Leo found her at recess.
She was sitting on a bench at the edge of the playground, watching the other children play. She'd learned to be still—a habit from her mother. Movement drew attention. Stillness let you observe.
He sat beside her without asking. "You don't play."
"I don't know the games."
"You could learn."
She looked at him. Up close, his dark hair was messier than she'd realized. His eyes were brown. Ordinary brown. Human brown.
"Why do you care?" she asked.
"Because you're new. And because Rowan said I was weird, and I heard her, and I think maybe you're weird too."
Elara considered this. "What kind of weird?"
"I read during recess. I like old music. My dad has a record player and I listen to albums from before I was born. Everyone thinks that's strange."
"My dad has a record player too. He loves Nick Drake."
Leo's eyes widened. "Nick Drake? Pink Moon Nick Drake?"
"Yes."
"My dad says that album is perfect. He won't let me touch his copy."
They talked for the rest of recess. About music. About books. About the way the ocean looked different every day. Leo didn't ask why she'd moved to the coast. He didn't ask about her family. He just... talked. Like she was a person, not a mystery.
When the bell rang, he stood. "See you tomorrow, Ellis."
"See you tomorrow."
She watched him walk back toward the school. Rowan appeared beside her.
"You made a friend."
"I guess I did."
"Leo's okay. For a weirdo." Rowan grinned. "Welcome to normal school."
Elara smiled. But inside, she thought: This isn't normal. None of this is normal. I'm a wolf-vampire hybrid pretending to be a human girl named Ellis. And my only friend is a boy who likes Nick Drake.
She didn't know izf that was funny or terrifying.
Maybe both.