Chapter Three

Sabrina sat in the bus seat, staring out the window and contemplating what had happened yesterday at the coffee shop. Why had Dimitri gotten so hostile when I told him I was going to school? she thought to herself. Still a little puzzled, she pulled her school bag onto her lap and gave it a tiny squeeze. She had her secret stuffed inside it. She knew if anyone saw what it was, she'd be ridiculed and teased for it, but having it comforted her nerves. It's worth the risk, she reassured herself.

After a little longer, the bus came to a somewhat jarring halt and the students began getting off. She had finally arrived at school. She hopped off the bus and made her way into the building. With some help, she was able to make it to her classes on time.

Being new, other students gave her special attention. However, due to her new surroundings, she deliberately attempted to avoid any and all cliques. With that, she decided not to mingle at all, only giving dry conversation and small talk to classmates.

Finally, the lunch hour arrived. As she made her way around the lunchroom looking for a quiet place to sit, she noticed Dimitri and another girl sitting next to him.

The girl had ghostly white hair and eye-blindingly pale skin. From features to attire, this girl was simply blinding.

Sabrina knew Dimitri more than any other student, barely. In her eyes, sitting with him was better than sitting alone. Plus, he's kinda c- she cut off the thought, though not without a tiny blush appearing on her cheeks. She walked over and sat down with them.

Dimitri gave a nod as a translation for a hello. As for the girl in white, she glared daggers.

“Sabrina. You’re here,” Dimitri commented, “You may sit if you want.” It wasn’t exactly a warm invitation, but an invitation nonetheless.

Sabrina was a little stunned by the ‘warm’ welcome. “Did I make a mistake? Are you both so uber-popular that you're feared?” She asked, shrinking in her seat, “This is where I get yelled at for not knowing social hierarchy, isn't it… I can never tell social cues straight.”

“It’s the polar opposite. We’re considered outcasts here. We’re considered scary to others, that’s why we’re in the corner,” The ghost-like girl responded. “We have reasons other than our looks.”

Sabrina smiled. “I don't like teen cliques and all that social mud,” she stated, “It gives me a headache trying to understand it. So instead, I avoid all that complex gunk.”

“I don’t think you’ll need to worry about all of that for long,” the girl replied, giving a sly smirk, “Social cliques won’t be a problem in a couple of days.”

Sabrina blinked. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“She thinks the end is near,” Dimitri interjected, snickering.

“You laugh,” she warned.

“I do laugh,” Dimitri remarked, “Ha. Ha. Ha.”

Sabrina sat there, watching the two of them happily and opening her lunchbox. She ate a sandwich. This is pretty good, she thought to herself, I hope someday I can be that confident. Finished with her sandwich, she rested her elbows on the table and placed her fingers together. She rested her chin on her hands and started batting her eyelashes at the both of them.

“Oh! I forgot to introduce myself,” The girl confessed, “I’m Succubina.” With that, she rested her head on a hand-hammock, similar to Sabrina. “You’re new here, so it’s nice to have someone willing to join us in our humble abode of a table.”

Sabrina blinked.”"Succubina… Like a succubus?” she asked, “Does that mean you have some sort of heart tattoo…” she then pointed downwards, finishing the implication.

Succubina’s glare pierced through Sabrina’s skin like an arrow. “It’s just a name. That’s all it is, and that is a promise.”

Dimitri’s already pale skin couldn’t have gotten paler. He covered his lips with his hands as an immediate reflex: a fight or flight reaction, perhaps?

Sabrina saw Dimitri's reaction and shrunk in her seat, realizing her mistake. “That was too personal a question,” she apologized, “I'm sorry.”

“You should be,” Succubina warned, “But I forgive you. I get that question more than you know. Don’t let that happen again. Only my boyfriend can call me that.”

Sabrina perked up a little and asked, “Does that mean we can all be friends?”

“There’s no reason not to,” Succubina confirmed. “What do you think?” she asked, playing with Dimitri’s sharp ebony locks.

“I thought we already were friends,” Dimitri murmured, flinching from her hand briefly.

“Very good, Dimitri,” Succubina affirmed, chuckling quietly. She gave a slight smirk before caressing his chin. “Lunch is almost over… We should get ready.”

Dimitri jolted up. ‘YEAH! Let’s.” Quickly, he packed his bags, standing up and completely forgetting about his lunch.

Succubina rolled her eyes, also standing up. Their height differences were clearly obvious now. Dimitri was pretty tall standing up, but if he was a giant, Succubina was a behemoth. She stood well above him like a looming shadow.

Sabrina calmly gathered her things and stood up, a little dwarfed by the other two. I'm 5'5", how the hell is she so tall? she thought to herself.

“I’ll catch up with you later, DeDe,” Succubina claimed, seeing Dimitri off. He nodded, before rushing out of the lunchroom. Sabrina waved both of them goodbye and started walking to her next class.

“Wait!” Succubina said, flagging her down.

Sabrina turned around, “Hm?”

“Sabrina? Is it? I saw you in the coffee shop the other day. You were talking with Dimitri: pretty close if you ask me. Were you on a date?” she asked.

Sabrina blushed hard, not knowing what to say. “I, we weren't-”

“Huh? OH! I see… just a little mingling I guess.” The white attired girl lowered her head, kneeling down to reach her height. “Well. If you know anyone you like-- if at all ever, talk to me.” She lowered her voice, smirking. “I know how to get anyone to fall for me.”

Sabrina felt her whole face go red. If this girl wasn't a real succubus, Sabrina was sure she could compete with one.

Succubina’s tone switched abruptly to a jolly one. “Well, your first day of school isn’t going to continue itself. Let’s head to class,” she suggested.

Sabrina nodded quietly and started heading to her next class, her head reeling from her recent encounter. Today was certainly… eventful. She squeezed her bag to help her calm down for the rest of the day.