The never never
A/n: HEY guys! I started to think about this story on night when I was reading, it's kind of based on a midsummers night with a twist HEHE. So please go gentle on me and if you guys like it then I'll keep it going! ENJOY!
A punishment to some, to some a gift, and to many a favor.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Disclaimer: I don't own naruto or anything to do with Fey series that matter… *sob*
Ten years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.
No, he didn't leave. Leaving would imply suitcases and empty drawers, and late birthday cards withten-dollar bills stuffed inside. Leaving would imply he was unhappy with Mom and me, or that he found a new love elsewhere. None of that was true. He also did not die, because we would've heard about it. There was no car crash, no body, no police mingling about the scene of a brutal murder. It all happened very quietly.
On my sixth birthday, my father took me to the park, one of my favorite places to go at that time. It was a lonely little park in the middle of nowhere, with a running trail and a misty green pond surrounded by pine trees. We were at the edge of the pond, feeding the ducks, when I heard the jingle of an ice cream truck in the parking lot over the hill. When I begged my dad to get me a Creamsicle, he laughed, handed me a few bills, and sent me after the truck.
That was the last time I saw him.
Later, when the police searched the area, they discovered his shoes at the edge of the water, but nothing else. They sent divers into the pond, but it was barely ten feet down, and they found nothing but branches and mud at the bottom. My father had disappeared without a trace.
For months afterward, I had a recurring nightmare about standing at the top of that hill, looking down and seeing my father walk into the pond. As the water closed over his head, I could hear the ice cream truck singing in the background, a slow, eerie song with words I could almost understand. Every time I tried to listen to them, however, I'd wake up.
Not long after my father's disappearance, Mom moved us far away, to a tiny little hick town in the middle of the Louisiana bayou. Mom said she wanted to "start over," but I always knew, deep down, that she was running from something.
It would be another ten years before I discovered what.
MY NAME IS SAKURA HARUNO.
In less than twenty-four hours, I'll be sixteen years old.
Sweet sixteen. It has a magical ring to it. Sixteen is supposed to be the age when girls become princesses and fall in love and go to dances and proms and such. Countless stories, songs, and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine for her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset.
I didn't think it would be that way for me.
The morning before my birthday, I woke up, showered, and rummaged through my dresser for something to wear. Normally, I'd just grab whatever clean-ish thing is on the floor, but today was special. Today was the day Neji hyuga would finally notice me. I wanted to look perfect.
Of course, my wardrobe is sadly lacking in the popular-attire department. While other girls spend hours in front of their closets crying, "What should I wear?" my drawers basically hold three things: clothes from Goodwill, hand-me-downs, and overalls.
I wish we weren't so poor. I know pig farming isn't the most glamorous of jobs, but you'd think Mom could afford to buy me at least one pair of nice jeans. I glared at my scanty wardrobe in disgust. Oh, well,
I guess Neji will have to be wowed with my natural grace and charm, if I don't make an idiot of myself in front of him.
I finally slipped into cargo pants, a neutral green T-shirt, and my only pair of ratty sneakers, before dragging a brush through my Bubble gum pink hair. My hair is straight and very fine, and was doing that stupid floating thing again, where it looked like I'd jammed my finger up an electrical outlet. Yanking it into a ponytail, I went downstairs.
Luke, my stepfather, sat at the table, drinking coffee and leafing through the town's tiny newspaper, which reads more like our high school gossip column than a real news source. "Five-legged calf born on Patterson's farm," the front page screamed; you get the idea. Yuro, my four-year-old half brother, sat on his father's lap, eating a Pop-Tart and getting crumbs all over Luke's overalls. He clutched Floppy, his favorite stuffed rabbit, in one arm and occasionally tried to feed it his breakfast; the rabbit's face was full of crumbs and fruit filling.
Yuro is a good kid. He has his father's curly brown hair, but like me, inherited Mom's big blue eyes.
He's the type of kid old ladies stop to coo at, and total strangers smile and wave at him from across the street. Mom and Luke dote on their baby, but it doesn't seem to spoil him, thank goodness.
"Where's Mom?" I asked as I entered the kitchen. Opening the cabinet doors, I scoured the boxes of cereal for the one I liked, wondering if Mom remembered to pick it up. Of course she hadn't. Nothing but fiber squares and disgusting marshmallow cereals for Yuro. Was it so hard to remember Cheerios?
Luke ignored me and sipped his coffee. Yuro chewed his Pop-Tart and sneezed on his father's arm. I slammed the cabinet doors with a satisfying bang.
"Where's Mom?" I asked, a bit louder this time. Luke jerked his head up and finally looked at me. His lazy brown eyes, like those of a cow, registered mild surprise.
"Oh, hello, Sakura," he said calmly. "I didn't hear you come in. What did you say?" I sighed and repeated my question for the third time.
"She had a meeting with some of the ladies at church," Luke murmured, turning back to his paper. "She won't be back for a few hours, so you'll have to take the bus."
I always took the bus. I just wanted to remind Mom that she was supposed to take me to get a learner's permit this weekend. With Luke, it was hopeless. I could tell him something fourteen different times, and he'd forget it the moment I left the room. It wasn't that Luke was mean or malicious, or even stupid. He adored Yuro, and Mom seemed truly happy with him. But, every time I spoke to my stepdad, he would look at me with genuine surprise, as if he'd forgotten I lived here, too.
I grabbed a bagel from the top of the fridge and chewed it sullenly, keeping an eye on the clock. Beau, our German shepherd, wandered in and put his big head on my knee. I scratched him behind the ears and he groaned. At least the dog appreciated me.
Luke stood, gently placing Yuro back in his seat. "All right, big guy," he said, kissing the top of Yuro's head. "Dad has to fix the bathroom sink, so you sit there and be good. When I'm done, we'll go feed the pigs, okay?"
"'Kay," Yuro chirped, swinging his chubby legs. "Floppy wants to see if Ms. Daisy had her babies yet."
Luke's smile was so disgustingly proud, I felt nauseous.
"Hey, Luke," I said as he turned to go, "bet you can't guess what tomorrow is."
"Mmm?" He didn't even turn around. "I don't know, Sakura. If you have plans for tomorrow, talk to your mother." He snapped his fingers, and Beau immediately left me to follow him. Their footsteps faded up the stairs, and I was alone with my half brother.
Yuro kicked his feet, regarding me in that solemn way of his. "I know," he announced softly, putting his Pop-Tart on the table. "Tomorrow's your birthday, isn't it? Floppy told me, and I remembered."
"Yeah," I muttered, turning and lobbing the bagel into the trash can. It hit the wall with a thump and dropped inside, leaving a greasy smear on the paint. I smirked and decided to leave it.
"Floppy says to tell you happy early birthday."
"Tell Floppy thanks." I ruffled Yuro's hair as I left the kitchen, my mood completely soured. I knew it.
Mom and Luke would completely forget my birthday tomorrow. I wouldn't get a card, or a cake, or even a "happy birthday" from anyone. Except my kid brother's stupid stuffed rabbit. How pathetic was that?
Back in my room, I grabbed books, homework, gym clothes, and the iPod I'd spent a year saving for, despite Luke's disdain of those "useless, brain-numbing gadgets." In true hick fashion, my stepfather dislikes and distrusts anything that could make life easier. Cell phones? No way, we've got a perfectly good landline. Video games? They're the devil's tools, turning kids into delinquents and serial killers. I've begged Mom over and over to buy me a laptop for school, but Luke insists that if his ancient, clunky PC is good enough for him, it's good enough for the family. Never mind that dial-up takes flipping forever. I mean, who uses dial-up anymore?
I checked my watch and swore. The bus would arrive shortly, and I had a good ten-minute walk to the main road. Looking out the window, I saw the sky was gray and heavy with rain, so I grabbed a jacket, as well. And, not for the first time, I wished we lived closer to town.
I swear, when I get a license and a car, I am never coming back to this place.
"Saku?" Yuro hovered in the doorway, clutching his rabbit under his chin. His blue eyes regarded me somberly. "Can I go with you today?"
"What?" Shrugging into my jacket, I gazed around for my backpack. "No, Yuro. I'm going to school now. Big-kids school, no rug rats allowed."
I turned away, only to feel two small arms wrap around my leg. Putting my hand against the wall to avoid falling, I glared down at my half brother. Yuro clung to me doggedly, his face tilted up to mine, his jaw set. "Please?" he begged. "I'll be good, I promise. Take me with you? Just for today?"
With a sigh, I bent down and picked him up.
"What's up, squirt?" I asked, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Mom would need to cut it soon; it was starting to look like a bird's nest. "You're awfully clingy this morning. What's going on?"
