Calathea

Shortly after they left, and the walk back was in awkward silence, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. 

The days following weren't any better. After that time Layla tried to avoid hanging out with the entire group opting to hang out with either Luka or James when they weren't with the group which was not as often as she would like to mean she had more time to herself. 

This made her draw her to her oddly pretty roommate. While the other two tried to make sure she and Lorenzo were at least five meters away from each other with every time Lorenzo looked as if they were going in her direction, Luka came up to distracter while James distracted Lorenzo. This didn't work for either of them with Lorenzo 'I'm so done face' after every failed attempt would have made Layla on the verge of bursting out into laughter if it wasn't for the situation. 

So, Layla threw herself into her studies as the schoolwork just got harder and more tiring. With Layla collapsing on her bed after every day, and with the homework that just kept piling up Layla didn't have time to leave her dorm outside of class meaning she just got to avoided the group more meaning she got to spent more time with Artemis and in extension some of her friends that came over for a study section, who she found to be quite nice. 

During this time, she got to learn more about Artemis's loud and kind, personality and love of food shared with Eli who as well was friendly and easy to talk to although not as loud and Owen kind and quiet; balancing out the other two and was usually the one teaching them and even Luka would sometimes drop by apologizing on Lorenzo's behalf every time he came around. 

Usually during these study sections, Artemis and Eli caused chaos while Owen helplessly tried to get them to focus. While trying to get her and Luka to stop laughing; with them wheezing, struggled to breathe. By the end Layla had a fading pain in her stomach from the constant laughter and cheeks burning with the permanent smile but deep inside everything felt wrong. She missed her mother and wondered all the time how her mother was. She ended her days before sleep thinking before the darkness consumed her. 

But she pushed on and it works and she was learning more with them. 

That was until Saturday. What was told is when all the club got together and made friends and since the guys 'saved' her. She had to talk to Lorenzo for the first time since the tree house, she had to see them face to face again. 

Layla walked tensely. How would she even talk to him? Did she need to apologize? But did she technically do anything wrong? Lost in her mind she didn't look as she walk in the door straight into someone and fell to the floor knocking her out of her thoughts. 

"I'm so sorry," she stammered looking up to Lorenzo, panic rushed over her Lorenzo! 

"No problem," they replied in the same dead-tired voice before walking around her and out of the classroom leaving Layla confused on the floor. They didn't seem angry. 

Picking herself back up, she walked in, seeing the small classroom filled with around. ten teenagers' all around her age and all look vastly different to each other. all cramped into a small room. a lot of them she already knew. 

Looking closer around the room it was cramped smaller than the rest of the classrooms she's been in. also look older less clean and maintain then the rest of the building with the cracks and chips in the stone but the homey feeling it gave spread a warmth into her the comfort like a fluffy blanket. 

But the people in it were from what Laylah could say weird many shy, looking like they were out of place. With many not looking full human with some having wings some with odd hair or marking of unusual color. 

Although they all had something that she could feel connected to them all. She saw herself in them. They were all lonely, scared in a new place just like her. 

walking in all eyes when on her. The awkward silences and nervous energy transferred to her as she when to a corner to stand waiting like everyone. 

Looking around she obsevered the many different people she could see. Artemis seeming chatting around with Eli and what Layla assume would be Owen with his messy untamed blonde curls next to her was Theodore with his giant light brown wings the tips hitting the roof of the classroom stand tall and even not being able to see his face she knew I was his signature death stare as most tried to scooch away from him. 

Before Layla could go over to the group a loud bang! Scaring everyone as they jumped turning to see James's bursting throw a small red stone in hand with Lorenzo looking too tired to care next to him. 

"Hey! As you should remember. We-" he spoke into the stone the free and pointing at himself and Lorenzo as he walked to the front of the class room "Plus our shortie friend" at what Layla could be guess was Luka "Are the one who has brought you here" His voice was loud booming like when headmaster Luna had the orange crystal although he didn't need it with his already loud voice in this small room it vibrated the whole area. 

Snatching the stone from James's hand Lorenzo said "you might wanna sit and get comfortable as this guy" pointing at James "doesn't stop talking and we have all day" waiting for people to move. Layla moved next to Artemis before sitting with the rest most on bean bags or pillow before giving it back to James 

"Rude anyways we are the founders of the Eidolkos rescue and rehabilitation team for gifted outsiders or E.R.R.T.G.O" this cause people to snort or outright laugh "I know it's bad we're working on it. Today with me your amazing captain" James striking a pose "and our vice-captain Lorenzo and we're hey to explain all your questions. and since our lovely vice captain think I talk to much HE can do the rest of the talking," 

"fine. hello as you know I'm Lorenzo I'm the vice captain of this club. our goal was to take in more gifted people outside the forest in so a little history this school has only had headmasters with gifts related to time like out first headmaster now out current ones gift in prophecy pretty much she can see someone's destiny and all of yours's sucked so you came with us" 

"now to the bad stuff the aim of this program is to get the next generations of gifted to not hate us half breeds so we've brought you guy to get them uses to us" 

"it suck we are a minority and most will not treat us fairly but here is a safe place and is open for us soon well give out some bracelets tap the 3 time and you'll teleport here, its aloud at any time and if you need us me and James are free at dorm --- "