Nico has killed someone? And he speaks of it so lightly. It is as if killing is nothing to him, almost like a friendly hug or pat on the back.
"The council again..." I think aloud, "what is it?"
"Well, think of it as a police force and a judicial court rolled into one. We don't have too many laws, but the ones we do have need enforcing. The first one is no new converts without alerting the council, except cases like mine where someone didn't intentionally convert me, and the other is to not reveal themselves as a werewolf to humans unless they are mates. The latter is not particularly enforced unless it becomes a serious matter, but the first one is very important. We do not want to overrun the human world, especially as immortals, with werewolves. The council consists of a ruling pack, of which a werewolf named Remi is the head."
"What about Yi, then? Why didn't they exterminate him?" I quickly remember that Yi got converted without approval.
"They pardoned him because he shows incredible promise with his Stealth Talent," he comments. "When he becomes fully matured, he will probably be one of the strongest Stealth Talent in the world. Already he is invaluable to the werewolf community."
"Wow," I think of cheeky, skinny Yi... the strongest Stealth Talent in the world? No way. He's too immature to be something like that.
We start up again, and I start to feel more comfortable by Nico's side. The world blurs slightly around us, and I can sense his alluring presence washing over me like a flood. However, as the school begins to come into view just over the tips of the trees, a strange feeling of cold fear starts to collide with the peace, and I suddenly get shivers running up and down my spine. My knees begin to shake, and my grasp on Nico's comforting arm gets crushingly hard.
"Ow!" Nico rips his arm from my grip, "that actually hurt!" He looks as his now-red skin, indented with nails, a slight amount of blood seeping forth. I nearly gape at the pain I inflicted on Nico's supposedly indestructible arm, wondering exactly what I will be capable of in the days to come. Nico seems to be thinking along those lines too, being deep in thought.
We continue to travel through the bushes into the narrow pathway leading to school. My breaths become faster, and more frenzied as we go along. "Calm down," Nico's relaxing, musical voice enchants my senses as it wraps around my innermost fears.
Students begin to merge with us in clumps as our feet pound on the sidewalk. I can feel them immediately latch upon me like lasers, burning holes through my skin. Immediately I try to shrink, wishing I could scurry like a rat into a hole in the wall. I am tempted to use my speed and zoom away from the rude people who only want to gossip and stare. I feel as if I am under a microscope, being scrutinized at every second.
As the crowd grows thicker with interested observers, I begin to hear what immediately comes after an intense gaze. "Who's she?" whispers erupt all around me. I can hear almost everything now, and I can easily overhear their words.
"Who knows. Maybe she's new."
"Look at those long legs! She's like a model!"
"Who is that hot chick by the blue-haired guy?"
"She looks like that ugly girl that always used to walk around scrunched over with a pissed off expression on her face except prettier!"
"Much prettier."
"Even Sidney is not as gorgeous as this girl!"
"Who the crap is she?" I hear Sidney's shrill, whispering voice as she walks a couple feet away from me. I shudder slightly.
We entered the school, Nico reaching to hold my hand. I look at the amused people around us, suddenly flushed with embarrassment, and snap my hand away. "Not here!" I whisper angrily, though what I really meant is not ever. I am not going to let him disarm me again. The wall to my heart shall not tumble to ruin.
However, he is making it shake, and that is what is scaring me so much. I don't like to be vulnerable, and Nico is doing an awful good job of making me feel that way. I am independent. I can't lean on anybody, for all they do is leave. My mind flashes back to that time, and my blood runs cold.
One more hammer to my heart, and it will fall to pieces forever.
Nico frowns at me slightly. "What's up with you?" he says, staring into my soul with bright emerald eyes, "penny for your thoughts."
"I'm sorry, Nico," I sigh, "but right now, they are worth much more than that."
"Name your price." I look up from the floor into Nico's serious eyes, at the absolute certainty of his words. All I do is just gently shake my head, unable to give them away. I am not ready.