"Scared," Yuro muttered, burying his face in my neck.
"You're scared?"
He shook his head. "Floppy's scared."
"What's Floppy scared of?"
"The man in the closet."
I felt a small chill slide up my back. Sometimes, Yuro was so quiet and serious, it was hard to remember he was only four. He still had childish fears of monsters under his bed and bogeymen in his closet. In Yuro's world, stuffed animals spoke to him, invisible men waved to him from the bushes, and scary creatures tapped long nails against his bedroom window. He rarely went to Mom or Luke with stories of monsters and bogeymen; from the time he was old enough to walk, he always came to me.
I sighed, knowing he wanted me to go upstairs and check, to reassure him that nothing lurked in his closet or under his bed. I kept a flashlight on his dresser for that very reason.
Outside, lightning flickered, and thunder rumbled in the distance. I winced. My walk to the bus was notgoing to be pleasant.
Dammit, I don't have time for this.
Yuro pulled back and looked at me, eyes pleading. I sighed again. "Fine," I muttered, putting him down.
"Let's go check for monsters."
He followed me silently up the stairs, watching anxiously as I grabbed the flashlight and got down on my knees, shining it under the bed. "No monsters there," I announced, standing up. I walked to the closet door and flung it open as Yuro peeked out from behind my legs. "No monsters here, either. Think you'll be all right now?"
He nodded and gave me a faint smile. I started to close the door when I noticed a strange gray hat in the corner. It was domed on top, with a circular rim and a red band around the base: a bowler hat.
Weird. Why would that be there?
As I straightened and started to turn around, something moved out of the corner of my eye. I caught a glimpse of a figure hiding behind Yuro's bedroom door, its pale eyes watching me through the crack. I jerked my head around, but of course there was nothing there.
Jeez, now Yuro's got me seeing imaginary monsters. I need to stop watching those late-night horror flicks.
A thunderous boom directly overhead made me jump, and fat drops plinked against the windowpanes. Rushing past Yuro, I burst out of the house and sprinted down the driveway.
I WAS SOAKED WHEN I REACHED
the bus stop. The late spring rain wasn't frigid, but it was cold enough to be uncomfortable. I crossed my arms and huddled under a mossy cypress, waiting for the bus to arrive.
Wonder where Puck is? I mused, gazing down the road. He's usually here by now. Maybe he didn't feel like getting drenched and stayed home. I snorted and rolled my eyes. Skipping class again, huh? Slacker. Wish I could do that.
If only I had a car. I knew kids whose parents gave them cars for their sixteenth birthday. Me, I'd be lucky if I got a cake. Most of my classmates already had licenses and could drive themselves to clubs and parties and anywhere they wanted. I was always left behind, the backward hick girl nobody wanted to invite.
Except Puck, I amended with a small mental shrug. At least Puck will remember. Wonder what kooky thing he has planned for my birthday tomorrow? I could almost guarantee it would be something strange or crazy. Last year, he snuck me out of the house for a midnight picnic in the woods. It was weird; I remembered the glen and the little pond with the fireflies drifting over it, but though I explored the woods behind my house countless times since then, I never found it again.
Something rustled in the bushes behind me. A possum or a deer, or even a fox, seeking shelter from the rain. The wildlife out here was stupidly bold and had little fear of humans. If it wasn't for Beau, Mom's vegetable garden would be a buffet for rabbits and deer, and the local raccoon family would help themselves to everything in our cupboards.
A branch snapped in the trees, closer this time. I shifted uncomfortably, determined not to turn around for some stupid squirrel or raccoon. I'm not like "inflate-a-boob" Ino, Ms. Perfect Cheerleader, who'd flip out if she saw a caged gerbil or a speck of dirt on her Hollister jeans. I've pitched hay and killed rats and driven pigs through knee-deep mud. Wild animals don't scare me.
Still, I stared down the road, hoping to see the bus turn the corner. Maybe it was the rain and my own sick imagination, but the woods felt like the set for The Blair Witch Project.
There are no wolves or serial killers out here, I told myself. Stop being paranoid.
The forest was suddenly very quiet. I leaned against the tree and shivered, trying to will the bus into appearing. A chill crawled up my back. I wasn't alone. Cautiously, I craned my neck up, peering through the leaves. An enormous black bird perched on a branch, feathers spiked out against the rain, sitting as motionless as a statue. As I watched, it turned its head and met my gaze, with eyes as green as colored glass.
And then, something reached around the tree and grabbed me.
I screamed and leaped away, my heart hammering in my ears. Whirling around, I tensed to run, my mind filled with rapists and murderers and Leather face from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Laughter exploded behind me.
Puck Goodfell, my closest neighbor—meaning he lived nearly two miles away—slouched against the tree trunk, gasping with mirth. Lanky and tall, in tattered jeans and an old T-shirt, he paused to look at my pale face, before cracking up again. His spiky red hair lay plastered to his forehead and his clothes clung to his skin, emphasizing his lean, bony frame, as though his limbs didn't fit quite right. Being drenched and covered in twigs, leaves, and mud didn't seem to bother him. Few things did.
"Dammit, Puck!" I raged, stomping up and aiming a kick at him. He dodged and staggered into the road, his face red from laughter. "That wasn't funny, you idiot. You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"S-sorry, princess," Puck gasped, clutching his heart as he sucked in air. "It was just too perfect." He gave a final chortle and straightened, holding his ribs. "Man, that was impressive. You must've jumped three feet in the air. What, did you think I was, Leather face or something?"
"Of course not, stupid." I turned away with a huff to hide my burning face. "And I told you to stop calling me that! I'm not ten anymore."
"Sure thing, princess."
I rolled my eyes. "Has anyone told you you have the maturity level of a four-year-old?"
He laughed cheerfully. "Look who's talking. I'm not the one who stayed up all night with the lights on after watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I tried to warn you." He made a grotesque face and staggered toward me, arms outstretched. "Ooooh, look out, it's Leather face."
I scowled and kicked water at him. He kicked some back, laughing. By the time the bus showed up a few minutes later, we were both covered in mud, dripping wet, and the bus driver told us to sit in the back.
"What are you doing after school?" Puck asked as we huddled in the far backseat. Around us, students talked, joked, laughed, and generally paid us no attention. "Wanna grab a coffee later? Or we could sneak into the theater and see a movie."
"Not today, Puck," I replied, trying to wring water from my shirt. Now that it was over, I dearly regretted our little mud battle. I was going to look like the Creature from the Black Lagoon in front of Neji . "You'll have to do your sneaking without me this time. I'm tutoring someone after class."
Puck's Blue eyes narrowed. "Tutoring someone? Who?"
My stomach fluttered, and I tried not to grin. "Neji hyuga."
"What?" Puck's lip curled in a grimace of disgust. "The jockstrap? Why, does he need you to teach him how to read?"
I scowled at him. "Just because he's captain of the football team doesn't mean you can be a jerk. Or are you jealous?"
"Oh, of course, that's it," Puck said with a sneer. "I've always wanted the IQ of a rock. No, wait. That would be an insult to the rock." He snorted. "I can't believe you're going for the jockstrap. You can do so much better, princess."
"Don't call me that." I turned away to hide my burning face. "And it's just a tutoring session. He's not going to ask me to the prom. Jeez."
"Right." Puck sounded unconvinced. "He's not, but you're hoping he will. Admit it. You're drooling over him just like every empty-headed cheerleader on campus."
"So what if I am?" I snapped, spinning around. "It's none of your business, Puck. What do you care, anyway?"
He got very quiet, muttering something unintelligible under his breath. I turned my back on him and stared out the window. I didn't care what Puck said. This afternoon, for one glorious hour, Neji Hyuga would be mine alone, and no one would distract me from that.
SCHOOL DRAGGED. THE TEACHERS
all spoke gibberish, and the clocks seemed to be moving backward. The afternoon crept by in a daze. Finally, finally, the last bell rang, freeing me from the endless torture of X equals Y problems.
Today is the day, I told myself as I maneuvered the crowded hallways, keeping to the edge of the teeming mass. Wet sneakers squeaked over tile, and a miasma of sweat, smoke, and body odor hung thick in the air. Nervousness fluttered inside can do this. Don't think about it. Just go in and get it over with.
Dodging students,I wove my way down the hall and peeked into the computer room. There he was, sitting at one of the desks with both feet up on another chair. Neji hyuga, captain of the football team. Gorgeous Neji . King-of-the-school Neji . He wore a red-and-white letterman jacket that showed off his broad chest, and his thick dark blond hair brushed the top of his collar.
