Nichole rolled her eyes but followed him. She still felt like someone was following them, her heart began to pound in her ears and her head spun so much she almost fell into a tree. "i feel someone following us, but i dont think there is anyone" she said. Still her golden-green eyes darted everywhere and she started shaking. Wanting to get out of the forest she quickened her pace until she was shoulder to shoulder with alary. please let us make it out alright, please dont let anyone be following us! she thought.

Alary jumped a bit as Nicole appeared by his side. He watched her and noticed that she seemed to be on edge. He reached out a hand to steady her as she nearly walked into a tree. He kept his hand on her and continued walking. "Alright I insist that you go to the nurse. Alright?You really don't seem okay." He said the concern returning to his features.

Nichole frowned, "im fine just alittle jumpy i guess" she said, not completely sure of what was wrong with her but she was not going to see a nurse. She jumped and screamed when she saw something move in the tree and then blushed a bright red when she saw it was only a squirrel. she shivered again and lifted a hand to her neck, playing with the hello kitty charm. "are we almost out of here" she asked her voice a higher pitch with fear.

Alary pulled back some branches to reveal the end of the forest. He held them back until she'd passed through then walked out himself. "There feel better now. Is there anything I can do for you since you don't want to go to the nurse? Alary said picking a stray leaf from his hair. He looked at Nikki to see if she was doing okay.

As the world around her grew brighter when she exited the forest she sighed in relief. "I-" she began but another shiver overcame her and her knees buckled and she fell over onto the ground, "ow" she whimpered and looked at her knees covered by her red jeans. oh today is just wonderful she touched her knee and winced when it hurt. She looked up at alary, she knew he was going to suggest the nurse and of course she would refuse.

Aki didn't move from his position even as his friends left. Whatever was wrong with Nikki, Alary would be able to handle it, especially since Alary was actually showing concern for something other than a trinket or electronic. In fact, Aki closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the forest that surrounded him, jarred slightly from his thoughts by Nikki's scream. He finally sunk down to his knees and bent over so that his forehead was pressed to his knees, a sudden pounding had started in the back of his skull and it was throwing off his entire thought process, "Who...who's there...?"

Alary reached down and went to help her up. "If you won't go to get looked at are you at least going to go rest." He didn't like the way things were going. He sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "How're your knees?" Alary asked. He glanced back at the forest knowing Aki was still back there. "Do you still feel like someone's following us."

Nichole stood up her knee still hurt, "Yeah ill go to my dorm, you can go back by aki" she said, "and my knee is fine" she lied, the pain throbbed and it was making her dizzy again. Then her eyes narrowed, "Yes i still feel something, but i dont think its going to do anything at the moment, if there is anything" she tried to sound confident, she looked down and hugged her friend, "thanks for helping me out" she said and then turned and limped toward her dorm.

Alary hugged her back briefly. "If there's anything you need feel free to come get me." He watched her leave and wondered if her knee was really okay before turning back to the forest. He had a bad feeling about all of this. At least Nikki was safe at the school, but Aki was still in the middle of the forest alone. He made his way back to where he'd last left Aki and rushed over when he saw him curled up. "Aki are you okay?" He knelt down beside him placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.

Aki felt a hand on his shoulder and instantly tensed. He hadn't sensed an aura coming. When the person spoke though, he relaxed. It was only Alary, but why hadn't he been able to feel Alary's aura? The comforting one he had always liked? "Something...it's nothing. I'm fine." No point in burdening his friends with his problems he thought, climbing to his feet and standing at his full height, "How's Nikki feeling?" Aki felt a little empty without the normal presence of auras around him...something was off.

"I'm not sure but she seems better for now. She was still a little shaky when I left. She's refusing to see the nurse though." Alary said frowning at Aki's odd behavior. He noticed how tense Aki was when he'd touched him. "Aki are you sure you're okay? Don't lie. You're acting strange." Alary said looking Aki up and down for any other signs of distrss.

Alzeid sat down at there table and smiled at Luna. He was just about to start talking to her when one of the popular kids that hung out around him came over. "Hey bud, never see you in here." he said then saw Luna and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "and what are you doing sitting with her." he said but didn't expect to hear a answer but he did. "I am sitting here because she is nice and beautifull. She exepcts me for who I am and listens to what I have to say, unlike you." he said and the guy left, going to tell everyone that Alzied the russian popular kid was now in Akis crowd. He then just smiled at Luna happly, "they can get very annoying."

