I Hate That I Love You

Chapter 7

MG sat down at an empty table in the cafeteria. Around him, the students of the Mikaelson Academy were bustling about. Laughing and talking, just like how ordinary teenagers would act at an ordinary school.

But obviously, this was no ordinary school.

MG began to chew on his sandwich, not giving his food much thought. Instead, he began to recollect the day's events.

People had stared and pointed at him, but it was nothing he hadn't expected. It wasn't every day that a kid from your rival school started attending classes with you. However, no one had been particularly unfriendly to him, and MG had taken that as a good sign.

"Hey," someone said.

MG looked up, and saw that a girl with strawberry blonde hair was grinning back at him.

"You're MG, right? The ripper of the Salvatore School?" the girl asked.

"Is that my official title now?" MG said rather dejectedly.

"Oh- sorry, I didn't mean it like that," the girl quickly said. "It's just... I mean, I overheard some of the vampires talking about you earlier, and I guess their nickname for you just got stuck in my head."

"It's fine," MG said, thought it wasn't fine at all.

"Hannah Greene," she extended her hand forward. "I'm the witch in charge of the volunteer committee here at the Mikaelson Academy."

"You have a volunteer committee?" MG said, surprised. "Why?"

He couldn't think of a single reason as to why this rich and powerful school would need student volunteers within its ranks.

Hannah shrugged. "It's a way to help improve the school's image, I guess. 'Founded by the most dangerous and deadliest family in the history of the world' doesn't have that much of a friendly ring to it, you know?"

She shook her head. "Anyways, I just wanted to see how you were getting along. Make sure you were adjusting well on your first day."

This was unexpected. MG had always thought the Mikaelson students were all a bunch of high-minded kids with superiority complexes. But Hannah seemed kind of... Friendly.

"Thanks," MG said. "Everything has been alright so far."

Hannah nodded. "You seem like a nice person, MG," she said. "So can I offer you some advice?"

"Um... Sure?" MG said curiously.

"Some of the vampires are going to corner you later, and they're going to ask you to join them for a walk into town. Don't go with them," Hannah said. "They've got this whole deal doing on- some are betting that you're a cold-hearted killer, and others are thinking you're a perky little bunny eater who pathetically loses control sometimes. They want you to feed to disprove one of the theories, and-"

"Right," MG said, suddenly not feeling as good as he was two minutes ago. "I'll stay away from them."

"Good," Hannah nodded. "Hey- You wanna join me and my friends later, for a drink at the Grill?" she asked.

"Sure," MG said, relieved at the change of topic.

Hannah left, and not five minutes later, four vampires walked up to MG, just as she had predicted.

"MG, right?" one of the vampires asked. "I'm Warren. Me and my friends were just wondering-"

"Not interested," MG interrupted him. He stood up to leave.

"You didn't even hear what I had to say," Warren laughed.

One of Warren's friends walked up behind MG and pushed him back into his seat.

"See, every autumn, the Mystic Falls High kids throw this huge bonfire party in the woods. Sienna here," Warren said, nodding to a girl with pitch black hair and blood red lips, "Has some friends in the Mystic Falls High cheering squad. They invited her to come. And we were just wondering if you'd like to be her plus one."

"Again," MG said, "Not interested."

"Is that right?" Sienna said, leaning forward. "You'll be missing out on a lot, MG. Cheerleaders are delicious, you know."

"I'm pretty sure he knows that already," Warren grinned. "I mean, look what he did to the captain of the cheerleading squad two nights ago! Maya Machado's her name, isn't it?"

MG slammed his hands onto the table and shoved off the vampire who was holding him.

Heads turned their way. Everyone began to watch them, as if they were eager for a fight to take place.

"I don't feed for fun," MG snarled. "So leave me alone."

"Funny how you think we'll actually listen to you," Sienna said. "In fact, why don't we just-"

"What are you four doing over there?" Freya Mikaelson's voice rang throughout the cafeteria.

Warren, Sienna, and their two vampire friends spun around on the spot, looking annoyed but apprehensive at their headmistress's presence.

"We were just talking," Warren muttered.

"Talk someplace else," Freya snapped.

The four of them walked away, and Freya turned to MG with a sigh.

"I'm sorry about that," she said. "But if you've finished with your lunch, maybe you can join me in my office? We're all ready for you to begin your control sessions."

MG gave a quick nod, and watched as Freya left. He took in a deep breath. Today, he would be taking the first step into becoming a non-ripper. Praying desperately that the sessions would end in a few short weeks so that he could go back to the Salvatore School, MG stood up and walked after Freya.