Nine Lives Kind of Girl

Prologue

"Is this seat taken?"

It had been about two and a half weeks since Marley's known this girl. She was nothing Marley's ever seen before. Of course she was as pretty as the average high school cheerleader who was bound to getting the homecoming queen crown.

But…well, something about this girl was unique and frightening at the same time. The way she stared at her was pretty odd. It was like she was either going to bite her like a vampire or a rabies-infected dog would; or she was a robot that basically scanned everyone as they walked past her.

What Marley noticed about this girl was the one thing she'll never forget. It was inhumane. It was magical. It was…supposed to be a secret. Marley couldn't tell anyone about it. If she did, something bad could happen.

Oh God, she wrote a lot about it in her journal, though. If anyone came across it, rumors would spread, and this girl Marley encountered would be the face of the school, all eyes on her and acting as scared as hell. McKinley High School was definitely not safe. They're in such a world of pain right now.

That is, if Marley didn't keep her mouth shut.

Marley noticed that the girl didn't answer her question, indicating that she really didn't give a shit about what the brunette girl said, but allowing her to sit down anyway. She had been reading a whole bunch of biology books lately. She must have an A in that class or something. Either that, or she's looking up body parts and organs to practice on another spell.

Marley took the seat across from her at a table in the school's library, and opened a chapter book up. She was a sucker for majestic stories. Most of the ones she's been reading were Harry Potter or Magic in Bartimaeus. It was probably the string of events that happened a couple of days ago that made her think about these, but some fictional tales she found were kind of interesting.

However, she couldn't keep her eyes on the page because she would always look up at the blonde girl in front of her. She was silent, and really focused on something that didn't seem like good news.

And then what happened a couple of days ago – on a Sunday, to be precise – came back in Marley's vision.

It was as dark as the inside of a cave, with only moonlight and bits of stars in the sky. Not one cloud, not one drop of rain. She was invited to a sleepover with a few other girls. They were having fun and everything. Marley thought she wasn't going to like it all, but she's grown to have.

Then it was about nine at night, and everyone was headed to bed. Then around ten, Marley could just hear footsteps leading from the bedroom she was in to the hallway, and then downstairs. The other girls were asleep. Marley assumed that the girl's mother was there, but she heard the mattress being pressed.

And then the shy brunette headed outside with only her pajamas and a jacket on, unaware of what stir of events were happening. At first she witnessed what seemed to be a big red ball of light, and a silhouette of a teenage girl with her arms open on either side of her. Her head was tilted back, and her hair flew everywhere.

Then some red and black, glow-in-the-dark wings grew on her back. Her fingers clawed up, too, and Marley surprisingly saw longer nails on the girl's hands. Her skin got pale, too. This wasn't anything Marley has ever seen before.

Marley hid herself just in time; the girl had whirled around out of nowhere. Through the bushes, Marley could spot her eyes glowing red. They looked like cat eyes. She had no idea on how she did that, but it sure was as creepy as hell. She wasn't sure if the girl had spotted her, but she may have judging by her supernatural abilities.

The sneaky blonde was up in the air, with bright dust flowing behind her. It was like watching fireworks in the sky without the annoying noises and the mix of chemicals. Marley was amazed at what she was seeing; but at the same time, she grew to be very suspicious and worried. What kind of evil force would do such damage to her?

It took a couple of pinches to make her see that this was all real. She didn't want it to be real, though. No one can grow fairy wings and cat claws, make their eyes glow in the dark, and fly into the sky. The real world was people walking normally, their nails growing normally, and no cat eyes or fairy wings and dust.

Marley decided on making it look as if it all wasn't real. She slept it off nicely. However, the blonde girl did notice her when she was out there, and threatened her the very next morning. It was something sacred about her that no one should know about. If they did, they both would be in trouble.

Every moment Marley saw the girl up until now, she's been anxious about what she told her. She didn't seem like a witch from what she saw that Sunday night, but there are some supernatural creatures that could cast spells on people. Who knows? Her species could be one of them.

