Markings

Aibell was standing in her room, a towel wrapped around her, trying to work the television. She had just gotten out of the shower, and wanted to turn on the TV, but couldn't figure out how. She couldn't find a remote, and there were no buttons on the television that would actually work. Behind her, the bedroom door opened, and she turned on the spot, gasping with surprise. She didn't even think to lock the door, since she wasn't planning on anybody walking in on her without knocking.

Tom stood in the doorway, his face blank. He didn't even seem surprised that Aibell was only wearing a towel. He just stood there, as if he didn't even notice she wasn't clothed.

"Hey!" Aibell yelled, her face turning bright red.

"Hi," Tom replied, one of his eyebrows shooting up.

"Get out! Haven't you ever heard of knocking first!?" Aibell screamed, ignoring his sarcastic greeting.

"Yes. But I'm not very good at it. Besides, this is my school, not yours, so I can do whatever I want. Oh, and this is the guest room, too. You're a guest. Therefore, you cannot do whatever you want. See the difference?"

"You rude little-"

"Get dressed, and pack up anything you've unpacked. And you won't be able to turn on the TV. It runs on magic." Tom's eyes went from her head to her toes, then back again, and he turned to leave. "Meet me in the hallway once you're changed."

Aibell changed in the bathroom, worried that Tom would make another grand entrance. Once she'd gotten changed into some pajama pants and a tank top, and thrown her hair into a bun, Aibell picked up her bag, which hadn't been unpacked yet, and walked out into the hallway.

"What did you mean, when you said the telly runs on magic?"

"The telly? Well, I meant exactly what I said. It runs on magic. Once you get more experienced with magic, you'll understand what I mean."

Tom began to lead the way down the hall, his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, dinner is in 30 minutes," Tom informed her, smiling over his shoulder. "I know you probably don't want to sit alone like a complete loser, so you're welcome to sit with my friends and I."

"Are they as rude as you?"

"I don't consider myself rude, so I'm afraid I don't know how to answer that question."

"You seemed a lot more cheerful when we were on that bus," Aibell pointed out. "Now you're all grumpy. What, did you like your little day off of school?"

"Let's just say... I don't get freedom very often. Unless I'm saving people's pathetic lives, like yours."

"Pathetic? There's a swirly mark on my arm that burns people's skin right off, and I'm pathetic?"

"Hah, you've got a lot to learn," Tom said, chuckling. "Look, just don't say anything stupid while you're here, okay? The kids here will eat you alive. Just stay quiet and you'll be fine."

"Is that why you're such a jerk? The people here eat you alive?"

Tom through his head back and laughed, as if what Aibell had just said was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

"Look, I might not have a burning mark on my arm, but I can do a lot more than you can. If anybody owns this place, it's me."

"Someone's self centered."

"I am not!"

Aibell rolled her eyes. She didn't feel like arguing with a boy who was nice and talkative one second, then a self centered, grumpy jerk the next.

"Here's your new room," Tom mumbled, stopping in front of a door that had a large, pink sign on it. It read DO NOT ENTER!

"Uh, who stays in here?" Aibell asked, awkwardly shifting from one foot to another.

"Well, I was going to put you in a room with Nancy, but, contrary to your belief, I'm not a jerk, so I'm putting you with Jane. She's a nice girl, I think you'll get along. She's a werewolf, though, so she'll only be here for about 2 weeks every month," Tom explained. "She spends the full moon in the basement, with a certain professor. She gets a bit moody around that time, so she stays down in the basement a few days before and after the full moon."

"That's... interesting."

Tom knocked on the door, and they waited patiently. It angered Aibell that he'd barged into her room, but knocked on Jane's. As if Tom knew what she was thinking, he chuckled and looked down at her.

"I didn't knock for you since, honestly, I wouldn't have minded walking in on you. I'd feel guilty, but, there's not much I could have done anyway."

Aibell stared at the door, trying to keep her face from turning bright red, and failing. The door swung open, and a small blonde girl stood before them.

"Oh, it's you," Jane muttered, giving Tom a dirty look. "And I'm guessing this is my new room mate?"

"You always look so pleased to see me!" Tom said, laughing.

"I'm sure you can understand that, after that little stunt you pulled last week, I'd be slightly irritated with you."

"The past is the past. Besides, I'm not here to make amends. Jane, this is Aibell. She's the shape shifter."

Jane's eyes widened with surprise, as if she didn't realize the "shape shifter" would be her new room mate.

"Oh! Hi, it's nice to meet you!" Jane said quickly, giving Aibell a nervous smile. "You can come on in!"

Aibell glanced at Tom for a short second before walking into the bedroom and looking around the room.

