Aareseth- School means battle

Lilly stared in the mirror trying to decide what exactly she was going to do with her hair. The strawberry blonde curls fell softly around her face framing it nicely. It took another five minutes for her to pin it all into place. She pulled on the deep purple shirt she wore and adjusted her dark blue jeans before she decided that it was as good as she could get it. The pendant she wore was hidden under her shirt; it had been decided for her to not show it. When she opened the door, Raven stood there looking rather tired and worn from the whole ordeal he had been dealing with her parents.1

It had taken about three days to get Raven to agree to going to high school with Lilly and get him enrolled with the limited resources he had for his records. Raven had been so hesitant to go to school since he had not been to a public school since he was in elementary. He knew a lot about human school from how his mom had taught him, and it was with that he could be a grade above Lilly.2

Raven pushed past Lilly groaning a hello as he passed and not bothering to see if she noticed when she slipped out and he shut the door. Lilly head the shower turn on and was down the stairs before Raven could muster the energy to crawl into the tub. She heard her mom cooking in the kitchen while her dad was getting all of his things together.3

They stopped talking when Lilly enterted the kitchen.4

"Hey Hun, breakfast in on the table." Melinde nodded over to the kitchen table while Lilly was already walking over to sit down.5

Liam bit his inner lip not sure if he wanted Lilly to leave the house, after what had happened in the last week it was weird to even be in this normal situation. Melinde tapped his shoulder to make him turn toward her.6

" You need to get going to work Liam, I am sure that you don't want to be late." Liam nodded leaning down to give Melinde a kiss and exiting the kitchen. Lilly barely noticed the awkwardness as she tried to stomach some eggs and bacon. She wasn't used to being the new kid at school, with that in mind she was also wondering how she was going to introduce Raven if anyone asked. They weren't entered in as siblings and there was no relation between them.7

Lilly looked up at her mom, just as she was walking over to put Raven's food on the table.8

"Mom?" Melinde looked up at her daughter.9

"What am I supposed to introduce Raven as? He isn't my brother or any relative; people might find it funny to have a boy my age living with me and my family."10

Melinde thought over the question for a moment, "Don't mention he lives with you Lilly, he is a friend that merely moved in the neighborhood with you. If people ask if he lives with you, then you say he does and if there are any further questions I am sure it can go from there."11

Lilly nodded feeling the butterflies in her stomach lift slightly, but she was still uneasy about going to school anyways. Raven stocked down the stairs feeling a bit more awake but just as uneasy as Lilly was. He didn't really like being around huge crowds, there was more danger in that to him than dealing with an infected. At least with him being alon he didn't have to worry about hurting another being, or Lilly.12

He sat down with not much of a word eating his breakfast quietly. Lilly eyed him for a moment beofre she got up to get her book bag. Melinde was cleaning off the dishes when Raven joined her at the door.13

"Bye Mom!"14

Melinde turned the sink off for their departure.15

"See ya Lilly and Raven, have a good day!"16

They exited out the front door feeling the coolness of the morning walking down toward the bus stop. Raven was used to walking toward battle, but walking next to Lilly to go to school was alien. The sun was creeping over the horizon painting the sky with rays of pink and orange. The dust covered ground crunched under their feet from the morning dew. The wind blew around them carrying the scent of wild flowers.17

There were houses left and right of them, with little to no lights on with the early morning swirling about them. It was going to be a very sunny day and one that was sure to be rather hot from the way the collness seemed to only be a kiss to what the heat was going to be. This very scene was one that Raven was sure to keep; it was peacedul even in its awkward place in his memory. The silence was broken when Lilly cleared her throat, caysing Raven to shift his gaze to her.18

"Mom said that I am introducign you as a friend." Lilly looked foward at the bus stop coming up. There was one girl and two boys waiting.19

"Yeah..." was all Raven groaned out as he analyzed the humans in front of him.20

The girl had long blonde hair, with olive type skin and was sorta tall for her age. She wore a jersey with a baggy pair of jeans carrying a basketball in one hand. One of the boys had short black hair, white pasty skin with clothes that seemed to have had the air let out of them. He sat on the curb hugging a book to him. This boy seemed to dart his eyes between the other two children as if they were going to attack him.21

