Katherine Danvers didn't particularly like being told what to do.
Sure, the nine-year olds simple mind could understand that she had to listen to her Mother and Father and Grandfather because they were her pack, her family- they actually mattered.
The too-cheerful teacher standing before her did not.
"Now, Kate.." She leaned forward, as if to tell Kate some big secret. "I completely understand why you reacted the way you did on the playground."
Kate's glare eased a bit as confusion clouded her features. "You.. do?" She questioned cautiously, her hands unfolding from her chest to rest on either side of the chair she was currently forced to be sitting in.
Ms. Rachel smiled brightly at the little girl- which almost made her start to glare again- and clasped her hands on her knees. "Of course. Kate! It's not hard to see your.. dilemma, at all."
Kate's eyes widened in alarm. She rocked forward on her heels a bit, ready to race outside to the stupid playground and grab her brother and make a run for it if needed. "It's not?"
Ms. Rachel laughed, a high-tinkling sound that made Kate want to cringe. "No, darling- not at all! All little girls beat up the boys they like. It's perfectly normal to have a crush on Howard."
Kate blinked at the red headed teacher before her, shock coursing through her, then relief, some humor, then finally..
.. anger.
"You think I like that idiot?" She exploded, her eyes narrowed as she stared up at the older lady. "You're a teacher- I thought you were supposed to be clever!"
"Ms. Danvers!" Principal Williams lashed out as he exited his office with Howard Williams, his grandson, in tow. "My office- now."
Kate growled low under her breath, stalking towards Principal Williams office and shoving into Howard's shoulder and she passed him.
"Touch him again." Kate whispered, her voice low but careful; she didn't need to sound too threatening. "I dare you."
Howard blinked, his eyes widening before narrowing as the door shut behind Kate. She took a deep breath and faced the heavy-set man that she honestly believed hated her. He stood leaning against his desk, his pudgy arms crossed in front of his chest. It took all Kate had to not rise to the challenge and cross hers also. Instead, she played the good girl and tried to remember the manners her mother had drilled into her and Lo's head.
"We do not tolerate this behavior, Ms. Danvers, as I have told you many of times. Fighting is strictly prohibited, no matter the situation." Williams explained, his voice firm in what Kate suspected was supposed to be threatening. She simply nodded, biting her lower lip to keep from mouthing off. The last thing she needed was to cause more attention to her family. Lo was probably pissed enough at her already as it is, no need to add fuel to the flame.
"I understand." She replied, clasping her hands together in her lap as she picked at the Bear Valley logo on her uniform skirt. She hated the darn thing.
"Then you understand why I must do what I'm about to do then, Ms. Danvers?" Principal Williams asked, his tone low as he turned around to reach behind his desk. Kate's curiously peaked as she attempted to look around him. She'd expected another phone call home or maybe even a detention or two..
But when Williams turned around again, Kate's blood ran cold.
In his hands, sat an old, sturdy wooden paddle.
Every instinct inside her roared to life, telling her to run, to get away. It was strong, so much so that she hadn't even realized she was running until she was down the hall with Williams on her tail, her ponytail holder falling out of her hair as she reached the outside stairway that led to where the children were dropped off and picked up. She quickly assessed it and knew that it was way too early for someone to be waiting for her or Logan, so she turned for the only sanctuary her mind could think of that was within reach: the woods.
Yes, her mind screamed. Go, hurry.
As Kate passed the tree line, she turned to see Principal Williams and Ms. Rachel by the school entrance, both confused as they wondered where she could have gone. Kate didn't stick around to give them a chance to find out. She continued trekking through the forest that surrounded the school, not straying too far from the playground where her brother stood with his group of friends, happy and grinning as they picked teams for a game of football. Lo was always picked first. He was popular and strong, not anywhere near as fast as Kate but still faster than the average human. He was likable.
Kate.. was not.
Sighing, she plopped down on the grass, knowing that sooner or later she'd have to return to the school and face the music. Looking back, she felt silly for running the way she had- but she couldn't help it, it was unavoidable. Something inside her, something fierce, had awoken in that moment. She had felt scared, trapped, but most importantly.. she has felt defeated, like she couldn't do a thing to save herself.
"Katie?" Her brothers voice whispered from above her. She gasped, falling back, not having realized he'd moved into the woods with her. She peered up at him.
"What are you doing? Don't scare me like that." She snapped, regaining her sitting position as Logan claimed his own beside her.
"Katie, what's wrong?" He asked, looking at her with light blue eyes, eyes exactly like her own, except Logan's lacked the fire that Kate's held. His offered a calm, peaceful vibe that worked almost instantly on his sister. "I can feel something isn't right." "
I ran from Principal Williams after he brought out the paddle. Now I'm hiding and planning his demise." She joked, knowing she can act herself around Logan and he not judge her. Both Danvers children were well beyond their years- both mentally and academically, though Logan would always be the smartest.
"I can't blame you." He smiled, winking at her and reaching for her hand. "Wanna go home?"
"What? Logan Danvers ditching school?" Kate pretended to be shocked and her brother laughed and stood. "Hey, wait.. I'm really sorry, you know. About Howard. I know I'm not exactly the best at making us seem normal, but-"
"You're not normal." Logan interjected and Kate looked up to see if he was joking; he wasn't. "You're my sister who runs on instinct rather than thought process. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I wouldn't ever ask you to be anything else than yourself."
"Yeah," Kate whispered, taking his hand. "I know you wouldn't."
"Katie-" He began again, but Kate held up a hand.
"Can we just go home? I'm not feeling so well." And she didn't. Her stomach was twisting in knots and she felt feverish. "Adrenaline." She offered to her brothers worried face.
"Yeah." He nodded, though his eyes told her that he wasn't fooled. "Yeah, let's go."
They made it halfway through the forest, halfway to Stonehaven, when the first spasm started.