We had played video games until 5pm until Maeve had to leave. She had been awestruck by the events of the Autumn Festival, her normal grin wavered for the first time since I’d met her. I stood and let her out, giving her a wave and silenting wishing her good luck with moving all her stuff in. I close the door behind her and turn around to see Erina fiddling about with her bag.

“I have something we can do Sylvie, you’d thrash me at games now she’s gone” She was red in the face and panting, turned out that going for the tail resulted in...curious results lets say. I picked up my tablet off the bed.

“Oh? Are you not too flustered? Would you like a bit of fresh air?” I give her a smirk. I had certainly found another of her weaknesses.

“It.. was my fault. I didn’t tell you that touching my tail there..does that” she shakes her head. “Anyway! I have this!” She pulls out a DVD. “The Blind Side'' is my favourite film. I want to watch it with you” I walk closer and take a look at it.

“Oh, it's a sports film? Sure”

“Well its a bit more than that, you’ll see” she smiled and put it in one of the game consoles, which could run DVDs. And so we spent the late afternoon watching a DVD together, until exhaustion started to creep in half way through and I fell asleep, my head leant on her shoulder.

***

Dappled light filters between the gaps in the blinds of my room’s window, catching my half-conscious eyes. I jolt awake, my bed’s quilt folding over onto itself. I check the time, which turns out to be half 8 in the morning. I look around for Erina but she is nowhere to be found. I was still dressed, so I quickly grabbed some new clothes and went to go have a shower.

A good half an hour later, I left the bathroom. Still towelling off my hair, I sat down on the bed and checked my tablet. Theres a new email from the Nurse.

Hey Sylvie.

I have gotten approval from the Principal to pay a visit to Leo’s parents. But unfortunately he has said that you aren’t allowed to come. I think I’ll still need your help though. Can you bring Leo to my office after your music lesson this afternoon?

Damn, but I want to help in any way I can. I shoot back a positive email and kick back onto my bed. I guess I can play some games until I need to go to Klien’s lesson.

***

“Right everyone! Instruments down! You’ve done pretty good today. These pairings work well” We’d been practising in pairs for a duo assessment and I’d been paired with a nice girl called Jessica who was a talented drummer. “Come on! You’ve got a couple of minutes to pack it away so you can leave early” Klien claps his hands together, plopping himself down on his chair and inspecting his computer. I walked over to where I had propped up my guitar bag up against a structural beam of the building that was integrated into the wall.

I put it away and bring it to the growing queue in front of the equipment cupboard, Leo was only a few people ahead of me so I sling the bag over my shoulder and wait my turn, as Leo comes out of the closet from putting their I grab their wrist.

“Sylvie? What is it?” they ask, surprised by my small hand stopping them from moving away. Leo was still in their old form and could easily pull away at any moment. Thankfully they don’t as my arm would probably go with them.

“Can I talk to you outside in a moment?”

“Okay...” I let go and duck into the cupboard to put my bag away in the container with my name on it. Leo was thankfully still there when I got out, and hadn’t slunk off into the forest.

“Lets walk and talk, follow me” I gesture to follow me, keeping a disarming smile on my face.

“What is it?”

“Nurse Jousset wants to see you about a potential home visit. But I can’t be there to help you. So I want to give you a pep talk of sorts”

“So she can come?” They look worried.

“Yes, but she is not out to say anything other than what you want said. I’m sure. You can trust her. I do”

“I dunno Sylvie..you know..I’m not very good at this..I’m getting that..running away feeling”

“I understand, but I want what's best for you and this is no way to live, Leo”

“I..guess..” We pass under an archway out of sight from anyone and Leo uses the opportunity to switch into their more comfortable effeminate form. We quickly dart across to the dorm building and make our way inside, quickly taking a right into a corridor that lead to the downstairs kitchen and the Nurse’s office.

“I’ll leave you to it Leo, go in with your chin up high. We’re finally making progress towards a more comfortable life for you okay?” Leo nods slightly, still looking nervous. I knock on the door.