It was awkwardly silent at that moment. Marley kept looking from her book to the girl sitting across from her. She was so intimidated. If she ran now, she'd catch up to her in a nanosecond and choke her to death or something. Marley realized from that moment on, she had nowhere to run or hide.

"Listen…" Marley finally spoke up, and the annoyed blonde brought her eyes up to her. Now Marley lost her train of thought, and her voice got a little more vulnerable. "I'm kind of scared."

"What's there to be scared about?"

Her voice was so raspy and deathly. She sounded as conniving as Dracula – perhaps she could be a female Dracula with fairy wings and feline features.

"About what you could possibly do to me."

The blonde girl seemed to pretend to not know what was going on, the same way Marley did a couple of minutes ago. "What could I possibly do to you?"

Marley clutched at the side of one of her books. "Didn't you say you were going to do something to me?"

The blonde's eyebrow cocked.

Marley looked around her to see if the coast was clear to bring it up. Her throat was cleared and her voice was a little quieter. "…if I told?"

She didn't receive a response. The blonde just returned back to her reading. "I don't know, Marley. Honestly, you really shouldn't have gone out to find me. You would be a lot safer at this point."

Marley watched as the girl flipped through the pages. "I just wondered where you went."

"Is that it, or were you trying to expose me because of all the stuff I said about you?"

"No, not that at all."

"Doesn't sound like 'not at all' to me, Marley."

Marley shut her eyes for a moment. For a long time since Marley has transferred into McKinley, she really hoped she got a chance to fit in with everyone. To finally know what it's like for someone to laugh with her than at her.

She couldn't stand how this girl just made fun of her mother in the beginning of the school year. Her and a few other students did, too. They seemed to have a really fun time doing it as well. Marley was extremely steamed by it. That was her mother. Sure, she's just a lunch lady, but she can be more than that.

A part of what the girl said about exposing her because of the mean remarks came back to her. Revenge could be nice for a change. She's always been the soft girl in every situation. Why not take the reins herself and ride her own horse to her own victory?

"You know, I thought you were better than this."

Her voice got just a little louder, and the blonde's eyes darted towards hers. She hoped she wasn't going to do what she thought she was going to do. She had a black bottle filled with potion in her bag she's just itching to throw at her. One more word, and she was going to be a raccoon for however long the blonde wanted.

"I thought you were a nice person. You welcomed me in school. You let me sit with you guys at lunch and have the life I always wanted."

"Don't you still have that life? Oh, wait. Probably not. That was back then when you were considered popular. Now, you're one of those let-downs who someone will stare at for a couple of seconds and walk away from." She looked back into her book. "Trust me, honey. I've witnessed it all."

"You're going to stop making fun of me. It would hurt you if I said those things about you, right?"

"Not really. I have a couple of jock and cheerleader friends as security."

Marley crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You won't have much security once your big mouth is taken away to the principal's office the next time you spill crap on me. I swear, your dad will make it here as fast as a cheetah and drag your sorry, cat-faced behind to –"

The blonde slammed her book shut all of a sudden. Marley had almost spilled the beans on her. Fast as a cheetah. Cat-faced behind. She knew it was coming.

She barged from where she had been sitting to Marley's side, bending down to her level and pinching her ear so hard with her perfectly-polished nails.

"What the hell did you just say?"

All of that intimidation that was sitting on Marley's shoulders started to come back. Only this time, some of it when through her right ear, round and about in her skull, and chilling down her spine and veins through her arms and legs.

Marley tried pulling away, but she was afraid that the blonde may have the ability to punch a hole in her ears.

"Shit, will you let me –"

"You're not gonna get off easy, Rose. Do you understand me?" At that question, she tugged at the brunette's ear again. She whimpered a little and hissed at the pain from the side of her head. "Remember this: I still have powers over you."

"Oh yeah, what'll that do –"

The blonde tugged her ear harder this time. "Did I tell you to fucking speak?"

