Shane was completely from fending off the curiosity of her new classmates. he'd grown accustomed to the few get-to-know-you inquiries he always encountered as the new kid in class. But this time was different, more intense. And he laid that blame directly at the feet of one Park Jihoon. His stunt with the note had garnered her a lot of unwanted attention, and she was starting to think to just kill him in broad daylight.
Instead no, he had to listen to Loralie and wait.
The large indoor gymnasium echoed with the chatter of her classmates, mingling in small subgroups of friends. Shane stood in the back alone, hoping he would not be swarmed by his classmates again. His normal position.
The gym teacher was an unassuming man with the face of a toad and a name Shane didn't bother to remember. He informed the class that today's lesson would be partner dodgeball. The students' moans bounced off the high rafters.
The teacher handed out five red balls and explained the game. Students made teams of two, with one as the guard, the other as the guarded. Only the guard could touch the ball. If the guarded was hit, they were out. If the two separated, they were out. It seemed unnecessarily complicated to Shane.
The kids quickly began pairing up. Anytime someone approached him, Shane sent them a glare that stopped them until all the kids were paired except for him and Jihoon, who walked toward him with a rueful smile. If the day could get any worse for Shane, it just did.
"I guess we're partners," he said, seemingly unperturbed by his glower.
"I can't play." Shane's annoyance almost choked his own self. "My foot hurts."
"Does it hurt because of kneeling?" he asked in a whisper. Shane narrowed his eyes as he tried to decide what level of idiotic he was.
"Begin." The gym teacher blew a whistle. The kids spread out, some already squealing in distress before any balls were thrown. The loudest of whom was Seojun clinging to Minjae's shoulders
Jihoon took the front position. Shane held on to the hem of his shirt with two fingers. They wove and dodged, Shane easily following Jihoon's jerking movements. He stumbled as he dove to the right, avoiding the ball instead of blocking it.
Shane jerked back as another ball almost hit him in the face. And he found himself annoyed at the prospect of being one of the first pairs out.
He could almost remember Loralie's voice, 'a child of death cannot lose a game of humans.' Especially one as insipid as dodgeball.
"You have to keep your eyes open. Pay attention to who has a ball," he growled through gritted teeth.
"They're moving too fast."
"Left!" he snapped. He scooted over, barely batting away the ball. Shane felt the beginnings of a headache, and each time he dodged a ball Jihoon failed to block, her stomach rolled. At first, he thought it was anger, until nausea climbed into his throat.
"Are you okay?" Jihoon asked, glancing back at Shane.
"Of course." Shane took in deep breaths. He normally never got sick.
"You don't seem like you're okay."
"Watch it!" he pulled him to the side and narrowly avoided a ball.
"Will you pay attention to the game?"
"I am-"
"Would you shut up?" Shane's annoyance made his headache swell toward a crescendo.
"It's just that you didn't seem well after that either."
"Well, I'm fine now. You don't have to think of me."
"I wish," Jihoon said with a laugh.
"What's that supposed to mean?" SHane bit his tongue at his inability to control himself
"I don't consider myself a really curious guy, but I can't stop thinking of you."
"Stop it."
Before Jihoon could answer, the teacher blew his whistle and told them to trade places. Shane was now the guard and Jihoon held on to his shoulders. Instead of running around trying to avoid the balls, Shane batted them away effortlessly, her eyes never leaving Jihoon. he closed his eyes against the full-blown migraine pounding at his temples. The pressure was so great she thought her eyes would pop out of his skull.
"I don't mean to pry," Jihoon said, even as his eyes searched SHane's face. He took a step closer, and he held out a hand to stop him. Except his headache threw off his depth perception, and he caught him in the sternum, throwing him back so hard he slid a meter across the floor on his butt.
"No fighting!" The gym teacher blew a whistle and the game play stopped. "Jihoon, you hurt?" Jihoon shook his head as he stood.
"You're new, right?" the gym teacher asked, approaching Shane.
"Yes," he mumbled, seething at the attention as dozens of eyes stared at him.
"Already causing trouble, Transfer," the gym teacher said. "I'm going to have to call your guardian."
• • •
Waiting for Loralie was hell. This was a record for Shane, getting sent to the vice principal on the first day of school. He was standing outside of the teachers' office waiting for his sister. If that impending arrival wasn't enough, he was in the perfect location for kids to ogle as they walked past.
They sent furtive glances at him as they made their way back to the classrooms. Shane kept still. He had been smart enough to not react.
