Dyani bent over and gripped her knees as she felt the revolt in her stomach. A soothing hand on her back and a quick shuffle to the side for her to catch her breath helped. Dyani scowled at the group that watched her in curiosity.

  "What?" She snapped. "Do you really enjoy me throwing up?"

  Jorge smirked and clapped her back, "Look at it this way, Dyani. You didn't pass out this time."

  The woman in question groaned and swatted at his hand, aiming a punch to his shoulder when she missed. The others were laughing at her plight and even Britt was smiling behind a hand.

  "The Dysc is an amazing invention but it is the worst sort of adrenaline rush and puke-inducing ride."

  "You're the only one that has that problem, dear." Mari teased.

  Dyani frowned and gave her the middle finger, which had the girl looking at her strangely. Shaking her head, Dyani walked down the road without a comment. Even though the others were asking her what it was that she did. Britt followed along, the only teacher that was permitted as her escort, thanks to Britt's fast talk with the Headmistress. At least she got this weekend to go to the Marketplace.

  "Come on! I want to get a move on." Noemi whined. She grabbed Kavan's hand and dragged him into the nearest store, which happened to be clothing. Dyani groaned and eyed the store as if it were out to get her. Britt gently nudged her through the door while the rest piled in behind her. Despite just arriving, Noemi was skating around the store with at least three things in her hands. Kavan trailed behind the girl with a miserable expression. Mari grabbed Caleb and Jorge had wandered off on his own.

  Dyani snickered and zipped over to a set of benches that would fit another if she moved to the side a bit, which happened when Britt slid into the spot next to her. Dyani wouldn't complain. It could have been worse.

  Ding.

  The store door opened to reveal Kira and the rest of her crew. Dyani groaned at her luck. She had spoken too soon. Britt's eyes narrowed at the girls, who stopped when they spotted the handsome teacher. Giggles were the first thing he heard, and then the blatant comments came next. Britt shifted uncomfortably next to Dyani but she could see his strain at masking those feelings.

  Dyani watched their expression shift from flirty to nasty when they saw her beside Britt. Dyani shook her head at them, wondering if they knew how ugly it made them. And the fact that the very person of their interest could also see that ugliness. Britt leaned closer to her and whispered under his breath.

  "Just ignore them."

  "What do you take me for, Britt? You think I can't handle myself against a couple of stuck-up snobs?" Dyani scowled at him and crossed her arms.

  "It's not them I'm worried about. It's you." Britt gave her a look. She knew exactly what he meant. Her cheeks gained a light tint to them.

  The two watched both groups as they danced around one another, although Kira was annoying enough to drive Dyani's group to gather together. They moved to the door with their purchases shrunk and in their pockets. The others went out first, with Dyani following behind. There was a light breeze and the door slammed behind Dyani, catching her hair in between the door and the frame. She was yanked back and cursed while Mari helped open the door to relieve the pain.

  "What happened?"

  Hands smoothed down the frayed ends and Dyani rubbed her head where it had pulled. Britt frowned at the door. With a shrug of her shoulders, Dyani moved to the next shop - one of the few stationary stores. Britt stifled a laugh, even though she scowled at him, daring him to comment.

  "You're out of materials again, Dyani? I swear I've never seen someone go through notebooks and pens as quickly as you do."

  Dyani huffed, "I'm not that bad."

  "Yes, you are," the entire group echoed back at her.

  The woman glared at each of them before flouncing off into the store. She had a basket in her arm and was perusing the pens when the others walked in. This store was faster than the clothes because Dyani was the only one to make a purchase. It helped that she knew exactly what brands and materials she liked. The first time they visited, it took Britt the better half of an hour to get her out of the store.

  There was a shriek of surprise and Britt rushed over to find that a bottle of ink had exploded and covered her from head to toe. A multitude of colors dripped to the floor in a rainbow mess.

  "Are you okay?" Britt cautiously walked over to her, avoiding the shards of glass littering the floor.

  "Yeah. I'm just annoyed because this was one of my favorite shirts. The glass is throughout my hair and clothes."