Nichole sighed and finally made it to her dorm, she opened the door and closed it behind her. she was about to take a step but fell over and into the wall, she stayed there for a second and then slowly slid down the wall and curled into a ball in the hallway. She closed her eyes and whimpered. Her eyes snapped open she felt someone in the room with her, "g-go away!" she moaned. She shuddered and looked up she saw a shadow that was it, it was standing there looking at her.

Luna wasn't normally one for small talk so for the first part of her meal she focused on eating and trying not to look like she was staring at Ivan. Somehow she managed not to continue rambling. When she was finished, after eating only about half her food, Luna pushed her tray to the side and leaned on her elbows toward Ivan. She was about to start talking when another student joined their table. She looked at the new arrival curiously but didn't say anything and was surprised when Ivan said what he did. After he'd left she smiled a bit and looked back toward Ivan (she'd watched the other boy walk back to his table and immediately begin spreading something, pointing over his shoulder at her's and Ivan's table as he did so). She shook her head and rolled her eyes a bit. "I should say. I guess that's why I normally prefer to be a bit of a wallflower..." She was intentionally not bringing up what he'd said to the other boy. It kept running through her head though and her mind was doing somersaults. He thinks I'm beautiful! She thought. While she was distracted, the words, "You think I'm beautiful..." whispered over her lips. She didnt' even realize she'd said anything.

Ivan looked at her and shook his head slightly. "sorry to say but being a wallflower doesn't suit you. You really need to be a center piece since you are beautiufll." he said as he looked at her and nodded, "and yes, you are beautifull." he said as he looked at her. His deep blue eyes looking into hers and not careing that now half the lunch room was looking at them and whispering things to each other.

"You're too sweet." She said truthfully. She wasn't used to this much attention, though she was known as one of Aki's friends. "But, though it may not seem like it, I'm normally very quiet. The spotlight doesn't suit such pale skin..." She murmered quietly, looking down at her hands and tracing light patterns on the back of her hand with the other.

Ivan smiled at her, "your talking to a vampire over here, I know for a fact that the spot light doest work for us. we just have to work it so that people notices us or dont and they will eaither still notice you or don't." he said as he looked at her. He couldn't understand why she didn't want to be in the spotlight, she was more beautiufll then any other girl in this school and guys would be all over her if they just talked to her. "and your talking to a guy that hardly ever talked till today. Infact this is the first time in about a few years that I have talked for so long." he said as he looked at her.

Luna shrugged. "I don't know. Before I came here, all the spotlight ever did was burn me. I guess... I guess I just don't want to take that chance again..." She said very quietly. She knew Ivan would be able to hear it. "Sorry if I'm depressing you..." She frowned slightly and looked around the room, finally noticing all the murmering and whispers going on around them. "Ya' wanna go somewhere else? People are staring... You can pick the place."

"It's nothing...just need some rest." Aki murmured, eyes darting around. Then they closed for a moment and then he opened them again, smiling at Alary, "Come on, let's go find Luna."

Ivan nodded and saw the people stareing. "it looks like I am now a black sheep among the white." he siad as he stood up and smiled at her. "and getting away from here sounds like a great idea, how about if we head out to the school fountain." he said as he held out a hand to her. "and from now on I will be there to sheild you from the spotlights if they start to burn you." he said as his eyes drank her beautiy. She looked like a person from out of a book and he wondered hwo people couldn't see the beauty in her.

Alary nodded and smiled back though he still felt something was off. "Alright we'll go find her but first let's check up on Nikki. I'm still not convinced that she's perfectly okay." Alary for once put his arm around Aki and led him away. "And while we're walking there's something I wanted to tell you. Do you remember what you told me about the music box's song?"

Nichole shivered and she began to get up, as she did so the figure disappeared, she growled, "dammit" she hissed, then too tired to care she started to her bed and collapsed onto it, she curled into a small ball and soon fell asleep, she didnt know if she shared a dorm with anyone but she didnt care. even if i do get a roommate it will last a day before they ask for a new one she thought before she opened her eyes and found herself in the forest again.

"The song...? Yes...what of it?" Aki replied, secretly glad for Alary's support. He cast eyes around the forest, wondering if someone was still hiding among the trees. It must have been a powerful spellcaster if they had been able to block his senses.

"Well I think that might have been my family. The song the music box plays is a fairy lullaby that my siblings sing all the time. I think I even remeber an occasion when we brought a young elf home with us after paying with him all day." Alary explained still trying to reach the fuzzy memories.

"Really...? Do you think so? That would explain why I always liked spending time with you..." Aki murmured, thinking back to that day, the day that showed him he could have something more than the protected life he had led for so long.