Once classes were over, I headed out to the courtyard. Everyone seemed to be waiting for me. Smiling, I walked over and sat down. It was then that I noticed something. Alex looked like she was about to cry. Ariel was holding her close.

            “Leanna found Alex. I guess she started talking trash to Alex. She thought she was you. she hid from everyone after that,” Ariel said as she stroked Alex’s hair. Clinching my fists, I got back up. I was getting tired of Leanna’s crap. It was time that I put her in her place.

            “Michala, where are you going,” I heard Keaira ask, but I wasn’t going to say anything. I knew that if she knew what I was planning to do, she would try to stop me. But if I didn’t do something, she would never stop.

            I stormed through the hallway on my way to the dorm. People passing by me stopped to stare. I guess it was pretty clear that I was upset. As I reached the double doors to the dorm room, I could hear Leanna bragging about something. I slammed the doors open to find her sitting with one of her little hinchlings. Just what I needed, someone who could get in my way.

            “Why, princess, you know that frowning like that will give you wrinkles. Wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty little image,” Leanna said, then laughed. Just hearing her laughter was enough to get my blood boiling. Walking over, I grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her off the couch. I was surprised for a second at how easy it was. “Are you crazy? Put me down, you mangy mutt.”

            “I am sick of your stupid comments and your petty threats. I am no princess, I am not a mutt, and I am not someone to target because you are upset that your daddy isn’t recognized within the council. If you weren’t so adamant about hating werewolves, you would see we are just like you. Just trying to live our lives in this idiotic world,” I said as she struggled to get free. Her little friend got up to try and help her, but I turned to look at her, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

            “You think I am jealous of you? That is hilarious. Why would I ever be jealous of you?” she said as she did her best to sound cocky, but I saw it in her eyes, a flash of hatred.

            “I am a Helsing. A direct descendant of Van Helsing. The one who came up with this place. The one who decided that all fey should have a place to go to school without the fear of human persecution. And it eats you up inside. I don’t even want the name. I just want to live a normal life,” I said, holding back my anger the best I could.

            “Okay, okay, so you don’t want to be a Helsing. But you still are a werewolf with privilege. And that alone is irritating. My dad should be the one running this school, not that dumb dog you call an aunt,” she snorted. Before I could even think, Leanna was on the other side of the room, crumpled over on the floor. The girl sitting on the couch screamed and ran out the doors of the dorm.

            I was still standing in the same spot when my aunt entered the dorm. She looked at me and then looked at Leanna. She rushed over to her and checked her. Then she called for someone from outside the dorm to help her. I could see the anger in her eyes as she waited for a couple of guys to come into the dorm. They gently picked her up and carried her out of the lounge.

            “What have you done, Michala? You could have killed her. And now, I am going to have to call her father, who is still on the board because he is a descendant of a founder,” Aunt Brenda yelled. I was still staring at the spot where Leanna had landed. I didn’t understand what happened.

            “She has been degrading me and telling me that vampires are the dominant species. Then she treated Alexandrea like crap, just because she looked like me. Then she called you a dumb dog, and the next thing I knew, she was on the floor over there,” I said, still trying to figure out what happened.

            “Did you throw her?” aunt Brenda asked, her tone not changing from anger. I shook my head. I know I didn’t throw her because when I saw her on the floor, my hands were still in their position when I had her by the shirt. It was almost instantaneous. My aunt didn’t look convinced.

            “For the time being, you are to stay in your room. I will let your professors know that you will not be attending classes tomorrow. Hopefully, I can convince Leanna’s dad not to pursue having you expelled,” she said before walking out of the lounge. I stood there for a moment, still trying to figure out how Leanna ended up across the room. Slowly I turned towards the hall that lead to the rooms and walked to my room.

            As I sat in my room, it hit me. If I was expelled, where would I go? It wasn’t like aunt Brenda would leave her job to live at the manor with me. It was her job. She was in charge of the well being of every student here, not just me. Sighing, I laid down and tried to block out the thoughts that were running through my head.

            By the time it was time for dinner, someone had brought me some dinner. It wasn’t what I would have chosen, but it was either eating what was brought to me or trying to find food in the lounge. I wasn’t in the mood for meat, so I decided to eat what was brought to me. I was really starting to miss my friends.

            I had just finished my dinner when the door opened up. Ariel and Keaira walked into the room. They both had looks of worry on their faces. I was guessing that they already knew what was going on.

            “Michala, what happened? Kelly Andrews is going around, telling everyone that you are a monster. She said that you attacked Leanna and tried to kill her!” Keaira said. Great, now everyone was going to know what happened, at least Kelly's version. If I wasn’t expelled, I was sure that things were going to be more challenging now. It was bad enough having to worry about someone trying to kill me, but now the whole school was going to think that I am dangerous.

            “All I did was pick her up by her shirt and tell her exactly what I thought. Then she said something about my aunt being a dumb dog, and the next thing I know, she hit the wall on the other side of the lounge and laid motionless on the floor. I didn’t throw her,” I said, trying to defend myself. It didn’t matter what I said because only one other person saw what happened, and she was currently smearing my name around the school.

            “I don’t want to sound rude, but I would really like to be alone. I have a lot to think about, and I am not allowed to leave the room until after aunt Brenda meets with Leanna’s dad,” I said. I felt a pang of sorrow as I said those words. I really didn’t want them to leave, but I also didn’t want them to be here just because I was in hot water. They deserved to enjoy their time. They both nodded and turned to leave. Then Keaira turned around.

            “I will be here if you need me. We all will. Just tell your aunt and Leanna’s dad the truth, and if anyone asks, Ariel and I can both attest to the bullying that you have been receiving since you got here.” Keaira said, then blew me a kiss and walked out the door.

            Now there was nothing left to do but wait. Not really feeling up to doing homework or anything else, I laid in bed and looked at the ceiling. ‘Tomorrow could very well decide my fate,’ I thought to myself before closing my eyes.