  Britt huffed, "There goes vanishing it. Well, the ink on you. Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

  The store owner bustled over and clucked over the ink stains, apologizing for the mess.

  "I feel I should be the one apologizing."

  "Did you drop them or did they explode because of you?"

  Dyani frowned, "Not that I know of..."

  "Then don't apologize. Accidents happen. Do you have a change of clothes? I fear that this ink will not come out."

  Dyani sighed and shook her head, "No. I didn't bring anything extra with me."

  The woman dug into her pockets and pulled out a few coins before a pouch appeared. Picking through that, she handed Dyani a note.

  "Take this next door to the clothing shop. Get yourself a new outfit, on the house, and tell them I sent you. I am so sorry that your clothes are ruined."

  Dyani held out her hands, "No. No. You don't have to."

  "I want to, dear. Please take it and get something very nice. You've been such a good customer to me. Let me repay you"

  Dyani blushed when there were a couple of snickers from Noemi and Mari. Britt took the paper and guided her to the door.

  "If you all grab her basket, we'll be right back. Mari, you know what Dyani prefers, yes?"

  The girls nodded and pushed the guys to the shelves with directions. Britt shook his head and the owner shooed them out of the door. There was a group of girls passing who looked over and burst into giggles. Some comments that had her sneering were tossed at Dyani.

  "I would think that you girls had a bit more class than to treat a fellow student with such words."

  The girls stopped their snickering and stared at Britt, who had stepped from behind her. They flushed and moved on, not without giving Dyani a few glares. Britt shook his head and took her elbow. The clothing shop was a quick stop. Dyani was rushed into a stall to remove the clothes while an assistant moved through the clothes racks for her.

  With a bundle in her hands, the girl shoved the clothing through the curtain of the stall and the girl helped take the ruined clothing. Considering how much ink there was, Britt would not have been surprised if it had seeped through everything. He turned his attention to the alley that could be seen through the window. The thought was a dangerous rabbit hole.

  Dyani shivered as the cool air touched her skin when the curtain fell back into place. Her favorite shirt was gone, but she kept her socks. Dyani stared down with a grimace at the only article of clothing that had survived the explosion. First thing, she stuck her head out and whispered in the kind girl's ear. With wide, pitying eyes, the brunette rushed off to snag the underclothes that would keep her covered. Dyani was daring, but full commando was not one of the things on her bucket list.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  A cute underwear and bra set made its way into her hands and she stared at them in wariness. On one hand, they were cute, with the bow in the back and the lacy front. On the other, they were a bit too saucy for her tastes. She rarely wore things that were beyond the basics. There was never a reason to wear such things. Dyani poked her head out and caught the girl's attention.

  "Uh, these are a bit too much for me."

  The girl looked confused. "Oh? I'm sorry about that. I thought they would be cute."

  In return, Dyani gave her a cross look, wondering where the girl got that impression. Seeing that, the girl giggled and glanced at Britt, who was still staring out the window.

  "I thought you'd want to have something fun with your boyfriend being here. Do you want me to call him over?"

  "No! I'm good!" Dyani snapped the curtain shut. Her face was as red as the lace underwear in her hand. She could hear the assistant burst into peals of laughter at her plight. Dyani grumbled and put on the underclothes, even if they made her feel awkward.

  One look in the mirror changed her opinion. Dyani had never worn more than the essential clothes, minus the fancy shoes that found their way into her wardrobe. She wasn't one to wear the sexy style. Classic or fun was more in her nature. But this. This was something that she might invest in. While skimpy and revealing beyond normal comfort levels, Dyani felt a small thrill of confidence. She looked good in them and they fit the curve of her ass very well. The bra was another such case, giving her a slight uplift and sculpting.

  "Dear Goddess, I love magic."

  The rest of the clothes were a blur. Deciding to go with a bit more flare, she blamed the underwear; Dyani chose a long sweater dress, leggings, and a beautiful new set of heels. Not her typical style, but if she was getting a makeover with her panties, she might as well make the outer match, too.

