Ariellas pov
"Thank you so much for this book. I'm so grateful because I definitely would've failed completely." I said to my new friend who was taking a bite of one of the many finger sandwiches she had conjured up.
"Honestly I thought that Blake and Alax were over their petty pranks but it seems like they are still at it." Klaudia said with a soft smile on her face. Pranks?
"Pranks?" I asked with narrowed eyes. She looked at me as she swallowed the small bite she took.
"Yes every year they have the God of curses and rituals put a curse on a freshmans book. They befriend them and than switch the book out. The book gets ruined because of the curse forcing the freshman to go to the library where they put a false book in the restricted area. The freshman grabs the book and since they went into the restricted area the freshman will be punished for going in and they get off scott free." She explained the exact thing that happened to me with a simple shrug
"Blake. Blake wouldn't do that to me and the high king helped me." I said trying to covince myself more than her. No matter how badly I wanted to deny it, the fact that this book made so much sense and the book I had didn't, had me dreading her response.
"Blake pulls pranks on Goddesses all the time. Him and Alax like to befriend new Goddesses and than dump them after they make them fail a class or two." She said like it was no big deal but it was.
"But the high king." I whispered. The few tears that clouded my eyes had me blinking rapidly to try to rid of them.
"You mean Blake and Alaxs father? He most likely only went along because you are a nobody to him and you failing would not affect him. Anyways Blake and Alax can do anything they want without getting into trouble. I mean the fact that they didn't tell you who their father is tells it all." She went on and on adding to the betrayal with every word.
"And I actually brought you here to tell you Ace was framed because they want you to be a pariah. Ace went against their orders of nobody talking to you." She said with sadness in her eyes.
"I ummm." I couldn't even think. Ace was so nice and as soon as I started to laugh Alax jumped in. Why did it seem like everything she said made more sense than anything Blake or Alax said? Everything added up and I hated it.
"Oh also I risked alot to help you by giving you the right book. I dont need them knowing I helped you so please don't bring me up to them and act normal. I don't need to end up like Ace." She said as she stood up.
"What happened to Ace?" I rushed out as I jumped up to stand next to her. She gave me a sad smile and gestured to the book.
"It will explain what happens when you disobey any of the counsil members. I don't have time. Also don't let them know you have that book." She said as she grabbed my hand and had us teleporting back.
I went to ask why but she was gone like she was never here and all I had was the book to show that she was real.
I looked down at the book and my heart broke alittle. I thought I had friends and now I was alone and had to act normal even though I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.
"Hey Ariella we've been looking for you all over." Blakes voice broke through my inward turmoil. I spun around and tried to put on a smile that I knew wouldn't reach my eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked as he eyed me. Pretending should be easier than it felt. They did it all the time.
"Yes. I'm fine. Can you help me to my room? I need to fix my hair." I lied as I held my book tight in my arms.
"It looks fine but sure." He said. His hold on me was light and it had me wondering did touching me make him want to recoil. Did he have to try really hard to pretend or was he just so good at it that it was now second nature?
"Are you sure you are fine." He asked when we got to my room. I gave a simple nod before I was going to the bathroom and closing the door.
I opened up the cabinet that held all my makeup and hair stuff and shoved it in the back. After making sure it was not visible I closed it up and brushed though my hair a few times and touched up my natural makeup. I knew I was pretty enough to not need it but it was what made me confident and now I was questioning everything.
"Let's go Ariella." Blake demanded after a few second of me just looking at myself in the mirror.
One last look at my eyes that were aquamarine right now and I sighed. "Here I come." I yelled. Most didn't know but when I was sad my eyes turned this color and stayed it until I was better.