Chapter Nine: Freshman

“Your room!”  Nirina said, throwing out her arms with a wide smile.  “You like?” 

I set my single suitcase down and looked around.  The bed alone was larger than my humble kitchen back in Dragon Valley.  I smiled and nodded my head.

It had been a wholly fulfilling summer.  I had worked as many hours as Mr. Peters was willing to give me, and saved every penny that I could.  Before I left for the fall, he and I had come to an agreement that I would continue my employment during the school year by coming back to work every other weekend.  During the breaks, I would be back on full time.  It was reassuring to know I had secured a place of employment for the following summer.

I finally took Hale’s advice and registered under the surname, ‘Doe.’  For now, I wanted no odd looks or questions about my name.

“This is wicked!”  Nirina said, dashing over to the dresser and opening it.  “We’re like a full Greek Club now… the supernaturals of Sims U!”

“Five people is hardly full.”  Daria said, frowning.  “And Sophia is human.”

I opened my suitcase and took my books over to the shelf in the corner.  Daria and Nirina refolded my clothes and put them away in the dresser.

“She’s an ex-ghost.  That counts.”  Nirina insisted, pouting her lips out.

I bit my tongue, glancing out the window at the sidewalk below.  I could not help searching the faces that passed by for some of those boorish youth I had encountered that first day.

“I would prefer not to advertise it.” I said, shuddering as I slid the last of my books into place.

Daria and Nirina glanced at each other.  Daria scratched the side of her neck where her flesh gave way to a lush green.  “Well, you are a freshman.  I think the chances you’ll run into a senior from our old class is pretty slim.”

Nirina swallowed and stared down into my suitcase.  She reached in and lifted up one of the shirts borrowed from Reece’s sister.   “Wow… are you still wearing these?  We really need to take you shopping.”

I snatched the shirt from her and clutched it protectively. “I cannot afford to go shopping.”

Nirina rolled her eyes and shut the dresser.  “Whatever.  When’s lunch?  I’m hungry.”

I followed the two of them downstairs until they parted ways, Daria still rushing back and forth to unpack her things and Nirina rummaging around in the kitchen.   

I wandered into the living room where Reece stood in front of the windows.  Light shined on the tip of his wand and he moved it in smooth, graceful arcs.  Hale watched, leaning against the fireplace.

I rested on a stool by the bar and found myself smiling as I examined Reece.  

He recited in a low whisper, his brow furrowed in concentration.  I could barely hear the charm he murmured under his breath.

“…banish the shadows… that surround the gate, and through the darkness…illuminate!”  Reece’s wand glowed white-hot, and then he snapped it forward.  With a crackle of sparks, it fizzled out.  Reece took a deep breath and began again.

“Maybe the accent on your ‘I’s is off.”  Hale said, smirking.

“Not helping.”  Reece muttered, closing his eyes to concentrate.

  

“Hey, why don’t you try a Restoration Ritual?  Clean this place up a bit?”  Hale asked in a teasing voice.

Reece opened his eyes and shot a glare in Hale’s direction.  “Why don’t you clap your hands and do it yourself?”

The tip of his wand glowed again, and Reece whispered a few more lines.

“I could fish Timber out of the meat cupboard for moral support.”  Hale added.  

I threw a worried glance in his direction.  I still desired to avoid Timber as much as I possibly could.

“Concentrating here…”  Reece hissed through clenched teeth.

There was a bright flash of light and a puff of empty smoke floated from Reece’s wand.  His shoulders slumped.

“I hear the Crumplebottoms are looking to hire a mascot.”  Hale chuckled under his breath.

“Oh... just shut it!”  Reece snapped, flicking his wrist in Hale's direction.

A stream of vapid green gas flooded from the tip of Reece's wand.  Reece yelped, pulling back his wand in a panic.  It was too late.  Hale put his hands up in a futile attempt to protect himself, but the green cloud enveloped him.  His head swelled.  His eyes bugged out of his sockets. When the gas dissipated he let out a low, raspy croak.

“Blast...”  Reece clapped his hand to his head.

Hale just croaked again.

I burst into giggles, doubling over.  Hale's big frog-like eyes glared at me, which only made me laugh harder.  The corners of Reece's lips flickered up as he looked back at me.

“You find this funny, princess?”  Hale said, his voice lower than usual.

It was so strange hearing Hale's voice come from such a large, toothless mouth.  I clasped my hand over my chest and took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.

“I am sorry... just... your face!”  I said, bursting into laughter again halfway through.  