I wince inwardly as his hand touches mine, and then retreats as if he had committed some sort of crime.
Our classroom stands before us, reeking with boredom. This was the class with that uber-lazy teacher who just types on his computer all day long. Also... the only one I have with that vicious serpent named Sidney.
And this one just has to be first.
"Let's just get it over with," Nico says, propelling me into the room to find our desks. The stares are worse here, people openly scavenging me, scanning my new appearance. It is just like before, except that I am practically imprisoned in here with them until the mischievous bell rings.
Sidney flounces into the room, her long, blonde tresses flowing past her upper back. She is adorned in a light pink baby doll dress, one a bit too short to be decent, and five inch wedges. Her baby blue eyes scan the room for a moment, then focuses on my form. She walks over to my side, a light, happy smile on her face.
"Hey Ella," she greets me, "Hey Nico." I slightly smile back, unconvinced by her friendliness. "Nice" and "Sidney" are two words that do not mix.
"Hey Sidney," I speak, once again amazed by the prettiness of my voice. It is like an orchestra, a melodious harmony of notes coming together to create a few words. Sidney notices this, her smile growing a little tight-lipped. She obviously misses the time when my voice sounded grainy and weak.
"That is such an adorable outfit!" she practically squeals, "I love that top."
"Thanks," my smile grows a little wider and more rapturous, I pleased that someone likes the attire I so carefully selected. Maybe she is thinking along the lines of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" I honestly have no clue why she is like this.
Nico flashes her one of his golden grins too, causing Sidney to melt into a puddle on the floor. He seems very happy that Sidney is being nice to me. Sidney senses this, and craftily slinks to her seat as the fat teacher finally gets up from his perch on the swivel chair.
"Hello, class," he emits with a voice like a geek, assuming and haughty. "Today you need to turn to page 787 in your textbook..." He rambles on for a minute, then quickly concludes his daily two minute speech. "Read chapter 14, section 9, and answer all the following questions. What you do not finish is homework." He shuffles from the front of the classroom to the back of it, plopping down on his favorite plush chair. He never actually teaches us anything, just telling us to read. No one ever does homework in his class either, because he never checks.
Except me. I'm the only one that gets annoyed with my teacher because I actually want to learn something.
I quickly flip the textbook open to the correct page, while the others all whip out their phones and start texting and shouting to their friends across the room. Sidney starts whispering to Ian, and Nico turns to me with a reassuring smile. "You're going to do the lesson?" he asks innocently. I nod slowly, beginning to sink into the paragraphs of knowledge, delving completely into the foreign lands I love to explore.
I can feel a set of emerald eyes focus on my face as I read, interest clearly shown. "You're so beautiful when you are like this," he says softly, almost mumbling to himself.
"Like what?" I almost shiver at his words, so full of caring and devotion.
"When you are reading, you seem so peaceful. Serene." He closes his eyes, leaning back against his chair, "like an angel. I met one once, you know." He is speaking barely above a whisper, so soft that only I can hear.
"When?" I ask eagerly.
"Well, right befo
re I was converted, I was dying. The werewolf had practically torn me to pieces, and the pain was... well, no words can describe it. I was floating between delusions and reality. Then, right before his blood touched my skin, I had a dream," his eyes turn glassy as time ticks back for him, "it was about heaven and hell."
"Tell me about it," I demand, leaning towards him. I can sense his closeness, his dizzyingly attractive smell that nearly forces me to attack him with my heavy desire.
"I was on an island, completely alone. It was basically just a patch of sand, surrounded by miles and miles of ocean. A beautiful angel descended out of the clouds, heading my way. Along with her, a set of stairs appeared, pure white and leading into the clouds. However, when she extended her long, pale white hand, I could not take it. I reached as hard as I could, but right before I could even get within a foot of those stairs and the woman, they would seemingly get farther away.