My heart pounded .A whole hour in the same room with Neji hyuga, with no one to get in the way. Normally, I couldn't even get close to Neji ; he was either surrounded by Ino and her cheerleader groupies, or his football buddies. There were other students in the computer lab with us, but they were nerds and academic types, beneath Neji hyuga's notice. The jocks and cheerleaders wouldn't be caught dead in here if they could help it. I took a deep breath and stepped into the room.
He didn't glance at me when I walked up beside him. He lounged in the chair with his feet up and his head back, tossing an invisible ball across the room. I cleared my throat. Nothing. I cleared it a little louder. Still nothing.
Gathering my courage, I stepped in front of him and waved. His coffee-brown eyes finally jerked up to mine. For a moment, he looked startled. Then an eyebrow rose in a lazy arc, as if he couldn't figure out why I wanted to talk to him.
Uh-oh. Say something, Sakura. Something intelligent.
"Um…" I stammered. "Hi. I'm Sakura. I sit behind you. In computer class." He was still giving me that blank stare, and I felt my cheeks getting hot. "Uh…I really don't watch a lot of sports, but I think you're an awesome quarterback, not that I've seen many—well, just you, actually. But you really seem to know what you're doing. I go to all your games, you know. I'm usually in the very back, so you probably don't see me." Oh, God. Shut up, Sakura. Shut up now. I clamped my mouth closed to stop the incessant babbling, wanting to crawl into a hole and die. What was I thinking, agreeing to this? Better to be invisible than to look like a complete and total moron, especially in front of Neji .
He blinked lazily, reached up, and pulled the earphones from his ears. "Sorry, babe," he drawled in that wonderful, deep voice of his. "I couldn't hear you." He gave me a once-over and smirked. "Are you supposed to be the tutor?"
"Um, yes." I straightened and smoothed out my remaining shreds of dignity. "I'm Sakura. Mr. Iruka asked me to help you out with your programming project."
He continued to smirk at me. "Aren't you that hick girl who lives out in the swamp? Do you even know what a computer is?"
But, in the face of Neji 's criticism, I could only stammer: "Y-yes, I do. I mean, I know a lot." He gave me a dubious look, and I felt the sting of wounded pride. I had to prove to him that I wasn't the backward hillbilly he thought I was. "Here, I'll show you," I offered, and reached toward the keyboard on the table.
Then something weird happened.
I hadn't even touched the keys when the computer screen blipped on. When I paused, my fingers hovering over the board, words began to scroll across the blue screen.
Sakura Haruno. We see you. We're coming for you.
I froze. The words continued, those three sentences, over and over. Sakura Haruno. We see you. We're coming for you. Sakura Haruno we see you we're coming for you. Sakura Haruno we see you we're coming for you… over and over until it completely filled the screen.
Neji leaned back in his seat, glaring at me, then at the computer. "What is this?" he asked, scowling.
"What the hell are you doing, freak?" Pushing him aside, I shook the mouse, punched Escape, and pressed Ctrl/Alt/Del to stop the endless string of words. Nothing worked.
Suddenly, without warning, the words stopped, and the screen went blank for a moment. Then, in giant letters, another message flashed into view.
NEJI HYUGA PEEKS AT GUYS IN THE SHOWER ROOM, ROFL.
I gasped. The message began to scroll across all the computer screens, wending its way around the room, with me powerless to stop it. The other students at the desks paused, shocked for a moment, then began to point and laugh.
I could feel Neji 's gaze like a knife in my back. Fearfully, I turned to find him glaring at me, chest heaving. His face was crimson, probably from rage or embarrassment, and he jabbed a finger in my direction.
"You think that's funny, swamp girl? Do you? Just wait. I'll show you funny. You just dug your own grave, bitch."
He stormed out of the room with the echo of laughter trailing behind him. A few of the students gave me grins, applause, and thumbs-up; one of them even winked at me.
My knees were shaking. I dropped into a chair and stared blankly at the computer screen, which suddenly flicked off, taking the offensive message with it, but the damage was already done. My stomach roiled, and there was a stinging sensation behind my eyes.
I buried my face in my hands. I'm dead. I'm so dead. That's it, game over, Sakura. I wonder if Mom will let me move to a boarding school in Canada?
A faint snicker cut through my bleak thoughts, and I raised my head.
Crouched atop the monitor, silhouetted black against the open window, was a tiny, misshapenthing. Spindly and emaciated, it had long, thin arms and huge batlike ears. Slitted green eyes regarded me across the table, gleaming with intelligence. It grinned, showing off a mouthful of pointed teeth that glowed with neon-blue light, before it vanished, like an image on the computer screen.
I sat there a moment, staring at the spot where the creature had been, my mind spinning in a dozen directions at once. Okay. Great. Not only does Neji hate me, I'm starting to hallucinate, as well. Sakura
Haruno, victim of a nervous breakdown the day before she turned sixteen. Just send me off to the loony bin, 'cause I sure won't survive another day at school.
Dragging myself upright, I shuffled, zombielike, into the hall.
Puck waited for me by the lockers, a soda bottle in each hand. "Hey, princess," he greeted as I shambled past. "You're out early. How'd the tutoring session go?"
"Don't call me that," I muttered, banging my forehead into my locker. "And the tutoring session went fabulous. Please kill me now."
"That good, huh?" He tossed me a diet soda, which I barely caught, and twisted open his root beer in a hiss of foam. I could hear the grin in his voice. "Well, I suppose I could say 'I told you so—'"
I glared daggers at him, daring him to continue.
The smile vanished from his face. "—but…I won't." He pursed his lips, trying not to grin. "'Cause…that would just be wrong."
"What are you doing here, anyway?" I demanded. "The buses have all left by now. Were you lurking by the computer lab, like some creepy stalker guy?"
Puck coughed loudly and took a long sip of his root beer. "Hey, I was wondering," he continued brightly, "what are you doing for your birthday tomorrow?"
Hiding in my room, with the covers over my head, I thought, but shrugged and yanked open my rusty locker.
"I dunno. Whatever. I don't have anything planned." I grabbed my books, stuffed them in my bag, and slammed the locker door. "Why?"
Puck gave me that smile that always makes me nervous, a grin that stretched his entire face so that his eyes narrowed to green slits. "I've got a bottle of champagne I managed to swipe from the wine cabinet," he said in a low voice, waggling his eyebrows. "How 'bout I come by your place tomorrow? We can celebrate your birthday in style."
I'd never had champagne. I did try a sip of Luke's beer once, and thought I was going to throw up.
Mom sometimes brought home wine in a box, and that wasn't terrible, but I wasn't much of an alcohol drinker.
What the hell? You're only sixteen once, right?
"Sure," I told Puck, and gave a resigned shrug. "Sounds good. Might as well go out with a bang."
He cocked his head at me. "You okay, princess?"
What could I tell him? That the captain of the football team, whom I'd been crushing on for two years, was out to get me, that I was seeing monsters at every turn, and that the school computers were either hacked or possessed? Yeah, right. I'd get no sympathy from the school's greatest prankster. Knowing Puck, he'd think it was a brilliant joke and congratulate me. If I didn't know him better, I might even think he set it up.
I just gave him a tired smile and nodded. "I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow, Puck."
"See you then, princess."
Mom was late picking me up, again. The tutoring session was only supposed to be an hour, but I sat on the curb, in the drizzling rain, for another good half hour, contemplating my miserable life and watching cars pull in and out of the parking lot. Finally, her blue station wagon turned the corner and pulled to a stop in front of me. The front seat was filled with grocery bags and newspapers, so I slid into the back.
"Sakura, you're sopping wet," cried my mother, watching me from the rearview mirror. "Don't sit on the upholstery—get a towel or something. Didn't you bring an umbrella?"
Nice to see you, too, Mom, I thought, scowling as I grabbed a newspaper off the floor to put on the seat. No "how was your day?" or "sorry I'm late." I should've abandoned the stupid tutoring session with Neji and taken the bus home.
We drove in silence. People used to tell me I looked like her, that is, before Yuro came along and swallowed up the spotlight. To this day, I don't know where they saw the resemblance. Mom is one of those ladies who looks natural in a three-piece suit and heels; me, I like baggy cargo pants and sneakers.
Mom's hair hangs in thick golden ringlets; mine is limp and fine, almost silver if it catches the light just right. She looks regal and graceful and slender; I just look skinny.
Mom could've married anyone in the world—a movie star, a rich business tycoon—but she chose Luke the pig farmer and a shabby little farm out in the sticks. Which reminded me…
"Hey, Mom. Don't forget, you have to take me to get a permit this weekend."