“Come in!” I open the door for Leo and they enter. Closing it behind them I take a deep breath. I really want that to go well. I check the time on my tablet and its only 2pm. I hadn’t been on a walk in forever, spending most of my time cooped up in my room. So I decide to take a walk down by the sports fields and stretch my legs.

A few minutes later I found myself outside, standing on a small berm that was next to the sports fields, There was a bridge across the water ditch further down, but the small rise gave me a plenty good enough view of the sports fields, and there were benches placed up here for sporting events too. I sat down at one, smoothing out my skirt. There was a girl’s class going on and I was trying to see if Erina was there. It was thankfully a fairly warm day for a british winter, and they were out playing football. I hear a yelp and just catch the sight of Erina tripping over another girl who had gone in for a tackle. A flap of her wings and she manages to right herself. But the ball was long gone up the pitch.

She brushes herself down and looks around for the ball. From where I was sitting I couldn’t tell her mood but I wouldn’t be too happy about a dirty tackle like that. She launches into a sprint, her wings tucked right behind her back, chasing down the ball. She pounded towards the ball like a girl on a mission, her long legs forming a blur almost like a cartoon. The ball got caught up in the corner of the pitch and was in a stalemate, she slid into an open gap and waved her arms in the air.

One of her teammates makes a swipe at the ball and manages to free it from the other team, sending it skating towards Erina, who punts it all the way down the other end towards what I could only assume was the other team’s goal. Another teammate takes it from there and boots it past the goalie and into the back of the net. I wasn’t too into sports like football but I couldn’t help but get ensnared by Erina’s clear passion for it. I punch a fist in the air. That was great.

The PE teacher blew a whistle and signalled for all the girls to gather. A couple of the girls on her team gave Erina a pat on the back, as well as the one who’d scored the goal.

I stand and walk down to meet Erina at the bridge, soon the PE teacher dismissed them and they began to pick up some of the equipment, Erina ending up carrying one of the leathery balls. “Oh! Hey Sylvie!” she notices me as she gets near the gate. Some of the girls stare at me as they walk in the direction of the changing rooms. “How long were you watching?”

“Long enough to see that cool pass you did, nice work!”

“Ah you saw that? Awesome. I was pretty pleased. I’m still pretty pumped to be honest” she passes the ball from one hand to the other and back and forth. “Don’t hug me though I’m disgusting” she giggles.

“You better shower quick then!” I grin back. She certainly was a little smelly.

“Oh, and good news! My stuff is arriving today. Would you mind helping me get everything sorted?”

“No problem!”

“Right okay. I’m going to get changed and have a shower. I’ll come fetch you at like five?”

“Five is fine, I’m feeling hungry so I’m going to go get something to eat. See you later!” I smiled and gave a little wave as she followed the rest of her class. I always loved seeing passion at work and I couldn’t help but be enraptured by her.
***

After quickly having a meal from the canteen, which as always came from Mr Lawrence’s meat freezer. I made my way back towards the dorms, the sun was on its downwards trajectory towards the horizon now, and it was really starting to get chilly. I zip up my jacket and dug my hands into my pockets. We were starting to get shorter and shorter days, with darkness creeping in before 7pm now.

I scanned my card and the sliding doors parted ways for me. I make my way up the elevator to the top floor. The doors slide open at the top and I am greeted by a pile of boxes blocking the hallway to my room.

“Hello? You’re blocking the hallway”

“Oh uh sorry!” A male voice calls out from the other side. “I might have...brought too much stuff” slowly one by one the boxes get taken away and laid flat. Which slowly revealing a boy, not much taller than me, with big fox-like ears. Once there was a clear path through. I stepped over the last of them. “Sorry aga-AH! Zombie!”

“Yes yes, I am a zombie. I’m not going to eat you. You really should have brought a more manageable amount of your possessions at once you know” He looked a little hurt by my scolding, I’m not sure I could remain angry at his puppy dog expression. Instead I continued past him and went into my room, which was now opposite his, pretty much.

Once inside I checked the time, I had half an hour before Erina was due to be here. I suppose it was ample time to read a bit more of that new book we’re supposed to study.

Savannah

This was going to be a very long chapter that would have felt out of place. So I am going to split it in half. I hope you enjoyed it!