I waited for ten minutes; I waited till I was sure that Sinclair wouldn’t be coming. Then, I went into the library, having been amazed by the sculptured cat just by the entrance. As I stood amidst the hushed aisles of the library, the scent of aged paper and leather bindings enveloped me like a familiar embrace. It was strangely comforting, this sanctuary of knowledge, amidst the chaos in the hallways. With a faint smile, I decided to explore the shelves, my curiosity piqued by the prospect of uncovering hidden secrets within the pages of dusty tomes.My first class teacher would have to forgive me.Approaching the front desk, I greeted the librarian, a stern-looking woman peering at me over the rim of her glasses. "Excuse me, do you have any books on magic beasts?" I inquired, trying to sound nonchalant despite the excitement bubbling within me.The librarian's expression softened slightly, her curiosity evident as she regarded me. "Magic beasts, you say?" She murmured, her gaz
When I got to the shop, the first thing I noticed was that it was too crowded. When Peter and I had come here for the first time, when he had introduced the first shopkeeper whom I believed to be higher than the other one, it had been in the evening. There hadn’t been many people buying and selling in the big store then. Yet I had thought them many, I had thought I would be able to cope, having made the calculations in my head. I scoffed at myself now, at my mundane brain. Would I survive here? I found myself asking, taking in the bustling and shuffling of plenty of feet. “Dora! Over here!” I sharply turned toward the caller, relief tampering my nerves when I saw that it had been the first shopkeeper who was jovial, who Peter had introduced me to. Mr. Francis. “Good afternoon, Mr. Francis.” I greeted, when I got to him. “Good afternoon, Dora. How was school today?” He asked with a small smile on his face. Was he ever not smiling? Just throw a container of milk on the floor
Finally. I mused, looking at the time. It was half past six. I yawned, feeling hunger yanking my intestines and stretching. The sumptuous food that the matrons had filled up my plate with at the cafeteria seemed to have evaporated. I knew that the principal had been behind it, the food I mean. I had expected the matrons to hiss and maybe spit in my food, but there had been a relief look and somewhat happiness shining in their eyes as I had kept passing my tray from one matron to the other. It was then I had understood that they had wanted to report the bullying scenario, but had been afraid for their lives, and for their families. I was not sure what Rachel had used as a threat over them, but it had been enough to keep their mouths shut, and I wouldn’t understand that if I wasn’t in their position. It was probably the only reason why I had given a short smile to Sinclair when our eyes had met in the hallway after school had dismissed. He had stumbled in his steps, but I was al
Minions of Rachel? Interesting. I thought, taking another bite of the chocolate bar, the last one actually. My stomach grumbled when I was done, but I ignored it and stood up from the chair. I was done hearing them speak. I walked to the dustbin that was just next to the door, and dropped the wrap inside. “But to be honest, she might not go with the idea. As a matter of fact, she hasn’t responded to any of my texts since yesterday, or is it only me?” I paused, wanting to hear this. “Not at all. I think the queen might have confiscated her phone, or she just doesn’t want to talk.” “Well, I don’t blame her. She had been humiliated in front of the whole school. If you remembered, she hadn’t said a word after the cafeteria incident. Reasoning it now, I don’t think her mother had seized her phone. She just doesn’t want to talk with us. Perhaps, taking the days to process what exactly had happened. I’m still not sure why she didn't fight back.” “Yes, me too. Now that I think of it,
“Oh…that? I haven’t met her particularly since she was born. I can’t bother myself with something of no value. That family grates on my nerves for some reason. I would go as far as saying that I hate them. I share my parents’ feelings about them.”I balked, stepping away from the door. Partly because of the hate I heard in Chyra’s voice, and partly because my mind had told me to. But I didn’t consider my mind’s individuality at the moment, rather on Chyra’s hate. Diana was six years old, or perhaps seven. And she didn’t know the girl that was my closest ally? At least you should know the names of your enemies. I thought, sinking my fingers into my hair, ruffling them out of anger and mild frustration. “You know, Nina. I don’t know which family we should be afraid of the most. Chyra’s or Rachel’s?” Nina. The name of the third person. I listened keenly to get her own voice. “I think we should fear Rachel’s the more. At least Chyra’s parents don’t have blood on their hands yet.”