The other boy was taller than the girl, muscular and rather tan. He stood across from the girl wearing a pair of beat up jeans and a T-shirt. Out of all the children he seemd to exude the type of energy that was trying to be intimidating. The boy and the girl had been talking back and forth about sports of some sort. Which could have been reason the other kid felt so out of place.22

When Raven and Lilly walked up the conversation seemed to all die with their interest turning to them. Raven could tell that both boys were quickly attracted to Lilly, which made the girl fizzle with jealousy.23

Raven glanced at Lilly whom seemed to not notice as she looked at the ground. The way the sun's rays hit her face seemed to eclipse the natural beauty Lilly had. Raven wasn't sure if it was the light or the way her hair had seemed to fall around her face, but Lilly wasn't a child by any standards and those boys had every right to find her attractive.24

"Hey, My name's Jason, what's yours?" Lilly looked at the muscular boy who called himself Jason.25

"Lilly."26

"Lilly, like a nice flower; I like that. My name's Robert." Lilly turned to acknowledge the fragile looking Robert, yet niether boy interested her. Raven could tell by the way she seemed to shift her eyes back and forth not relaly trying to strike up a conversation. In fact Lilly seemed to be all nerves and wanted to be invisible, which he could understand.27

The girl cleared her throat, "Oh and this is Ashley." Jason gestured over to the girl who was now standing with her arms crossed. Ashley looked Lilly up and down as if she was a prize seeing how she measured up to her. Ashley was pretty in her own right, but with Lilly being umbra it was hard to relaly compare in a physical aspect.28

Lilly nodded to Raven, "This is Raven."29

Raven merely nodded but felt a strange sensation to grab Lilly and hold her to him. Jason and Robert were both giving off signs of liking, while Ashley hated Lilly on the spot. He didn't much like humans in this aspect they often gave off their emotions so easily, and what was strange to him is not one of them could reach each other easily. It made him chuckle a bit to himself.30

"When did you move to Suffolk?" Ashley was almost spitting venom at Lilly, whom gave no sign of caring.31

"About two weeks ago." Ashley looked at Raven.32

"The same." Was all he said steadying his gaze with Ashley, he pushed into her mind.33

'What an ugly looking girl, Jason better not try to be friends with her. there is something very wrong about her. I can't believe he is staring at her as if she was better than me, that asshole.'34

Raven frowned at the girl's mind full of ugly thoughts about Lilly and it made him a bit angry. Lilly was already talking with Robert aboud flowers, whil Jason seemed to put some input in.35

'No one cars about flowers! Lilly, yuck I bet she thinks she's such a rose!'36

Raven concentrated on Ashley.37

'What if she is just all nerves and doesn't know what either of those boys is thinking?'38

Ashley relaxed a bit taking a closer look at Lilly.39

'Psh. She has got to know what exactly they are thinking; I mean they are both practically throwing themselves at her.' 40

Raven frowned more, this girl was mcuh denser than she played herself out to be.41

'She has nerves, give her a break for all you know she could be dating that Raven kid.'42

Ashley shifted her eyes from Raven to Lilly, while Raven cast his eyes down trying not to make it obvious that he was the one planting things in her mind. He removed his mind from her thoughts while she seemed to relax more and even smile at the notion that Lilly wasn't after any guy that sat at the bus stop. The bus seemed to come too quickly with them boarding it Lilly sat next to Raven her eyes looking out the window, but he could feel her anxiety of the day that was ahead of them.43

The ride to school was rather quiet, no words or thoughts were exchanged between Raven and Lilly. Both sat next to each other looking out the window at the scenery and cars that passed by the bus, Raven felt rather uneasy about going to school. As much as he had distaste for humans, Raven felt it was his duty to protect them even if he didn't fit in with the crowd.44