"Oh, Sakura." Mom sighed. "I don't know. I've got a lot of work this week, and your father wants me to help him fix the barn. Maybe next week."
"Mom, you promised!"
"Sakura, please. I've had a long day." Mom sighed again and looked back at me in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot and ringed with smeared mascara. I shifted uncomfortably. Had Mom been crying?
"What's up?" I asked cautiously.
She hesitated. "There was an…accident at home," she began, and her voice made my insides squirm.
"Your father had to take Yuro to the hospital this afternoon." She paused again, blinking rapidly, and took a short breath. "Beau attacked him."
"What?" My outburst made her start. Our German shepherd? Attacking Yuro? "Is Yuro all right?" I demanded, feeling my stomach twist in fear.
"Yes." Mom gave me a tired smile. "Very shaken up, but nothing serious, thank God."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "What happened?" I asked, still unable to believe our dog actually attacked a family member. Beau adored Yuro; he got upset if anyone even scolded my half brother. I'd seen Yuro yanking on Beau's fur, ears, and tail, and the dog barely responded with a lick. I'd seen Beau take Yuro's sleeve and gently tug him back from the driveway. Our German shepherd might be a terror to squirrels and deer, but he'd never even shown teeth to anyone in the house.
"Why did Beau go crazy like that?"
Mom shook her head. "I don't know. Luke saw Beau run up the stairs, then heard Yuro screaming.
When he got to his room, he found the dog dragging Yuro across the floor. His face was badly scratched, and there were bite marks on his arm."
My blood ran cold. I saw Yuro being mauled, imagined his absolute terror when our previously trustworthy shepherd turned on him. It was so hard to believe, like something out of a horror movie. I knew Mom was just as stunned as I was; she'd trusted Beau completely.
Still, Mom was holding back, I could tell by the way she pressed her lips together. There was something she wasn't telling me, and I was afraid I knew what it was.
"What will happen to Beau?"
Her eyes filled with tears, and my heart sank. "We can't have a dangerous dog running around, Sakura,"
she said, and I heard the plea for understanding. "If Yuro asks, tell him that we found Beau another home." She took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tightly, not looking at me. "It's for the safety of the family, Sakura. Don't blame your father. But, after Luke brought Yuro home, he took Beau to the pound."
Dinner was tense that night. I was furious at both my parents: Luke for doing the deed, and Mom for allowing him to do it. I refused to speak to either of them. Mom and Luke talked between themselves about useless, trivial stuff, and Yuro sat clutching Floppy in silence. It was weird not having Beau pacing round the table like he always did, looking for crumbs. I excused myself early and retreated to my room, slamming the door behind me.
I flopped back on my bed, remembering all the times Beau had curled up here with me, a solid, warm presence. He never asked anyone for anything, content just to be near, making sure his charges were safe. Now he was gone, and the house seemed emptier for it.
I wished I could talk to someone. I wanted to call Puck and rant about the total unfairness of it all, but his parents—who were even more backward than mine, apparently—didn't have a phone, or even a computer. Talk about living in the Dark Ages. Puck and I made our plans at school, or sometimes he would just show up outside my window, having walked the two miles to my house. It was a total pain in the ass, something I fully intended to fix once I got my own car. Mom and Luke couldn't keep me in this isolated bubble forever. Maybe my next big purchase would be cell phones for both of us, and screw what Luke thought about that. This whole "technology is evil" thing was getting really old.
I'd talk to Puck tomorrow. I couldn't do it tonight. Besides, the only phone in my house was the landline in the kitchen, and I didn't want to vent about grown-up stupidity with them in the same room.
That would be pushing it.
There was a timid knock on the door, and Yuro's head peeked inside.
"Hey, squirt." I sat up on the bed, swiping at a few stray tears. A dinosaur Band-Aid covered his
forehead, and his right arm was wrapped in gauze. "What's up?"
"Mommy and Daddy sent Beau away." His lower lip trembled, and he hiccuped, wiping his eyes on Floppy's fur. I sighed and patted the bed.
"They had to," I explained as he clambered up and snuggled into my lap, rabbit and all. "They didn't want Beau to bite you again. They were afraid you'd get hurt."
"Beau didn't bite me." Yuro gazed back at me with wide, teary eyes. I saw fear in them, and an understanding that went way beyond his years. "Beau didn't hurt me," he insisted. "Beau was trying to save me from the man in the closet."
Monsters again? I sighed, wanting to dismiss it, but a part of me hesitated. What if Yuro was right? I'd been seeing weird things, too, lately. What if…what if Beau really was protecting Yuro from something horrible and terrifying…? No!I shook my head. This was ridiculous! I'd be turning sixteen in a few hours; that was way too old to believe in monsters. And it was high time Yuro grew up, as well. He was a smart kid, and I was getting tired of him blaming imaginary bogeymen whenever something went wrong.
"Yuro." I sighed again, trying not to appear cranky. If I was too harsh, he'd pPuckably start bawling, and
I didn't want to upset him after all he'd gone through today. Still, this had gone far enough. "There are no monsters in your closet, Yuro. There's no such thing as monsters, okay?"
"Yes, there are!" He scowled and kicked his feet into the covers. "I've seen them. They talk to me. They say the king wants to see me." He held out his arm, showing me the bandage. "The man in the closet grabbed me here. He was pulling me under the bed when Beau came in and scared him off."
Clearly, I wasn't going to change his mind. And I really didn't want a temper tantrum in my room right now. "Okay, fine," I relented, wrapping my arms around him. "Let's say something other than Beau grabbed you today. Why don't you tell Mom and Luke?"
"They're grown-ups," Yuro said, as if it was perfectly clear. "They won't believe me. They can't see the monsters." He sighed and looked at me with the gravest expression I'd ever seen on a kid. "But Floppy says you can see them. If you try hard enough. You can see through the Mist and the glamour, Floppy says so."
"The what and the what?"
"Yuro?" Mom's voice floated outside the door, and her silhouette appeared in the frame. "Are you in here?" Seeing us together, she blinked and offered a tentative smile. I glared back stonily.
Mom ignored me. "Yuro, honey, time to get ready for bed. It's been a long day." She held out her hand, and Yuro hopped down to pad across the room, dragging his rabbit behind him.
"Can I sleep with you and Daddy?" I heard him ask, his voice small and scared.
"Oh, I guess so. Just for tonight, okay?"
"'Kay." Their voices faded away down the hall, and I kicked my door shut.
That night, I had a strange dream about waking up and seeing Floppy, Yuro's stuffed rabbit, at the foot of my bed. In the dream, the rabbit was speaking to me, words that were grave and terrifying, filled with danger. It wanted to warn me, or it wanted me to help. I might have promised it something. The next morning, however, I couldn't remember much of the dream at all.
I WOKE TO THE SOUND OF RAIN drumming on the roof. My birthday seemed destined to be cold, ugly, and wet. For a moment, a heavy weight pressed at the back of my mind, though I didn't know why I felt so depressed. Then everything from the previous day came back to me, and I groaned.
Happy birthday to me, I thought, burrowing under the covers.I'll be spending the rest of the week in bed, thanks.
"Sakura?" Mom's voice sounded outside my door, followed by a timid knock. "It's getting late. Are you up yet?"
I ignored her and curled up farther into the covers. Resentment simmered as I thought of poor Beau, carted off to the pound. Mom knew I was mad at her, but she could stew in her guilt for a while. I wasn't ready to forgive and make up just yet.
"Sakura, get up. You're going to miss the bus," said Mom, poking her head in the room. Her tone was matter-of-fact, and I snorted. So much for making up.
"I'm not going to school," I muttered from beneath the covers. "I don't feel good. I think I've got the flu."
"Sick? On your birthday? That's unfortunate." Mom came into the room, and I peeked at her through a crack in the blankets. She remembered?
"Very sad," Mom continued, smiling at me and crossing her arms. "I was going to take you to get a learner's permit after school today, but if you're sick…"
I popped up. "Really? Um…well, I guess I don't feel all that bad. I'll just take some aspirin or something."
"I thought so." Mom shook her head as I bounced to my feet. "I'm helping your father fix the barn this afternoon, so I can't pick you up. But, as soon as you get home, we'll go to the license bureau together. That sound like a good birthday present?"
I barely heard her. I was too busy racing around the room, grabbing clothes and getting my stuff together. The sooner I got through the day, the better.
I was stuffing homework into my backpack when the door creaked open again. Yuro peeked in the doorway, his hands behind his back, a shy, expectant smile on his face.
I blinked at him and pushed back my hair. "What do you need, squirt?"