Why hadn’t the fourth girl spoken? I wondered, letting my eyes roam the lanky figure of the girl, who was short and wore nerd glasses. The girl had slightly spiked hair, as if they had just been pulled. My eyes rested and remained on her hands which were clasped in front of her. She wasn’t looking at me, rather she was staring at the floor like it was telling her something of importance. She was also carrying more than one bag. Now that I see it clearly, she was carrying the bag of the blondie. I knew because the blondie wasn’t carrying any. She was rather staring at me with annoyance mixed with faint curiosity. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was Chyra, noting the stance which reminded me of Peter and his brother, Dim. Yet, my eyes withdrew back to the fourth girl whom I hadn’t heard her voice. Another Levina. Of course , I could tell that she was their foot mat, another of their bullied. Was Rachel aware of this? I thought, remembering that I hadn’t seen the girl near them
“Is there a problem now?” I asked the girls, stamping down, with all of my will, the panic that was threatening to rise to the surface at the prospect of me being bullied in the store room. I could see one of the girls, Nina, bring out her phone from the slice in her jacket. They were going to video whatever was going to transpire here, whatever they were about to do. For a full minute, I regretted stopping here to eavesdrop. But then, would I have escaped this? They would have still waited for me. It was better that I had even eavesdropped. That way, I did have some hold over them. But then, I knew that I couldn’t use it now. It would be forcibly taken away, and my leverage would be gone before it could even be used. No, I couldn’t do that. But then, what do I do? How do I get free from this entanglement? I wondered, wishing almost frantically, that Raul would come here, to perhaps take something or anything at all. I wished that would come to check on me, and taunt me. During
‘Move, big head.’ The voice came from inside my head, just at the same time I felt a flurry of energy scurrying from my belly down to my leg; and then I was at the other side of the room all of a sudden, right across Chyra, who was looking at me with an open mouth. What just happened? One moment I was there, and now I was here?I looked at the wall where I had been reclining against, and it now had a dent on it. Something that would only knock me unconscious? That would have left my entire face bleeding! My annoyance got beaten down when I compared the distance from where I had been to where I was. Unless I was a cheetah, there was no way I would have moved that fast. What happened? I asked myself again, trying to check inside my head where the strange voice had spoken from. Move, big head? What was that? Who was that?I attempted talking to it mentally, but nothing came up. ‘Who are you? Why are you inside my body?’ No reply came. Was it a wolf? I shook my head. The pack
Was this a joke? It’s a lame one if it was.When I perused Daniel’s face however, he wasn’t laughing because he had made a joke, he was laughing because he thought it funny that I was lost for words in the face of his comment. He was serious. What the hell?! What in god's name was this anomaly? Was there no first aid kit in the Queen’s house? Was there no healer there? Even if there wasn’t, couldn’t the Queen have tended to the wounds since Adam was a guest of the palace?I released a string of curses then, ignoring the comical expression on Daniel’s face. Who had brought the stupid idea of bringing the hooligan to my house?I ruffled my hair angrily, disregarding my significant other’s exasperation with me for letting my emotions out in the open. ‘Must you act like you are actually shocked? This Lycan isn’t stupid. He would read you off like a book, or rather he has read you up already. No way would you be escaping his clutches now.’ She might be right, but this was no time to
Raul didn't smile at my figurative expression. He looked in the direction of Daniel rather—the manager had taken the Lycan to one side to discuss with him. I'm sure the manager was having the time of his life. "You should have told me…" Raul spoke, retuning his attention to me. "I would have bought you something, maybe taken you to the eatery just a few miles away from the store." All to prevent Daniel from walking with me? That was a little too late, because the anticipation of having Laura's food on an empty stomach was more tempting that going out on a date with Raul. 'It isn't a date. He just wants to buy you food.' Whatever. "I can still take you now…." Really? Nah. Sorry dude, try again the next time. "That's won't be necessary. I will be walking her home now. Her request was granted." Daniel said, interrupting us, giving the expert no I wanted to give Raul. "Are you ready to leave?" Daniel asked me, done with Raul. "I just need to get my bag." I mused, and left the bo
“Are you getting off on this? Are you a fan of bdsm? Do the hits and scorn give you the thrill you seek for?" Daniel's shock has given way to dry humor. He was annoyed. Well, I would be if the roles were reversed. Why the hell had I slapped him? Though it was called for—he had bullied me because he was just bored; he had made my life miserable because he was just bored—he didn't deserve it because he wouldn't know the exact reason why I had slapped him. He had a worser reason than Adam though. I wondered what Noah's would be. Maybe he was the one getting off the abuse? To Daniel's stupid yet deserved question, I shook my head. "Did you hit Adam when both of you had gotten cozy a week ago? See, I have thought about it, and for Adam to kiss you, to get into your space, it would mean that you had let him, that you had let him touch you. Am I wrong?" I gave no response, other than scrunching my face in disgust. Daniel didn't buy the fake expression this time around. "So, h
