El was becoming increasingly sure this whole thing was a mistake. Sure, it was<i>nice </i>to get to make a friend who wasn't caught up in the top ranked jockeying. Sure, it was good to just be able to get some of her homework done without having to try to sneak it in between whatever the hell Dustin was doing. Sure, there were some<i>reasons </i>she had been enjoying this whole thing. But if Dustin was sending his friends to look for her he was going to be pissed. And her new friend had ducked off and seemed intent on causing some trouble, possibly on her behalf, which was<br/><br/>sweet and stupid and all sorts of problematic.<br/><br/>Most of the time top ranked students couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the lower ranks. Climbing and keeping high ranks took too much time to bother. But if Salt made enemies on her behalf...<br/><br/>Just as she was starting to think the best course of action might be to just bite the bullet, present herself to Dustin's friend like a good little familiar running home, and take the consequences-<br/><br/>She wasn't completely sure she followed the course of events. There was suddenly one of the school's vampires next to her. Not one of the top ranked ones she knew to keep an eye on. Before she could even try to de-escalate the situation and explain everything was<i>fine </i>she was suddenly outside? Far from the situation? It was only the understanding of a vampire's power she'd gotten from being claimed by one for about a week a few months ago that had her pretty sure she knew it was a quickstep and not...<br/><br/>Breathe. Calm herself. She knew the importance of being calm around a vampire if nothing else. Dilion had taught her that much. Keep calm. Try to slow her heartbeat and steady herself. Give a vaguely embarrassed smile towards her apparent rescuer. Be very glad Dustin was a witch who wouldn't be able to smell this guy on her later and throw and absolute fit over it. "I'm alright. Thanks. Just needed to avoid someone and," she gave a vague gesture around herself. "well and truly avoided." She should say thanks. She should also go. She sho-<br/><br/>Shit.<br/><br/>"My cape!" She said with sudden alarm. She'd been holding her bag when she was quick stepped out of the cafeteria but the cape part of her uniform had still been hanging from her chair. She looked back towards the cafeteria, distracted from her moment of gratitude by the steep price of replacing top level uniforms and the new level of absolute fit that would be thrown by Dustin if she lost part of hers.