Free Arianna Rose: The Gathering (Part 3) by Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci

I’d be more than happy to lend a hand,” he said and smiled a devilish smile.
    Arianna felt certain Scott’s smile alone had gotten him plenty of female action in school.  He flashed it at her with confidence that bordered on cockiness , and rightly so.  He did have an amazing smile.  What he did not know was that he was wasting his time.  She wasn’t interested in flirting with him; especially after enduring the ego-crushing rejection episode with Desmond. 
    “Thanks for the offer ,” she said flatly.  “I’ll keep that in mind.”
    Scott’s brown eyes danced with delight.  Arianna wondered why, wondered if perhaps he enjoyed a challenge and viewed her as one.  If that were the case, he’d be in for the challenge of a lifetime.  A prophesied super witch doomed to a life of loneliness and celibacy couldn’t be more challenging.
    “This is George,” Jess said and interrupted the intensity of Scott’s stare.  She pointed to a tall, lanky boy beside Scott.  Baby-faced despite his gaunt build, George smiled a humorless smile that ended at his lips.  His boyish features were betrayed by an air of gravity that surrounded him, existing like a separate entity she swore she could touch if she tried.  He was the poster child for the surly teenage boy.
    Jess continued with her introductions and rattled names as she pointed to a Paul, a Chris, a Josh, a Kit and a Meg.
    “Nice to meet you,” Arianna said to the group.
    “Maybe we can meet up at lunch,” Scott suggested.  His tone was neither flirtatious nor predatory and Arianna felt confident he had received the silent psychic message she’d sent.
    “Yeah, why don’t you hang with us at lunch?” Meg asked.
    “What do you have first period?” Jess asked and gripped the paper Arianna held for a closer look.
    Her hand brushed Arianna’s hand, and Arianna felt a fleeting flux of energy drift across her skin.  She wondered whether it was mind over matter, or whatever the cliché witch expression was for her powers willing into existence something that did not really exist.  Either way, she’d thought she’d felt something.  She looked up from her hand and was met with guileless blue eyes, innocent eyes, not the eyes of a witch.  The expression she wore and the clarity of her freshly scrubbed, freckled face did not belong to that of a supernatural being, but a grown-up Raggedy Ann doll.
    “I see you have Mr. Dickinson first period,” she said and pushed an errant lock of ginger hued hair from her forehead.  “I do, too.  I’ll take you there,” she suggested.
    “We’ll see you later,” Scott said and winked.  He turned from Arianna and Jess and began walking away with George practically pinned to his hip.
    “Yeah, I hope we see you later!”  Meg said cheerfully and scurried after Scott and George.
    The rest of the group followed suit, traveling like a bizarre multi-legged creature.  Scott clearly led the way, led all of them.  She’d seen the same thing in school after school she’d been to for as far back as she could remember.  Even as early as elementary school, cliques had formed and inevitably had a clearly defined leader.  They generally irritated her, but considering that this was her final high school experience, she was willing to let this one go and maybe even allow herself to be included in theirs. 
    Arianna looked up and found herself alone with Jess.
    “This school is not so bad, once you get used to it,” Jess said as they walked down the hallway.  “The teachers are okay and most of the kids are nice.”
    “Yeah, I guess,” Arianna said.  “So far everyone seems all right.” 
    Arianna stared straight ahead as they walked.  She looked down the long hallway and saw countless heads, but felt Jess’ eyes on her.  She did not know what she was expected to say.  Was she supposed to start rambling about her past, tell her life story maybe? She wondered.  She wasn’t a ready talker when it came to