"This is where I leave you," Tom said with a sigh. "I'll see you in a little bit, at dinner. Bye, girls." And he was gone.

"He's such a jerk," Jane mumbled, sitting on her bed. "I bet you've already realized that, though, haven't you?"

"He was nice the first day I met him," Aibell insisted, sighing. "I didn't know who he was, though. We were on a bus."

"Well, he's not a bad guy, really. He just... has problems. When he first came here, he was a handful. He always got into trouble, and was always sneaking off. Liked to mess with non-magic people, too. He'd go around towns and use magic to pretty much ruin their entire day. I was only his friend because nobody else was." She frowned. "He's better now... Tom isn't someone you can get close to, though. I tried."

"That's horrible. That he'd go and mess with people, using his magic. And I thought you people were the good guys."

"There isn't such a thing as a good guy, or a bad guy. Everyone's good, and everyone's bad."

"Well..." Aibell looked away, not so sure what to say to that. "Anyway, what time is dinner?"

"6. So, in about 10 minutes. I heard Tom say he'd be seeing you, does that mean you're sitting with him and his friends?"

"Does that not involve you?"

"I don't eat dinner in there, I eat here. I have a lot of school work to get done. I do more work since I miss a lot of school at the end of the month," Jane explained, shrugging. "I'm guessing Tom filled you in on my... dilemma?"

"Yeah, he did... Uh, do you mind if I go ahead and head down to the cafeteria? I want to go early, in case I get lost..."

"You'll want to go early anyway. The lines are really long, to get food."

"Oh, okay. It was nice meeting you. I'll see you later." Aibell gave her an awkward smile and hurried out the door.

Aibell chewed her lip as she walked, worried that she'd have forgotten her way, but was relieved when she saw some familiar faces. But, before she could approach them, she heard them yelling, and stopped.

"You think that this is smart, in any way? I know what you're thinking, I've studied the human mind, and I can hear-"

"God, Alice, just shut up with that. Stay out of my head."

"You can't do this! There are other ways to get answers from someone-"

Suddenly, Alice noticed Aibell standing only 20 feet away, and she turned on the spot, hurrying off in the opposite direction.

"Uh, I'm sorry," Aibell whispered, beginning to step back. "I'll go a different way, I was just trying to find the-"

"No. Walk with me."

Aibell swallowed the lump in her throat and cautiously moved towards Tom, who looked furious. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go near him.

"I'll show you where the cafeteria is," Tom said softly, taking her hand. He didn't hold her hand where their fingers were laced together, but like siblings hold hands. If that's a good way to describe it. He just pulled her along, leading the way. Once they got closer, he let go and walked ahead of her, as if Tom didn't want to be seen next to Aibell.

"Tom!" Someone had approached them both, smiling wide. It was a dark haired boy with green eyes, wearing all black.

"Oh, hi," Tom said, seeming uninterested. "I suppose you've just got out of training?"

"Yeah. Haven't had time to change, yet. I've been staying late after classes all week. One of these days, I'll be late for dinner."

"Mind if I introduce you to the new kid?" Tom suggested, changing the subject. Aibell frowned at the words new kid.

"Who?"

"Jake, this is Aibell. Aibell, this is my best friend, Jake," Tom introduced, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"Very nice to meet you, lovely," Jake said, winking.

"Now, now. No need for that," Tom warned. He leaned against the wall casually, watching his friend, who was looking at Aibell.

"What are you in here for?"

"She's a shape shifter," Tom informed, shrugging his shoulders. "The one they're all after."

"Oh, the one you had to go save!"

"I would have managed on my own!" Aibell cut in, crossing her arms. "All he did was make us.. disappear! I could have easily run-"

"And how far could you have run from a witch, Aibell?" Tom questioned her, glaring daggers at her. "I saved you. Just admit it now, and get it over with."

Aibell said nothing. She refused to believe that he'd saved her. She refused to be his damsel in distress.

"I have to ask someone something. Jake, take Aibell to our table and get her some food, please."

"Yeah, sure," Jake said, looking suspicious. He watched as Tom disappeared into the crowd, then turned to Aibell.

"Look, I can manage on my own," Aibell insisted, frowning. "You don't have to do what Tom says-"

"Oh, but I do," Jake chuckled. "Trust me, it's better to just stay on his good side. That's where you are right about now, and, if I were you, I'd try to keep it that way."

"He's not much of a people person, is he?" She asked, walking with Jake into the cafeteria.

"Oh, he's a good guy. He's usually more talkative, but he's obviously got something on his mind, and that's why he's so serious. He's usually a lot more... buoyant, so to speak. It's rare that he shuts up."

"I think I experienced that side of him for a tiny bit of time."

