I'm Gonna Die Before I Fold.

Ian raised an eyebrow, looking up at the marble entrance gate. "You have got to be kidding me.." He grimaced to himself, shuddering the thought of what this day might bring. He slung his bag over his shoulder, grabbed his folder from the seat beside him and climbed out of the car, ignoring the good luck wishes from his mother in the drivers seat. First day at a new college. Well, you could say college. Or a freak show.

Yeah, a freak show. Sounds like an apt description of the place where he was headed, even if he would be considered as one of the freaks himself. Ian frowned at the thought. He'd barely scraped a place at this college, the last thing he wanted to do was pick a fight with a telepathist or something.

That's why a lot of the people who were here, were here at this college specifically. Because it could be considered as a safe haven, a place where because everyone is so uniquely different, no-one actually cares who you are or what you can.

Ian followed the clearly marked signposts, making his way to the reception. That was the problem with starting out new in the middle of October. He hadn't been inducted into the school roll like everyone else, and he'd had to find out everything by himself; where everything was, who everyone was.

He reached the reception, and looked up in awe as the glass doors opened automatically. He laughed quietly to himself and hurried inside quickly. The rain didn't bother him, to a certain extent, but to show up on his first day, dripping wet, would be a farce.

Ian shook his head slightly, shaking some of the water from his hair. He walked over to the desk where a petite woman sat, blonde hair clipped to one side. She looked up from her paperwork and smiled as he stopped by her desk.

"Hello, and welcome to Raphael's College for the Individually Gifted, and how can I help you today?" he returned her smile, pulling out a form from the first polypocket in his folder. He placed it on the desk infront of him and she picked it up, scanning over it quickly.

"Uh, I'm supposed to be starting here today. But I don't have a timetable. Or a clue where anything is, actually." He chuckled softly.

"Ohh, you must be Ian. Watkins, right?" She smiled again and got up, walking to a window on the right hand side of the room. "I have your timetable right here and hang- Lee!" She pushed the window open and called out to one of the boys sat on the wall outside. He looked up from his guitar and waved, then speedily slipped the guitar into his case. She walked back over to Ian, pushed the timetable and a map of the school grounds towards him. The boy jogged over, soft guitar case bouncing on between his shoulder-blades.

"Ye-e-e-es, Evangelique?"

"Ian, shadow Lee for the day. Lee, look after Ian for the day, he's starting new. And when I say look after, I mean, keep him out of trouble." Ian smiled at Lee and received a small grin in return.

"Sure thing. Say, know what I've got today?"

"Parapsychology, Music and a free." She recited his day's timetable without batting an eyelid. Ian's jaw dropped slightly.

"Cheers, you're a babe." She snickered and sat down back in her chair, turning her attention back to her files.

"Thanks.. Evangelique." She looked up and smiled widely at Ian. Lee rolled his eyes and coughed slightly

"C'mon, follow me. You know anyone in this place?" Ian shook his head. "Well, stick with me today and you'll soon know everyone in this place. And by the way, Evangelique has an eidetic memory. She remembers everything and everyone. It's pretty cool, considering I can't remember shit. What've you got first on your timetable?"

Ian looked down at his timetable. "Um, Parapsychology."

"Oooh, fun," Lee walked at a fast pace, Ian had to quicken his steps to keep up, "so, if you don't mind me asking, what’s your 'gift'?" Lee laughed at the word 'gift', chuckling to himself like a fool.

This took Ian by surprise. He was used to keeping his ability under wraps, and to have someone ask him outright about it.. Well, it was weird for Ian. Ian stopped walking, and held his open palm out. Lee raised an eyebrow, watching to see what Ian would do next. Ian concentrated for a second, and smirked when Lee gasped. A small flame burned hot in the palm of Ian's hand, but he did not feel the heat.

"A fire manipulator. Oh wow." Lee looked astounded.

"Yeah, s'pretty cool. So. What about your 'gift'?" Ian used the same tone of mockery, applying the same facial expression at the word 'gift'.

Lee winked. "Oh, you'll see sometime. Right now, we need to get to Parapsychology, or Mr. Banner will kill us. Literally, you don't understand the meaning of the term 'if looks like could kill.' until you've had Mr. Banner for a lesson."