[Maeve wakes up more well rested than the night before. She puts on clothes and runs downstairs to find Luka on the couch. Luka’s eyes light up, the weight of anxiety lifted from his body.]

[He picks up his notepad from beside him.]

Luka (w): Good morning, Maeve! 

Maeve: Hey Luka, I’m feeling so much better today. 

Luka (w): I’m glad you are. You were in pretty rough shape yesterday. 

Maeve: How are you? 

Luka (w): Good, I’ve never had to use this notepad so much. 

[Elle drags herself the way a demon would drag themselves out of hell. Amelia trots behind.]

Elle: What a coincidence! Melly and I were just talking about how you owe me a favor, Maeve! 

Maeve: What? No. 

[Luka grips his pencil so hard it bends, they are both on the brink of snapping.]

Elle: You lost! 

Maeve: Why would I ever do anything for you? 

Amelia: Because next time, I will aim for your heart. Or throat. Or brain. Maybe all three! Ooh, if I aim for your throat, neither of you would be able to talk! You’d be the perfect couple! 

[Elle and Amelia gleefully skip away, knowing that they’ve won the upper hand. Luka scratches his pencil into the paper vigorously.]

Luka (w): You need to tell someone. 

[The last two words are underlined.]

Maeve: Why haven’t you told someone? Hasn’t she been doing this for years? 

Luka (w): Yes, but they won’t believe me. Elle has made sure of it. 

Maeve: Why not? 

Luka (w): Look at me, I’m a demon! The headmaster loves her! 

Maeve: So am I. 

Luka (w): You are also a Princess, and only half demon. They might actually believe you. 

[The bell rings, and their conversation ends abruptly. Maeve sits near August and Oliver. Luka uncomfortably sits down next to her. August makes sure to keep his gaze fixated on Luka.]

[Ethan joins them last. Upon seeing Maeve he remembers the events from the previous night.]

Ethan: Maeve! I’ve been waiting to talk to you. I didn’t see you at dinner last night and I thought something might’ve-

Oliver: Ethan, what are you talking about? She skipped class, so what? It was the first day, we did nothing. 

Ethan: No, you don’t understand. She showed up to my dorm last night with a huge gash in her shoulder. 

Maeve: I’m fine, Ethan. I told you, I got the cut from an accident. 

Ethan: It was deep. I don’t understand how exactly an “accident” could have caused that. 

[There is an extended pause as the brothers wait for Maeve to respond. She avoids eye contact.]

Ethan: Maeve, it’s ok, you can tell us what really happened.

[Maeve closes her eyes, breathes in and out, and readies herself.]

Maeve: I was stabbed with a knife. It was-

Ethan: Luka right? He’s not good news. 

[Luka furrows his brows. He hates being directly shamed as if he can’t hear.]

Maeve: He can’t speak, but he can hear, you idiot! And no, it wasn’t him. 

Ethan: Look, who else could it be? Besides, he’s Elle’s biggest bully, you shouldn’t be talking to him. 

Maeve: You think that he bullies Elle? 

Ethan: Yes, of course he does. 

Maeve: Have you ever even talked to him? 

Ethan: How are you supposed to talk to a guy who doesn’t talk? 

Maeve: You never even tried. 

