Chasing Shadows by Rebbeca Stoddard Page B

babbling.” Willow elbowed her sister and gave me a soft, sweet smile. “I apologize. We are nymphs. She is a fire nymph, and I am an earth nymph. Fiora here tends to talk too much, and it gets kind of annoying. So here is my number. Call me if you have any questions or just need some girl time.” She handed me a piece of paper with beautiful handwriting and smiled wider.
    “Thanks. I will keep that in mind. I, uh, I have to go. My dad is waiting for me, so I guess I will see you guys in a few weeks.” I waved at the nymphs and smiled back at them. Keeping my head down as other students passed, I hurried out of the school and toward the car.
    On the way home, my dad stopped at a local mini-mart and got me my favorite ice cream, a bag of candy, and an iced tea. He always did it when I registered for school. It was like he knew that I had a hard time going back, but he didn’t quite know how bad it really was. Part of me felt that this year might be different. There were going to be three people who knew what I was, what I could do, and who were supernaturals as well. My heart was happy at the thought of not being completely alone. All I had to do was wait for two more weeks and my life would be turned upside down one last time.
     

Chapter 5
     
    An obnoxious blaring noise filtered through my dreams. My hand reached out and flailed, searching for the alarm clock that was disturbing my sleep. It was Wednesday morning and the first day of my senior year. Groaning, I sat up. A disgruntled Helios jumped from my bed and hid in the closet. He had gotten bigger, heavier, and more ornery since the day I had gotten him. The sun was still rising, and I needed to shower and start my day. When I was finally ready, I had to rush to get out the door. My dad hollered for me. I grabbed a pop tart and ran out the door. He dropped me off by the school office. Staring at the big green doors that led into the school, I gulped down air and forced myself forward.
    The halls were crowded with students. Everyone seemed to stop and stare at me as I walked to my locker. Langdon was watching my every move, calculating what his next move was going to be. He always had to make a new rumor about me, tell people another lie, or say something he thought would hurt me. In all honesty, I was getting used to the jabs, remarks, and stares from fellow classmates, but it still hurt to think that people I grew up with would believe someone’s stories. Reaching around to dig in my bag, I almost bumped into someone. My iPod clattered to the floor, and students laughed at my misfortune. When I looked up, I smiled. Sebastian was there with the two nymphs I had met on registration day. Relief flooded through me as I noticed his locker was on the other side of mine. Fiora was twirling her hair and glaring at everyone who had laughed. The air around her seemed to crackle with electricity, and her sister elbowed her. Teenagers forced their heads down and scattered. Something about Fiora frightened them.
    I got to my locker and was sandwiched in between the two girls and the very handsome Sebastian. My heart fluttered in my chest, and heat flushed my cheeks. Tucking hair behind my ear, I finished my combination and grabbed my textbook for first period. The three of them talked, argued, and teased like best friends. Placing headphones in my ears, I walked away from them and outside toward the art room as a loud ringing bell announced it was time for the first class of the day. Students filtered into the large room, talking and waiting to take their seats. Willow and Sebastian wandered into the room just before the second bell rang. A short, stout, and eccentric teacher waddled in. She was strict about rules but gentle with her students. In a deep nasally voice she demanded we take our seats and told us that we needed to choose wisely, since they were to be our assigned seats for the rest of the trimester. The other two supernatural creatures took their seats by me,