"Lera! Wait!" Mara calls out just as I grabbed an apple before leaving for school, turning around I look at her and the others who look up at me from the table "Please, have a proper meal with us"

"No"

"Look" Fabian says "we aren't like Patricia, she's just really worried about Joy and is unnecessarily taking her anger out on you" the others give Patricia a look.

"Actions speak louder than words" I tell them "and even if I did eat with you, Patricia will probably be a self absorbed narcissistic bitch the entire time—makes me wonder how any of you are friends with her" leaving the house, I eat the apple before opening the letter since I'm really curious.

Descendant of Isis. Pure of heart and clear of mind, through your blood will true immortality be achieved.

And this is the weirdest letter ever, maybe this was meant for someone else. But then again how many people's names are Leralynn? Less than one percent of the population? "Lera!" Looking over I see Fabian before me "Hey...um" I stare at him "could I" he motions "do you fancy a walk?" He stutters "me walking with you"

"Sure" nodding my head "how long have you gone to school here?"

"Since last year" he tells me "out of all the Houses, Anubis House is the best...so you have a sister?"

"Worse than Patricia" I tell him "twin sister. You know the whole notion of good twin and evil twin?" He nods his head "Bella's the evil one"

"I'm sorry" he says "to hear that"

Shrugging my shoulders "I manage"

"Parents?" He asks

"Divorced" I tell him "my dad lives in this small town called Forks"

"Forks?" He asks "like the kitchen utensil?"

Nodding my head letting out a laugh "Yeah, I always wondered why it was called that so I looked it up and turns out there are rivers that make it seem like a fork"

"Oh" he says

Shaking my head "Yeah, lamest thing ever to be told"

"No" shaking his head "no, it's just still processing a town being named after a kitchen utensil"

"What about you?" I ask

"My parents both work as history professors" he tells me "my mother in art and my father in medieval times" nodding my head "so, how old are you?"

"Fifteen" I answer "you?"

"Fifteen" he nods his head "look...we all feel really bad for not making this experience be better, don't drop out—if you want maybe you can switch houses but"

"No offense" I tell him "your really nice and all but even if I moved to another house, your friend Patricia probably turned the whole school against me" this is a small school, not like in Arizona where it was a public school. This is a private one "and I've already made up my mind"

"Well I truly am sorry about this" he says as we walk into the school. When I see Mr. Sweetie I go over to him.

"Mr. Sweetie?" I ask, he looks down at me "I was wondering if we could talk?" Looking at Mara "if your not busy"

"Of course" nodding his head "good day Mara"

"I know the scholarship" I tell him "means I'm here for a year but...I just want it to be the semester"

He frowns "Might I ask why?"

"It's just I didn't realize that I'd be trading one toxic environment for another" I say

"I'm afraid" he shakes his head "I don't follow"

"Since arriving which was two days ago" I say "I know it's a short time but since arriving I haven't been feeling welcomed, I've more felt like an outsider and people wanting me gone"

"Is there a specific person" he asks

"There is but I won't say that person's name" I tell him "and I'm pretty sure that person turned the whole school against me so...I talked with my mom and she said to speak with you first so that you both could talk"

Nodding his head "I shall speak to her about this, thank you for coming to me and I am truly sorry you feel as though your in a toxic learning environment" the bell rings "you should head to class"

After school, I stayed after to see a few teenagers smoking "Is that pot?" They look my way. Two of them have blonde hair while one has light brown eyes. There is only one guy.

"Your the new girl" the girl with blonde hair says "I'm Kelly, this is my brother Robert and his girlfriend Tali"

(Kelly)

(Robert)

(Tali)

"Leralynn but most call me Lera" I tell them

"Want a smoke?" Tali holding the joint out, I take it and inhale some of the smoke before breathing it out in relief.

Handing it back to them "Do I have any classes with you guys?"

"No" shaking their heads "we're a year older" Robert explains "but we've heard about you, Patricia bullying you. All over the school" great "and for the record no one thinks you had anything to do with Joy disappearing, it's just Patricia"

"Is there a dance studio around here?" I ask

"There is" Tali confirms "you dance?"

"A bit" nodding my head "not that good" even though I took lessons it's been ages since I've danced.

"We were just about to head out" Robert says "want to come with?"

"Yeah" I know the whole stranger danger thing but that isn't registering in my mind "could I" I motion to the joint.

"It'll cost you" Kat says

"How much?" I ask

"A dance" she says

I think about it before nodding my head, once we arrive I put on the song I Just Came to Dance.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

(Pick whichever one you like better)

When I'm done, I sweat a bit and I hear claps. "That" Kat comes over handing me the pot "was amazing!"

"Thanks" smiling to her "what about you three?"

