The Secrets of Cain

After School Lessons

Chapter 5: After School Lessons

"What happened this morning?" Ivie asks as she sets her tray of food down harder than necessary across from Adrian. It causes a loud clank as Ivie quickly sits on the bench, a few people looking over at the noise. Although the cafeteria is so loud, it's a wonder anyone heard.

"What?" Adrian's gaze shoots up from its fixed spot on his food. The noise of a bunch of voices talking at once suddenly fills Adrian's head and he flinches. That's why you don't tune people out. It hurts when you let the sound back in.

Adrian is definitely not used to being around so many people at once. Sure, Adrian's hunting job has taken him to big cities where there's plenty of noise, but those cities weren't filled with teenagers who all have something to say. And they all have to talk at the same time.

Adrian hadn't been meaning to tune out Ivie, he was trying to tune out everyone else. Too many voices at once are giving him a headache because of his super hearing. And Adrian's not exactly in the best mood because he's finding that school is not fun.

"I said, what happened? I heard you got into a fight this morning." Ivie says in concern, ignoring her food to stare at Adrian.

Adrian picks up his fork and moves his food around on his tray, debating whether or not he should eat it. How can this stuff be called meat? Nachos are supposed to have real meat, not whatever this weird lumpy stuff is.

And yes, vampires can eat human food. Adrian doesn't have to, but he chooses to every once in awhile for the enjoyment of it.

"It hardly qualifies as a fight." Adrian replies dismissively. Of course that wasn't enough of an answer for Ivie. She looks at Adrian skeptically until he sighs.

"Fine. Some bully decided to mess with me. I didn't fight back because I didn't want to cause trouble." Adrian says with a shrug, trying to wave it off as nothing.

Ivie narrows her eyes. Adrian isn't sure if she's doubting him or if she's mad at the bully.

"Okay, so what happened?" Ivie asks a bit slowly, like Adrian wouldn't comprehend her words if she talked normally.

Adrian wonders what rumors are filling up Ivie's head right now. Someone must've told Ivie something, so she probably already has the fight played out in her head, but in a way that didn't actually happen.

"He bumped into me and demanded I apologize. I said no so he shoved me. He went in for a punch but I moved away. His friend told him to stop, then they left." Adrian explains, deciding it's better off if he leaves out the "meet me after school" part. Adrian doesn't want Ivie any more worried than she already is.

Vanessa and Selynn sit down silently on either side of Ivie. They can sense something wrong here because they knew that Ivie was probably going to confront Adrian.

Ivie surprisingly lets it go instead of pursuing the topic. "So why did you come into first hour so late? I didn't have a chance to ask you earlier." Ivie says with a hint of curiosity in her tone.

Adrian had come into first hour with only 15 minutes left of the class. That's the only class he has with Ivie until after lunch.

"I was in the office. They messed up my paperwork." Adrian explains.

Vanessa leans forward a bit to join in the conversation and to keep her voice low. "How did that work out? You know, since you haven't gone to school in a long time."

Adrian understands what Vanessa is hinting at. It's been around 25 years since Adrian was in high school, so he wouldn't have any paperwork for transferring to this school.