With a grin, he stepped forward and held out a folded piece of paper. Bright crayon drawings decorated the front; a smiley-faced sun hovered over a little house with smoke curling from the chimney.
"Happy birthday, Sakura," he said, quite pleased with himself. "See how I remembered?"
Smiling, I took the homemade card and opened it. Inside, a simple crayon drawing of our family smiled back: stick figures of Mom and Luke, me and Yuro holding hands, and a four-legged critter that had to be Beau. I felt a lump in my throat, and my eyes watered for just a moment.
"You like it?" Yuro asked, watching me anxiously.
"I love it," I said, ruffling his hair. "Thank you. Here, why don't you put it on the fridge, so everyone can see what a great artist you are."
He grinned and scampered off, clutching the card, and I felt my heart get a little bit lighter. Maybe today wouldn't be so terrible, after all. "SO,YOUR MOM IS TAKING YOU to get a permit today?" Puck asked as the bus pulled into the school parking lot. "That's cool. You can finally drive us downtown and to the movies. We won't have to depend on the bus, or spend another evening watching VHS tapes on your twelve-inch screen."
"It's only a permit, Puck." I gathered my backpack as the bus lurched to a halt. "I won't have my license yet. Knowing Mom, it'll be another sixteen years before I can drive the car on my own. Yuro will probably get a license before I do."
The thought of my half brother sent an unexpected chill through me. I remembered his words from the night before: You can see through the Mist and the glamour, Floppy says so.
Stuffed rabbit aside, I had no idea what he was talking about.
As I walked down the bus steps, a familiar figure broke away from a large group and came striding toward me. Neji . My stomach twisted, and I gazed around for a suitable escape route, but before I could flee into the crowd, he was already in front of me.
"Hey." His voice, drawling and deep, made me shiver. Terrified as I was, he was still gorgeous, with his
damp brown hair falling his forehead. For some reason, he seemed nervous today, running his hands through his bangs and gazing around. "Um…" He hesitated, narrowing his eyes.
"What was your name again?"
"Sakura," I whispered.
"Oh, yeah." Stepping closer, he glanced back at his friends and lowered his voice. "Listen, I feel bad about the way I treated you yesterday. It was uncalled-for. I'm sorry."
For a moment, I didn't understand what he was saying. I'd been expecting threats, taunts, or accusations. Then a great balloon of relief swelled inside me as his words finally registered. "O-oh," I stammered, feeling my face heat, "that's okay. Forget about it."
"I can't," he muttered. "You've been on my mind since yesterday. I was a real jerk, and I'd like to make it up to you. Do…" He stopped, chewing his lip, then got it all out in a rush. "Do you want to eat lunch with me this afternoon?"
My heart pounded. Butterflies swarmed madly in my stomach, and my feet felt like they were floating an inch off the ground. I barely had the voice to squeak a breathless "Sure." Neji grinned, showing blindingly white teeth, and gave me a wink.
"Hey, guys! Over here!" One of Neji 's football buddies stood a few feet away, a camera-phone in hand, pointed at us. "Smile for the birdie."
Before I knew what was happening, Neji put a hand around my shoulders and pulled me close to his side. I blinked up at him, stunned, as my heart began racing around my chest. He flashed his dazzling grin at the camera, but I could only stare, stupefied, like a moron.
"Thanks, Sakura," Neji said, breaking away from me. "See you at lunch." He smiled and trotted off toward the school with one final wink. The cameraman chuckled and sprinted after him, leaving me dazed and confused at the edge of the parking lot.
For a moment, I stood there, staring like an idiot as my classmates surged around me. Then a grin spread across my face and I whooped, leaping into the air. Neji hyuga wanted to see me! He wanted to have lunch with me, just me, in the cafeteria. Maybe my luck was finally turning around. My best birthday ever might just be starting.
As a silvery curtain of rain crept over the parking lot, I felt eyes on me. Turning, I saw Puck a few paces away, watching me through the crowd.
Through the rain, his eyes glittered, a too-bright blue. As water pounded the concrete and students rushed toward the school, I saw a hint of something on his face: a long muzzle, slitted eyes, a tongue lolling out between pointed fangs. My stomach twisted, but I blinked and Puck was himself again—normal, grinning, unconcerned that he was getting drenched.
And so was I.
With a little yelp, I sprinted beneath the overhang and ducked inside the school. Puck followed, laughing, pulling at my limp strands of hair until I smacked him and he stopped.
All through the first class, I kept glancing at Puck, looking for that eerie, predatory hint on his face, wondering if I was crazy. All it got me was a sore neck and a brusque comment from my English teacher to pay attention and stop staring at boys.
WHEN THE LUNCH BELL RANG, I leaped up, my heart fluttering a hundred miles a minute. Neji was waiting for me in the cafeteria. I grabbed my books, stuffed them into my backpack, whirled around— And came face-to-face with Puck, standing behind me.
I shrieked. "Puck, I'm going to smack you if you don't stop doing that! Now, move. I have to get somewhere."
"Don't go." His voice was quiet, serious. Surprised, I looked up at him. The perpetual goofy grin was gone, and his jaw was set. The look in his eyes was almost frightening. "This is bad, I can feel it. Jockstrap is up to something—he and his buddies were hanging around the yearbook department for a long time after he talked to you. I don't like it. Promise me you won't go."
I recoiled. "Were you eavesdropping on us?" I demanded, scowling. "What's wrong with you? Ever hear of a 'private conversation'?"
"Hyuga doesn't care about you." Puck crossed his arms, daring me to contradict him. "He'll break your heart, princess. Trust me, I've seen enough of his kind to know."
Anger flared, anger that he dared stick his nose into my affairs, anger that he could be right. "Again, it's none of your business, Puck!" I snapped, making his eyebrows arch. "And I can take care of myself, okay? Quit butting in where you're not wanted."
Hurt glimmered briefly, but then it was gone. "Fine, princess." He smirked, holding up his hands. "Don't get your royal pink panties in a twist. Forget I said anything."
"I will." Tossing my head, I flounced out of the room without looking back.
Guilt gnawed at me as I wove through the halls toward the cafeteria. I regretted snapping at Puck, but sometimes his Big Brother act went too far. Still, Puck had always been that way—jealous, overprotective, forever looking out for me, like it was his job. I couldn't remember when I first met him; it felt like he'd always been there.
The cafeteria was noisy and dim. I hovered just inside the door, looking for Neji , only to see him at a table in the middle of the floor, surrounded by cheerleaders and football jocks. I hesitated. I couldn't just march up to that table and sit down; Ino yamanka and her cheerleading squad would rip me to shreds.
Neji glanced up and saw me, and a lazy smile spread over his face. Taking that as an invitation, I started toward him, weaving my way past the tables. He flipped out his iPhone, pressed a button, and looked at me with half-lidded eyes, still grinning.
A phone rang close by.
I jumped a bit, but continued walking. Behind me, there were gasps, and then hysterical giggles. And then, the whispered conversation that always makes you think they're talking about you. I felt eyes on the back of my head. Trying to ignore it, I continued down the aisle.
Another phone rang.
And another.
And now, whispers and laughter were spreading like wildfire. For some reason, I felt horribly exposed, as if a spotlight shone right on me and I was on display. The laughter couldn't be directed at me, could it?
I saw several people point in my direction, whispering among themselves, and tried my best to ignore them. Neji 's table was only a few feet away.
"Hey, hot cheeks!" A hand smacked my ass and I shrieked. Spinning around, I glared at Dan Ottoman, a blond, pimply clarinet player from band. He leered back at me and winked. "Never took you for a player, girl," he said, trying to ooze charm but reminding me of a dirty Kermit the Frog. "Come down to band sometime. I've got a flute you can play."
"What are you talking about?" I snarled, but he snickered and held up his phone.
At first, the screen was blank. But then a message flashed across it in bright yellow.
"How is Sakura Haruno like a cold beer?" it read. I gasped, and the words disappeared as a picture flashed into view.
Me. Me with Neji in the parking lot, his arm around my shoulders, a wide leer on his face. Only now—my mouth dropped open—I was butt naked, staring at him in wonder, my eyes blank and stupid.
He'd obviously used Photoshop; my "body" was obscenely skinny and featureless, like a doll's, my chest as flat as a twelve-year-old's. I froze, and my heart stopped beating as the second part of the message
scrolled over the screen.
"She's smooth and goes down easy!"
The bottom dropped out of my stomach, and my cheeks flamed. Horrified, I looked up at Neji , to see his whole table roaring with laughter and pointing at me. Ring tones echoed through the cafeteria, and laughter pounded me like physical waves. I started trembling, and my eyes burned.