Hale ducked his frog-like head down, and his shoulders twitched.  Another croak burst from him like a hiccup.

“Is he stuck that way?”  I asked, turning to Reece.

Reece shrugged his shoulders, smiling a little as he tucked his hands into his pockets.  “Nah, he just needs someone to give him a little kiss.”

“I don't suppose you would give me the honor, princess?”  Hale asked.

I shook my head, still laughing.  “I think, perhaps, you deserve to be a toad for at least the afternoon.”  

Hale's shoulders slumped even further down.  He turned around, holding his arms open as Daria came walking through the front doors. 

“Daria!” he exclaimed.

Daria let out a short scream of shock, and pushed him away.

“Ew!”  she yelled, her nose wrinkling.   “No!  I kissed you last time.”

Hale dropped his arms down and Daria scurried away.  There was a snorting peal of laughter from the end of the room.  Nirina stood in the archway to the kitchen, shaking her head.  Hale held out his arms.

“Nirina… please?” he pleaded.

Nirina rolled her eyes, holding up her hand.  “In your dreams, amphibian.”

Hale crossed his arms over his chest, croaking once.

“Oh, come on.”  he snapped.  “Your last boyfriend looked much worse than this.”

Nirina chuckled for another minute, then beckoned with one hand.  “Okay, come 'ere.”

Nirina planted a quick kiss on the side of his face, and in a rush of green mist, Hale was back to himself.

“Thanks, Angelfish.”  he said,  leaning down towards her again with a mischievous smile.

Nirina shoved him away.  “Hey!  Cool it!  You only get one.”

Hale backed away, holding up his hands.  “You can't blame a guy for trying.”

“Yes I can.”  Nirina snapped back, tossing her bangs out of her eyes.

This was going to be an interesting year.

In my first life, I had once beheaded a dragon mid-flight.  The beast plummeted, and just before he crashed, I threw myself from his back.  I landed on my feet, but with enough forward momentum to send me careening across the plain until I lost my footing and slammed into the ground.

University reminded me of that moment.

I thought myself a quick study in the six months I had been alive, but the sheer amount of information that I now had to remember was staggering.  I would often spend all day out on the campus, studying in the library, or sitting through class.  Late in the evening, I returned to the dorm so mentally exhausted that I could only climb into bed.

My friends tried to coax me into social activities.  I often turned them down.

“You know, it’s okay to blow off studying every once and awhile.”  Nirina said, pouting at me as I opened yet another textbook.

“I am on a scholarship.”  I insisted.  “I have an obligation to excel in my academic performance.”

Nirina would just huff and whine and beg for another few minutes before finally heading off without me.  I smiled to myself as she departed.  I enjoyed Nirina’s company, but it seemed to me that she would often ‘blow off studying’ more than every once and awhile.

On my way back from class one day, I spotted a perfectly good piece of furniture sitting out with the trash.  I frowned, putting my hands on my hips.

An hour later, Reece came looking for me and found me sifting through the dumpster.

“Uhh… Sophia?”  He wrinkled his nose and gingerly stepped around my growing pile of found items.  “Why are you going through the garbage?”

I lifted my head, bracing myself on the edge of the dumpster with both hands.  “The wastefulness of your generation is appalling!”

Reece ducked as I tossed a pair of wooden spoons towards my pile.  His mouth twisted, and he shrugged his shoulders.

“Fair point, I guess.  Need any help?” he asked.

We ended up selling the discarded items we found and making a very tidy sum of cash.

Winter’s chill took hold of the air and final exams approached.  Daria and I took to spending our afternoons together at the library.  With one week left, we headed down the walkway to the library entrance.  I rambled on about my most recent revisions to a paper of mine.

“I did some additional research on the skeletal system, and I do believe I could add a few more sources to the third section.”  I said, biting my lip.  “But the essay is already well over twelve pages.  Perhaps if I cut the conclusion down to-!”

“Watcher!”  Daria swore, holding up her arm in front of me.  Her eyes went wide and she turned around to lean against the half-wall that lined the walkway, putting a hand in front of her face.  “Act casual.  Don’t look over there.”

“What…?”  I started, glancing towards the main doors.

I felt a shot of adrenaline pound through my chest and I clenched my fists together at my sides.

The girl who had sat in the front row during our presentation almost a full year earlier was striding out of the library.  Her eyes were narrowed as she glanced around the courtyard, and she wore a sour scowl on her face.

“I said don’t look!”  Daria hissed.

I jerked my head down and stared at the ground.