Daniel literally flinched at the vehemence in my voice. He didn’t see it coming. He flinched and withdrew his hand from my arm as if the entirety of my hand was hot fire. “I’m sorry. I just got over excited.” He said after a beat of silence had gone by, surprising me for the second time today. “I will help you arrange the boxes. We can talk as we do that, right?” I said nothing, instead I watched, stupefied, as he opened one of the cartons—he didn’t wait for a reply from me—and brought out a product. “Where should this go?” A good question that will retrieve an answer from me, because there was no way I would allow him to give me double work by not shelving properly. “Put it under that area. Others like it go on the same row. You know what I mean?” Daniel released a nervous laugh. “I might not be like Raul who serves the commoner, but I’m not dumb.” Thank the gods for that. I retraced my footsteps back to the carton I had been working on, choosing to be civil for the sake of m
Daniel balled his fists in anger at the question thrown to him by Raul. He darted glances between I and Raul as if we were both joining hands to attack him. Gabriella left his side, as if she was afraid that he might get insane, and walked to my side. Daniel, noticing this, gritted his teeth, before freeing his hands. “Good boy. Good that you noticed that this is not your living room, or your pack, or the school where students lived for drama. Now what do you want?” Raul asked, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. Was the boy courting death? I wondered, folding my arms across my chest. As much as I believe Raul’s words, I liked the drama. Gabriella mirrored my actions. We watched as Daniel opened his mouth, and then shut it. I wasn’t sure if it was because of nerves seeing that Raul had displaced him before he even started, or because whatever he wanted to say was embarrassing. Looking at him now, it was hard to believe that he was the same Daniel with the most running mouth amo
“Dora, do you think we will be done with this today?” Levina asked me as we slotted goods into their specific positions on a shelf. True to her word she had turned in her application to the store owner, who had hired her on the spot. But why not? Mr Lethon was a popular figure, and also a good person. I still remembered his last words to me the last time I had been in his office. He was good just like Peter. Peter had dropped me here before heading back home with Laura and a wide eyed Diana. My little sister had heard the news of my loss of control. It amazed her, rather than terrified her. But then, Diana was Diana, rarely terrified. “Yes, I believe we will. Gabriella mentioned that she will be here to help us after her work with Raul.” Levina snorted. “Raul can easily do that by himself. He should just release Gabriella to us. He knows that we need her more than he does.” Yes, he probably does. I thought, picking up another item and shelving it correctly. Incorrect shelving m
Can't I have a moment of rest in my little life? I mused, watching Adam and his brothers watch me. Skepticism shrouded their eyes thickly. But would my unpredictability stop them from disturbing my already chaotic life? I don't think so. I sighed wearily. There must be some other way to get them off my back. Unless I might really have a fit here. I was already fed up with the up and downs of this week.First, it was the bullying episode on my first day. On my second day, I had gotten involved with another bullying episode in my workplace. My fourth and fifth days were uneventful-thank god. That's apart from the meeting with the Queen. But today was the worst of all.Today, I lost control over my magic powers, and burnt more than four classrooms. I just escaped from Raul and his enthralling eyes and love. I just escaped from expulsion from a school I have barely spent a week in. I just landed my ass into the Queen's trap. And now, just when I had tried inhaling deeply to calm myself,
"She must be expelled from our school! Did you see the amount of damage she had done in the school? She hasn't even been in the school for a week, and already she is courting trouble left, right and center. What's next on her agenda?!" Maybe burn your nose. I thought meekly, staring at the woman who hadn't stopped hissing and clamoring for my expulsion since I had stepped into the boardroom that was big enough to house more than a hundred students. So, this was the worst that could happen? Expulsion from school? It didn't hit hard as I thought it would, but I didn't want to be expelled though. I wanted to finish high school. I already dropped out in the pack, I can't drop out here again. I wasn't sure when Laura and Peter had been called, but the two had been around when I had stepped into the room. Laura had immediately left her seat, and had started fussing over me, asking if I was okay, and all that. She had found it confusing that I had not a smell of smoke on my body. I hadn'
I can't believe myself. I can't believe what I had done, when I had opened my eyes and saw the classroom free of smoke, free from the flames I had conjured mere minutes ago. I had jumped on Raul. It was supposed to be a thank you hug, you know, coming from a place of excitement, of happiness that I had finally mastered how to control my magic to some extent, but the hug ended up being the ones couple shared after being apart for probably a year. I had hugged him quite alright, but my legs had moved, of their accord. They had jumped and plastered themselves around his waist. They were still there. Around his waist. My mind was in shambles, especially since Raul had managed to catch me with all precision, still held me now, and showed no signs of letting go. Don't I weigh anything? I retrieved my head from the crook of his neck which scented of masculinity. This contact needed to end now. "Ehmm.." I muttered now, looking into his face, which although wasn't red as mine, showed the