The Book of Willow- Princess of the West

2.

They walked down the empty halls of the school in measured silence. Maia noticed he was still too close and the killer heat wasn't dying down.

More than once their hands touched and their shoulders grazed. She wasn't sure if it was the norm in Sequim, but she didn't enjoy having her personal bubble violated, no matter how hot the mouth-breather.

Chance must have noticed. He seemed uncomfortable; only mumbling a few words here and there. But he made sure to point out important spots as he led her to her first class. 

"Since your first class is Ceramics, it's gonna be in the last door on the left down this hall." He said doing a little Vanna White, showcasing the door. 

"Thanks," Maia mumbled, fixing her backpack strap onto her shoulder, then turning to march for the door. 

"Hey, New Kid!" Chance shouted but Maia refused to turn around. "Hey, Short Stuff! Wait!" Heavy footfalls behind her grew closer and closer. She knew she couldn't ignore him forever. He would invariably catch up. A heavy hand dropped to her shoulder and BANG! The heat was back again, forceful enough to knock the wind from her sails. 

Maia's hand shot out. Her palm pressed against the coolness of the metalic locker door. She leaned against it, borrowing its strength. She secretly wished that she could press her naked skin to it. Anything to stave off this heat.

She turned to see Chance hunched forward, hands resting on to his knees. "Did you feel that? We must be under a vent or something. It just got hot as hell in this hallway."

Maia wiped the sweat at her brow with the back of her hand and straightened her posture, "Yeah, I guess."

"Don't talk much do you?" He stood peering down at her curiously. A twinkle gleamed in his crystalline eyes.

"I speak only when I have something to say. What do you want?" She asked, with a surly tone, folding her arms across her chest, shifting away from him.  The heat lessened but only slightly. 

"Your phone, you dropped it." He handed her the small rectangular object. Maia yanked the phone from his grasp, desperate to avoid any more physical contact. She was starting to hate what being near this boy was doing to her.

"Perhaps, a thank you?" He said shaking his head with a snarky grin.

"Perhaps, a fuck off," Maia answered snidely, before flipping him the bird and shuffling off to her class.

That should keep Fabio off her tits for now. Whatever strange happenings were going on with him, she wanted nothing to do with it. It's be hard enough just getting through high school as a supernatural whatever the fuck she was.

Maia entered the class with a sigh and an eye roll. She knew she would be the center of attention today, not only because she was the new kid. But because she was also more than a half-hour late to class.

"Can I help you with something, young lady?" An older Caucasian man with a head full of curly grey hair, a forward hunch, and a dirty black apron sat at the front of the class. He peered over the rim of his glasses. They dangled dangerously on the tip of his nose.

"I'm Maia Erinti, the new girl." She answered meekly, aware that every eye in the room was fixed on her. She patted her hands over her hair to make sure the tips of her ears weren't showing. That's the last thing she needed was some genius noticing her very obviously pointed ears.

"Oh, Maia, welcome to Ceramics. I am your instructor. You can call me Marty. I run an informal class. Please place your things there" He pointed towards a wall of cubbies. "And take a seat next to Miles. Miles!"

He called to the tall brown-haired boy with skin as white as milk and honey-colored eyes. He looked up and when his eyes found Maia, he gave her a dazzling smile. Maia shuffled from foot to foot uncomfortably. The boy's attention only made her feel worse.

Maia gave him a tight-lipped smile before putting her things away to join him at the ceramic table. 

"Maia," Marty called to her, "Have you ever done ceramics before?"

"I did, at my old school," Maia answered, pulling an apron over her head. 

"Oh, good. We are working on busts this week. Miles is pretty good, but don't feel pressured just do the best you can."

Maia nearly leaped out of her skin when Marty gave her a light tap on the shoulder. But nothing happened. There was no heat, no wave of nausea, not even a blip. She wondered if it all had to do with that kid. 

"You ok, Maia," Kind brown eyes studied her face, "You look startled."

"I'm good." She gave a curt reply.

"I'm Miles." He held his hand out. Maia glared at it then rolled her eyes.

"I know," She answered with rancor in her voice.

He dropped his hand and his smile deflated. Feeling confident that he was repelled by her attitude, Maia stood to gather her clay and returned to the table.

"So Maia, where you from?" He said his smiling, as if she hadn't just been a dick to him moments ago. When she didn't answer, he kept his smile in place and waiting. 

'Is this kid made of fucking Teflon or just slow? I'm being an asshole on purpose. Take the hint kid.' She thought, trying to ignore him. But aa class went on, every time she looked up, he was there patiently waiting.

"Ugh, what's with you kid? Can you not take a hint?" Maia asked with an exasperated sigh.

Miles screw up his lips in a cute face, "Yup! I can. I'm just choosing to ignore yours."

Maia raised a curious brow, "If you get it, then why are you still talking to me?"

"Because, I don't think you're the hardass as you pretend to be. Seems like a front." He said, putting on a straight face for the first time.

The intensity of his spirit shifted and with her sixth sense, Maia could feel him. Not many people exuded this kind of sensation. Ordinary people all felt the same. If she closed her eyes. She couldn't distinguish one from the other. But a few people, like her parents, gave off incredible levels of energy. She could feel it for miles once she knew what to look for. Miles was unique, not unlike the other boy she'd met earlier. The low frequency waves of electricity made that resoundingly clear. He just wasn't as intense. 

"You're new at this school." His voice interrupted her thoughts. "It's pretty scary to be the new kid and maybe a little lonely but don't worry. I've already decided I'm gonna be your friend." He said with a big shit-eating grin plastered on his face. 

"Did I just fucking step into the twilight zone or something? Leave me alone, Kid. You're better off trust me." She turned to her clay to start working.