“She’s coming this way…”  Daria muttered, watching from the corner of her eye.  She pulled her woolen cap off and jammed it over my head, giving me a slight push.  “Here.”  she whispered.  “Sit over there and act like you don’t know me.”

She thrust her textbook into my hands and I shuffled off to a bench several feet away.  I opened the book and tried to pretend I was reading, but my eyes were locked on the scowling girl as she strode closer.  And closer.  My fingers tightened around the covers of the book and I swallowed.

She noticed Daria, and hesitated.  Then, she changed direction and headed straight towards her.  Daria looked down, trying to appear as though she were studying her nails.

“Hey Photosynthesis!”  she shouted, sauntering over.

Daria winced, clenching her eyes shut.  She forced a smile onto her face and turned up to face her old classmate.

“Hey… Jaye.  Long time no see.”  Daria rubbed her temple and cringed as she spoke.

“Yeah.” the girl answered with a dismissive huff and a slight roll of her eyes.  “So I gotta know…whatever happened to that uptight blonde you guys brought back from the dead?”

“Um,”  Daria stammered, her eyes darting back to where I sat.  “She’s… back in Dragon Valley.”

Jaye looked unconcerned.  “So what grade did you get on that project, anyway?”

Daria raised her chin.  “We aced it.”

Jaye snorted, rolling her eyes.  “Yeah, right.  I heard witch-boy flunked and had to retake.  Is he even going to graduate this year?”

My face flushed hot and I clenched my teeth together when she said witch-boy.  The way she spat the word out was so demeaning.  Her cruel callousness was grating on my last nerve. 

Someone needed to teach her a lesson.

“Yes.”  Daria insisted, clasping her arms tight to her chest.  “He’s doing just fine.”

“Hey, can I ask you a ‘serious question’?”  Jaye asked, curling her fingers into quotation marks on either side of her head and laughing as though she had told some inside joke.  “Plantsims don’t get pregnant, right?  They grow their little brats in the dirt like potatoes or something?”

“Umm… yes.”  Daria said, and I could tell she was growing flustered.

“Cause plants don’t mate… they spread their pollens to each other or whatever.”  Jaye said, turning her head to the side and narrowing her eyes.  Daria’s face reddened and I saw her squeeze her hands into fists.  “So I was just wondering… do plantsims have sex?”

That audacious youth!  How dare she!  She had no right to ask such invasion questions.  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, willing the anger to go away, but her belittling comments still rang in my ears.  She ridiculed Daria, who had become my dear friend, without any care or fear of discipline.

Despite my dread of being exposed, I felt compelled- no, obligated- to set her right.

“It’s not something I really want to talk about.”  Daria muttered, turning away.

Jaye caught her by the shoulder in a way that might have been friendly, but coupled with her babyish tone, it was patronizing.  “Does that mean you’re a virgin?”

I slammed the textbook shut in my lap.  Daria jerked around, wide-eyed terror in her face as I stormed over to her.  Jaye looked startled for a moment, but I caught the flicker of recognition in her eyes as I approached.

“Remove your hand this instant.” I seethed.

She snatched her hand back from Daria’s shoulder and held it up in defense.  “Whoa!  Cool it!  I was just curious.”

“Do not think you can deceive me!” I snapped back, pointing an accusing finger at her.  “Your entire demeanor betrays you.  You have no interest in the reproduction of Dryads!  Your questions are a poor disguise for mockery!”

Her expression hardened, and she took a threatening step towards me.  “Well… Grim reap you, blondie!  She said you were in Dragon Valley.”

I refused to flinch.  “It was none of your concern.”

“What’s the matter?  You came back from the dead, it’s a bloody miracle!” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.  “Oh right, it’s not.  You’re a fraud. And that smurf-haired freak is gonna get kicked out the instant he’s exposed.”

Heat simmered in my blood.  I could not let her speak of the man who had brought me back from the Netherworld in such a cruel, impertinent fashion. 

“His name is Reece.”  I hissed through clenched teeth.

Daria pulled at my elbow.  “Sophia, let’s go.  It’s not worth it.”

Jaye snapped back without a moment’s pause, shouting over Daria’s plea.  “I don’t care what his name is!  He’s an abomination and he doesn’t belong here!”

 Her words stung me with an almost physical pain.  Reece had more right than she did to be here. 

“He is brilliant.”  I snapped, straightening up to stand taller.

A crowd was gathering around us.  To my sinking horror, I recognized another face in the mass of students, a second student who had been at the presentation.  It was the boy who had called Daria a vegetable.  Why did they both have to appear now, at the same time?  I gave him only a brief glance, but I could see in his leering expression that he recognized me too.