Right beneath me, however, it was a different story. The sand rumbled and turned as hot as coals. Fire was immediately dancing beneath my feet. I howled in pain, running around the island to escape the burning. Finally, though, I was trapped in a circle, fire surrounding me at every angle. The woman was right outside the circle, and I felt that if I could only escape this prison, I would finally be able to reach her. But just before I ran through the fire, the whole island began to sink. Water began to creep up at every angle, waters so red that it seemed stained with blood. When I peered into the ocean as it nearly swallowed me, I saw that beneath me was a boiling pit of fire, and I was about to sink into it. Before long, the island would disappear completely, leaving me at the mercy of whatever was below.
It was then that the woman stared at me and gave a short little smile, disappearing into the mist like a ghost. The stairs went away too, leaving only me, the ruby red ocean, and the cauldron below."
I lean forwards, spellbound by his story. The way he speaks makes the story seem so real, as if it happened to me instead. "What next?"
"Nothing. I woke up, and found that I was a werewolf." Nico says laughingly, "otherwise, I think I would have sunk into the pit." There is a buzzing sound, and he grabs his top-of the-line phone out of his pocket. Many people turn their heads to look at the expensive limited edition luxury item in his hand, Nico casually lifting it to his head to take the call.
"Yes, Wes?" His face is first of excitement, then melts into fury. After a moment of listening, he nods solemnly. "I'll help out," he says reluctantly, "just send someone to get me. At this school, you have to do this strange thing called checking out..."
Within a few minutes, a robotic voice echoes through the hallways. "Nico Rochester, please come to the front desk to check out."
"Rochester?"
"We had to make up a last name," he whispers quickly. "Anyways, I will be back at 3 o'clock to pick you up. Apparently there is a rogue Shifter running around, killing everything it sees. We need to capture it before the police does."
"Can I come?" I beg. I'm sure I can bring out a Shifter from a person again; that one time was enough to convince me.
"No," he says firmly, "this one is really bad. I don't want it within ten miles of you until we secure it. All Shifters seem to have it out for you." He rises from his desk, majestically heading towards the door. He gives me a little wave as he exits, not even noticing the adoring stares following him.
As soon as the door shuts, the viper strikes. "Well, look here," the Barbie girl rises from her seat, "Ella is finally without her shield." Everyone turns to look at us. Once again, Sidney has scored center stage, and pulled me along with her. "Now that he's gone, why don't you tell us who did your plastic surgery?"
"I didn't get-"
"Obviously you did," she laughs, tossing her curls behind her back, "so you could keep Nico." Sidney leans in, pure menace behind her words. "Nico is just talking to you because he feels sorry for you. You are a weak, pathetic, ugly little loser who forced Nico to stay beside you. We would also like to know how exactly you did that, witch. You better start confessing now. Everyone wants to know the truth." She pushes me, and I land on the cold, hard floor. Everything around me seems so painful right now. So bitter.
"So who was it?!" she nearly shrieks, as I rise to my feet, "who did your surgery?!"
"Sidney!" I try to yell, "I couldn't have gotten surgery! It’s only been two days!"
Sidney ignores me, madness in her eyes. She tries to kick me, but I block her movement. "Oh, so you bewitched yourself along with Nico?" she finally comes to another outrageous conclusion. "This is true proof that you are a witch." She snaps her fingers, and her girls come to my side. Each of them hold my arms to the wall with surprising force, though not nearly enough to stop me physically. However, it is the words that break me. I just stand there, sucked of all strength.
"Stop wishing for things that aren't yours," she creeps closer, her gorgeous eyes flecked with fury.
"Well, they aren't yours either," I squeak out, and she slaps me with all her might.
"They would be," she hisses, "if you weren't here." Indignation is in her voice now, along with pure hate. Blood begins to run from my cheek, and my mind flashes back to the memory of Ms. Penn scraping my cheek also. Maybe Sidney and Ms. Penn are related.
