Chapter 2
Fluffy sat in the back seat of her Mum's car as they drove closer to the Sunningdale campus where Fluffy was to attend school. It was her 12th year and so far things didn't look so promising. The past summer had been one bad news after another.
"I trust you won't be damaging school property again, Fluffy."
"Yes mum," She replied absently.
"You have your key?"
"Yes, mum." She said again, looking at the grey sky.
The car stopped in front of the school. "I'll see you at home at 5 o'clock. Behave Fluffy...please"
Fluffy nodded and stepped out of the car. She pulled her wool cap down over her ears and wrapped her coat around her.
"I hate starting school this late in the year." she whispered to herself as she looked up. Kids were rushing about the yard to get inside before class, so before long it was just Fluffy standing on steps looking back at the place her mum's car once was and wishing she could go home. From behind her a sudden push sent her books falling mercilessly down the front steps. "Oh Blast!" she said and began picking up her things.
"First day?" a voice said, as soon a pair of hands began assisting her. Fluffy looked up and saw the face of a tall young man with dark hair.
"Yeah," she replied smiling. "Great start, wouldn't you say?"
"Nah, I wouldn't worry yet," he said smiling. "Get Mr. Roth's Literature class and then you can start worrying. Half an hour of his idle paddle and your brain will be numb until graduation."
Fluffy laughed and dropped her calculator in the bag then noticed in the bunch of pencils and a ruler was a thin stake sharpened to a point in the boy's hands. She quickly pulled it from him and put it in her bag.
"What was that?" He asked.
"Oh nothing," Fluffy said trying to stay calm. "Just a fair prize my dad got me. Meant to make other's ask question."
"Well. It worked." He said. "My name's Alex Harrison."
"Fluffy," she said smiling. "Fluffy Winters."
"Perfect, now we need James Bond and we have it made." Fluffy laughed again. "I've got to run Fluffy. See you around."
"I'd like that." She replied pulling her pack over her shoulder.
"Maybe we could get some coffee later"
"Sure."
And then he turned and went inside. "Not bad." Fluffy said to herself. "1 down, 200+ to go." And she entered the school.
During lunch, Alex sat under a tree with his friend Ash, her text book in front of her as she read for class.
"So, I come up to the door, and there she was."
"So you keep saying." She said not moving her eyes from the chapter. "I still don't know what is so special."
"She's new, and I have to say she is interesting."
"All that because she dropped her books on the steps? If anything I would says she's an insurance nightmare."
"Your just jealous." He said and looked across the lawn and saw Fluffy walking towards them. "here she comes!"
Fluffy walked closer and lost her footing causing her to trip to the ground in front of him.
"No need to blush," said Ash. "You're not the first to step in that hole."
Fluffy smiled and dusted herself off and sat next to them.
"Thank you again for your help this morning." She said to Alex.
"No problem." He said. "This is my friend Ash. Ash, this is ...
"Fluffy," Ash said. "Alex has spoken of no one else all morning, even though geometry."
Alex blushed, and elbowed Ash in the ribs.
"Well, I've come to ask for more help." Fluffy said. "I don't know where my other classes are, and I have a strange feeling I'm being watched." Ash looked at Alex with a disgusted look.
"It wasn't me!" he said and put his hands up in protest.
"No, I know it's not you." Fluffy reassured them. "I just need to know where my class is."
"Well, then you have come to the right place. What class are you looking for?"
"Science class, professor Slidell" Fluffy read off her transcript.
"That way." They both said pointing in different directions. Alex looked at Ash who was looking at him curiously. Alex quickly changed the way he was pointing to match Ash. Ash closed her book and put it away in her bag.
"Don't worry, I'll take you there." She said and stood.
"Thank you." Fluffy said and stood up to follow. As she did she looked behind her quickly just catching a glance of a suited man duck behind a wall next to the school.
She shrugged it off and followed Ash leaving Alex under the tree, him watching as she left.
When out of hearing distance Ash laughed. "I've never seen anyone keep his attention that long, not even in class." Fluffy brushed it off and looked in the back of Ash's bag and saw the corner of a book poking through. A paper cover was covering the title, but a corner was ripped revealing a small pentagram.
"You're a witch!" Fluffy blurted out. Ash was caught of guard a moment and stopped.
"I'm a what?" She said turning back to Fluffy.
"The book in your bag." Ash glanced at it and blushed.
"No I'm not, just research for my History class." Fluffy reached past her and took the book.
"Well, I didn't realize History class involved...." She glances at a random page in the book. "Medieval torched of the religiously repressed." Fluffy blanched. "oh, I guess it is for history class."
"Of course it is." Ash said taking the book back. "You don't actually believe in all that magic stuff do you?" Fluffy shook her head quickly.
"No, of course not." Fluffy said and they turned back to going to class.
As they got closer to the door a tall blond girl came crashing out the door pushing though them as though they were not there. "Out of the way." She said as she past. They started to go back inside when another girl came by doing the same, this time physically pushing Ash away. "You heard her, move!" The girl called back. Fluffy was furious. "too bad they aren't vampires." she whispered to herself.
"Umpires?" asked Ash picking up her books from the ground.
"No, vam..." Fluffy caught herself. "Yeah, umpires, I'd like to see to see them in a real fight, on the playing field." Fluffy felt her face redden, it was the worst cover up she had ever thought of.
Ash, just looked as her oddly and continued to walk to class.
"Who were they?" Fluffy asked catching up behind her.
"That's just Rachel and Lily." She said tightening her grip on her bag. "I've known them since grade school. Thick as thieves, those two. I've never seen them apart. You would think they were joined at the hip."
"And Alex" Fluffy asked.
"My best friend." She replied. "I guess I shouldn't judge them, considering he and I are never to far apart."
Fluffy smiled. She wished she had a friend that she could rely on with her secrets.
