"you have a gift,"
"feels more like a curse..."
"it can be, but only if you use it unwisely..."
Heidi lifted her deep black haired head off her pillow. She looked upset. And she had been ever since that day. She swallowed, trying her hardest not to make any noise, so as not to upset her parents. She slipped off her bed and wandered to the dressing table. It was almost empty, except for three charcoal black eyeliner pencils, a case of dark eye shadow and alabaster white foundation. She ran her finger along them all with her black nails. It was the first day of the holidays, but the last day of living in England.
"honey," came an almost silent voice. Heidi turned to face her mother, who looked troubled, almost afraid of the gothic girl. Heidi's white contact lenses showed no emotion, making her seem like an alien. Of course she didn't need the contacts, but she enjoyed scaring people with the whiteness of her eyes.
"the plane is going to leave in about three hours, so we're leaving at about quarter to nine," her mum told her in a thick northern accent. Heidi nodded and turned away.
"three hours till my life get's taken away from me," she responded, her voice monotone, "thanks, mother," she added accusingly. Her mum tried to step in, but Heidi gave her a dangerous look. Her mum smiled a tiny bit, and then left. Heidi turned back to her makeup, which she began to apply carefully. I'm coming to see you, cousin. She thought in mock enthusiasm.
"Odd, you stole my last croissant again, I was just late this morning!" Jeremy scolded. He glared at Odd with genuine annoyance. Odd looked at him mercifully. He had already taken a bite out of the croissant, and held it in his left hand casually. He looked between the croissant and Jeremy. Hastily he offered it.
"I can give the rest back too if you want," he joked. Ulrich and Aelita laughed. Jeremy pushed Odd's arm out of the way and sat down.
"no thanks," he snapped sullenly.
"look who got up on the wrong side of the bed today," Aelita commented. Jeremy shrugged and began to eat.
"speaking of getting up on the wrong side of the bed, Ulrich, you haven't even touched your breakfast," Odd said, "can I have it?" he asked greedily, staring at Ulrich's untouched pancakes. Ulrich pushed his tray to Odd, who practically inhaled it along with the food.
"I'm not very hungry," he said. Aelita turned to him.
"uh oh, let me guess, did you get into a fight with Yumi?" she asked. Ulrich shook his head, "have to go on "date" with Sissi? Lost your diary again?" Ulrich continued to shake his head and then looked up at Aelita with a blush.
"who told you about my diary?" he barked. Aelita, Odd and Jeremy laughed. Ulrich found it hard to keep from strangling one of them. but he slouched in his chair instead and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"actually, my cousin's coming over from England," he mumbled.
"and that's a bad thing?" Jeremy asked.
"yes it's a bad thing," Ulrich snapped as if it was obvious, "she's a complete goth, and she's coming to the academy, you can't believe how depressing she can be," he grumbled. Aelita and Odd exchanged a glance.
"you know, you can be a little depressing too, so she must be bad..." Odd said. Ulrich shot him a look. Odd chuckled lightly. Ulrich felt two hands cover his eyes,
"guess who," said a high, sweet voice. Ulrich heard Odd snort in laughter and Aelita giggle. Ulrich smelt strongly perfumed hands and non calloused hands. Definitely not Yumi.
"hi Sissi," he sighed uninterested. The hands in front of his face moved and wrapped round him tightly. He rolled his eyes.
"oh, your so smart Ulrich sweetie!" Sissi sang.
"yeah, unlike her," Odd whispered. Sissi shot him a glance and then kissed Ulrich's cheek as he stared at her with utter disdain.
"Ulrich, there's this really depressing chick in my father's office. She's with your parents, do you know her?" she asked Ulrich stiffly. Ulrich nodded. He pushed Sissi off him and pulled on his bag, before standing up and trudging out of the lunch hall. Yumi was standing there. Her hair shone against the Summer Sun and her pretty face smiled when she saw Ulrich. Ulrich couldn't help but blush. Yumi giggled and rolled her eyes.
"good morning," she sang welcomingly. Ulrich's blush vanished and he went back to being sullen. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. Yumi frowned.
"not-so-good morning," he muttered back. Yumi raised an eyebrow, "my cousin's coming to the academy," Ulrich explained. Yumi smiled again.
"come on, she can't be that bad," she said.
"how'd you know she's a girl?" Ulrich asked. Yumi shrugged,
"call it women's intuition," she joked, taking hold of Ulrich's elbow and pulling him to the principal's office.
Heidi POV
Heidi was silent as she was in the waiting room. She never once looked at her parents, holding her suitcase tight in her gloved hands. The waiting room felt sultry and confusing for her. She was getting headaches again. She remembered things which had never happened to her, as if she was reliving them. there were people she hadn't met before and places she hadn't been to. She held her head to hold her brains in. And realised someone else was in the waiting room now. She looked up. a boy with dark brown hair and a reluctant look on his face with a Japanese looking girl who was smiling while holding onto the boy's arm to keep him from leaving. It was her cousin, Ulrich.
"Ulrich," Heidi said to him. Ulrich rolled his eyes and tried to leave. But the girl next to him pulled him back.
"but I don't want to talk to her," Ulrich whined. The girl held her finger up to his nose.
"you are going to talk to her or so help me I will kick you into next week," she threatened. Ulrich glared at the girl for a few moments, before the girl folded her arms and tapped her foot. Ulrich rolled his eyes and trudged over to Heidi.
"hi, Heidi," he muttered stiffly, "nice to see you," he added, while still shooting a look at the girl, who held a thumb up and ran out. Heidi folded her arms and looked away from him.
"if you don't want to talk to me then you can leave, I don't talk to idiots," she snapped. Ulrich bit his lip and clenched his fists. He breathed in and out.
"nice to see you again, Ulrich," Heidi's mum said. Ulrich looked at her and smiled discretely. He opened his mouth to say something.
"Ulrich doesn't want to talk to us, he's got class anyway," Heidi interrupted. Ulrich glared at her and left.
"Ulrich, darling, wait!" Heidi's mum said. but Ulrich ignored her and stepped out. Heidi's mum turned to Heidi with a disappointed face. Heidi looked at her indifferently.
"I hope your proud of yourself," her mum scolded. Heidi smiled darkly.
"um, Miss Stern, the principal is ready to see you now," the secretary announced. Heidi's face fell and she stood up and headed into the principal's office.
