I realise that, with Xander being new here, we don't know anything about him. I take the opportunity to interrogate him. 'So, where did you move from?'
He jolts at my question. He's uncomfortable and doesn't want to answer. 'I'm from somewhere beyond the mountains, ' he mumbles.
Janie laughs at his reply, thinking he's just playing with me.
'In what town?' I ask.
Xander hesitates momentarily as he thinks of the memory of his hometown. 'It's a place that feels...ancient,' he says slowly. 'The buildings are made of stone, and the streets are narrow and winding. There are small graveyards everywhere, and the air is always thick with fog. It's a small town that most people haven't heard of,' he finally answers evasively.
I narrow my eyes at his response, feeling more suspicious than ever. Janie, however, seems completely oblivious to the tension in the air. 'Oh, I love small towns!' she says, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
But I can't shake the feeling that Xander is hiding something, but I decide to let it go for now.
As we walk down the hall, Xander remains quiet. Janie seems to have forgotten all about my previous questions and starts talking animatedly about her grandma and the magical stories she used to tell her. Xander listens intently, a faint smile on his lips. I can't help but feel a twinge of envy at the easy rapport between the two.
As Tori and Martha appear ahead of them, a smirk spreads across their faces, causing Janie's smile to fade and her expression to morph into one of worry. Xander picks up on the sudden shift in Janie's demeanour, and his own face contorts into a scowl.
Martha steps confidently towards Xander, places her hand on his chest, and greets him with a smile, 'I hear you're new here. It's so nice to meet you, Xander,' she flirts.
Janie's hurt expression doesn't go unnoticed as Martha continues, 'You know you're too good-looking to hang out with these two losers. Hang out with us, and you'll be the most popular guy in the academy. And I know what you're thinking,' she laughs, 'Yes, I am single.'
Xander's anger is apparent as he grabs Martha's hand and stares her down, his disgust plain to see. 'I'd rather hang with these losers than you grubs, any day. Don't ever put your nasty hands on me again,' he spits, his voice low and menacing, making his stance clear.
The impact of Xander's words is felt throughout the corridor as everyone comes to a sudden halt and whispers in shock. No one has ever dared to stand up to Martha and her clique. Tori and Martha's faces contort with shock and disbelief, while Xander's unexpected show of support brings a sense of satisfaction to me. While Janie's magic may not be real, Xander's willingness to stand up for us is just as powerful. He may have scored a brownie point with me, but he still has a long way to go before he earns my trust.
Martha has never been spoken to in such a blunt and dismissive manner, especially by someone she perceives as inferior to her. The fact that Xander has refused her invitation to join her group and insulted her friends has her mortified. Despite her efforts to remain composed and conceal her emotions, Martha's facial expressions betray her anger and frustration with Xander for rejecting her offer and publicly shaming her.
In a fit of indignation, Martha huffs, 'You'll be sorry for speaking to me, the most popular girl in this academy like that!'
Without further ado, Martha storms off to the nearest ladies' room with her circle of followers in tow, all of whom are equally shaken by the incident.
Xander reaches out his arm, offering it to Janie to hold onto. Her face illuminates with joy as she grasps his arm with both hands. They walk out the doors together, leaving me to chase after them.
'Wait for me!' I shout, trying to catch up.
Janie looks up at Xander with admiration. 'Thank you for defending me,' she beams.
Xander dismisses her gratitude, brushing it off as if it was nothing. 'Those girls? They weren't a problem. Getting rid of wraiths, now that's a challenge. Especially the ones that scream,' he says, rubbing his forehead as if they give him a headache, and subtly jolts in realising what he's said.
Janie blinks with a vague look etched on her face before breaking into laughter. 'You're hilarious,' she giggles. Turning to me, she points at Xander. 'Isn't he so funny?'
I force a smile, mentally rolling my eyes at her comment. 'Oh yeah, Xander is a real comedian,' I reply in a monotone voice.
Xander's expression turns stern, his gaze narrowing at my lacklustre response.
Xander and Janie's eyes lock in a moment of silent admiration, their lips tugging upwards into a smile. Their unspoken connection is palpable, and I can almost feel the electricity crackling between them. As I watch, I can't help but envision their lips drawing closer and colliding in a fiery, passionate kiss. My head shakes involuntarily at the thought, and I quickly step in between them, placing a hand on their chests to separate them. 'Yes, so, as my best friend Janie said, thanks for sticking up for us, but we gotta go,' I say to Xander.
I gently spin Janie around, nudging her forward and breaking the trance between them. 'Bye, Xander!' Janie calls over her shoulder, giving a little wave as we hurry off.
Janie turns to me, excitement in her eyes. 'Isn't he just the sweetest?' she says dreamily.
I resist the urge to gag. 'Yeah, sure. Xander is a real prince charming,' I reply dryly.
Janie giggles, still not picking up on my sarcasm. 'I know, right? I feel so lucky to have him as a friend,' she says.
I roll my eyes again. I may not be a fan of Xander, but if he makes Janie happy, then I suppose he can't be all bad.
'Just so long as he doesn't replace me,' I tell her.
Janie laughs, 'You know you're irreplaceable, Rose,' she smiles. 'Besides, who else would I share my embarrassing childhood stories with?'
I laugh, my eyes gleaming with amusement. 'No one else could handle the shame,' I tease, nudging Janie with my elbow.
I feel a bit better, hearing Janie's reassurance, but as I glance back, I notice that Xander has mysteriously disappeared without a trace.
'Where did he go?' I mutter to myself, scanning the area for any sign of him. 'Does he have some sort of secret ninja teleportation power or something?'
Janie laughs at my comment, shaking her head. 'Who knows? Maybe he's just really good at slipping away unnoticed,' she suggests with a shrug.