Night and Day

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Katie Rivers stood on the bleachers, staring at the evening sky. She hated night. Darkness gave her a sense of unwelcome anxiousness that she would much rather ignore. She was a bubbly person filled with light and joy that was hard to surpress. 
"There they come." Ann Talley, another of the cheerleaders whispered with glee. She was talking about the night students, of course, those that only showed up at night. 
It was the first night of the year and all the students were gathering on the field for the annual "meet and greet" that kicked off the year. 
Katie stood on tiptoe on the bleacher to see, frowning at the sudden cloud of darkness that was preventing her from seeing anything at all. The night students were a mystery to everyone. They avoided the day class and no one really knew why. Rumor had it it was because they were from rich families. At least ones that were richer than all the others. 
The little blonde was looking so hard to see she slipped on the cold metal and lost her balance. The ground behind her began to come up fast and she shut her eyes. There wasn't even enough time to scream. This was going to hurt.

Raife Saunders scowled at the giggling girls that were watching the night students arrive. "Stuck up and stupid." He growled, not sure if he meant the girls or the night class. He hated them both. The cheerleaders were whores and hr had no words for the night class. This wasn't his first year with them. He knew something wasn't right. He just wished someone would listen. 
Sighing deeply he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He was bound to get in trouble sooner or later. Why not start the year off right? 
He watched Katie Rivers as he took a drag and wondered where her sister was. Probably under the bleachers tying shoelaces together he concluded with a laugh. When Katie fell and hit that cotton ball head of hers, he'd know for sure...

"We have staff that take care of the rest of you during the day. I see no reason we cannot do the same for those at night." The headmaster said evasively. "And yes. I think I will do you some good. Besides, you will not be alone. Raife will be with you. It will be a good thing. Since you seem so fond of him."

"Heads up!" Katie was sure her shout was going to come too late. The football came sailing toward Tobias and the little blonde came running in his dorection, trying hard to intercede before it hit him.

Ebony opened her mouth to protest that last statement, until she recalled how she had confessed differently to try and hide what she had done to Katie. "Fine." She pouted, folding her arms across her chest as she walked.

Tobias caught the offending object with ease, but didn't seem to know what to do with it now. "Aren't you supposed to be at your evening meal?" He commented, though he did offer Katie a charming smile.

"Good. You can start tonight." The elder man said, patting her on the shoulder. "Find my son after dinner. He'll show you the ropes!" With that he was gone, hustling toward another group of students. 

Katie gave him a charmingly sheepish laugh. "Well..I was headed that way...then my friends showed up...a football game started...you know..." she laughed, shuffling feet that were still without shoes. Her group was heading towards her, all of them hesitant when they saw the night students.

Ebony childishly poked her tongue out at the headmaster's back before turning in the direction of the main building. The dark haired girl barely even saw anyone she passed, not that anyone would stop to speak to her anyway.

"No. I really don't." Tobias breathed, though he smiled again and held the football out to Katie. "Such delicate feet really shouldn't be walking barefoot." He added.

Raife went stomping toward the meal hall, his mood as bad as Ebony's. He had no idea what awaited him. He wouldn't like it either. 

Katie laughed. "I do it all the time. They're just feet." She teased, wiggling her toes. "Sorry to bother you but...you know...I never got your name even though you seem to know mine..."

"Well I hope you're happy!" Ebony huffed as she slumped down opposite Raife at the table where he was sat. "I'm stuck babysitting the night students now!"

"Everyone knows your name, princess." Tobias breathed with another smile. "But if it satisfies you... My name is Tobias Grey."

"How is that my fault?! You were the one tying shoelaces together." Raife pointed out thinly. "Not to mention caught the unwanted attention of the school's biggest financial supporter. In a bad way! His dad was right there during that little show and I'm sure I'll get roped in the blame for all this. Even though...as you say...all I did was have a cigarette under the bleachers!"

Katie put out her hand enthusiastically, grinning all the while. "It's a pleasure to formally meet you, Tobias Grey." She told him. "Hey, how about going to the dinning hall with me? I promise to wear shoes..." she pressed, cocking her head to the side with an irrepressible smile that revealed deep dimples in her cheeks.

