Not only the social aspect of it, but the actual learning. Not the most popular thing to admit to, but I liked it. I was good at it. It made me feel good to get decent grades or when my parents praised me for it. I even admit I liked the feeling when they would say 'Why can’t you be more like your sister?' to Hanna, who never cared a whit what they thought. Frak… maybe I was a book nerd after all?
But as I arrived at the school, dark sunglasses and long sleeves firmly in place, I found it hard to rouse any interest in being there. I couldn’t help but view each classroom and old acquaintance with new eyes. When had the acoustic ceiling tiles become so water stained and dingy? When had the cafe stopped serving meat in the Salisbury steak? When had the overhead projector in English Lit started to smell like old socks? All of those observations assailed me as I sat through class, but I didn’t find myself distracted. No, my brain catalogued those tidbits and more as I devoured the lessons, reading and working ahead in class easily while still following a half dozen whispered conversations before class was over.
The sea of bodies around me as I left the room was… intoxicating. To be surrounded by the cacophony of voices and so many beating hearts… it was an overload on my enhanced senses, and I fell back against the nearest wall, letting it all wash over me, a vaguely dazed look on my face, I’m sure.
Beyond the sharp scents of too much perfume, deodorants, hair products and more, wafted the unmistakable smell of blood. My eyes immediately sought to track down the source, flicking to rest on a skater guy who winced over a fresh road rash on both elbows. My mouth started to water and I unconsciously licked my lips, taking a step in his direction before I forced myself to stop, eyes squinching shut until the wind changed and I could think again. It was pure torture taking a step backwards, and then another, putting as much space as possible between me and the temptation before I did something unforgivable. Only the knowledge that I had to get to rehearsal kept me from giving too much thought to waiting for the guy to wander off alone and unprotected...