The other boys and girls crowd around us, staring at my now marred face. Sidney continues to question me relentlessly, without pause. "Did you brighten your eye color, or did you get contacts? So pathetic, changing it just to match your slave's eyes."
"I don't have a slave," I say softly, weak as the red liquid runs down my neck. It is throbbing, the blood disgusting me. But what is disgusting me almost as much is the teacher. What the crap is he doing? Can't he notice that I'm being bullied?
And probably killed by the end of the period, if this continues.
"Of course he's your slave. You force him to think you're beautiful, even though you aren't. You force him to hang around you, even though he deserves better than a lying witch like you," she snaps, each word like a knife stabbing into my skin.
One of the girls holding me takes a peek at my skin, and gasps. "Look!" she yells, and everyone in the room obliges.
"It's healing! And so quickly..." the girl continues, gazing at the now lightly scabbed skin, quickly retreating into perfect skin again.
"What are you?" Sidney looks in horror at the suddenly nonexistent cut, I wincing. These, out of all other words, hurts me the most.
I just wanted to be left alone. I didn't do anything to Sidney. Just a while ago, she didn't even know I existed. And now... I am a monster to everyone around me just because I didn't stay in my place. Because Nico fell for me. The queen is out to get me, and her subjects just meagerly follow.
"You know," she says, pulling out a slender object, "I wonder if a big cut will heal as quickly... you never know with a witch." Silence is stretched taut in the air, only her voice reigning. No one steps forward, though many look with eyes of horror. However, I can tell even the sympathetic ones are appalled by me, disgusted with the fact that I am different.
She holds the knife closer, staring into my eyes. "Where should I start? Your face? Your arms? Your boobs?" Sidney casts a glance at my slightly enlarged chest, then smiles. "I think I will give your face a makeover first, because that probably took the surgeons the longest to perfect." Obviously she doesn't believe I am a witch, but is just using that to make more people hate me.
I'm not going to call for Nico. Nico has enough things to do already. I can't depend on him anymore.
She raises her arms and I close my eyes, waiting for it to come...
"Sidney," a rough, attractive voice stops her in her tracks. I slowly slide my eyes open to see Ian standing in front of me, a cold expression on his features. "This has gone on long enough."
"But Ian..." she whines, slinging her arms around his neck, "I have to teach this... thing a lesson." She gestures to me, and then swoops in for a kiss. "You'll let me, right?" she pouts. He stops her when she is inches from his mouth, dise
ntangling himself from her grasp.
"Don't you have to be somewhere else right now?" he prompts her, staring into her eyes. Her gaze becomes hazy, glassy under his gentle stare. Her next words are submissive, expressionless.
"Yes, Ian," she gets up and walks over to her desk. Sidney picks up her backpack and walks out the door, and the girls drop me. I fall to the floor, the tears finally coming. They gush out of me like a flood, dripping onto my shirt I thought Sidney liked. I should have known it would turn out like this.
A hand wraps around my shoulder, the same relaxing voice entering my thoughts. "Cheer up, Ella. Everything's okay." I look up to see the whole class staring at me, completely quiet.
"Look at what you did to her," Ian pointed at all of them. "Each and every one of you."
"But we didn't hit her!" one of Sidney's girls exclaims, almost as if she did nothing wrong.
"You didn't stop Sidney from hitting her," he gave her a steely gaze; "you even helped, holding her back."
"I'm sorry!" another one of Sidney's minions leaped out from the crowd, hugging Ian, "I won't ever do something like that again! Sidney was just so..." she forces up a tear, looking into his eyes. It is immediately obvious that she likes him.
"Get away from me," he snaps, and she looks at him sadly, "I don't like liars." She retreats into the crowd, crestfallen. I hold my hands to my face, trying to stop them, but the tears keep spilling into my palm. Ian comfortingly hugs me tighter, whispering in my ear.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier," he apologizes, "I was in the bathroom. As soon as I got back, this was going on." Gently he rises with me, pulling me upwards. "Cheer up."
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