At lunch, as promised, Solara met Valerie at her locker. The girl smiled as she approached. “Solara! Hey girl! I’m glad you made it.” She looked at the boy next to her. “Andy, this is Solara! Ain’t that such a cool name?”

He smiled. “It is pretty. A pretty name for a very pretty girl.” He stated. 

“Well, thank you.” Solara responded. She was used to being flirted with. It happened rather often wherever she went. “So, the cafeteria?”

“Yeah! This way.” Val took Solara’s wrist and headed into the large dining hall. It was bustling with chatty, hungry teenagers. This never got old. Valarie led her to a table with two other girls sitting. “Solara, this is Lyra and Trish. Girls, this here is the one and only Solara.”

“Hello. You can just call me Sol if you would like to.” She hummed a bit, trying to be friendly.

“Nice to meet you, Sol.” One of the girls with gorgeous black hair stated. “Welcome to the group.”

“It’s a pleasure.” Solara took a seat and opened up her lunch. She started eating while the others chatted around her. But she suddenly heard a crash and a scream before yelling ensued. Looking up, she saw a beautiful blond girl yelling at a boy for spilling a drink on her. She seemed…very familiar. “Valarie, who is that?”

Valarie was already looking at the scene. “Her name is Mira. I would steer clear of her if I were you. She has a bad habit of picking on the weak.”

“You don’t have to worry about me then.” Solara got up and walked over to them, against Valarie’s best judgment. “Excuse me, are you done?” She asked the blond.

“Who the hell are you?” Mira asked in a huffy tone. “This moron spilled juice all over me! It’s going to stain my favorite shirt!”

Solara grabbed some napkins off of a table and gestured to the girls shirt. “May I?” A little magic to help someone was never out of the question as long as she kept it on the down low.

“Ugh, you can try but I’m telling you, It’s impossible.” Mira rolled her eyes.

Solara quietly reached out and wiped her shirt. She lifted the stain, pulling all of the liquid out of the fabric. “Tada. Not as hard as you thought. Now will you leave this poor, apologizing boy alone?”

Mira was in shock. She blushed in embarrassment for being wrong and turned away. “Whatever!” She stormed off and Solara let out a sigh. 

“Are you alright?” She turned to the boy. He nodded, fixing his glasses.

“Thank you for helping me. You didn’t have to do that…” He mumbled.

Solara smiled softly. “Of course I did. If no one stands up to the bullies, they will continue to be just that.”

He nodded. “Thats true… Thank you again.” He headed off to continue with his lunch. Solara went back to her seat.

“Damn girl! That was a show!” Trish chimed. “How did you get that out of her shirt?”

Solara chuckled. “Blot, don’t rub. It’s an old wives trick.” She took another bite of her food. 

“That so? Well, you sure embarrassed her.” Lyra added. “She’ll be out for blood next time she sees you.”

“I’m not worried about it.” She could easily protect herself. “But thank you for worrying for me.”

“Aww, of course. You’re one of us now. Us girls gotta stick together.” Lyra smiled. 

Solara was going to say something when she saw someone walk through the doors. Time seemed to slow down and her heart skipped a beat. Looking the same as the boy she had once loved, the same aura he carried around him, in walked a jock… And on his arm was a whining Mira.