Joey. Ah, good times.

“Now then, a lot of time has passed with my introduction, and as your new Headmaster I have only your best interests at heart. I know what you want, and more importantly, what you need. Therefore, I think that we should end school for today at this point in time, so as to give everyone a chance to get accustomed to the new changes.”

A cheer went up, albeit a subdued one, because the new Headmaster may be acting cool, but he was still an authority figure. And teenagers do not trust authority figures.

“Thank you, Headmaster Sharpe,” one especially brown nosing student came forward to say. She was small, pale skinned with dark hair. She was probably a year or two older than Cat’s seventeen.

“Ah, yes, you must be Wilhelm Adder’s niece. Victoria, isn’t it?” He gave an especially smooth smile. Cat frowned as she listened (eavesdropped). There was something she was missing here.

“Yes, sir.” Victoria’s face was equally as smooth.

“How is your uncle, my dear?” Headmaster Sharpe asked, gesturing in front of his body to silently tell Victoria to walk with him. She got the hint and they started forward.

“Very well, his latest venture is a bit difficult, but . . .” her voice faded as the pair traveled further away from where Cat was standing.

There was something there in the way they had been talking. Something was between the lines, but Cat hadn’t managed to read it. That inner sense she had was coming forward again, and that scared her. She remembered all too well the last time her inner voice had decided to pipe up.

Aubrie was talking at her side, about . . . fairies? No, The Faery, a new “hang out” place. Apparently Aubrie had learned that that’s where everyone would be once the sun went down.

“They’re all taking advantage of the extra hours to get ready. My guess? Everyone is going to be putting on a show tonight.” She gave a small shrug, like she was talking about the weather, not the hilarious attempts at relationships that were sure to happen.

“And how do you know these things? I go to the same school as you, and I haven’t heard anything about this.”

“I have my ways.” Aubrie raised an eyebrow with her answer, trying to act all mysterious. “Besides, all that doesn’t matter.” At Cat’s confused expression, Aubrie clarified. “Right now, we are concentrating on getting you presentable for tonight.”

“Uh, no, that’s really not necessary.” Cat held her hands up in defense and tried backing away. Aubrie just caught her arm and started dragging her to the dorms.

“Nooooooooooooo!” Cat cried the whole way home. Until Aubrie shut her up.