Two Pretty Faces

Nothing changed. He was going to go to the reform school no matter what. He tried running away. He shouldn’t have said anything. He should have pretended to go to the funeral, but he had been foolish enough to think she liked him, that they were something more. She had just been put there to watch him, to make sure he went the way he was supposed to. She had been the one to suggest they live in the hotel and sneaking out and going to parties. She had manufactured this and he had been stupid enough to let her keep tabs on him. They hadn’t expected him to keep Malakhi in on it, and so they couldn’t get to him.

A horrible thought came to Mark, but he couldn’t let himself think it. He didn’t have time for guilt or anger, he just had to survive. That was the important thing, survive and stay away from his parents. If either thing happened it could be catastrophic to the world.

But what if he was the reason Malakhi was dead?

Originally, Malakhi had told Mark that he needed to stay away from Jareth, and seeing Jareth kill Amber had cemented that into Mark’s mind. A few years later, Mark asked Malakhi why he hadn’t just killed him to stop Jareth from getting him. Malakhi was possessed and had a lot of negative traits from the demon, even though a spell kept it locked away. Why wouldn’t he just kill Mark? It wasn’t just sentiment, his death would help them as well. He wouldn’t explain how, though. Mark partially believed that and partially believed Malakhi

*********************

The plane had landed some time ago and Mark had been led to a van with a few other kids. There were twin boys that sat in the back of the van. They had a scent of herbs and dry leaves. Mark assumed they were witches. Next to them on the seat closest to the door was a girl he couldn’t place. Maybe she was just a human, but since no one else was, this was very unlikely. Children of this secret world were the most likely to get in trouble with the law and most likely to end up in schools like this since magic had so many rules that didn’t coincide with rules from mortals. Malakhi didn’t trust very many of these schools, he felt like these kids were sitting ducks. He had chosen this school before passing, though. It had been a foolish choice. Malakhi knew people here, but obviously someone had wanted Mark here at all costs. They were probably with Jareth as part of the Cult of Lilies.

He focused again on the people around him. He didn’t want to think about his uncle. Losing Malakhi was making it so much harder to continue. Part of him wanted Jareth to find him, or the cult. He was so tired of running, and at this school it would be even worse. He even considered letting-... He stopped that thought. He wanted to think of her even less than he wanted to think of Malakhi.

There were two others in the group on the van, since there were only six seats. A gorgeous girl sat next to him. She wore her white hair in many braids that she had tied up in intricate ways. Each braid had trinkets and decorations to match her eclectic clothes. Her dark skin matched her golden skin tone. She smelled like dirt.

He had to correct that thought. She smelled like freshly overturned dirt, not like she was dirty. When she turned her head to look one way or another, Mark caught the scent of apples. He couldn’t take it anymore.

“Hi, I’m Mark.” He said with a smile, offering his hand to her, “I’m a senior.”

“You look a little too old to still be in school, honestly.” She said skeptically.

“I was put into school a little late so I technically missed a year. I’ll be nineteen before the school year technically starts.” He answered with a shrug.

“Sure.” She said with a still skeptical tone.

“You don’t believe me?” He asked with a smirk.

“Well, you’re going to this school, so you did something to deserve to be here.” She said with mock accusation.

“Well, you’re going too. What did you do?” He asked, but paused, realizing how insensitive he sounded, “I mean, if you’re okay sharing.” She laughed loudly, making the kid on her other side jump.

“I bit a guy who was getting too handsy.” She said, still laughing.

“That doesn’t sound bad enough to get you sent to a reform school.” He said, mimicking her mocking tone.

“It is when you’re a werewolf and you knew you could change him.” She snickered.

“What?” He said with a frown.

“No need pretending, everyone here has some sort of magic. Witches in the back, the wizard next to me. You and that other kid in the back have similar scents. I can’t place them, but it has a bit of wizard to it.” She said. That was when he realized she was smelling them. She could smell what they were, and if she smelled long enough she would smell the death around his magic. He glanced instinctively out the window, seeing her in the distance. She was far enough this time that he had to really look for her.

“So you aren’t in legal trouble, you’re in moral trouble?” He asked, dragging his eyes away from the terror in the distance.

“Pretty much my entire pack is in the same kind of trouble.” She answered with a shrug, “Wolves have tempers, you know? So, it was only a matter of time before I ended up here. Almost everyone else has, especially after some of the pack parents died. Even with humans knowing about us, we still get in trouble.”