"We don't dance like that" shaking their heads

"We more like do ballet" Tali tells me

Nodding my head "Yeah, I just needed to release and be in my element"

"Dancing" nodding their heads "we understand"

"Whose this?" We look over to see a girl with long blonde hair, blue eyes, sand skin with an Australian accent "hi, I'm Rikki"

"This is Lera" Kate introduces me "wasn't she amazing?"

"She was" nodding her head "you guys coming to tonight's party?"

"Party?" I ask

"The company here" Rikki tells me "throws parties every now and then, sometimes outside dancers come in—this is one of those times"

"But school"

They laugh "Don't worry" Robert throws his arm over my shoulder "stick with us kid, we'll get you through the next year—plus as long as you make it to school, no one will care"

"My outfit" I motion

"You can borrow my clothes" Rikki tells me

~Next Day~

"Hey" Fabian is next to me as I'm sitting in the front room a bit hungover "where were you?"

"What do you mean?" I ask

"You didn't come back" he tells me "for supper or for breakfast this morning"

"I ate in my room" lying to him, I actually had supper of beer and breakfast with Robert and the girls. Some coffee too. Last night was practically a rager and it was awesome. Mom called and told me that I should hang it out for the next few weeks, if I still want to go home then she'll pull me out if not I'm staying here the whole year  "I doubt anyone besides you missed me"

"Trudy missed you" he tells me "she scolded us all especially Patricia yesterday about how you've been treated, Victor even scolded her" we see Patricia come in glaring at me before sitting down next to Mara who nudges her and tells her something.

"Okay" nodding my head

"Hey, do you want to be partners for our theater project?" He asks

"Really?" I ask, he nods his head "sure...I was thinking about something related to ancient Egypt? What about you?"

"I haven't given it much thought" he says "but I do have a vast knowledge in Egyptian Mythology, so let's do that" nodding my head "you okay? You seem tired"

"Yeah" nodding my head "alright" during lunch I visit Emily to give her her locket back.

She smiles seeing me "Hey" I say

"Your back" she exclaims

"I am" nodding my head "I was wondering, whose the girl in the locket"

"It's you" she says "it's always been you, not a chosen one but the chosen one" right, very right "you must keep it safe—have you found the treasure?"

"What's the treasure?" I ask

Shaking her head "You'll soon find out, but be careful. The black bird is watching the house" after a few minutes, I leave the locket with her as I go back to school only to find it in my pocket. Why is it...never mind! I'll just sell it on eBay.

After school, I'm back at Anubis House changing into some pajamas before going to sleep. Once I wake up to Trudy telling me about supper, I go downstairs and sit at the head of the table. Everyone is staring at me "What?"

"Lera" Amber says "we want to apologize for how we've treated you, we didn't mean to make this a toxic environment for you"

"Right Patricia?" Mara asks

"Yeah" nodding her head "I got in touch with Joy and she's alright, taking my anger out on you was unnecessary"

"It was" I agree "but I don't accept your apology Patricia, like I said actions speak louder than words and to me you'll only ever be a bitch who can't change" getting up.

"Where are you going?" Trudy asks me coming into the room.

"I'm no longer hungry" I say

~Fabian's POV~

We watch as Lera leaves the room to head up to her room. Shaking her head at us "I am truly disappointed in all of you" Trudy says to us "Leralynn is all alone and instead of making her feel welcomed or at the very least be kind, you all make her feel more outcasted"

"She left" Patricia waves to where Lera left "and it's suspicious why she didn't start in the beginning of the term"

"She was always meant to be here" Trudy tells us "she's on a scholarship but her twin sister tried to interfere so it took a while—before I forget, your parents have been informed Patricia of this behavior of yours so expect a phoning from them"

"And I doubt you and your attitude have been making things any better" I say to her "she hasn't been here for a week and you made it all about yourself as usual"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asks hurt

"It means because Joy didn't tell you right away where she was going you decide to be a witch to whoever fits your standards" I say standing up "I lost my appetite" going upstairs, I go to see how Lera is. I see her on the beanbag.

"Aren't you supposed to be eating?" She asks

"I could ask the same" I say

She stares at me before asking "Want some ramen?"

"Sure" going over she heats up some ramen, before handing it to me "what's this?" I ask nodding to the notebook as I eat the ramen.

"Notes for French" she says

"May I?" I ask, she hands it over and woah! She has very detailed notes. I mean more detailed then Mara's "this is impressive"

"Thanks" she says "I've always been ahead of most people—when you don't have a lot of friends growing up you try to fill the void"

"Didn't have alot of friends?" I ask

Now I feel more terrible "My twin, she hogs the attention a lot. Ever since we were children—I eventually made friends, ones that saw my sister's true nature"

"That's good" I say "if you give us a chance, we can prove to you that we aren't like Patricia"

She stares at me "Alright, a trial basis"