"It's not that hard to come by. Once he's settled whatever's got him worried, he'll be his old self. So, where are you from? You sound foreign to America."

"No, I was born in America, but my family is English. From London. My mom was slightly Irish, too, but not much," Aibell explained. "I picked up a little bit of an accent, considering my dad has one, and we spend every vacation in London."

"It's a pretty accent. It suits you."

"Well, thanks."

"Any time. How are you liking the Institute?"

"It's... big. I had a tour earlier, but I doubt I saw everything."

"Probably not," Jake admitted. "I've stayed here for 7 years, and I still come across rooms I've never seen before. But, you need a big school when there's this many kids in it."

"It is rather crowded."

"Mmm." They fell into silence as they approached the lunch line, until they'd gotten their food and sat down at a round table.

"So... are you a wizard, like Tom?" Aibell asked. She felt weird saying wizard, because none of this seemed too real to her, yet.

"No, actually, I have blood of a fallen angel. My father was one," Jake mumbled, seeming embarrassed.

"That's really cool," Aibell encouraged. "What can you do?"

"Nothing like shape shifting, that's for sure-"

"There's nothing cool about getting your wings ripped off," someone said, from behind Aibell. Aibell turned around, her eyes landing on a girl with long, pin straight, red hair and dark eyes.

"Oh. Nancy," Jake mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Go bother someone else."

"You know, little shape shifter, there are better people than this to be friends with," Nancy insisted.

So this is the notorious Nancy, huh? Aibell thought to herself.

"Bugger off," Aibell mumbled, glaring.

"What was that, dear?"

"I think she said to bugger off. Now, you're in front of my seat."

Aibell sighed with relief to hear Tom's voice. For the first time all day, she was happy that he was there.

"Oh, Tom! Sorry, I mean-"

"Nancy, what did I just say? Get away from here. You're not welcome."

"I- I mean, of course! Sorry, Thomas, I'll go. Bye, Tom!"

"I hate when she calls me Thomas," Tom sighed, sitting next to Aibell. "Oh, you got the pizza. Good choice."

"She's a proper whore, I can already see that," Aibell snapped, glaring at Nancy's retreating figure. "She definitely answered to you, though. Did you sleep with her before, or..?"

Jake choked on his water, and Tom stared at Aibell in shock.

"What did you just say?" Tom asked, eyes wide.

"I was only wondering if you've slept with her."

"What!?"

"Like... had sex?" Aibell hinted, obviously taken back.

"Definitely not," Tom said through his teeth. "I mean, she's just not-"

"What, have you never slept with someone before?" Aibell covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. "No offense, but that's kind of sad-"

"What's sad?" Alice sat down next to Jake, and Danny beside Alice. They looked scary alike.

"That Thomas, here, has never slept with a girl before," someone else said, sitting on the other side of Tom. A girl, with light brown hair, thrown up in a pony tail. She smirked.

"You heard the conversation, then?" Jake asked, chuckling.

"Yes, I did, actually. And you must be Aibell. I'm Hillary."

"Nice to meet you," Aibell said, still chuckling quietly.

"What's so sad about Tommy here never sleeping with a girly, then?" Hillary asked Aibell, smiling slightly. "Are you just shocked, or...?"

"I'd be shocked, too," Danny admitted. "She doesn't know Tom well enough to know he's never even kissed a girl!"

"That's enough!" Tom snapped, his face turning red. "And I have too!"

"Really? Who, then?" Hillary asked, putting her elbows on the table and her chin in her palms.

"It's none of your business!" Tom insisted, giving her a death glare. "And, Aibell, if it's so funny, that must mean you have slept with a boy before, eh?"

"As a matter of fact, I haven't," Alice said with a shrug. "I was just surprised that you hadn't. You seem the type."

"The type? What type?" Tom asked, looking irritated. "Actually, let's just change the subject!"

"I just thought, what with you're cocky attitude, and you're flirtatious behavior, you would have. And, you did say you'd like to see me naked."

"What?" Danny sputtered, trying to keep herself from laughing. Jake was already laughing, and Alice's eyes were wide.

"I did not!" Tom insisted, slamming his hand on the table.

"You did, Thomas. You said that you barged into my room without knocking because you wouldn't mind if you saw me changing!"

"Thomas, that's revolting," Alice gasped. "How disrespectful!"

"I-I was joking," Tom said, voice shaking. "I wouldn't- I didn't-"

"Wow, you were right," Aibell interrupted. "This is good pizza!"

The entire table changed subjects, and Tom was left sitting there, embarrassed and trying to recover. He quickly joined in a new conversation, the old one forgotten. Aibell, on the other hand, was incredibly satisfied.

Tom could be as mean as he wanted, but Aibell could be just as mean.