Covering my face, I turned and fled the cafeteria before I started wailing like a two-year-old. Shrieking laughter echoed around me, and tears stung my eyes like poison. I managed to cross the room without tripping over benches or my feet, bashed open the doors, and escaped into the hallway.
I spent nearly an hour in the corner stall of the girls' bathroom, sobbing my eyes out and planning my move to Canada, or possibly Fiji—somewhere far, far away. I didn't dare show my face to anyone in this state ever again. Finally, as the tears slowed and my gasping breaths returned to normal, I reflected on how miserable my life had become.
I guess I should feel honored, I thought bitterly, holding my breath as a group of girls flocked into the bathroom. Neji took the time to personally ruin my life. I bet he's never done that to anyone else. Lucky me, I'm the world's biggest loser. Tears threatened again, but I was tired of bawling and held them back.
At first, I planned to hole up in the bathroom until school ended. But, if anyone missed me from class, this would be the first place they'd look. So, I finally gathered the courage to tiptoe down to the nurse's office and fake a horrid stomachache so I could hide out there.
The nurse stood about four feet in thick-heeled loafers, but the look she gave me when I peered through the door suggested she wasn't going to take any teenage foolishness. Her skin looked like that of a shrunken walnut, her white hair was pulled into a severe bun, and she wore tiny gold glasses on the end of her nose.
"Well, now, Ms. Haruno," she said in a gravelly, high-pitched voice, setting aside her clipboard. "What are you doing here?" I blinked, wondering how she knew me. I'd only been to the nurse's office once before, when a stray soccer ball hit me in the nose. Back then, the nurse was bony and tall, with an overbite that made her look like a horse. This plump, shriveled little woman was new, and slightly unnerving, with the way she stared at me.
"I have a stomachache," I complained, holding my navel like it was about to burst. "I just need to lie down for a few minutes."
"Of course, Ms. Haruno. There are some cots in the back. I'll bring you something to make you feel better."
I nodded and moved into a room divided by several huge sheets. Except for myself and the nurse, the room was empty. Perfect. I chose a corner cot and lay back on the paper-covered mattress.
Moments later, the nurse appeared, handing me a Dixie cup full of something that bubbled and steamed.
"Take this, you'll feel better," she said, pressing the cup into my hand.
I stared at it. The fizzling white liquid smelled like chocolate and herbs, except stronger, somehow, a mix so potent it made my eyes water. "What is it?" I asked.
The nurse just smiled and left the room.
I took a cautious sip and felt warmth spread from my throat down to my stomach. The taste was incredible, like the richest chocolate in the world, with just a hint of bitter aftertaste. I quaffed the rest in two gulps, holding the cup upside down to get the last drops. Almost immediately, I felt sleepy. Lying back on the crinkly mattress, I closed my eyes for just a moment, and everything faded away.
I AWOKE TO LOW VOICES ,
talking in furtive tones, just beyond the curtains. I tried to move, but it felt like my body was wrapped in cotton, my head filled with gauze. I struggled to keep my eyes open.
On the other side of the sheets, I saw two silhouettes.
"Don't do anything reckless," warned a low, gravelly voice. The nurse, I thought, wondering, in my delirium, if she would give me more of that chocolaty stuff. "Remember, your duty is to watch the girl.
You must not do anything that will draw attention."
"Me?" asked a tantalizingly familiar voice. "Draw attention to myself? Would I do such a thing?"
The nurse snorted. "If the entire cheerleading squad turns into mice, Puck, I will be very upset with you. Mortal adolescents are blind and cruel. You know that. You mustn't take revenge, no matter how you feel about the girl. Especially now. There are more worrisome things on the move."
I'm dreaming, I decided. That must be it. What was in that drink, anyway? In the dim light, the silhouettes playing across the curtain looked confusing and strange. The nurse, it seemed, was even smaller, barely three feet in height. The other shadow was even more peculiar: normal-size, but with strange protrusions on the side of his head that looked like horns, or ears.
The taller shadow sighed and moved to sit in a chair, crossing his long legs. "I've heard the same," he muttered. "Dark rumors are stirring. The Courts are restless. Seems like something is out there that has both of them scared."
"Which is why you must continue to be both her shield and her guardian." The nurse turned, putting both hands on her hips, her voice chiding. "I'm surprised you haven't given her the mistwine yet. She is sixteen today. The veil is beginning to lift."
"I know, I know. I'm getting to it." The shadow sighed, putting his head in his hands. "I'll take care of that later this afternoon. How is she?"
"Resting," said the nurse. "Poor thing, she was traumatized. I gave her a mild sleep potion that will knock her out until she goes home."
A chuckle. "The last kid who drank one of your 'mild' sleep potions didn't wake up for two weeks.
You're one to talk about being inconspicuous."
The nurse's reply was garbled and broken, but I was almost sure she said, "She's her father's daughter.
She'll be fine." Or maybe it was just me. The world went fuzzy, like an out-of-focus camera, and I knew nothing for a time.
"SAKURA!"
Someone was shaking me awake. I cursed and flailed, momentarily confused, and finally lifted my head.
My eyes felt like they had ten pounds of sand in them, and sleep gook crusted the corners, making it impossible to focus. Groaning, I wiped my lids and stared blearily into Puck's face. For a moment, his brow was furrowed with concern. Then I blinked and he was his normal, grinning self.
"Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty," he teased as I struggled to a sitting position. "Lucky you, school is out. It's time to go home."
"Huh?" I muttered intelligently, wiping the last traces of sleep snot from my eyes. Puck snorted and pulled me to my feet.
"Here," he said, handing me my backpack, heavy with books. "You're lucky I'm such a great friend. I got notes for all the classes you missed after lunch. Oh, and you're forgiven, by the way. I won't even say 'I told you so.'"
He was speaking too fast. My brain was still asleep, my mind foggy and disconnected. "What are you talking about?" I mumbled, shrugging into my pack.
And then I remembered.
"I need to call my mom," I said, dropping back on the cot. Puck frowned and looked confused. "She has to come pick me up," I elaborated. "No way am I getting on the bus, ever again." Despair settled on me, and I hid my face in my hands.
"Look, Sakura," Puck said, "I heard what happened. It's not a big deal."
"Are you on crack?" I asked, glaring at him through my fingers. "The whole school is talking about me.
This will probably go in the school paper. I'll be crucified if I show my face in public. And you say it's not a big deal?"
I drew my knees to my chest and buried my head in them. Everything was so horribly unfair. "It's my birthday," I moaned into my jeans. "This isn't supposed to happen to people on their birthdays."
Puck sighed. Dropping his bag, he sat down and put his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. I
sniffled and shed a few tears into his jacket, listening to his heartbeat through his shirt. It thudded rapidly against his chest, like he'd been sprinting several miles.
"Come on." Puck stood, pulling me up with him. "You can do this. And I promise, no one will care what happened today. By tomorrow, everyone will have forgotten about it." He smiled, squeezing my arm. "Besides, don't you have a driver's permit to get?"
That one bright spark in the black misery of my life gave me hope. I nodded, steeling myself for what was to come. We left the nurse's office together, Puck's hand clasped firmly around mine.
"Just stick close," he muttered as we neared the crowded part of the hallway. Ino and three of her groupies stood in front of the lockers, chattering away and snapping their gum. My stomach tensed and my heart began to pound.
Puck squeezed my hand. "It's okay. Don't let go of me, and don't say anything to anyone. They won't even notice we're here."
As we neared the cluster of girls, I prepared for them to turn on me with their laughter and their ugly remarks. But we swept by them without so much as a glance, though Ino was in the midst of describing my shameful retreat from the cafeteria.
"And then she, like, started bawling," Ino said, her nasal voice cutting through the hall. "And I was like, omygod she's such a loser. But what can you expect from an inbred hillbilly?" Her voice dropped to a whisper and she leaned forward. "I heard her mom has an unnatural obsession with pigs, if you know what I mean."
The girls broke into a chorus of shocked giggles, and I almost snapped. Puck, however, tightened his grip and pulled me away. I heard him mutter something under his breath, and felt a shudder go through the air, like thunder with no sound.
Behind us, Ino started to scream.
I tried to turn back, but Puck yanked me onward, weaving through the crowd as the rest of the students jerked their heads toward the shrieking. But, for a split second, I saw Ino covering her nose with her hands, and her screams were sounding more and more like the squeals of a pig.
The bus ride home was silent, at least between Puck and me. Partly because I didn't want to draw attention to myself, but mainly because I had a lot on my mind. We sat in the back corner, with me crushed against the window, staring at the trees flashing by. I had my iPod out and my headphones blasting my eardrums, but it was mostly an excuse not to talk to anyone.