As the bus pulled to the school, kids could be seen standing outside with their friends laughing and catching up with other kids about their summer. When the bus started to unload Jason pushed Raven out of the way and smiked as he fell back into his seat. 45

"Watch where you're going punk."Jason glared at Raven. Ashley laughed as she moved past Lilly and Raven, giving Lilly a dirty look before she and Jason got off the bus.46

"Wow they sure are friendly" Lilly frowned gathering up her stuff. 47

"Just ignore them" Raven replied. "They're just looking for attention."48

Lilly and Raven got off the bus and headed off toward class, Raven was thanful they both had the same classes together, this way he could keep an eye on Lilly to make sure nothing happened to her even though he was sure she could handle herself against any human but Raven was more worried about an infected showing up at a place like this filled with humans.49

The first class for Raven and Lilly was Geometry. Lilly sighed as she looked at her schedule. "Ugh I hate math, I was never good at it."50

Raven never said anything but rather smiled to himself. He found it funny that he was probably the smartest one in the school seeing as how he knew everything their was to know about humans technology, science and mathematics. Raven hated being in a room with so many people whose IQ's didn't come close to his.51

Link's high school wasn't a very big school compared to most school in the surrounding area, the school population reached to about three hundred, and not growing much. Even witht he knowledge that there were less humans in one area compared to most, did not bring Raven any comfort. He surveyed the white building in front of him; it had the typical school look to it. There was a side walk were the buses allowed kids off, and a long stretching entrance with a sign off to the side stating it's name. the black doors were pulling open as the crowd of kids filed in.52

Raven had to check himself from running, without really thinking about it Lilly reach out taking Raven's arm. She was just as nervous as him, but having her touch him brougth him some comfort. He could feel her anxiety, as well as hi own but for the moment all other senses to run were shut down by that simple gestuer. It caused Raven's mouth to twitch at the corner with some sort of unknown satisfaction. When they passed through the doors, the scenery changed to this brown hallway filled with yellow lockers. Lilly turned to the left dropping her hand away from Raven, he followed her in suit.53

There was the office just off to the right, were Lilly was headed Raven surveyed the area; many children had stopped to look at Lilly. There was a guy in a basketball jacket nudging one of his buddies pointing as Lilly walked into the office. Raven hung back watching the human's reaction to Lilly, just her because their reactions to him didn't matter. He iddn't know why it fascinated him so much, but it seemed that the general male population agreed that Lilly was attractive, were as the general female population found her repulsive.54

Lilly reutnred in no time at all, a map in hand as well as some helpful information for both herself and Raven.55

"Hey!" she snapped her fingers in front of Raven; he had been so interested in what the kids were saying about her around them that he hadn't noticed her walk right up to him. He blinked looking directly in the eyes, "Yeah?" Lilly held up the maps and some other information pamphlets that he really wasn't interested in the moment he noticed them.56

"I think I know where out class is, it says room 136 with Mr. Daniels, and I think we better get going." Lilly motioned to keep going to the right.57

Raven saw from the side of his vision that the guy with the basketball jacket on was confused as to what Lilly was doing with Raven.58

'Damn, what is that hot girl doing taking that guy with her?'59

The thoughts got lost in the pressure of other minds thinking of summer, frustrations that were about to start, and the one mind Raven heard above others, Lilly's. What is strange about human minds that isn't with umbra's, is that you don't get just owrds or images with the mind, in the umbra you get a full range of senses. Once you see an Umbra's mind, you see what they see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. Raven could feel Lilly's mind going back to this morning, and he had to pull himself away quickly. She had been trying to think of somehting like a shower, which was private all together. Lilly was calmed by the water and she was trying to think of the feeling of warm water on bare skin.60

Lilly turned left, to find a small classroom to the right. In it sat twelve other students, all of them either sitting alone or a couple in groups. The teacher sat in a desk right in front of the board inspecting his papers as if there was somehting interesting going on with them. The moment Lilly and Raven walked in, the chattering around the room stopped as curiosity peaked. Mental voiced pounded at Raven quickly to the point that he had to put up a mental block if he was going to function.61