"Well you didn't have to go along with it! You certainly didn't have to save her shoe!" Ebony huffed, reaching across and grabbing a handful of the fries on Raife's plate.

Tobias smiled, but shook his head. "That would be against school rules, princess." He breathed. "Night class and day class do not mix, not even for meals."

"I was trying to help. If you'd have given Fluffy her shoe back I'll bet she'd have had your back too." Raife muttered swatting her hand. "The food is free, you know." 

"I don't bite, you know." Katie said softly, tucking her thick blonde hair behind her ears. The young man behind her had their tongues wagging. She didn't even notice. "We can eat else where. A picnic on the field?"

"So? I'm not hungry." Ebony replied, stealing another fry. "I don't care what Mr. Snooty night class thinks either." She added.

Tobias arched his brow slightly, amused by the thought. It was clear a life of privilege had denied him things like picnics. "Your groupies would permit you to do such a thing?" He asked, casting a glance to the young men behind the beautiful blonde.

"You do care or you wouldn't be so pissy about this. And you certainly wouldn't be ..." Raife again slapped her hand. "Those are mine. Get your own!"

"Huh?" Katie truly didn't see herself as popular. "No one will bother us if that's what you mean. Or if you think I'll try anything..." she blushed deeply and laughed. "I promised to be a good girl."
"Your father is waiting, Tobias. " one of the students said again, more firmly this time.

Ebony pouted and wrinkled up her button nose. "I am not pissy!" She insisted, now chewing on her full lower lip as she seemed to lose herself in thought. "Why do they need 'caretakers' anyway?" She suddenly asked.

Tobias groaned and very almost rolled his eyes. "Then tell him he can wait!" He snapped. "A good girl, hmm? Not that is a shame." He breathed, taking Katie's hand and bushing his cool lips lightly to the back of it. "Perhaps another time, princess."

"Actually they need more caretaking from others than the other way around. We keep others out and them in." Raise said, not realizing he'd already said we. 

"Oh sure. I'll be around." Katie said, instantly swept away from him by her giggling friends. They were already asking her what his lips felt like and if she intended to kiss him herself. "Bye bye, Toby." She called over her shoulder.

Ebony arched her manicured brow as she heard Raife say this. "If they're so delicate... or dangerous, why just the two of us?"

Tobias visibly winced when Katie called him Toby. His father would not like that one little bit. "You breathe a word of this to him, and I'll leave you outside when the day classes start."

"I'm not sure. I'd like to find out for myself." Raife admitted. "Maybe now that you're there you can help."

Henry, one of the younger students nodded. "As you wish." He said with a smile, turning with Tobias to head to his father.

"Are you asking me to break school rules?" Ebony asked, feigning horror with wide grey eyes and a hand pressed to her chest.

"You're still here?" Tobias asked his father once they found the elder man.

"Break is such a strong word." Raise said as he watched her eat yet another of his fries. "How about we just go for bending slightly? " he pushed the plate toward her, deciding he was done. 

"I had to make sure my greatest assets was happily settling in. Aside from mingling to the riff raff, I'd say you are doing all right. Save touching...that girl...." tobias' father said thinly.

Ebony grinned and began wolfing down the fries. "And when we get caught, I take the blame, because your dad hates me anyway, for corrupting his sweet little buy." She snorted.

Tobies was no longer smiling. "Her family are rather high in the society of the human world, is that not why you sent me here? To make connections, and bring you more money?"

"Let's not talk about my dad." Raife muttered, turning his head to glance over the tables of loud and rambunctious kids that were meeting one another after what seemed like an extremely long summer. "I don't care what he thinks of me anymore than he cares what I do." That said he snatched a paper airplane out of the air and crushed it in his fingers, sneering at the freshman who threw it. The young man shrank into his seat like a wilted flower.

"I sent you here to here to learn our ways and to flourish in them before you take over the family business." Elton Grey said through his own well sculpted white teeth. "Tasting the menu is restricted. Especially when it comes to their kind. Now be a good boy and I will see you in winter. Yes?"

"I think someone needs a cigarette." Ebony told Raife in a sing song voice. "You always act like a little bitch when you're waiting for that next drag." She added before turning her head to hiss at a freshman girl who had dared get too close to her.

