It was the day after the party, we had spent the evening getting to know each other a little better, especially Annette, who came from a fairly well off background of fashion designers and was a bit of a party girl. I had a music lesson in the morning so I retired off to bed relatively early. I stood up as the bell rang and stretched, yawning profusely. Earning a disapproving look from Klien.

“You should get more sleep Sylvie. Tired performers don’t perform at their best”

“Sue me, we were having fun last night” I winked at him, knowing he couldn’t maintain his serious facade for long. True to form he laughed.

“Well I hope it was a good one. Oh, that reminds me. Its Christmas in about a week's time and so the College is going on Christmas break. So we’re going to switch focus to festive songs next time” He flips his notebook closed and slots it in his bag. “See you on Friday.” He stands and opens the door to the corridor.

Fuck! I’d completely forgotten about Christmas. I haven’t gotten anything for Erina...how do I do that? I wasn’t allowed to go out and shop with anyone else, and Erina had barely been allowed to take me before. I decided there and then that I’d need to talk to the Principal about it. I pack up my instrument and place it inside the cupboard. There was another lesson after the small break so I didn’t bother locking it. I was free for the rest of the day so I began in the direction of the main college building offices.

It was a surprisingly warm and bright day outside considering the season, it was only really soiled by the occasional cold gust of wind that would pass between the empty branches of the trees and right through my snowy white hair. Barely anyone was about today, and if they were then they weren’t sticking around because of the wind. 

A group of boys stood by a pillar in between two of the buildings, trying to hide from the biting breeze. I overheard them talking about some kind of TV show. One of them drops into a pose and mutters what could only have been a very amusing catchphrase or something as they all burst into laughter. One of them gives me a nod as I walk past them into the building, it felt really good not to be an alien to everyone anymore. I was known and seemingly well liked. I wonder if they just feel sorry for me. 

I entered the building and quickly duck left down the corridor past some normal classrooms, the Principal’s office was towards the front of the campus and the music room was at the back pretty much. The campus wasn’t exactly laid out in a grid formation, it had angled buildings that seemed to lean backwards and forwards, with most of them having some form of balcony that were to be used as fire escapes. All except the dorm building, which was of course for leisure and hanging about. 

The Principal’s office overlooked the car park at the front of the campus, where most of the staff parked their vehicles, with the excess overflow existing at the back near the dorm. I enter the reception via a back door and look towards the secretary.

“Is the Principal in his office?”

“He is free, probably sorting through paperwork. Go on through” I think she could see the light at the end of the tunnel, as she seemed a bit more enthusiastic than her normal fairly dreary self. I nod and push through the double doors beside the desk. The first door on the left in the corridor was his office, I knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

I twist the doorknob and push it open, the heavy door pushing against the carpeted floor.

“Oh Hello Sylvie. What can I do for you? Did you enjoy your party?” He says, looking up from the paperwork on his desk. He turns off a small radio he has on the desk.

“I did, and I thanked Nurse Jousset for throwing it together. So…” Do I do something so awkward and outwardly say my relationship status to the principal? No. “I’d like to buy Erina a present for Christmas, but you know I’m not allowed to go out by myself”

“Hmm. I suppose you can get someone to accompany you. But not this week, find someone to take you this weekend and message me your plan please. The shopping centre isn’t too far away. I’ll write you a form”

“Thanks Principal Rockford”

“Don’t worry about it. The Nurse gives me updates about you, including small details about your relationships. I’ve heard a few things about that boy...Lucas I think his name is, whose behaviour has been more than lacking. I’ll try and deal with it, I don’t want to have to fit a broken tablet fund into the school’s budget as well”

“Lucas? Oh you mean Bird-brain”

“That is...a nickname. Yes he’s the one with the feathered wings”

“Right, yeah please do. He hit on Erina the first moment we met him”

“Yes such behaviour is unacceptable, anyway. Get back to me on the shopping matter soon please. I have to get through this paperwork before the day ends” He gives me a wave of dismissal and I turn around, allowing myself to grin with my back turned. I can’t wait to get her something good.

***

That saturday afternoon, me and Maeve left the college grounds silently and half sneakily, not wanting anyone to really see us and to then pass the word on to Erina or anyone else that we were up to something. After getting a few yards down the road we relaxed.

“So what’re you after?” she asks, eating a chocolate bar at the same time.

“I don’t really know”

“Hmm” she murmurs. “Well I guess we’ll see what there is when we get there” Since we very much couldn’t fly there like last time. I’d gotten proper directions from the Principal, which I’d entered into the maps part of my tablet. Nearing the end of the street, which was lined with retirement cottages, the shopping centre was pretty much an exact diagonal line from that round left. As we rounded the corner we found ourselves on a busier road, which was in full rush hour traffic mode.

Once traffic had slowed down to a halt at the traffic lights we stepped out into the road, squeezing between a Mercedes and the back of a Transit, at the middle of the road we looked for oncoming traffic before we crossed to the other side. Jaywalking wasn’t illegal in England so we just did as we fancied. Although I must admit I probably wouldn’t have done it without Maeve there. I didn’t want to return to the grave for the second time the same way I did for the first. There was a park on the other side of the road which was pretty much empty except for a few dog walkers.

“You aren’t that local are you Maeve?”

“Nah” she responds, watching a terrier chasing after a ball some distance away. “My parents live in the countryside, there wasn’t any good support for someone like me there in the rural schools. So everything was done by half measures. They’d been seeking out places that actually offer full support for a while and eventually they stumbled upon this college. A bit late for the issues I had at school though”

“Really? I’m curious if you don’t mind. What sort of problems do Dullahans face?” She laughs.

“Terrible pun. It was partly bullying, but when I was very young and didn’t have this-” she points to the metal collar keeping her neck connected with her head. “It was very difficult keeping myself together, as trying to remote control your body to pick up your own head is rather difficult”

“I see, Its kinda the same for me. I’m actually rather jealous that you can hold yourself together with that thing”

“Oh yeah, you have it much worse than I do Sylvie. I apologise” she frowns, I wasn’t having that.

“No no I’m not having that. My problems are just as valid and equal as yours, even if at face value I seem to have more than you. Hint hint! I probably don’t? Maybe. I don’t know” That brought the smile back to her face. I pat her on the back.

“Okay okay, I hear you” she laughs. 

“I don’t want any pity parties now, we’re here to go buy something for Erina. Lets channel her endless positivity eh?” 

“Too true, lets get a move on” she breaks out into a speedy walk and darts ahead of me, keeping one eye over her shoulder making sure I’m following. She’s a good girl Maeve, very considerate. I sprint to catch up with her. Hopefully I can find something really nice for Erina.