Ino's piglike screams still echoed through my head. It was probably the most horrible sound I'd ever heard, and though she was a total bitch, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. There was no doubt in my mind that Puck had done something to her, though I couldn't prove it. I was actually afraid to bring it up. Puck seemed like a different person now, quiet, brooding, watching the kids on the bus with predator-like intensity. He was acting weird—weird and creepy—and I wondered what was wrong with him.
Then there was that strange dream, which I was beginning to think hadn't really been a dream at all. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the familiar voice talking to the nurse had been Puck's.
Something was happening, something strange and creepy and terrifying, and the scariest part of all was that it wore a familiar, ordinary face. I snuck a glance at Puck. His blond spikey hair was everywhere and his blue eyes were narrowed. How well did I know him, really know him? He'd been my friend for longer than I could remember, and yet I'd never been to his house, or met his parents. The few times I suggested meeting at his place, he'd always had some excuse not to; his folks were out of town, or they were remodeling the kitchen, a kitchen I'd never seen. That was strange, but what was weirder was the fact that I'd never wondered about it, never questioned it, until now.
Puck was simply there, like he'd been conjured out of nothing, with no background, no home, and no past. What was his favorite music? Did he have goals in life? Had he ever fallen in love?
Not at all, my mind whispered, disturbingly. You don't know him at all.
I shivered and looked out the window again.
The bus lurched to a halt at a four-way stop, and I saw we'd left the outskirts of town and were now heading into the boondocks. My neighborhood. Rain still spattered the windows, making the swampy marshlands blurry and indistinct, the trees fuzzy dark shapes through the glass.
I blinked and straightened up in my seat. Deep in the swamp, a horse and rider stood beneath the limbs of an enormous oak, as still as the trees themselves. The horse was a huge black animal with a mane and tail that rippled behind it, even drenched as it was. Its rider was tall and lean, garbed in silver and black.
A dark cape fluttered from its shoulders. Through the rain, I caught the barest glimpse of a face: young,pale, strikingly handsome…staring right at me. My stomach lurched and I caught my breath.
"Puck," I murmured, pulling my headphones out, "look at tha—"
Puck's face was inches from mine, staring out the window, his eyes narrowed to green slits, hard and dangerous. My stomach twisted and I leaned away from him, but he didn't notice me. His lips moved, and he whispered one word, so soft I barely caught it, even as close as we were.
"Sasuke."
"Sasuke?" I repeated. "Who's Sasuke?"
The bus coughed and lurched forward again. Puck leaned back, his face so still it could've been carved from stone. Swallowing, I looked out the window, but the space beneath the oak was empty.
Horse and rider were gone, like they'd never existed.
"Who's Sasuke?" I repeated, turning back to Puck, who seemed to be in his own world. "Puck? Hey!"
I poked him in the shoulder. He twitched and finally looked at me. "Who is Sasuke?"
"Sasuke?" For a moment, his eyes were bright and feral, his face like that of a wild dog. Then he blinked and was normal again. "Oh, he's just an old buddy of mine, from long ago. Don't worry about it, princess."
His words slid over me strangely, like he was willing me to forget simply by requesting it. I felt a prickle of annoyance that he was hiding something, but it quickly faded, because I couldn't remember what we were talking about.
At our curb, Puck leaped up as if the seat was on fire and rushed out the door. Blinking at his abrupt departure, I put my iPod safely in my backpack before leaving the bus. The last thing I wanted was for the expensive thing to get wet.
"I have to go," Puck announced when I joined him on the pavement. His green eyes swept through the trees, as if he expected something to come crashing out of the woods. I gazed around, but except for some bird trilling overhead, the forest was quiet and still. "I…um…forgot something at home." He turned to me then with an apologetic look. "See you tonight, princess? I'll bring that surprise over later, okay?"
"Oh." I'd forgotten about that. "Sure."
"Go straight home, okay?" Puck narrowed his eyes, his face intense. "Don't stop, and don't talk to anyone you meet, got it?"
I laughed nervously. "What are you, my mom? Are you going to tell me not to run with scissors and to look both ways before crossing the street? Besides," I continued as Puck smirked, looking more like his normal self.
"who would I meet way out here in the boondocks?" The image of the boy on the horse suddenly came to mind, and my stomach did that strange little flop again. Who was he? And why couldn't I stop thinking about him, if he even existed at all? Things were getting really odd. If it wasn't for
Puck's weird reaction on the bus, I would think the boy was another of my crazy hallucinations.
"Fine." Puck waved, flashing his mischievous grin. "See you later, princess. Don't let Leatherface catch you on your way home."
I kicked at him. He laughed, bounced away, and sprinted off down the road. Shouldering my backpack,
I trudged up the driveway.
"MOM?"
I CALLED, OPENING THE front door. "Mom, I'm home."
Silence greeted me, echoing off the walls and floor, hanging heavy in the air. The stillness was almost a living thing, crouched in the center of the room, watching me with cold eyes. My heart began a loud, irregular thud in my chest. Something was wrong.
"Mom?" I called again, venturing into the house. "Luke? Anybody home?" The door creaked as I crept in farther. The television blared and flickered, playing a rerun of an old black-and-white sitcom, though the couch in front of it was empty. I switched it off and continued down the hall, into the kitchen.
For a moment, everything looked normal, except for the refrigerator door, swinging on its hinges. A small object on the floor caught my attention. At first, I thought it was a dirty rag. But, looking closer, I saw it was Floppy, Yuro's rabbit. The stuffed animal's head had been torn off, and cotton spilled from the hole in the neck.
Straightening, I heard a small noise on the other side of the dining table. I walked around, and my stomach twisted so violently that bile rose to my throat.
My mother lay on her back on the checkered tile floor, arms and legs flung akimbo, one side of her face covered in glistening crimson. Her purse, its contents scattered everywhere, lay beside one limp white hand. Standing over her in the doorway, his head cocked to one side like a curious cat, was Yuro.
And he was smiling.
"MOM!" I SCREAMED ,FLINGING myself down beside her. "Mom, are you okay?" I grabbed one shoulder and shook her, but it was like shaking a dead fish. Her skin was still warm, though, so she couldn't be dead. Right?
Where the hell is Luke? I shook her again, watching her head flop limply. It made my stomach turn.
"Mom, wake up! Can you hear me? It's Sakura." I looked around frantically, then snatched a washrag off the sink. As I dabbed it over her bloodied face, I became aware again of Yuro standing in the doorway, his blue eyes now wide and teary.
"Mommy slipped," he whispered, and I noticed a clear, slick puddle on the floor in front of the refrigerator. Hand trembling, I dipped a finger in the goo and sniffed. Vegetable oil? What the hell? I wiped more blood off her face and noticed a small gash on her temple, nearly invisible beneath blood and hair.
"Will she die?" Yuro asked, and I glanced at him sharply. Though his eyes were huge and round, and tears brimmed in the corners, he sounded more curious than anything.
I wrenched my gaze away from my half brother. I had to get help. Luke was gone, so the only thing left would be to call for an ambulance. But, just as I stood to get the phone, Mom groaned, stirred, and opened her eyes.
My heart leaped. "Mom," I said as she struggled into a sitting position, a dazed look on her face. "Don't move. I'll call 911."
"Sakura?" Mom looked around, blinking. A hand came up to touch her cheek, and she stared at the blood on her fingers.
"What happened? I…I must've fallen…"
"You hit your head," I replied, standing up and looking around for the phone. "You might have a concussion. Hold on, I'm calling the ambulance."
"The ambulance? No, no." Mom sat up, looking a little clearer. "Don't do that, honey. I'm fine. I'll just clean up and put on a Band-Aid. There's no need to go to that trouble."
"But, Mom—"
"I'm fine, Sakura." Mom snatched the forgotten washrag and began wiping the blood off her face. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, but I'll be fine. It's only blood, nothing serious. Besides, we can't afford a big doctor's bill." She abruptly straightened and looked around the room. "Where's your brother?"
Startled, I looked back to the doorway, but Yuro was gone.
MOM'S PROTESTS WERE WASTED
when Luke got home. He took one look at her pale, bandaged face, threw a fit, and insisted they go to the hospital. Luke can be stubbornly persistent when he needs to be, and Mom eventually buckled under the pressure. She was still calling out instructions to me—take care of Yuro, don't let him stay up too late, there's frozen pizza in the fridge—as Luke bundled her into his battered Ford and roared off down the driveway.