“What happened?” Mark asked in shock.

“It’s strange being able to talk to someone outside of the pack about these things. A vampire attacked, with some cult members. They spoke a language I didn’t understand. They were trying to shepherd everyone out but the vampire killed a lot of us.” She explained.

Mark closed his eyes, “What did the vampire look like?” He asked. He didn’t want to know the answer, not really.

“I didn’t get a very clear view. He was tall and wore a long jacket.” She said looking at her lap while she fiddled with her phone, “What are you here for?”

“Uh, my lawyer said I shouldn’t say.” He said, rubbing a hand through his hair nervously.

“You asked her why she was here.” The boy on Riley’s other side said.

“You did.” Riley said with a smirk. The boy was good looking too, now that Mark was looking at him. He had been too distracted by Riley and by his thoughts, he hadn’t even thought about the boy more than in passing. He had dark blue eyes and a crooked smile that created a cute dimple. He had wavy, blonde headband wore a denim jacket with patches sewn all over it. Mark looked down, chewing on his lip to hide the shy smile. They made him nervous, especially now with them both looking at him. He hadn’t realized the boy was listening.

“I did.” He said in agreement, “Well, a girl… no I actually was going out and partying and even though I had good grades I was leaving the campus instead of going to my dorm. I did this at every school my uncle sent me to. Even though he lived in the area, he wanted me around others. He thought it kept me safe.”

“Just partying?” The boy said, “Really?”

“I was written up a lot and I moved around a lot so I was considered a delinquent or something. Hey, what’s your name?” Mark asked.

“Sebastian. I go by Bash or Bastian.” Sebastian said.

“Bash. That fits you.” Riley said, turning back to Mark.

"What are you here for, Bash?" MArk asked

Riley’s eyes stopped just before landing on Mark’s and he watched the color leave her face as she inhaled sharply. She could see it and she started to scream. He spun around and realized that something had changed. Outside the van, right outside the van, was a girl. Her skin was grey but everything else was near perfect. Her hair hung straightened down to her hips and her dress didn’t have a stain or wrinkle. He didn’t want to look but her eyes were like magnets. Magnets weren’t the right word.

Black holes. Her eyes looked like giant and gaping holes so deep light couldn’t penetrate. Around the edges had the illusion of scribbles constantly moving, or static. He felt himself tearing up as he stared where her eyes should be.

He felt movement and tore his eyes away from the black eyed girl to look back to the others. Riley had pushed her way out of the van, shoving Bastian out onto the pavement with her in his lap.

“Who opened the door?” Mark asked.

“I did, she was trying to get out and begging me to get out.” Bashtian said, trying to help her stand. The Principle had been the one to pick them up so he had put the car in park and run around to see what was happening. He helped Riley and Bashtian get up, supporting Riley until he was sure she could stand on her own.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” Principle Mercy asked. Riley looked at Mark, her eyes tearful but it wasn’t fear he found there, it was pity. She knew what that phantom was outside the window. Mark begged her silently not to tell what she had seen.

“I just… I don’t know how to explain. I was startled. It all happened so fast, I’m sorry, Principle Mercy.” She explained, wiping her tears.

“Are you alright, Miss. Riley?” Mercy asked.

“I am now. I’m so sorry, Principle Mercy.”She said.

“We will have the nurse take a look when we get to the school.” He said, offering a hand to help her back into the van. When she was settled he put a hand out, offering to help Sebastian up too. He waited for everyone to settle in and closed the door, walking briskly back to the other door and getting in. The rest of the ride was Mark staring at his hands and catching Riley glancing at him when she thought he couldn’t see.

He reached over and grabbed her hand. When she glanced he did too and whispered a small thank you.

“Are you alright?” She whispered back.

“I’m fine. It isn’t new. Been around for a while.” He whispered, glancing to the mirror to see that Mercy wasn’t watching. Sebastian draped an arm over Riley’s shoulder and leaned around her with the other hand to rest it on top of their two.

“Are you both ok?” He asked. They both nodded. The van started to slow down and pulled in front of the school. There was a circular driveway and a long yard between two buildings with a large building at the very end. The two buildings on the side had two more buildings behind them with slightly different designs to them.

"I am." Riley whispered.

"I have to be." Mark said, smiling at Sebastian. He was so handsome, Mark had to look away, though his ears and cheeks started to turn red anyway. He glanced and