Night School by Mari Mancusi

getting nano’ed just to get one good punch in ...
    But no. For Sunny’s sake, I need to suck it up. “Fine,” I say, through gritted teeth. “May we, my good sir, PLEASE have permission to step away from your glorious presence for a short time?”
    Corbin smirks and for a moment I think he’s actually going to deny me still, but then he nods his head at Peter. “Let her go,” he commands.
    Peter does and I accidentally-on-purpose stomp on his foot as I stumble away. He howls in protest and Corbin’s cat eyes lock onto mine. “You’re a feisty one, Little Slayer,” he purrs. “I like that.” Giving me a mocking bow, he adds, “I’ll be keeping my eye on you.” Then he turns to his little minions and gestures for them to follow him down the hill, thankfully leaving Sunny and I alone at last.
    “What a jerk!” I growl as I watch them go.
    “You weren’t exactly Miss Congeniality yourself,” Sunny reminds me.
    “What was I supposed to do?” I ask her. “Get down on the ground and let them walk all over us? Kiss their skinny slayer asses? Not in this lifetime, sister.”
    Sunny opens her mouth, probably to say something super annoying about turning the other cheek, but luckily is interrupted by an anxious Lilli, who’s standing a few feet away, wringing her hands together, her face white and anxious.
    “Are you guys okay?!”
    “Yeah, we’re fine. Just a little wounded pride.” I glare down the road at the retreating gang. The others students scurry to keep their distance as they pass by like they’re God’s gift to vampire slayers. “What’s up with those losers?”
    Lilli rolls her eyes. “They’re Alphas,” she explains. “The best of the best, here at Slay School and they know it, too. Total bullies to anyone who doesn’t live up to their skill or coolness standards—which is just about everyone besides the five of them. Trust me, you’re best off avoiding them as much as possible.”
    “Don’t worry,” I say, shaking my head and turning away from the group. “I have absolutely no interest in becoming friends.” With them or anyone else at this godforsaken school at this point.
    “Anyway, I swear not everyone here at Slay School is like that. In fact, most people are really nice,” Lilli insists. “Why don’t you come down to the cafeteria with me and I’ll introduce you around? We could get you some food or a ... drink of some kind.” She looks at me like she can tell I’m starved.
    Her offer makes my stomach growl, but sadly not for what the Slay School cafeteria will provide. This growing bloodlust is going to be a serious problem. I wonder how long I can go without drinking ...
    I realize Lilli is waiting for an answer.
    “Sun? You want to eat?” I ask my sister for the second time today.
    But predictably, Lady Lovelorn shakes her head. “I just ... I just want to go back to our room,” she says sadly. “I’ll catch you later.” And with that, she turns and continues to trudge up the hill toward the dorm without even a good-bye.
    “Sorry,” I say to Lilli. “I’d better go check on her. She’s really homesick.”
    Lilli watches Sunny go. “I understand,” she says. “I can grab some extra food and drinks and bring them back for you.”
    I guess I should be grateful there’s at least one decent person at this ridiculous school, even if she is a bit annoying. After thanking her, I say my good-byes and head back to the room to find my sister.
    I find her, not surprisingly, I suppose, curled up in a ball, cradling her useless cell phone in her arms. The speakerphone is on and I can hear Magnus’s voice over the airwaves. One of the last messages he’d left her yesterday, before any of this happened. It’s all she has, I guess.
    Hearing me, she sits up with a start, her face flushed with embarrassment as she clicks off the phone.
    “You okay?” I ask, sitting down beside her on the bed, reaching over to stroke her hair. She’s growing it super long these