14. A month later, the Bardersons are still not back yet by the way, the kids seem to be living as usual, and by usual that means apart from each other most of the time.

At school with Maximus, Melodie, and Celsius, it's lunch time, the best time, and all the kids rush in getting their plates.

"Ew...This lunch looks disgusting, how am I supposed to eat this?" Melodie says in a straightforward tone towards the careless lunch lady.

Melodie stands there for an answer, standing as if she is surrounded by bodyguards, causing some of the kids to say, "just take the lunch!" 

"Nobody’s talking to you!" Melodie says annoyed, almost causing her powers to show up as the plate moves from within her hands, causing one of the kids to say, "did that just move on its own? Or am I just too hungry and seeing visions?"

Melodie backs up a bit, with anxiety filling her body it seems as she says, "It was me, my hands, that's all, you know, the Arkemia?" 

Then she walks away before they can say anything else, with her looking for a table, trying to find anyone who will sit with her, willingly, but Melodie catches the eye of a certain table, by the back and a window seat, with a girl head down on the table, causing Melodie to slowly walk up to the table as the girl lifts her head up.

"Claree...I knew it was you, can I sit?"

"Go ahead..." Claree says in a strange raspy type voice, as if she had been sick.

Melodie just looks at Claree as she sits in front of her disgusting food, with Melodie nitpicking at every piece of meat on her plate.

"This food is making my hair look dull." She grabs a string of her hair, as her hair color is a bright green right now.

Claree finally sits up, revealing no food under her, but coconut water.

"Ew...Coconut water." 

"I know, it's delicious."

"I..." Claree looks to the window again, then Melodie starts saying, "coconut milk is better," she whispers. 

Claree sips the water, looking Melodie directly in the eye, her bright purple eyes are enchanting to look at, as Melodie just stares back at her, finally breaking the silence with, "stop trying to be creepy! I'm eating here whether you like it or not! I have made no friends yet, so, for right now, you are my friend, especially if you want to be closer to Max." 

Melodie's voice shifts into an demanding tone as she mentions Max, causing Claree to stop drinking, with silence taking over them again, as the loudness of the cafeteria is taking over instead.

"You are acting stranger than usual...You even look kinda pale today...What happened to your tan?" Claree looks out the window, as Melodie tries her best to eat.

Again, the silence, and with Claree's odd behavior, makes the whole feasting, very uncomfortable. But, Melodie is desperate for friends at this point, even though she doesn't like Claree.

"Claree, do you want me to sit here?" Claree turns to her again, saying simply, "no."

Melodie answers back immediately saying, "why? You think I'm annoying like everyone says I am?"

Claree just smirks at her, then says, "I would appreciate it if you leave me alone." "If that's the case I'm not leaving, I don't want to look stupid for sitting here, people are already looking." 

"That's because you keep yelling." 

"No, it's because you look like a basket case today."

Claree pulls her jacket in closer, wearing today not her suit, but pants, a shirt and jacket, actually her outfit is pretty plain looking, but her eyes keep everything well suited.

"Are you done eating or something? Why is it that you just have coconut water?" 

"Because yes, I'm done eating." 

"Oh? Is that why you don't want me here with you?" 

"No..." She answers in an annoyed tone.

"Well, do you like my new hair?" 

"Looks like grass now." 

"You idiot! It's a pale green stupid." 

"Hm, if that's the case, then a rich man's patch of grass, you know, like your parents yard? I didn't think it'd be light green either, but, who knows, maybe it's like a golf course." 

"Ugh...Thanks for ruining my self esteem." 

"It was already ruined if you chose that as a hair color." 

"What? Do you hate green or something?" 

"No, it's one of my favorites actually, it's just that you ruined one of my favorite colors." 

"Whatever weirdo."

They continue in silence again until Melodie starts saying, "Maximus attracts the strangest people I see." Claree starts smirking at Melodie, with her saying, "Is that a bad thing..?" 

"Not unless you make it a bad thing." Melodie says with food stuffed in her mouth.

Claree starts slowly laughing, then she leans back in laughter as if she truly found something hilarious.

Melodie, feeling more uncomfortable, begins to say, "what's so funny?"

Claree quickly fixes herself and sits straight like she was before, leaning against the table, playing with her coconut water straw, looking as cute and innocent as ever.

"Um...Claree? What were you laughing at?" "Nothing, something funny that I just remembered, that's all."

"You're laughing at me aren't you?" 

"No, there is nothing to laugh at." 

"Excuse me?" 

Claree starts chuckling again.

Melodie sits up and knocks Claree's coconut water over, spilling it on the table, with Melodie saying, "I hate you Claree!" Causing the kids to react in the background.

Claree looks at the spill, then turns her head towards Melodie, saying, "I don't want a girl fight, I don't want a rivalry, and I don't want my friendship with Max to fail, but I will admit, I don't like you either."

Claree grabs her bag and leaves Melodie, as Melodie gets up saying, "whatever this is isn't over!" As the kids continue to stare, with Melodie saying, "what are you tweens looking at, eat!"

Some continue to eat, but as Melodie looks back to see if Claree is still there, she isn't, Claree has left completely, like she was never there at all.