"I doubt it." Tobias sneered. "You will be informed of my return, but I highly doubt you will take the time to actually 'see' me, when it isn't public and for the benefit of others." He added, waving a hand to the campus around them to validate his point.

"I think someone needs a good..." Raife didn't finish, knowing he didn't really have to. He got up from the table and gave Ebony a sharp rap on the bottom, daring her to call him out for it. His father was watching. She'd all but prove to the elder man that she was lying. "See you later, babe." He purred, leaving her with the remainder of the fries. 

"Just...don't touch the humans." Elton said thinly, turning to head toward his car. His lip remained curled as he headed toward the limo, making it clear that he hated anything to do with the buildings where the mortals stayed.

Ebony was indeed about to give Raife what for when she caught the headmaster watching them. "No kiss goodbye?" She snorted before returning to the fries Raife had left behind.

"Or what? You'll have me brought home?" Tobias growled as he too turned away. His father's disapproval only made him head in the direction of the human dorms.

Even though she had a fry in her mouth, Raife took Ebony's chin and pressed his lips to hers. "See you in class, honey." He breathed. He pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and went on his way.

Katie was having a terrible time trying to get her trunks up to her room. For some reason the driver hadn't bothered to take hers up to the third floor. It wasn't lost on her that her sister's trunks were sitting neatly on her bed. 
Exhausted she dropped the heaviest of them, cringing as she heard it go crashing down the flight below.

Ebony practically swallowed her fry whole, surprised to find her pulse was racing as Raife walked away. The display of affection, even if it was false, hadn't been missed by anyone, least of all the girls who swooned every time he entered a room.

The trunk never made it to the landing below however. A second or two later Tobias appeared at the top of the stairs, acting like he had simply carried the trunk up. "You know, even if you don't want this, there's no need to throw it down the stairs." He mused with his usual charming smile.

The head master's eyes were practically glittering with warning as he met Ebony's eyes across the room. He shook his head,  the motion quick and hateful. He would squash this relationship before it became anything at all. He had to.

"My hero!" The relief in Katie's voice was tangible. "I actually do want that. It has all of my shoes...though...I can't find a key to it for some reason." She gave him her sheepish laugh. "You are so going to have to let me do something nice for catching that." She went on. "You can leave it there. I have to lug it up two more flights along with all this other crap. Thanks for saving it."

Ebony smiled sweetly. She didn't think Raife thought of her that way anyway, it was just fun to annoy everyone else. She drank what was left of his drink too before sliding to her feet and smoothing her skirt down. She didn't want to go to her room, knowing her sister would be around, but it was getting close to nightfall anyway.

"Why wasn't it taken to your room?" Tobias asked, picking the trunk up as though it weighed nothing at all. "A lady should not have to struggle so."

Raife was already outfitting himself to patrol the grounds. Unlike Ebony, he wasn't given a first nights grace. He wathen her walk across the school grounds to the day school dorms, aware that she was being stalked by a night school girl.

"I'm just unlucky I guess." Katie said softly, never losing her smile. "Our driver got off early and left my stuff on the porch. But it's okay. I can manage. Really. You don't have to do that."

Ebony had no idea she was being watched by two different sets of eyes. The dark haired young woman was dancing as she walked, humming to herself, a stark contrast to the persona she had everyone else in the school believing.

"Just your things? What about that charming sister you have? Were her belongings left to prying eyes?" Tobias asked, making it clear he had nothing even like affection for the dark haired twin.

"Very good dancing, little one." A lovely blonde haired girl appeared from the shadows not far from where Ebony was. "Have you been formerly trained?"

"No. Thank goodness the man at least got to one of us." Katie said innocently. "And the trunks are locked. Besides, no one really wants to see...my underwear."she finished in a loud whisper.

Ebony instantly stopped, the mask of her outward persona sliding back into place. It was none of this girl's business if ballet had been Enony's life for a long time. "Shouldn't you be with the other rich bitches?" She snorted.

Tobias smiled once more, leaning a little closer to Katie. "That all depends on whether you are wearing it at the time." He purred.