[Maeve, frustrated beyond compare, pushes her chair out from the table. She stomps away to cool off on the couch. Luka doesn’t follow.]

~~~

[Luka guides Maeve to the classroom. The only available seats are next to the brothers.]

[An unkempt teacher rushes through the door. Frantically, he searches his desk for papers, but comes up empty handed.]

Teacher: It seems I have left my notes in my room. Is there a pair who is willing to fetch them for me? 

[Maeve glances at Luka, and he nods. They raise their hands together.]

Teacher: Yes, you two. They are on my desk, in my room. Meanwhile, everyone else discusses in your groups how being an angel, human, or demon affects your life. 

[Luka and Maeve awkwardly walk out of class. They find the room labeled with their teacher’s name. The decor is minimal, there are boxes and packing material everywhere, on his desk is a photo of the teacher and a girl.]

[Maeve finds the binder with his lesson plan. She turns around, ready to leave.]

Maeve: Luka, let’s leave now. 

[Luka doesn’t move.]

Maeve: Luka, come on. Please. Let’s go. 

[Luka taps her. She turns around.]

Maeve: What? 

[He hands her a note, torn out of the notepad.]

Luka (w): I know something is up. Talk to me. 

[Maeve collapses to the ground and curls into a ball. Luka sits next to her.]

Maeve: What am I gonna do? They all think that you did it! I thought they would just… believe me. 

Luka (w): Yeah, no. Story of my life. They probably won’t believe you, unless you talk to one of the other brothers? 

Maeve: August was attacked by a demon. There’s no way he will listen to me.

Luka (w): There’s still Oliver. We can tell Ethan the full story, and if he doesn’t listen, we can talk to Oliver. 

Maeve: “We?” Are you coming with me? 

Luka (w): If it helps. 

Maeve : Yeah, I think I’d like that. Thank you. 

Maeve hugs Luka. They hold for a few seconds, until Maeve swiftly pulls away. 

Maeve: Class! We have to go back to class. 

Luka (w): I’ll race you there! 

[They rush back to the classroom, racing through the hallways together. They arrive at the classroom out of breath but happy.]

[Ethan notices Maeve’s puffy eyes and her rush to get back to the classroom after being alone with Luka. His expression darkens.]

[Gasping for breath, Maeve hands the teacher his notes.]

Teacher: Thank you two. Although maybe we shouldn’t run in the halls? 

Maeve: Yeah, yes. Of course. 

[As Maeve and Luka return to their seats, the buzz of the classroom resumes. The teacher shuffles through his notes, stopping at a page, and then shushes the class.]

Teacher: Today, we are going to start our first class project. You are seated in the groups you will work with. I want you all to make a presentation on the history of demons, angels, and humans. Start by discussing which species you will cover. Any questions? 

[The class begins to talk frantically. The mood has been smothered by the announcement of a new project.]

[The brothers and Maeve turn to one another to discuss their project as Luka readies his notepad.] 

Ethan: August, you want to cover angels with me? 

August: I’d like to cover demons. I have quite a bit of personal experience with them. 

[There is a weight behind August’s words.]

Maeve: Right. Since I already know a lot about angels and demons- you know, given the fact I’m half angel and demon, I’ll just work on the human section. 

Oliver: Wait, you’re a demon?

Maeve: Half demon. The wings? 

Oliver: Oh, I thought that was a birth defect or something. 

[Oliver shrugs.]

Oliver: Anyways, I’ll work on angels with you Ethan. Luka, do you want to cover humans? 

Luka (w): Nah, I want to cover demons. I have a lot of personal experience too. 

August: Nope, I object. 

Maeve: Why? He can work on demons if he wants to. 

August: I’m not working with a demon. 

Luka (w): What do you even know about demons? 

August: They kill humans and angels, and they fight for fun. 

Luka (w): We have like a thousand festivals throughout the year where we celebrate fire, life and other things. We aren’t all doom and gloom. 

August: If demons are good, then why was I attacked by one? 

Luka (w): Because you are literally one of the most famous figures in the Angel Region. 

Ethan: Can we just focus on the presentation? Let’s start working. 

[The group works on the presentation, but it is almost as if there is a chasm separating the two sides of the table. Luka and Maeve work like a well oiled machine, while Ethan, Oliver, and August get distracted often by their friends and by each other.]

~~~

[Luka and Maeve burst out of the classroom along with the hoard of bored children. Luka pulls Maeve to a quiet corner away from the rushing river of kids.]

Luka (w): We are telling Ethan now, right? 

Maeve: Yes. Yes we are going to tell him the full story. Come on! 

[Maeve now pulls Luka into the stream of children, and wanders upstairs to the dorm rooms. Maeve finds Ethan’s dorm once again. Luka knocks on the door.]

[Ethan answers the door. He is disappointed at the sight of Luka, but once he notices Maeve, he is slightly happier.]

Ethan: Luka and Maeve. What do you need? 

Maeve: Can we come in? Please? 

Ethan: Fine. 

[Ethan holds the door open for both of them, and allows them to come in. He thinks about slamming the door on Luka, but instead takes pity on him.]