Marley swallowed a big lump that was trying to expand in her throat.

The blonde's eyes got darker. It creeped Marley out. She felt like she was the only one there, and Marley was using her feline vision to hypnotize the poor girl into being her slave or something. Of course, there was something about this girl that was completely conniving. She just never knew she was this menacing.

"Now listen to me," the girl continued. "I have a 300 PDW wand in this backpack, along with some raccoon potion. And in case you haven't noticed, my bitchin' fangs can grow to be two inches, and can seriously bite the shit out of you."

Marley's eyes searched their corners to see if any teachers were walking past and watching this. This girl could've hypnotized them away from the scene.

"If you really want me to be this nice girl you thought I was," the blonde continued, "and to not end up in a world of trouble, I suggest you listen to me before I head on down to the Food Court and taint your mother's spit-filled soup with ogre potion." She looked Marley in the eye this time. "Do you understand?"

Marley nodded rapidly, still seized in the blonde's grasp.

"Rule number one: you won't threaten me ever in your life. You're powerless compared to me. I can and will have complete dominance over you."

Marley furrowed her eyebrows. "How is having complete dominance –"

"I'm not finished."

Marley wished she could roll her eyes right now. Too bad the blonde was looking dead in her eyes.

Her voice got softer as she continued. "Rule number two: of course, if I'm revealed as my real self by your blabbering, then I'm forced to kill you."

"Who's forcing you?"

The blonde gave her an icy stare. "You've got questions, and I've got answers. And how will you get to them? You're not. Don't bother asking."

Marley gritted her teeth with her lips pressed against each other. Of course, she wasn't gonna tell me that one.

"Rule number three: you know who I am, right?"

Marley's eyebrows furrowed again. "Yes, you're name is Kit –"

The blonde pinched harder into the brunette's ear, almost making her yell. "No, it is not." Marley got a little quieter, hoping to get out of this girl's death trap. "Yes, my real name is Kitty Wilde, as you have heard the spirits chant my name as I was summoned to the sky with my powers. However, I shall be called Becca Tobin. Don't forget it, understand?"

Marley nodded, getting the name clear in her mind. "Becca Tobin. Got it."

She didn't look much like a Becca to her at all. She seemed to be more of an Annabelle or probably Jennifer. Well, whatever floats with Becca's – Kitty's – boat, then fine.

"Rule number four," the girl, claimed to be Becca, whispered into the brunette's ear, "I will ruin your life if you tell anyone about any of this."

"I thought you already –"

"That's a severe warning for you," Kitty hissed, letting go of Marley's ear and physically pushing her head to the side with her hand. Her fierce, sharp-nailed fingers clutched at her sides, her arms tense and her shoulders strong as rocks. Marley would get knocked in the face by anything Kitty's got on her.

"Mark my words, Marley Rose," Kitty continued, staring into the poor girl's soul. "No one can know about this. I'm already the talk in my society. The rumors can't spread out here in the real world. I must be hidden from all of you mortals."

Marley had shifted away from her, almost scared of what Kitty would say next. Marley can't risk Kitty's live being revealed out into the world, and she can't let her own life be destroyed by her if it does. What would her mother say? The poor woman's probably in the kitchen right now, wondering if her own daughter had taken another Slushie facial or something.

"What if someone finds out, but I never said anything?" the frightened brunette asked from below Kitty's stature.

She didn't seem to care. She wasn't like everyone else, which could be an advantage and a disadvantage in disguise. She could be something that could actually help the community. However, she could also be something that could destroy Marley Rose's life for eternity.

"Not my problem, Rose."

Marley gulped at that response. So what she's trying to say is that, I'll die or get cursed either way?

It sure did seem that way.

"Just make sure you're seen and not heard from," Kitty added, grabbing her books and looking down at her. "What's your choice, Rose? Hope it's the right choice." And with that, she left the library to her locker.

Marley was frozen.

Why me? Why me?