MayaToday was my first day at the school’s cafeteria, or rather the second time after I was discovered to be without the wolf gene. The first time, after that life changing event, had been brutal and traumatizing. It was the first time I was bullied.Now, standing before the matron who was dishing my food, I wondered if I had made the right choice, listening to Naomi.Naomi was my only friend. The only one who had remained by my side after the pack doctor’s diagnosis on my sixteenth birthday: the diagnosis that had set my perfect life on fire.Naomi had insisted that I follow her here today. It’s been a year and six months since that fateful first day, yet the memory still had a firm grip on me. I was actually counting the seconds till someone threw me a juice can, or half eaten pizza.“Maya, stop fretting. Mother promised me that the Lycan King has resolved the bullying issue. It’s over finally, best friend. Take a deep breath. Your hands are shaking.”She was right. My hands were s
“What’s going on here?!” A voice suddenly roared in the cafeteria causing the throwing competition to come to an end. Who was that? What had taken them so long? I wondered, unable to open my eyes because they were covered with liquids and food particles that had been thrown on me, more than a hundred times. When Noah had chosen to make me a target for practice, the others in the cafeteria had taken it as a go ahead to replicate the mess. Everyone in the cafeteria, except Naomi, had emptied their lunch packs on me. “Who is that sitting on the floor? Stand up!” The same hoarse voice echoed. Mr Johnson, the principal. I was sure now.It can only mean that Naomi had made the report herself. Her father was an important member of the pack’s council—she couldn’t be ignored by the school’s authorities.I tried obeying the principal’s command, I tried standing up from the floor, but my feet and hands kept slipping on the slippery floor.A hand grabbed me by my arm—certainly Naomi—and hel
I looked damn good in a bikini. The feeling was a good one to have after the crushing feeling that stemmed from not knowing my roots.“C’mon Maya, get your butt out here!'' Naomi screamed from the pool area. A weary chuckle escaped my lips when I heard the splash of water. So much for diving in together.I did a 360-degree turn in front of her mirror, amazed at what I was seeing. I stopped looking in the mirror, when my stepsister broke mine two years ago, a day after that inauspicious event that ruined my perfect life. Her reason was that I shouldn’t be bothering the mirror with my ugliness. I had been so emotionally messed up then, that I had believed her. I had changed my wardrobe overnight to baggy trousers and polos, to cover the ‘fat’.Over the years, Naomi had tried destroying these insecurities—she did to an extent—but I never looked at the mirror again. Until now.I was beautiful. I did another 360-degree turn, still coming to terms with this truth.I was curvy and sexy. I
I was probably in my hundredth cookie when I suddenly felt a presence behind me. I knew it wasn’t Naomi because my friend had gone upstairs to get her phone. “How are you slim like a runway model when you eat like a pig?” The cookie fell to the floor instantly from my tottering hand, and my heart erratically went over the fence. What was Adam doing here?What did he want? Why was he right behind me? And where was Naomi now that I needed her?I was stiff, rimrod straight on the high kitchen stool, whilst my pulse jumped haphazardly when Adam suddenly started trailing his finger down my arm.I inhaled sharply the next minute, when he bit my ear lobe, when he slid his hand around my waist, when his kooky breathing slammed into my hearing neurons. How could someone be so brash? How could someone be so entitled? Did he think he could have his way with me because he was hot, because I was a mere statistic to him?He must be out of his mind!I jumped out of my stool without giving him a
Adam must have gotten tired of waiting for my answers because he dipped his head and pecked my lips softly. However, that was for a start, because immediately after that, he wrapped his hands around my waist, drew me closer to him, and pecked my lips again. He withdrew his face thereafter, taking note of my facial expression, to know if he should go on. I knew he was waiting for a go ahead, so that it wouldn’t be like he was bullying me into kissing him. Foolish me thought that the act was cute. I must have nodded my head at one time, because before I could say jack, his lips were on mine, and this time around, his tongue was attempting to push past the protection of my lips into my mouth. Yet I was not responsive. Not because I wasn't into the kiss, but because I didn't exactly know how to kiss. . “You haven’t kissed before?” A note of incredulity rang in his voice, as he withdrew from me the second time.I shook my head in reply, wondering if he would go away when I heard him
“Let her go, Claire.” Adam said, his voice as cold as steel. He folded his arms across his chest, sporting a countenance of aloofness.Behind me, Claire stilled. But that was to be expected. Adam has never rebuffed their attacks on me.I gasped, however, before I could ruminate on Adam’s strange behavior, when Claire roughly pushed me away from her. I fell to the group in a piteous heap.“That was totally unnecessary, Claire.” Adam walked up to me, to the shock of Claire and me, and helped me to my feet. “What are you doing, Adam?!” Claire screeched, flinging her hands apart in frustration. “Every girl, but her. She is cursed, for god sake! Did you forget that?”I would be surprised if the others by the pool weren’t hearing her questions.Adam said nothing in response.I was in Adam’s arms now. And I was so confused on what to do. Watch the lovers spat, or hurry upstairs to Naomi? Could I even shrug Adam’s hold off me?Fortunately, Adam made a choice for me.“Go upstairs, Maya. I wi
