chapter 9

Coming out of her room Jade could see carry attempting to flirt with Dakota, it took her best not to gag. Carry whispered something and smirked before trailing off shaking her Hips in exaggeration. Annoyance flooded Jade but she pushed it away, Dakotas not that shallow of course.

She turned around and almost ran into Luke who was strangely at her dorm now. "Umm, hey Luke..." She began awkwardly and he had this determined look to himself now. "Jade I know I pushed you but I still think it's there for us.. Please let me know" he said and she swallowed, there's nothing left but she couldn't hurt him. But ever since he's acted different, almost possessive like. A sudden threat of what he wanted flooded we but she pushed it away to speak 'Luke I'm sorry ok. I-I am having second thoughts, there's nothing here to me." She admitted and his eyes dulled as he slouched and got close "if this means nothing then I'll stop" he whispered and closed the space between their lips and she emitted a short gasp as he held her waist but seconds later she pushed him off furious "Luke! Why?" She snapped and stepped back. Dakota had seemed to make his way over but was silent and standing awkwardly "I thought you'd change your mind" he said flatly and she glared at his ego, "Luke I'm not going to." Jade said and looked away "I love you Jade" he said and she froze those three words, it's a lie. He's just a friend and she can't hurt him. "Luke I-" before she could answer Dakota stepped in glaring at Luke almost "you look pathetic. If she doesn't feel the same well that's your loss, but you can't force her to love you" he said flatly and kept the glare. Luke took a deep breath "yep, cause she can do so much better than me and nope, she found you" he said half laughing as he walked off to to his dorm.

"Thanks..." She whispered awkwardly and Dakota shrugged "you looked uncomfortable just wanted to help" he stated and she nodded feebly, ignoring the bubbly feeling of him looking out for her.

"I have to go get dressed and go eat." Jade grinned and awkwardly stepped into her room to change.

Stripping from her clothes she turned on the shower and stepped in the warm water felt great and she soaked in it for a while before rinsing shampoo into her hair. After a few moments of letting t sink in she rinsed it out and put in conditioner letting it soak for a few minutes, while she did that she shaved and washed her self down with soap, right afterwards she rinsed out the conditioner and stepped out to dry herself off.

Brushing out her hair she squeezed out as much water as she could and brushed it more before leaving it down semi'wet.

Putting on clean clothes she left to go to the cafeteria and saw Dakota was just now getting there just before her. Going over to the food sections she made a plate of eggs bacon toast and some varieties of fruit.

After getting it she headed to the table and caught a glimpse of Luke coming there way as she sat down. After he got over there near then she simply looked up and said "not a good idea.. Luke" and he shrugged and left. Abigail looked puzzled "what happened?" She asked and Jade shrugged "it wasn't meant to be" she said and began to eat. "Oh." Abigail said and Joinie shrugged "I don't know, y'all don't seen like the two to go out, y'all are the best friends everyone knows." She said and took a bite. Jade nodded while she ate and then felt the chair on the table move. She peered over to see Dakota sitting down. Putting his tray down he ran a hand through his hair and put one elbow on the table, noticing her stare he sent a smile and then turned to eat. Everything got quite no one seemed to have anything to say and it settled into a strange silence. A few eyes looked around and back to their food. Till one spoke up "Jade, did you figure out how to use your powers, right?" It wasn't a sincere question she noted that when she saw carry's glare and tapping finger. Jade shrugged a bit intimidated by her gaze and didn't meet her eyes. "Yeah actually she did. She just needs practice, like you need a personality" Dakota said dully and Carry was taken aback as she got up and walked over to the trash to dump her tray and left momentarily.

"Thanks. Again" Jade spoke out shyly and Dakota nodded simply and finished of his food along with everyone else, who seemed a bit shocked. "Hey when were done, I was hoping we could talk seperate from them" he began whispering and jade froze and blushed. He had a smile while he chuckled "not like that, but kinda a about what Carry said, about your powers" he said pulling his head back from her ear and she bided a nod while finishing the last of her food and waited for him to leave before she went after him.

Looking up and down the halls she didn't see anyone or where he went but she continued to look a but more. Walking down the hall she went to looks around the corner then felt a hand tap her shoulder making her jump and turn around. "Oh there you are" she said and he laughed a bit. "Yeah sorry, but come on!" He said taking her hand and pulled her along till they were at the end of a smaller hall. He sat down and she sat down beside him. "Well what did you want to talk about anyways" she asked while turning a bit to face him. "What did I say earlier, you and your powers." He stated and she shook her head "oh yeah" and smiled feebly "what's there to say?" She questioned and his hands went to her wrist "can i?" He asked for permission awkwardly and she nodded laughing "yeah, why not"

He took her arm eyeing over all the markings everyone in a while he'd trace one with his fingers sending chills through her but she ignored them and watched in awe at his gentle caring tone. She also examined her marks noticing one that seemed new to her almost it was like a bolt of magic of some sort was going down her arm and stopped at her wrist where it would unravel. Dakota noticed to and looked over it till he flipped his own arm to expose a very similar marking his looked more like flames and was more drastic. "Only four known of us have these, me, you, skylar." He paused and closed his eyes drawing in a breath. "And Flick."

She nodded in understanding and looked back to his and went back and forth from there's "do they mean something?" She asked and noticed how the edges of hers where sharp where his was smooth and sharp like flames you'd draw. He nodded "yes as you can tell me and you have a similar one but yours is like energy and time. Mine is heat and time. They can be quite strange. Flick's, he could summon demons but not like the arenas just demons of any sort. His marking if you ever see it is like melting it's looks like blood yet it's dark and dull. It's who he is." Dakota went on and he took her wrist again "you and Skylar's are similar but her power isn't as great, or not yet at least" he said and she nodded "she can't stop time. Im guessing that has something to do with what Carry said?" He added at the end and she groaned "yes, we were training and I belive we were having a 'nonviolent' session but she got me and her behind an area you couldn't see and tried to practically kill me. Out of fear I swung out at her and it was like in seconds she was like a statue for a minute or two." She said and he nodded "your most powerful in fear, I can tell that, but you have to learn to use it without being scared" he said and she shrugged how do I learn?" He laughed a bit "we'll teach you" he said, we'll?

They talked a it more then split to go to there rooms, lunch was in an hour it was also a free day, so she had time to speak to Skylar finally.

Getting her hair brushed into a high messy bun and brushing her teeth she walked out and met up with Skylar and sat out side with her. "Hey" she smiled hugging her a moment and then sat down. "Did you ever figure out the plan you were talking about?" She asked and Skylar nodded recalling it. "Oh yeah, I mean it won't be hard. What will be hard is for you to all fit in in America where you'll be labeled different, or 'goth' as I've heard." She said and Jade nodded "where do we start?" She asked and Skylar shrugged "get the word around, there's not many of us to tell.