Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lexie smiled and nodded at the request. "Great! I just adore nightclubs! I'd love to go! I mean I was never allowed to go much in the city. Most of those are 21 and over. I sneaked in a few times, which is always much more fun." She giggled, but as she followed his gaze toward the window, she sighed. "Don't worry. I can find it on my own. Just promise me that if I'm sitting alone at lunch you won't leave me there, alright?" She gave him a soft, somewhat forced smile, then looked down at the map on her schedule. "You're going to be turning in that hallway up there. I'm turning here." With another sigh she looked at him for a moment. "I guess I'll see you later." She could feel the worry building up inside of her. She was never really one to make friends this easily...and she hated sitting alone in crowded rooms. But as she turned away to go to her room, something else was building inside as well.

"Oh no...not here! Not now!" She winced and fell to her knees as the burn in her stomach returned. It had gone away for so long. Why now? She clutched her stomach for dear life, but the pain was too intense to move. She had to, though. She had to be hidden. No one could see this. She'd be marked as a freak, a demon. As the pain worsened, she forced herself to her feet and into a run. She ran as fast as she could right past Remi and toward the bathroom, which luckily was clearly marked. It was no use. As the mark on her stomach started to glow with flames, she fell to her knees again, trying her hardest to fight it off.

Lexie sat against the far wall of the bathroom, right under the window. She had pushed her way in just moments before Remi had come. The other girls had run out with a mix of fear. She heard someone come in, and looked up with anger in her eyes, ready to push them away. Seeing it was Remi, though, she stood, her arm still over her stomach. The pain had subsided, but the mark was still glowing dimly, as if an ember in a long-dead fire. What had sent the other girls running, though, were her eyes. They were a bright orange, full of fire and heat. She hated that part of it. It meant that the spirit was almost out. Those were the times it was hardest to fight off. Despite all of it. She laughed a softly. She heard his questions, but didn't think to answer them.

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this. That's why I'm always so eager to make friends. I always feel that maybe if they know me before hand...they won't be frightened by this. I'm sorry, Remi...if this scares you. It's not something I've ever wanted anyone to see. And I'm sorry that...that she doesn't trust you." she looked up at him with a soft smile. The spirit had been put to rest...she was back to her old self.

She turned to him fully now, hearing what was going on outside. "This is why I transferred here...the real reason. My parents are fine with each other. They didn't really need to get away from anything. It was me who needed to get away. The only thing that kept me going were my friends. They all knew me as a kid, so they didn't run when they found out. Most of them graduated though. And I had to leave." She walked closer to him, jerking her head toward the door. "You've got more of a reason to leave then I do. You've got a reputation to uphold. Me on the other hand? I'm just the new girl."

This was a completely different side of the girl, and she knew it. It was a side not many people got to see. Mainly because this was how she was when her defenses were down, and her offense weak. It always happened right after an 'episode', when she didn't have the energy to keep her attitude.

Lexie smiled softly and gave a light shrug. She wasn't ok, that was for sure...but she would be. She always was. "Yea. I'm fine. Just a little shaken up I guess. This happens a lot, but..." she paused shaking her head. Her black hair fell into her face. She tucked a few strands behind her ear absentmindedly, missing the majority of it. She seemed to be hiding her eyes behind it. They held something she never let anyone see: fear. Fear of the spirit. Fear of what might happen if she transformed fully. Fear of fire. Of death. Of uncontrollable power. That's what happened when the Phoenix came out.

The Phoenix protected the body she inhabited, and would destroy anything that tried to hurt Lexie, or anyone who wasn't trusted. It had happened once before when Lexie had been younger. The day the truth of what she was came to be. It was a bully in Kindergarten. He had tripped her to get a basketball from her. Lexie didn't even know of the spirit at that time. But when she came loose...Lexie shook her head back to reality, a single tear falling from her eye. Luckily it was also covered by a waterfall of ebony hair. She swore to herself she would never think of that day again

"I have History first, then Math second, then Science third and fourth. Lunch is after that. English sixth and seventh. Then ninth and tenth are free periods." She knew she didn't have to state her whole schedule, and that Remi probably wouldn't care, but it was a way for her to get her mind back on school. "I'm sorry if your friends bother you about this. I know my friends would probably do the same if I was in your situation. But hey...someday, after we've graduated and the world of high school is behind us, this day will have never happened." As they approached her first class. She looked at him with that same playful smirk...the flirtatious smile. She leaned in a bit closer and put her hand gently on his arm. "Well...most of it." She giggled, and moved in even closer, whispering in his ear. "See you at lunch." She moved away then, and with a light wave turned and went into History 105.

Lexie sighed as she twirled a pencil in her finger. History. SO boring. Especially on the first day. Senior year was going to be easy...and that was never fun. She rolled her eyes as the teacher introduced himself. He was old and slow. He spoke in a monotone and had a comb-over. Dork. Probably the kid who always got picked on in school. She would have felt bad for the guy...if it wasn't the first day of Senior Year. She put her elbow on the desk and her head in her hand, staring out the window.

She found herself thinking of nothing but what had happened only five or so minutes before. On the first day? This really couldn't get any worse. What if she had to transfer again? On the first day! She sighed, but jumped as the bell rang. She had no idea where the time had gone.

The rest of the day went by just like that. Teachers introduced themselves, handed out the supply list. Told you the rules of the classroom. She felt like she was in first grade again.

As the bell for lunch finally rang she headed to her locker. She never trusted school food. Always brown-bagging it. She finally arrived in the cafeteria. Everyone was staring. She could feel it. They all knew her already and it was obvious word had spread throughout the day. She stood a bit taller as that nervous feeling spread through her. The feeling of being watched, of being judged. She hated it. It made her want to....to burn things. She shook the feeling and found an empty table. She wasn't sure if Remi had arrived or not, but she felt it would be best to look like she was waiting for him. To look like she had a purpose of sitting alone. Her fist was clenched so tightly around the bag that her knuckles were white. She couldn't control the Phoenix, but she could control the fire. It was everything she could to not to toast her lunch.