CHERUB

Fitting in…

Shadow Roth wasn't your normal girl. What kind of normal girl hides her face beneath a hooded cloak, has two short swords hidden in her room, or refuses point blank to talk about her past? What kind of girl leaps three feet into the air if you touch her, keeps books written in a strange language in her room, or has naturally dark grey hair? Ah yes, why does she have a circular scar around her left eye, and why on earth is she in Nebraska Home?

Shadow sighed; she had been grounded because of a little mistake. She hadn't meant to knock that guy out! He had sneaked up behind her! Putting those thought to the back of her mind, she rolled over on her bed so that she was facing the door. She had heard some one coming. Sure enough, there was a knock on the door, it opened and a head poked round. It was a skinny boy, with a heap of untidy hair. Shadow sat up, crossing her legs in a lotus position.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Whatever." Shadow answered. He walked in and sat on a chair by the desk.

"Who's your room mate?" He asked, looking between the two sides of the room. One was decorates in pink and boy band posters while one was bare.

"Girl called Alice."

"You're Allyssia, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Shadow was referring to the name her father had told her to use should something like this ever happen.

"I think you may have broken the record for getting yourself grounded."

"Why is that?"

"You've only been here for two weeks!"

"True, what's your point?"

"Nothing." There was a short silence. "How come you ended up in a dump like this?"

"Parents murdered."

"That must be tough…"

"I got used to it."

"What do you mean?"

"That is none of your business."

"Well," The boy said, standing up, "I'm Kyle, and I would find some where a bit more secretive to hide those swords of yours if I were you." Shadow looked at him in shock.

"What swords?"

"The ones you hide under your bed, that's what." He reached under Shadow's bed, pulling out a pair of short swords. Shadow paled before grabbing them back, putting her hand on the hilt of one before she thought about it. Putting the blades down, the glared at Kyle.

"Who gave you permission to go through my room?"

"You had better get used to it, it happens all the time." Shadow stood up, pointing towards the door.

"Get out." She hissed. Kyle shrugged before walking towards the door. Turning round, he saw Shadow gazing at the swords sadly. The whole air around her had changed from the tough, couldn't-care-less tomboy to a small, scared child.

"Hey, if you ever need to talk, there are lots of us you can turn to." Shadow looked up at him, steel grey eyes slightly blurred. She nodded before picking the swords up, intending to hide them again. Kyle sighed and left. Allyssia gave him a headache.

Shadow watched carefully as Kyle left, and then got up to shut the door behind him. Shadow quickly hid the swords again and walked over to her desk. Taking a key from her shoe, she unlocked one of the desk drawers (she had managed to install a padlock on it). She picked out a thick, leather bound book. Taking a quill and a bottle of ink from the same drawer, she sat down at the desk, opening the book. She dipped her coal-black quill in the midnight blue ink and began to write.

A few days later, there was a new arrival in Nebraska home. Some rich looking boy called James. Shadow watched his arrival, crouched on one of the rafters holding up the roof. This was one of her favourite observation place as she could see all those who came and went. The boy looked up, and so did the social worker, Shadow jumped to another rafter, not wanting to be seen by the social worker that was with him. They always told her off for being up that high. She moved backwards before leaping off the rafter, landing lightly on the floor just below the staircase. She ran quietly to her room before Rachel caught up with her. Shadow didn't need any more trouble right then.

Shutting the door behind her, Shadow walked over to her bed and sat down, eyes closed, crossing her legs in a lotus position. She completely ignored her roommate.

"Hey, is that any welcome Allyssia?" Shadow opened one annoyed eye.

"Shut up Alice."

"You're so moody!"

"I'd rather be moody that you." The conversation stopped. Shadow kept one eye open to watch for danger.

"Three… Two… One…" Shadow said. The door burst open to reveal a very angry looking Rachel.

"Why do you deliberately disobey rules that are there for your own safety Allyssia?"

"Because I know that I can deal with anything that happens."

"You will NOT do that again! You're giving the younger ones ideas, and they haven't had the same past as you! I had one of the three-year-olds trying to hang upside down from a tree!"

"That wasn't just me. I only do that if I have to concentrate."

"Never the less, you still do it!" Shadow merely rolled her eyes, "I repeat, just act normal!"

"What IS normal!"

"The way everyone else acts!"

"I'm not lowering myself to that level!" Shouted Shadow, getting up and racing past Rachel. She ran through the corridors, heading for the door. Kyle saw her, and decided that this wasn't good. He raced after her, tackling the girl to the ground. Shadow leapt back to her feet, turning towards her attacker.

"Shadow! Calm down, it's me!" Shadow narrowed her eyes.