  Stepping from behind the curtain, Dyani thanked the brunette who waited on her. The girl fawned over the choice, drawing Britt's attention.

  "Blessed Goddess," Britt swore before composing himself. Though his voice was low when he said it, the shop was quiet enough for Dyani to hear it. She flushed and the assistant stifled a giggle, knowing that her earlier blunder was closer to accurate despite Dyani's denial.

  Britt cleared his throat, "You finished?"

  "Thank you so much," Dyani turned to the girl. "I really appreciate the change in my style. You have a lot of skill."

  She blushed while Britt took care of the order. Britt gave her a look before looking down at the heels when they were walking down the alley. While they were high, Britt still had a few solid inches on her. Dyani gave him a pleasant smile and moved to the next store, where the group waited for them. Mari and Noemi whistled a few times while Dyani took a slight spin. Kavan watched as Britt's eyes followed the happy woman. He smirked and waited for the man to feel his gaze. It took only a moment for him to pinpoint the source of the stare, and his eyes narrowed when he caught sight of Kavan's expression.

  It was a happy group that met Kira at the bookshop. It would have been easy for them to avoid each other, but Dyani insisted that she needed more books. At least, she had a few that were recommended to her by the professors, and she wanted to have personal copies.

  With a larger fund to pull from and her family making sure she was set up, Dyani wanted to get the books she had to leave behind the first time. At least she would have a reason to fill the library portion of her incredible techno-suitcase.

  With Kira standing there, Britt easily got lost in the background. It gave her ample opportunity to speak her mind to Dyani.

  "You should just leave, you freak. You're not wanted here and will never fit in."

  With a flip of the hair, Dyani caught sight of the focus that the girl used for her magic. Beautiful diamond earrings dangled down while the cartilage on both ears was covered with sculpted cuffs. Each cuff had a diamond and other precious gems embedded. Dyani raised an eyebrow at the flaunting of her wealth.

  "Oh, such beautiful foci you have. I bet Daddy had to get the best for his Princess because that would be the only way her magic could manifest."

  There were gasps and not just from the group colliding. Some of the other patrons in the alley stopped at the accusation.

  "Dyani," Noemi hissed.

  She knew what she said and meant it. Of course, insulting anyone that their magic wasn't strong enough would cause a scene. It didn't help that mentioning that the focus was the reason they could perform magic was considered defamatory. Dyani shrugged, In for a penny.

  "How dare you! Only an ignoramus such as yourself would even speak of such a thing. Shows how much you care for our world."

  "Oh my dear Kira, did that hurt? I'm surprised you even know the meaning of ignoramus." Dyani put a hand on her chest, wiping awake a fake tear with the other. "I'm so proud of you expanding your vocabulary."

  There were chuckles from Kira's group as well as the rest around.

  "You're a freak nomaj that doesn't deserve to live in this world."

  Despite Dyani saying what she did about the foci and her lack of vocabulary, it was shocking to hear such a slur in public.

  "At least I have the etiquette to use my words to tell you that you are insignificant to me. You resort to slurs and attempting to use mental manipulation to get people to see me negatively. I pity you. Grow up, Kira. The world isn't revolving around you, and it surely will not stop when you throw a tantrum when someone comes along that is better."

  Dyani pushed her way through the group, only to hear cries of warning. She dodged to the side but hissed as a sharp pain sliced through the side of her head. Dyani looked down to watch her hair fall slowly to the ground. It was the same side that had the beautiful silver color that had begun to grow on her. Dyani turned around and raised a hand to the cut. She could feel the blood starting to run down her neck. There was a moment of silence as Dyani stared at Kira with shock and anger before the crowd burst into action. Her group pushed the others away while Kavan grabbed ahold of Kira. Britt used magic to push everyone aside, even the spectators so that he could reach her. Dyani continued to make eye contact with Kira.