“Well, he’s an idiot if he thinks you pass for Sophia Carol, the dragon slayer.”  Jaye sneered, mocking me just as she had that day in the science classroom.

“You will regret tarnishing his noble name!” I shouted over the murmurs of our curious onlookers.

“Make me!”  she snapped back, taking another step forward and towering over me.

“Hit her, Jaye!”  the boy in the crowd shouted.

A chorus of approval rippled through the mass of students.  A chant started in the heart of the crowd, growing louder and louder until it was a deafening roar.

“Fight!  Fight!  Fight!  Fight!”

“No!”  Daria cried, pulling harder on my elbow.  “Sophia, she’s squashed guys twice her size.  Walk away with me…”

“Fight!  Fight!  Fight! Fight!”  The screaming of the students echoed in my ears and matched the pounding of my heart.

Jaye pulled her hand back and curled her fingers into a tight, white-knuckled fist.  She aimed straight for my face.

Her titanic height and firm, athletic build may have intimidated Daria, but in comparison with a dragon, she was a mere gnat. 

And though it had been centuries since I had attacked another human being, I still remembered how.

She threw her fist and I clasped it in mine.  I thrust her arm back, sending her crashing to the concrete.  

 For a moment, her eyes widened in shock.  The students who surrounded us faltered in their chant. 

 Then she grit her teeth and launched upright.

She swept her other fist at me and I calmly stepped to the side.  While she floundered in the air, off-balance, I jammed my knee into her midsection.  She tumbled to the ground again.  A few voices dropped out of the chant as onlookers stared with mouths open.  

Jaye leapt to her feet again, slower this time, her hands clasping for my throat.  I blocked her with my forearm and struck her back with my other hand.  She fell face-first into the concrete. 

The chanting stopped.

She turned over, groaning and wincing.  She staggered back up to her feet for the third time and whirled around to strike me.  I dodged, and kicked her in the shin.  She slammed back into the ground.

The onlookers fell into an eerie silence.  Some of them backed away.

Jaye lunged at me, and I knocked her down.  She gathered herself up, slower every time, and I knocked her down again.

At last, she fell back onto the ground and stared up at me with blood dripping from her mouth.  Her chest heaved and sweat shined on her skin.  She had this lost look in her eyes, as though she could no longer recognize me.

“What’s going on here?” a booming voice shouted.

I whipped around.  Daria clasped her hands to her face and gasped.  Professor Lars strode up the walkway, glaring at us through his silver-rimmed spectacles.  “Anyone want to tell me?”

PlaguesPesitilenceMurder!  My thoughts raced and my heart leapt into my throat.

Students scattered in every direction.  Professor Lars frowned, his eyes settling on Jaye as she lay, panting, on the ground. 

My lips parted, but no words came out.  I was expelled, I knew it!  My dreams were slipping through my fingers again, and I had no one to blame but myself.  

“Jaye?” Professor Lars asked, crossing his arms.

 I bit my tongue, stepping back as Jaye eased up onto her feet.  She kept her eyes on the ground.

“I fell, sir.” she murmured.

My heart stopped dead and my eyes darted over to her.

What?!?

Professor Lars stared at her, raising his eyebrows.  “You fell?”

“Yes, sir.” Jaye whispered.

I shut my mouth and swallowed.  A cold rush surged through my head and I felt faint.

Professor Lars looked her up and down.  He glanced at me, and I tried to give him the widest, most innocent smile that I could muster.  I could tell he was comparing my appearance to hers.   Sweat coated her neck, blood seeped from the corner of her lip, and she was out of breath.  I was unaffected, and uninjured.

He sighed, dropping his arms down to his sides and stepping away.  “If I hear anymore commotion, I will call campus police.”

“Yes, sir.”  Jaye turned, swaying on her feet as she walked away.

I breathed out, slowly, still uncertain I had escaped punishment.

The only student who remained, the boy I had recognized, caught Jaye by the shoulders.

“Jaye, what the abyss was that?  Challenge her to a rematch!” he said, turning Jaye’s shoulders back around so that she faced me again. 

She stared at me, her expression blank.  

After a moment, the boy’s hands fell back down to his sides.  He glared back at Daria and me.  “You don’t seriously believe she’s really Sophia Carol, do you?”

Jaye wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes still locked on me.

“I don’t know.  I don’t care.  And I don’t really want to mess with her ever again.”

Then without another word, she bowed her head and walked away.