The Guardians (The Highest Order, Book One)

CHAPTER 8

Monday comes along far too quickly for my liking. After another 'intervention' about my not taking the whole Donovan situation seriously enough, courtesy of Maia, I was even more nervous for my first day than I had been originally.

I wouldn't be human if I wasn't.

Since mom was using the car and we hadn't gotten around to car shopping for my birthday, Maia and I had planned to carpool, without Kaleb thankfully. Unlike me, she was excited for the new school year, she was already planning her outfit for the fall dance. The thought had me shivering in disgust. Me + dress = Definitely not.

The weather was quickly cooling, meaning building my wardrobe into something more suited to the north Carolina autumn was a requirement over the next few weeks. I had no doubt Maia would take up the opportunity to drag me around town for an entire day. The girl loves her shopping almost as much as her sappy movies.

I'd already been up for three hours, stressing over my first day. I even managed to catch mom on her way out. 6am start? That can't be legal.

Pulling my white converse on, I finished eating the cookie I'd begun only five minutes earlier. Not the most ideal breakfast, I'll admit, but it'll have to do.

Maia and I had planned to leave in about ten minutes, giving me just enough time to grab my bag and keys before running over to her house.

The shouting almost put me off from knocking on the door. The voice is unfamiliar but definitely belongs to a girl. I feel sorry for whoever is on the receiving end of that, her voice was enough to give me what felt like the beginning of an annoying headache and I wasn't even remotely close to it.

Raising my hand, I don't even get the chance to knock before the door swings open, forcing me to move out of the way for the girl who looked like her head was going to explode any second by how red her face was. She was not happy.

The girl stops dead in her tracks as she goes to pass my startled form, turns and looks me up and down as if to measure my level of threat. 'Turn around, blondie' I almost say but bite my tongue. This wasn't a bear I wanted to poke. Taking in her face, I'd seen her before. That night in the parking lot. She was one of the girls apart of the group I'd caught staring at me.

With a scowl and a scoff, as if concluding I wasn't worth her time, she carries on her rant, storming towards a car. You guessed it, Kaleb's. I don't catch much of what she says but soon after, Kaleb follows in suit.

He stops in the almost exact same place the girl had, stared at me, he let out a sigh and his tense shoulders relaxed, 'Maia's freaking out about hair volume or something'

I bite my lip to stifle a grin, he didn't look like he was prepared for a snippy comment, so I just nod. He stares at me for a few seconds, with a look that has my stomach doing backflips.

'Kaleb!' The girl's voice rings out, starling us both out of whatever trance we stood in.

He rubs his eyes with his hand, the tension back in his shoulders. A vein stood on his neck, almost ready to burst at the strain being placed on it. Something told me this girl was more hassle than she was worth.

'Hurry up and drive me to school.' Her voice was whiny and annoying, I raised an eyebrow at Kaleb.

'Wow,' I'm lost for words and he looked ready to pop, 'Are all of your friends this pleasant or is she just a rare oddity?'

He rolls his eyes but scoffs all the same, 'Maia should be ready soon.' Is all he says before walking off to his car, to meet blondie, boy was i glad not to be in his shoes right now.