As the truck turned a corner and vanished from sight, the chilly silence descended on the house once more. I shivered, rubbing my arms, feeling it creep into the room and breathe down my neck. The house where I'd lived most of my life seemed unfamiliar and frightening, as if things lurked in the cupboards and around corners, waiting to grab me as I walked past. My gaze lingered on the crumpled remains of
Floppy, strewn across the floor, and for some reason, it made me very sad and scared. No one in this house would rip up Yuro's favorite stuffed animal. Something was very wrong.
Footsteps padded over the floor. I turned to find Yuro in the doorway, staring at me. He looked strange without the rabbit in his arms, and I wondered why he wasn't upset about it.
"I'm hungry," he announced, making me blink. "Cook me something, Sakura."
I scowled at the demanding tone.
"It's not dinnertime yet, squirt," I told him, crossing my arms. "You can wait a couple hours."
His eyes narrowed, and his lips curled back from his teeth. For just a moment, I imagined they were jagged and sharp. "I'm hungry now, " he growled, taking a step forward. Dread shot through me and I recoiled.
Almost immediately, his face smoothed out again, his eyes enormous and pleading. "Please, Sakura?" he whined. "Please? I'm so hungry." He pouted, and his voice turned menacing. "Mommy didn't make me food, either."
"All right, fine! If it'll shut you up, fine." The angry words erupted from fear, and from a hot embarrassment because I was afraid. Of Yuro. Of my stupid, four-year-old half brother. I didn't know where these demonic mood swings of his were coming from, but I hoped they weren't the start of a trend. Maybe he was just upset because of Mom's accident. Maybe if I fed the brat, he'd fall asleep and leave me alone for the night. I stalked to the freezer, grabbed the pizza, and shoved it in the oven.
While the pizza cooked, I tried to clean up the puddle of vegetable oil in front of the refrigerator. I wondered how the stuff had ended up on the floor, especially when I found the empty bottle stuffed in the trash. I smelled like Crisco when I was done, and the floor still had a slick spot, but it was the best I could do.
The creak of the oven door startled me. I turned to see Yuro pulling it open and reaching inside.
"Yuro!" Grabbing his wrist, I yanked him back, ignoring his scream of protest. "What are you doing, you idiot? You want to burn yourself?"
"Hungry!"
"Sit down!" I snapped, plunking him into a dining chair.
He actually tried to hit me, the little ingrate. I resisted the urge to smack him. "God, you're being snotty today. Sit there and be quiet. I'll get your food in a second."
When the pizza came out, he fell on it like a wild thing, not waiting for it to cool. Astonished, I could only stare as he tore through the slices like a starved dog, barely stopping to chew as he gulped it down.
Soon, his face and hands were smeared with sauce and cheese, and the pizza was rapidly diminished. In less than two minutes, he had consumed it all, down to the last crumb.
Yuro licked his hands, then raised his eyes to me and frowned. "Still hungry."
"You are not," I told him, snapping out of my daze. "If you eat anything else you'll get sick. Go play in your room or something."
He stared at me with a baleful expression, and it seemed that his skin grew darker, wrinkled, and shriveled beneath his baby fat. Without warning, he leaped off the chair, rushed me, and sank his teeth into my leg.
"Ow!"Pain lanced through my calf like an electrical shock. Grabbing his hair, I tried prying his teeth from my skin, but he clung to me like a leech and bit down harder. It felt like glass shards stabbing into my leg.
Tears blurred my vision, and my knees almost buckled from the pain.
"Sakura!"
Puck stood inside the front door, a backpack flung over his shoulder, his blue eyes wide with shock.
Yuro released me, jerking his head toward the shout. Blood smeared his lips. Seeing Puck, he hissed
and—there's no other way to put it—scuttledaway from us and into his room, vanishing from sight
Quickly she pulled the door shut and slide down the door in dismay closing her eyes what is happening everything was so strange right now, how her brother was standing over sayuri smiling and how she brushed it of as just slipping, opening her eyes she say the familiar shoes of puck.
Puck crossed the room in three strides and knelt beside me. Briskly, as if he'd done this kind of thing
before, he began rolling up the cuff of one pant leg.
"Puck," I whispered as he bent over his task, his long fingers surprisingly gentle. "What's happening?
Everything's going crazy. Yuro just attacked me…like a wild dog."
"That wasn't your brother," Puck muttered as he pushed back the material, revealing a bloody mess
below my knee. An oval of jagged puncture wounds marred my leg, seeping blood, and the skin around
them was already purpling. Puck whistled softly. "Nasty. Wait here. I'll be right back."
"Like I'm going anywhere," I replied automatically, and then his previous statement sank in. "Wait a
minute. What do you mean, that wasn't Yuro? Who the hell else could it be?"
"Here," he said, giving it to me. The cup sparkled in his hand. "Drink this. Where do you keep the
towels?"
I took it suspiciously. "In the bathroom. Just don't use Mom's good white ones." As Puck walked off, I
peered into the tiny cup. There was barely enough for a swallow. It didn't look like champagne to me. I
was expecting something fizzy white or pink, sparkling in the glass. The liquid in the cup was a deep, dark
red, the color of blood. A fine mist writhed and danced on the surface.
"What is this?"
Puck, returning from the bathroom with a white towel, rolled his eyes. "Do you have to question
everything? It will help you forget the pain. Just drink it already."
I sniffed experimentally, expecting hints of roses or berries or some type of sweet scent mixed in with the
alcohol.
It smelled of nothing. Nothing at all.
Oh, well. I raised the glass in a silent toast. "Happy birthday to me."
The wine filled my mouth, flooding my senses. It tasted of nothing, and everything. It tasted of twilight
and mist, moonlight and frost, emptiness and longing. The room swayed, and I fell back against the
couch, it was so strong. Reality blurred at the edges, wrapping me in a fuzzy haze. I felt sick and sleepy
all at once.
By the time my senses cleared, Puck was tying a bandage around my leg. I didn't remember him
cleaning or dressing the wound. I felt numb and dazed, like a blanket had dropped over my thoughts,
making it hard to concentrate.
"There," Puck said, straightening up. "That's done. At least your leg won't fall off." His eyes swept up
to mine, anxious and assessing. "How're you feeling, princess?"
"Un," I said intelligently, and tried to sweep the cobwebs from my brain. There was something I wasn't
remembering, something important. Why was Puck binding my leg? Had I hurt myself somehow?
I bolted upright.
"Yuro bit me!" I exclaimed, indignant and furious all over again. I turned on Puck. "And you…you
said that wasn't Yuro at all! What were you talking about? What's going on?"
"Relax, princess." Puck tossed the bloody towel onto the floor and plopped onto a footstool. He
sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. My fault, I suppose. I shouldn't have left you alone
today."
"What are you talking about?"
"You weren't supposed to see this, any of this," Puck went on, to my utter confusion. He seemed to
be talking more to himself than me. "Your Sight has always been strong, that was a given. Still, I didn't
expect them to go after your family, too. This changes things."
"Puck, if you don't tell me what's going on—"
Puck looked at me. His eyes gleamed, impish and feral. "Tell you? Are you sure?" His voice went soft
and dangerous, and goose bumps crawled up my arms. "Once you start seeing things, you won't be able
to stop. People have gone mad with too much knowledge." He sighed, and the menace dropped from his
eyes. "I don't want that to happen to you, princess. It doesn't have to be this way, you know. I can
make you forget all of this.
"Forget?"
He nodded and held up the wine bottle. "This is mistwine. You just had a swallow. A cup will make
everything go back to normal." He balanced the bottle on two fingers, watching it sway back and forth.
"One cup, and you'll be normal again. Your brother's behavior will not seem strange, and you won't
remember anything weird or scary. You know what they say—ignorance is bliss, right?"
Despite my uneasiness, I felt a slow flame of anger burning my chest. "So, you want me to drink
that…that stuff, and just forget about Yuro. Just forget about my only brother. That's what you're saying."
He raised an eyebrow. "Well, when you put it like that…"
The burning grew hot and furious, searing away the fear. I clenched my fists. "Of course I won't forget
about Yuro! He's my brother! Are you really that inhuman, or just stupid?"
To my surprise, a grin spread over his face. He dropped the bottle, caught it, and put it on the floor.
"The first," he said, very softly.
That threw me. "What?"
"Inhuman." He was still grinning at me, the smile stretching his whole mouth so that his teeth gleamed in
the fading light. "I warned you, princess. I'm not like you. And now, neither is your brother."
Despite the fear prickling my stomach, I leaned forward. "Yuro? What do you mean? What's wrong
with him?"
"That wasn't Yuro." Puck leaned back, crossing his arms. "The thing that attacked you today is a
changeling.
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