Mr. Danieks looke dup at the two young people that had come into his classroom. He was in his late twenties by the lines that seeme dto come off his crystal blue eyes and the way his red hair flamed. He was a rather interesting but good looking older guy. He smiled with ease, although he was a bit uneasy with teaching this class.62

"Ah, new students I presume?"63

He looked from both as if examining for some sort of infection. Lilly had never been one to be shy, but her insides froze up and she merely nodded. Raven stared down the man, he was a little bit taller than Raven but his black eyes were very intimidating. Mr. Daniels looked away and addressed the rest of the students all still looking curiously at the new additions.64

"Welcome back from your summer break. My name is Mr. Daniels and I will be teaching you all Geometry for the next semester."65

Lilly reached out handing him the note that had their names and registration for the class on it. He looked at the names briefly than motioned out to some of the empty seats.66

"Ah, yes this is Lilly Adams and Raven Young. You two can take the seats in the back behind Rachel Mcfair and Dennis Clarence."67

The two kids raised their hands, Rachel had long black hair in a mass of curls with dark eye make up that washed out her pale skin and made her green eyes more cat-like than ever. She was wearing Marilyn Manson concert shirt and a pair of black bondage pants. She was a bit on the skinny side too, with her eyes on Lilly she gave a rather rough nod but looked off to the windows quickly after that. Dennis had blue tipped hair, with a very pale completion just like Rachel. He had on a slipknot shirt and a pair of bondage pants that had red striped into them. His eyes were a chocolate brown outlined with black just like Rachel's. They seemed to be the only pair in the classroom that wasn't wearing pastels.68

Raven nodded to them both, and made his way down the line to his seat. Lilly slowly moved after him, realizing quickly that she wasn't going to be a cheerleader here. She had lost her chance to really get out into the spot light when she had showed up with Raven. She stared at the bacl of his head, he was beautiful in his own way. She liked the way he carried himself, but for obvious reasons it screamed out loner and she knew it. She just didn't understand why she didn't have much to say about it.69

She took her seat behind Rachel not saying much when she pulled out her math book, she could feel Dennis staring at her. Raven reached over brushing some hair away from her face, Dennis dated his eyes over him and quickly turned around. She looked at Raven smiling a thank you, because she hadn't wanted any uncomfortable conversations to ensue.70

Mr. Daniels cleared his throat signaling the start of class, Raven took his hand way looking to the front although he knew that this teacher couldn't teach him anything new. The class passed by with problems that Lilly kept writing down trying to understand them, but failing. She could tell that this wasn't going to be very easy for her at all. Raven didn't take any notes solving the problem before the teacher had explained what it was. He found going back over the basics to be very boring and had to fight to keep his eyes open.71

It was strange to go from the day to day wondering if he was going to survive or get his next meal, to be sitting next to Lilly in a classroom full of naive children. He looked at Rachel, it was too bad that she was too stuck up to make any friends beside Dennis. He had read in her mind that she didn't much care of either Raven or Lilly, she simply wanted to be left alone. She had a huge chip on her shoulder and a superiority complex that puzzled him. Dennis on the other hand was a bit more laid back, and had liked Lilly the moment he had looked into her eyes. He had been a bit uneasy having another pastel wearing girl around, but something about her made him like her.72

Raven had been listening to into his thought process how he could introduce himself and become friends with her. When he looked at Lilly, she was too busy to notice Dennis watching her, imaging them friends or something more. She had no idea how pretty she was, which made her that much more attractive. When all these thoughts had completed, the bell had rung for them to go to the next classroom.73

The rest of the day seemed to blur into one, they were like animals on display at a zoo. People kept staring and wondering about their story. He could see that most of the males found Lilly absolutely entrancing. While she went on about her business, she didn't have to worry about any of them bothering her; Raven was there to make them believe that she had someone already. Even if the truth was, they were just friends with one deadly secret.74

They day seemed dull until Gym came around, and that was when everything seemed to get way more interesting than any normal school day.75