The office of the Headmaster was dim--the burgundy wallpaper and dark wood furniture in addition to the poor lighting made the small room even smaller. Alec didn't know why it was so dark, but it didn't bother him a bit as he plucked at the silver loop hanging from his left earlobe and sucked on a butterscotch dum-dum. He also didn't know why there was a bowl of dum-dums on the desk when the mood in the room was clearly serious. Maybe the Headmaster thought that dum-dums would help calm any young students that were brought in here. If the Headmaster wanted that, then why didn't he just change the decor?
Alec stuck his hands in his pockets and began to wander the room. No one was here yet, which he thought strange. Why wasn't the Headmaster in his office two minutes before the time that Alec and the other graduate that had been picked were supposed to arrive?
Alec was curious about who the other graduate would be. He had heard that it would be a girl. A mischievous grin made him tuck the dum-dum into one cheek. It was good news. Almost every female over the age of fifteen had been pressed against a wall or door between his arms at least once. Usually a lot more often than that. His mind scrolled through the inventory of girls that had fallen for him. He was the professional disrespective smartass of the school, and most of the girls found the hot bad boy sexy, and tried to get his attention. They got it. Most times when Vulcan skipped class you could find him in a closet with a pretty girl. Unlike some guys, he strung them along instead of leaving them and making them bitter. He was a smooth talker and was great about explaining to girls that he helped a lot of other students with their homework and that's why he was always around other girls. He was careful not to be touching the girl he was currently with when another of his girls passed by. They ate it up, but he knew that some of them only did it because they liked him too much to give him up by arguing with him.
Would it be Nicole? Skye? Clover? Abigail? I don't care a lot, but some girls fit in my arms better than others. He smiled at his mostly family-friendly mental description and closed his eyes. Dropping into the Headmaster's chair and setting his feet on the desk, Alec encouraged his mind to wander through his many and varied romantic exploits.
The door began to open and Alec's eyes drifted open, a pleasant flush on his cheeks. He heard a deep man's voice, obviously the Headmaster's, and then a female voice replied the Headmaster and Alec frowned slightly. He didn't know the voice. Strange.
When the door was open fully the intimidating bulk of Headmaster Bill Wendil entered the room. He blinked at Alec through his glasses, then scowled. "Calix, feet on the floor."
Alec rolled his eyes, but did as he was told and stood, stepping out of the way as well. He knew not to mess with the Headmaster--who was a telepath and could speak within someone's mind. When he was having a particularly emotional moment he could even control someone's actions. Alex had only been a problem for the Headmaster to his face twice. Twice was double what he had needed, but his instinct was to be a problem, so he had slipped up once.
The Headmaster sat and looked at the door. "Miss Archer, please enter."
It was then that Alec realized that the girl had yet to even step into the room. She was in shadow past the doorway and Alex wasn't able to tell who she was. He cast a smile at the shadow that always sent any girls who saw it practically into a fit at the shape. He leaned against the desk and crossed his arms. "I know, I know, I'm amazing, but you don't have to be afraid to come in. I promise I won't hurt you... unless you want me to." He winked.
"Excuse me?" The girl's tone was ice cold and hard as marble.
Alec had never had this response from a girl when he used that line. He wasn't sure what to say. "Uh..."
The girl stepped into the light and Alec's eyes shot upward. It was Nova Archer! One of the very few girls ever to resist him. Actually, she had done more than resist him. She had slapped him! And swore at him! And told him that if he every touched her she would remove that arm from his body and throw it to the crocodiles that were sometimes used as part of their training!
Alec's head spun toward the Headmaster. "Please tell me she isn't the one going with me! Please, Headmaster, tell me this is a prank!"
The Headmaster shook his head. "This is no joke, Mr. Calix. I know she isn't your first pick, but she graduated top of her class and a year early than the rest of you and is an excellent choice of bodyguard for Mr. Murray and Miss Ward."
"But--!"
"No buts, Mr. Calix. She is the one going with you."
Alec grimaced horribly, and a current of electricity flew through the air, and Alec's hair was pulled from his short ponytail and fluffed up like a dandelion.
Nova burst into peals of laughter that made her bend over. Alec's eyes blazed and he strode over to the younger girl. He touched her and she yelped, standing straight and jumping away. Her hair now matched Alec's, and he crossed his arms and smirked.
Now Nova was the one to appeal to the Headmaster. While running her hands through her hair she tried to talk the man out of his decision. Alec took this time to really look at the girl. He had already known she was pretty, with flowing golden hair and a gorgeous face. Her form was slight, more like a girl's than a woman's, although by now she should be fully formed. Her chest was small under a fitted light-blue blouse with wide ruffles along the top, but her long, sleek legs were bare below khaki shorts. She wore lip-color that wasn't quite lipstick or gloss. Probably tinted lipbalm, Alec decided.
By this time Nova's pleas had been firmly declined, and she had noticed Alec's attention. She glared up at him and poked him in the chest with a delicate finger. "Keep your filthy gaze off of me, Calix, or do I need to renew my threat?"
Alec smiled slightly and shook his head. "Nah, no need."
Nova didn't look comforted by his response and she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and jerked him down to her level. "You need to take my words seriously. I will seriously hurt you if you don't keep your hands and your eyes to yourself, so no more male gazing."
"Male gazing?" asked Alec with laughter in his voice. "Did you really just say that?"
Nova let go of his shirt and punched him as hard as she could in the face. Alec yelped and tumbled to the floor. He gazed up at her, mouth open, holding a bleeding nose.
"That was only a taste of what I can do to you if you dare to make fun of me again."
"Okay, okay!" Alec stood slowly, head raised to keep the bleeding back.
The Headmaster handed him a tissue and watched as Alec pushed it into his nostrils. He handed Nova another tissue and she whipped her fist free of the blood, looking furiously at her to-be partner.
"I think that's enough, now," said Headmaster. "Mr. Murray and Miss Ward should be here any moment."
