“Let me get this right. You got attacked by a homeless man and rescued by a girl with ice powers.”
“No Gringa,” He put his hands on his head and then ran it through his hair slowly. “Look Lily, I know it sounds crazy but this happened.”
Their first period was English and they were working on their semester papers in the library. There were three setups for computers, two labs on either side of the library and then a third against the far wall for walk in students. The pair of them sat in the corner of the lab to avoid the gaze of their teacher, an elderly white man who rarely left the front of the class unless they got loud.
Turning to face Dick from her swivel chair Lily sighed. She was a tall girl, taller than most people he’d ever met. She was pale, with wavy red hair tied in a ponytail at the moment. Her cheeks were dotted with freckles and wore blocky green glasses that hung a little lopsidedly on her face. She wore the girls uniform of a similar vest to his own and a black skirt and shoes. On the breast was the schools symbol patch sewn into the blazer.
They had Word open on their computers but where Dick only had one page, Lily had at least three. But that was why she had been nick named N.E.R.D. in this chat. Pushing her glasses up slightly she made a face.
“Alright. I’ll hear you out. So, you took a shortcut to get to school today. You found a homeless guy that turned into some giant lizard monster thing. And you were going to get eaten but some girl came out of nowhere, killed it with ice magic, and then disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“Was she at least cute?”
He stared at her raised both his hands and pressed them to his head. “Dios Mio. She was wearing a mask. So, no idea.”
Lily laughed, covering her mouth for a second. Their teach glared at them and she turned back to the paper. Scowling Dick turned toward the computer and began angrily typing away at his own paper. They sat in silence for a bit of time before Lily looked toward him again. “Look, I don’t not believe you Dick. We’ve been best friends since we were kids. I trust you. It’s just, a lot to process alright. It sounds insane.”
“I know I know. But it happened. Never been more afraid in my lif-” As he said that he stopped typing and looked down. Trying to stay in the classroom and not go there.
“I’m right here Dick,” Lily’s hand was over his and giving it a gentle squeeze. He was grateful for the comfort. Taking a slow breath, he counted to ten mentally before nodding and raising his head.
“I’m okay Lilly.”
“Did you have a dream again?”
“A nightmare this morning. But I’m okay.”
She looked at him concerned but didn’t ask more questions. The bell rang so they both saved their work before getting up to leave. “We’ve got a little bit of a break. Lisa and Gav want to meet at their lockers.” Lily said as they left the library.
“Is it lazy to say I don’t want to go down the stairs?”
“Yes. Yes it’s very lazy. Come on. Lisa wants to give you her gift.”
He let out a very exaggerated sigh but was pushed on. The echo of lockers and conversations was a cacophony of noise as they navigated the hallway. The library was in the center of the school and everything branched from there. The walls on this floor were lined with student lockers.
They pushed down the hallway and took the first pair of double doors. They took the stairs going down into a floor much like the above except there were dozens of classrooms, with a few lockers relegated toward the corners. Waiting for them right at one such corner were the last two members of their gang.
Lisa was an average height girl with very short braids. She had dark brown skin and her blazer open revealing her a black shirt with a rainbow-colored fist inside it. She wore equally rainbow colored stockings under her skirt and waved them over. Beside her was Gav, with silky black hair, soft baby features on his lightly tan face and the same uniform as the rest but an added rainbow tie tucked into his blazer.
When they finally arrived, she pinched both of Dick’s cheeks and glared at him. “So are we going to talk about why you missed breakfast.”
“Come on Lisa. You’re tearing me apart.”
“You’re not funny loser.”
She let go of him and rolled her eyes. Going to her locker she dialed in the combination unlocking it. Gav smiled at Dick and handed him a box. “Well happy birthday. No physical abuse required.”
“Gracias, Gav,” he said and smiled opening the top. It was a pin, a shiny diamond with black and white swirls on the inside. “There you go. Cause I know you just love these types of things.”
“I do. Thanks.” He took it out and put it onto his blazer right at the lapel.
Lisa turned to face him and tapped a box against his head. He took it and pulled it open. It was a phone case, thin and leather that opened like a book. “My dad uses this brand a lot. It’s better than that raggedy thing you have now.”
“Thanks Lisa. I feel your love for me.”
She rolled her eyes and shut her locker. “Be nice Lisa.” Gav said patting her shoulder. “Especially since he’s the second oldest now.”
“Right behind me like always. One day you two kids will get on our level. This is me being nice,” she smiled. “So, talk Dick. What happened?”
Dick glanced at Lily and then shrugged his shoulders. “Honestly, I was trying to make it. Took a shortcut. There was a bunch of construction workers blocking the path. Had to double back on it but got caught in a bunch of bad traffic and I just couldn’t make it in time.”
“Seriously? Just run in the street. Risk getting hit by the car.”
“Do I look loco to you?” he asked looking at her. “Don’t answer that.”
Lily was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and he just shook his head at her and then looked at his friends. “So, you guys wanna come by my house after school? Pretty sure my tio wouldn’t mind. He likes you all for some reason.”
“For your birthday, of course.” Lily said and Gav nodded.
“Oh,” Lisa punched her hand lightly a bright look appearing in her eyes and mirroring her smile. “There was a new girl today. And man. I hope she’s gay. Gav vouch for me.”
“Why am I vouching for you?”
“Because even you can admit she was attractive.”
“You know I’m also gay right?”
“Which is why you saying she’s cute will mean something.”
He sighed but nodded. “Yes, she was cute.”
“See?” she pointed at Gav and then back at them. “I just need Gav to use his handy dandy gaydar to see if I have a shot.”
“Well your gaydar is going to have to wait because class is starting up soon,” Lily tapped all three of them and motioned toward the clock. As if on cue, the bell started ringing and Lisa let out a defeated sigh. “Catch up at lunch?”
“Yeah.”
“Of course.”
“Si,”
The four of them dispersed from there, Dick going back the path they came and took two flights of stairs up to the top floor. Talking about getting attacked by a giant lizard monster wasn’t something he really wanted to broach to his other friends just yet. If he was luck he’d never have to talk about it.
Sighing he ran his fingers through his hair and walked into class. Taking a spot toward the far right of the room and dropped his bag under the desk. Dragging out his notebook he went toward one of the back pages and tore out his homework from the previous night.
Taking it up to the teachers desk he noticed there was another girl there speaking to her. She wasn’t wearing the uniform of the school, it was some blue blouse and skirt thing, so he figured she was getting in trouble or something. She had a full book bag so he doubted she had a locker yet.
His teacher turned to face him and took the homework. “Thank you, Richard. I actually want to ask for a favor. This is a new student starting out today. Mind showing her around so she can get the ropes.”
“Yeah sure,” He started to say but stopped when he looked at her. The curly brown hair and eyes were already vaguely familiar. Her mouth was small but lips thick and nose sharp. Yet the brown eyes bordering on orange were the same.
The way she responded when she looked at him, shock that she hastily tried to conceal confirmed everything he needed to know. She was the girl who saved him this morning.
He waved a hand weakly and managed to eek out, “I’m Dick.”
Pressing her lips together she nodded her head. “Samantha.”
The Harlequin Library 