Disclaimer Ally Carter owns all.
I am the Chameleon. The invisible girl, a pavement artist, indistinguishable by the common person. I slowly made my way down the Hall of History, inside the walls of the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women; as I did I felt the chill you get from being watched. Normally I passed without a trace, a vague memory you can't recall, the girl with a blurred face, but not anymore. That's what happens when you get nearly kidnapped by the Canvan Circle, Gallagher's oldest enemy, then again few knew that. For now I was the girl who had nearly gotten killed with Macy McHenry and I hoped it stayed that way.
The buzzing of the under classmen filled my ears. Shouts of hellos in choppy Asian made me smile of past memories. A smile that was quickly cast away when I caught my name in a hushed whisper. Looking around it seemed I was the topic of conversation. Glances my way were betrayed by guilty looks and hushed words in Russian still crept into my ear. It was past time to find back up when I rounded the corner and came face to face with best friend Rebecca Baxter. But piece of advice call her Bex unless you favor a black eye.
"Hey Cammie where have you been hiding?" Bex asked.
"Just around." I answered; really I had been trying to dig up information on the Cavan circle, but no such luck.
"You're not going to believe the rumor that Tina's spreading." Bex said. "She is saying that the people who were out to get Macey were really obsessed stalkers."
"Well I guess it's better than the truth." I replied, the truth being they were really out to get me.
"O come on Cam don't be like that, this summer was fine no Cavan Circle sightings, no dark colored vans, no phone taps, nothing." Bex said wincing when she had realized what she had said.
"No Zach." I added.
"Cam, I'm sure he meant to see you, maybe something came up." She reassured, starting to pull me towards the dining hall.
"Maybe, Bex maybe."
As we burst through the doors of the dining hall we were greeted by my other friends, a frazzled looking (Elisabeth Sutton) Liz and her total opposite Macey McHenry.
"I can't believe the rumor Tina started I mean possessed stalkers. Really?" cried Macey.
"Tina also said that Anna saved Kristen Stewart's life over the summer." Liz commented.
"Which is even less believable then the one about Kim meeting the Texas Senator's son." I added. "Don't worry about it no one takes her seriously."
"She was right about the Blackthrone School though." Macey muttered.
I let out a sigh while Bex glared at Macey for reminding me of a rather sore subject. It had been three months since I'd seen Zach, since the night I had almost been kidnapped. My Aunt had been shot saving Macey; at least that was the public story. Only my three friends and Zach knew that it had never been about Macey. Three months since Zach had said he would see me over the summer, but despite constant looks over my shoulder I hadn't seen him, not once.
Throughout the endless summer days in Paris, I had felt that growing sense of dread you get from everyone knowing something you don't. It was like I had my shirt was on backwards but no one would tell me. Only that "shirt" was a secret group set out to kill me. And although the Cavan Circle was the Gallagher Academy's oldest enemy I knew nothing about them. Well other then Zach somehow knew one of their members. Another secret everyone was trying to keep from me. Over the summer I had grown so restless Bex had nearly locked me in the closet and thrown away the key.
A loud mutter ran through the hall, snapping me back to the present. The teachers walked in and my mother (the headmistress) made her way to the podium.
"Women of the Gallagher Academy, who comes here?" she asked. Then every girl in the school answered from the code we had all memorized when the acceptance letter had come in the mail.
"We are the sister of Gillian."
"Why do you come?" my mother asked again.
"To learn her skills. Honor her sword. And keep her secrets."
"To what end do you work?"
"To the cause of justice and light."
"How long will you strive?" she questioned.
"For all the days of our lives." I finished, feeling more than slightly like a cult member.
"Welcome back," she said smiling, "and for our new students,"-she turned her stare to their shrinking forms-"Welcome. This is going to be a great year. Now is a time for a fresh start. Recently, as you all know one of our own has been threatened," I could feel the weight of the stares Macey was getting and I felt grateful that they weren't looking at me.
She continued "and though the threat has passed, you still need to remain strong. You still need to be sisters of the light, to take justice, not revenge. For though this enemy is gone there are others who would easily take its place. For the past should not be forgotten, for when that happens we are doomed to repeat it. " She finished.
I felt a chill of trepidation, no it was more like a full on hurricane. What was she trying to tell me my mother? Why did I have a feeling I didn't want to know. Bex, Liz and Macey exchanged wide eyed looks while the rest of the school simple looked confused.
"On that note there is now going to be a ten o'clock curfew instated; choose to disobey, there will be punishment". She said looking at Bex and I.
"Finally good luck on your first day back or your first day here. I hope you enjoy everything we have to offer and make the best of it." Then like someone had opened the flood gates the talking began.
"What was your mother talking about?" asked Tina coming over to our table and sitting down.
"I don't know." I answered honestly.
"You have to know something."
"Lay off her T and stop looking for your latest story." said Anna snagging a chair beside Liz.
The meal passed quickly after that, a blur of summer stories and good food. On the way back to our rooms I saw one of the huge dudes who are always hanging around fixing things (you know the ones who have the prices on their heads so their laying low) he was installing extra security cameras, which was surprising considering we already had over a thousand.
"It will be fine Cam don't be scared." Bex comforted, most likely seeing the frightened look on my face.
"I'm not." I lied. This was going to be an interesting year.