  Rolling her shoulders, Dyani smirked. The air shifted and those who were sensitive to magic stepped back in alarm. Dyani's clothes moved just a little bit, but it was enough that her remaining hair moved with the unseen wind. A circle began to form around Dyani, with Britt still attempting to heal her despite the magic building. Dyani gently moved past him and he sighed in resignation. The woman wouldn't let him work as she focused solely on the irritating girl.

  "You want to know something, Kira Stirling?"

  The girl's eyes widened as Dyani stepped closer. A wave of her hand and the hair that had been chopped burst into flames. Eyes watched as it burned away any traces of what had happened. Dyani's eyes never left hers.

  "You may think I am a simple nomaj that doesn't deserve to be here. The problem is that your logic is flawed."

  There was a pitch in magic as Dyani brought her hand away from her head, the blood glistening a silver sheen. There were mutters and gasps at the sight, but she ignored them. Dyani needed to show this girl that she was not there to play her games. Kira turned white and tried to pull away from Kavan's grip.

  "I don't need a focus. That is why I am being taught control as fast as they can teach me. See, where you believe I don't deserve my place among you, I believe there is someone who disagrees with you."

  "Who," she spat.

  "Why the Goddess, of course. After all, she's the reason I'm the only survivor of the ritual. Haven't you wondered why I don't carry a wand or foci? It's because my very body produces magic."

  Dyani rubbed the blood between her fingers before threading a hand over the cut and her scalp. Onlookers and the group of students watched in amazement as the cut was stitched together before Dyani's hand moved back over the barren scalp. This time, the magic moved through her body and focused her intent. Dyani wanted to bite her lip in concentration but was determined to pull it off. Even though it was not something she knew how to do. Sending a prayer to the Goddess to help her, Dyani wished for her hair to grow.

  The stubble was small and itched incredibly, but soon, her hair was beginning to grow. The magic followed her hair as if she were brushing it out. Her hands didn't take long to sweep through her regular length. Taking advantage of it, she continued until it reached the underside of her butt. Her mother's hair was just as long and Dyani had been attempting to grow it since she was a teenager. Now she had the chance. Two birds and one stone, she thought.

  The crowd was dense around them, all having caught sight of the display of magic. Dyani shook her hair and smirked at the girl.

  "You see, Kira. It's not a matter of if I deserve to be in this world. It is a matter of the Goddess Blessing me with such a right. Besides, no matter how hard you try, I will always be stronger than you."

  The enchantment broke and the crowd broke out into mutters. Britt grabbed her arm and dragged her into the bookstore. The rest of the group followed, with the store manager - having seen the entire spectacle - guiding them to a private showing room for privacy.

  "Are you insane?" Britt stared down at the woman who slid to the floor. Her back was against the wall and her head was in her hands.

  Dyani groaned, "Please don't, Britt. Not right now."

  His features softened as the others crouched down. Joining them, he forced her head up. Dyani's eyes were dilated and her breathing was heavy.

  "You over-exerted yourself, didn't you?"

  "Maybe."

  Mari handed over a fruit bar, "Here. Eat this. It'll help your crazy ass."

  Dyani huffed a laugh. The fruit bar was a bit plain for her taste but at least it helped her regain some energy.

  "I'm forbidding you from using magic for a day or two. This stunt was too much and you know it."

  "I couldn't let her get away with insulting me and then harming me, Britt."

  Noemi placed a hand on her arm, "She wouldn't have. But this makes it more complicated. You retaliated."

  "I spoke words. She threw harmful magic."

  Britt nodded, "And I will be conversing with the Headmistress about this."

  Dyani sighed and held out a hand, "Someone help me up?"

  Caleb and Jorge grabbed a hand and hoisted her from the floor. She swayed for a moment and batted away the worried hands.

  "Are you sure that you want to continue?"

  Dyani nodded at Caleb's question. She gave them all a smile, "I just need some food. Why don't we get more of that delicious pizza from last time and then we can come back?"

  It was settled. When they left the store with a promise to return, Dyani booked it to the food plaza as fast as she could. A pineapple and shrimp pizza had her name written all over it.