Parts of conversations drifted over. He heard the words violent and freak. This was not a good start to a new school. And he was good at gauging that. he'd been in a dozen schools, and each had proven to be the same. Kids, no matter where they lived, just wanted to fit in. And that meant ridiculing anything and anyone that didn't. Fitting in was practically against his genetic makeup. No matter how much he'd tried to match a mold, she always popped back out.
Adult targets were much easier for him than school kids.
So he'd stopped trying, choosing instead to keep a low profile. If he managed to stay under the social radar and proved to be uninteresting, the other kids would leave her alone.But he'd already gained attention. And worse, negative attention.
Kids loved gossiping about troublemakers. First strike was what he'd said to Park Minjae this morning. He hadn't meant to, but he'd been so thrown off from seeing Jihoon. And then getting a punishment in front of the whole class, strike two. And strike three, getting into a "fight" in gym class.
There was one common thread through it all: ParkJihoon.
He saw him walking up the hall with his friends. The awkward boy Named Seojun or Seojin Gave him a quick bow when he spottedShane. A mental debate raced across Jihoon's face before he started toward him.
Shane narrowed his eyes and gave a small shake of the head that clearly said Move on. So Jihoon lowered his eyes and hurried past. Park Minjae followed in his wake, sending a scowl in Shane's direction.
The click of shoes approaching could have been anyone, but SHane didn't even need to glance upwards to know who it was. As kids filed toward their classrooms, necks craned. Even teachers stopped to stare. Loralie didn't seem to notice her dozens of admirers. Her cold eyes saw only Shane who was suddenly rubbing sweaty palms on his uniform blazer.
Loralie was pissed. She swept past her brother without a word and into the teachers' office, where the vice principal waited. SHane followed behind, head lowered.
The vice principal was a large man who somehow reminded Shane of a rhinoceros.
"H-h-hello," the vice principal stuttered, rising from his desk as if he were the one called into Loralie's office. His hands gripped at his jacket, straightening it as he gathered his composure. "You must be Kensington's sister.".
A smile curled across Loralie's lips, congenial with just a hint of seduction. SHane hated it. Whenever his sister used it, men did her every bidding, as if a spell had been placed upon them.
"I'm honored to meet such an important man as yourself, Vice Principal," Loralie said, her voice smooth as velvet. Shane, is an inquisitive young man. He just wondered if this was what sirens were supposed to sound like. "I'm sure you're too busy to be dealing with such trivial things as this."
The vice principal let out a giggle that was more suited to a young schoolgirl. It grated against Shane's nerves.
"Oh no, it is my pleasure to meet with a guardian of a new student. I've always said it's important to make the effort, as our students are all so precious to me." Shane remembered seeing a cartoon during a previous hunt where hippopotami danced a ballet, an awkward attempt at looking graceful. The vice principal's posturing reminded her of that strange dichotomy now.
"I'm horrified that my brother would make a scene on his first day. He is not usually like this. I must take complete responsibility. After all, when a child is lacking, it's a reflection on their guardian." Loralie let her lip quiver and blinked her eyes as if holding back tears, but when she opened them again they were clear.
Shane almost frowned at his sister's award-winning acting.
"Oh no, Miss Kensington, you mustn't think that way. I'm sure that moving so far into the school year must have been a stress on our Oshane."
Our Oshane?He scoffed at the familiar addresses and nearly applauded. Loralie was working her magic too well on the vice principal. He would probably give Shane an automatic pass for the whole second year if she asked right now.
"Well, I wouldn't blame you if you put my precious brother on probation for committing school violence. I trust in your good judgment. After all, only an honest and fair man could reach such a venerated position." Loralie gripped the vice principal's hand.
A flush spread up the man's neck. "Well, it's only one small mistake, and I hear the kids were playing dodgeball, a very violent game by its nature. Our Oshane seems like a good girl; I'll let her go with a warning to be more careful. Okay, Oshane-ah?"
Oshane blinked, realizing he was being addressed directly. "Of course, Vice Principal,"
"My dear Vice Principal. You're too kind," Loralie said, squeezing his hand. And Shane thought he'd faint on the spot.
They walked out of the office together, silence hanging around them so thick, Shane would not be surprised if he was choked by it.
Once outside, Loralie didn't spare a glance as she spoke to Shane.
"You disappoint me."
"I'm sorry—" Shane tried to come up with some lame excuse, but his sister's hand came up, silencing him. She just waved her hand to hail a cab.
"I'll see you back home," Loralie said.
Shane watched as his sister got into the cab and it sped away.
It was better this way. Shane had an errand to run.