[The dorm is messy. Papers are scattered and books have been left open on the bed and desk.]

[The only space in the room without clutter is the corner in which August sits, as if he cleared room for himself.]

Ethan: Finally going to confess, Luka? Are you actually going to tell me what happened, Maeve? 

Maeve: No to the first question. Yes to the second. 

[Maeve describes her bargain with Elle. She describes every detail of the fight and Elle’s cheating. Luka stands beside her.]

Maeve: I don’t know what to do. I need some help. 

[Ethan with his hand on his chin, ponders for a moment.]

[The silence stretches miles.]

Ethan: Did you really think that was a believable story? Was that the best you could tell her to say, Luka? What are you actually doing to her? 

Maeve: Ethan! It’s not a lie! 

Ethan: Why would Elle do anything like that? She’s a sweetheart, I’ve known her for years! 

August: Yeah, Oli even dated her. There’s no way she would even hurt a fly. 

Ethan: I know, right? Look, Maeve, it’s clear that he stabbed you or whatever, you can get him expelled if you want. He’s a full blown demon, for god’s sake! Of course he stabbed you! 

[Tears start to form at the edges of both Maeve’s and Luka’s eyes.]

Maeve: And what about me? I’m a demon too? 

Ethan: No, you’re not Maeve. You’re the heir to the throne. It’s different. He’s a demon-nobody who torments angels for fun. 

[Luka stomps out, slamming the door behind him. Maeve starts to follow him.]

Maeve: At least he actually listens to me. If you had half a brain, you’d understand.

[Maeve tracks down Luka in his dorm. The boy looks tiny, curled into a tight ball.]

Maeve: Luka, I’m sorry about all the garbage he said to you. It doesn’t mean anything, coming from him. 

[Luka doesn’t even attempt to make a move for his notepad. The only noises that fill his room are the sounds of him sobbing.]

Maeve: I’m really sorry, Luka. 

[Maeve pats Luka on the back, the way a mother would comfort her crying child. She leaves him alone, determined to find someone to listen to her.]

[She walks aimlessly down the dorm hallway, eyes passing from sign to sign, name to name, person to person. She stops at one, and knocks.]

Oliver: Come in! 

[Oliver’s voice echoes out of the dorm room. Maeve turns the handle, listening to each click from the mechanics of the handle.]

[She lets the door glide open. It hits the doorstop with a thud.]

Oliver: Maeve? You ok? 

[Oliver sits up straight, and puts his book down. Maeve’s tears flood out from the depths of her body.]

[Oliver stands up and runs to her. He wraps his arms around her tightly, which only leads to Maeve sobbing uncontrollably.]

[After a while, Maeve quiets, and they silently walk into his room together. They each take a seat on his bed.]

Oliver: So, you wanna talk about it? 

Maeve: I tried to tell Ethan this, but he won’t hear me. Elle has been awful to Luka and I. Luka told me that Elle has been hurting him for years. I saw her yelling at Luka and I challenged her to a fight- and so we fought. Except she stabbed me in the shoulder, with a knife laced with something. 

[Her voice cracks and breaks.]

Maeve: Please just— just believe me. 

[Oliver pauses, just as his brother did.]

Oliver: Hey Maeve, can I tell you something that Elle would legally and actually kill me if it got out? 

Maeve: Uh- sure, I won’t tell anyone.

Oliver: Elle cheated on me. Multiple times. Even in my own castle. She just has this power over people. Even me. A part of the royal family. She was only dating me for popularity, really. I wanted a real relationship for once, and I took a chance on Elle, and she never even cared. So yeah, I believe you. 

[Oliver quiets for a moment. He takes a deep breath.]

Oliver: I just- I don’t know what I could do? I couldn’t even tell my brothers about Elle. 

Maeve: I don’t know. It’s just- I barely know Miss Parselle. But I’ve known you for a while, and it was much easier to talk to you than to her. 

Oliver: I can try to talk to Elle, if you’d like. I’ll get her off your back— 

[Oliver hesitates, considering the potential consequences of making a joke.]

Oliver: …and your shoulder, I guess. 

[Both Maeve and Oliver break into smiles, their childish giggles filling the silent dorm room.]

~~~