“Maya, get to the dining table for dinner,” I heard my mother shout from the kitchen, and nodded before I could stop myself. I should be talking. I mused, my eyes unable to leave the outfit that Naomi had finally settled on, the outfit I will be wearing for tomorrow’s classes. I still found the whole stuff overwhelming. The outfit consisted of a black crop top, an oversized blue jean jacket and baggy black striped denim jeans. I would be rocking it with Noami’s chunky boots. And this attire sufficed because I had refused to wear anything tight like the short skirt she had brought out or the tiny pants that had hugged every curve I owned. I didn't want Adam thinking that I was dressing up because of him. But was that notion unavoidable, especially since the whole school knew of my wardrobe?What manner of bullying will color my day tomorrow? Claire’s angry face before I left for Naomi’s room still colored my vision. I instantly jumped out of my bed when I heard my mother’s voice f
I found my mother sitting on the short row of steps in the backyard. “What are you doing here? Was the pasta that bad?” She asked, immediately I sat down.I huffed, shaking my head in disbelief. “Of course not, mom. It’s just that I was lost in my thoughts. I was wondering why your face seemed so sullen. And I kept wondering what the Lycan king had said in the meeting about me. My mind conjured up the worst thoughts, and believing that, had caused me to drop the fork. Mom, I could never be unhappy with your food. Never think of that again.” I replied, placing my hand across her shoulder, whilst pressing myself to her. She hugged me then by the side, rocking me gently, more to console herself than to reassure me. Anything to make her feel okay. I thought, wrapping my arms around her too. Perhaps Lent was right. I had been the cause of the uproar tonight. If I hadn’t let go of the reins of my mind, if I hadn’t believed the stupid imaginations of my mind, then the fork in my hand wou
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
Raul and I stayed cocooned in a comfortable silence for a long while, a privy truce already happening between us. I didn’t see him as the enemy anymore. However, I was still working on separating him from the Queen in my equation of retribution. “How long are we going to stay here? Aren’t we returning to class?” I asked after sometime, my back already yelling in pain for reclining against the hard wall for a long period of time. Raul shrugged his shoulders at my question. “It’s not like there will be any class going on. Do you see any professor around? I bet the students are huddled in their classes, wondering what next would go wrong with..” “With me, you mean….” Raul gave me an apologetic look, but it was all right. It was understandable. Since we have been here, no students have come close, no teachers too. The fire was still burning. I was sure it had ventured into the other classes. Weren’t they coming to stop it? “You know you are the only one that can quench that fire….”
What have I done?Panic swept through the magic room like a tidal wave, mingling with the smell of smoke and the sound of screams.My heart sank as I realized the magnitude of what I had unleashed. I had wanted to prove myself, to show my mastery over the elements, but now, all I felt was guilt and remorse.As chaos erupted around me, I knew that I would carry the weight of this moment with me for quite a long time. For in my quest for power, I had unleashed a force beyond my control, leaving destruction in its wake. And now, I could only watch helplessly as the flames consumed everything in their path.The flames. They held me captive. They had me frozen in the midst of the ensuing chaos. They had my heart sinking into the depths of sorrow. The flames, born of my own magic gone awry, danced voraciously across the classroom. Smoke choked the air, thick and suffocating, as desks and books became engulfed in a raging inferno. The screams of my classmates pierced the cacophony of destru
As I caught sight of Sinclair standing by the door of my classroom, a flutter of nervous anticipation stirred within me. The time for my magic classes had finally come, and despite my excitement, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension. The time has come.Mr. Lethon must have sent him. I thought, checking the time on my wrist watch. It was exactly the time for my magic class. Sinclair was quite punctual.Since I had decided to cut him some slack for not doing anything about Levina's bullying, we have exchanged words here and there—greetings especially—but it has not been like the same. Probably, because I have been avoiding him really. I'm not sure why. I think I just didn't want to talk to him, not that freely as before, at least not yet. However, he was here to pick me up.I looked at Professor Bulock talking about some impossible theory of magic, and almost called him to the fact that his time was gone. But that would be falling under his radar again. I was tired of that
As Diana and I walked hand in hand to school, chattering like monkeys, a sense of elation bubbled up inside me, replacing the feeling of shame that had subsided a little after Laura's words of encouragement.The Queen had fulfilled her side of the bargain, as she had promised us. She had moved the children's classes back to the general school, and she hadn't disturbed me since then. And even though the weight of her last words had never left me, I couldn't help but feel relief and gratitude, walking to school like this, hand in hand with Diana. It was pure bliss.As we walked, Diana regaled me with tales of spells and enchantments, her enthusiasm quite infectious. I knew that it was because I had just shown her, though messy, that I was good enough to be filled in with magic spells. We exchanged knowledge eagerly—I told her about the book I had stolen from the library, and what I had learnt from them—each revelation sparking a lively conversation that danced between us like fireflies