Chapter3 –Melody of Secrets–

We parted at the cafeteria door; everyone heading to his or her next class.

Emmett was a senior like Rosalie and Jasper. Edward and Bella were seniors, too, though Edward was the same age as I was – technically of course. But it was easier for them that way, because they were used to act like a married couple. Seth and Chloe were sophomores which had caused some rumors at the beginning because of Seth's inhuman height. Alice, Renesmee and I were all juniors but we barely had a class together. Only Physics and Gym because we needed lab- and gym-partners.

But my next lesson was Modern History so I was alone. My teacher was Ms. Fairyman. There was the rumor that this wasn't her real name but Edward had abnegated this guess. Ms. Fairyman was a woman in her middle-ages and was quiet tall and thin for a usual human. She always wore a colorful headband and big silver earrings which often got entangled in her black curly hair. Although her style of clothes was very eye-catching, she never used make up like other female teachers often did. She was very popular among the students, too, because of her unconventional methods and because she was a very fair and patient teacher. Alice didn't like her very much though. She didn't like her style of clothing. But in my opinion they would match perfectly together. They both were a little bit… unusual.

"Sorry for being late, Ms. Fairyman," I apologized when I entered the room.

She smiled. "You don't need to apologize, Mr. Wing. It's natural in your age that you get lost in the labyrinth of destiny form time to time."

I nodded and repressed a grin. "Thank you, Ma'am," I said and went to my seat.

No one giggled because of Ms. Fairyman's strange words. – She always talked like that.

"So," she began, clapping her hands. "Now, after we're happily united, let's start today's lesson." She walked around the desk and picked a pile of cards up from the table on the way. If you knew Ms. Fairymon for a while, then you didn't need to be Alice Cullen to know what was going to come next. "We're having a discussion-hour today," she announced with a smile and started riffling the lond slender cards. "We have got to know about the happy ending of the Cold War between the West and the East in our last lesson." –she looked every student into the eyes and her voice gained a slight mysterious tone when she continued– "But what would've happened if there had been no happy ending, what if the nuclear war would have broken out?" She paused, smiling at us with an expectant gleam in her eyes. "That's the issue of today's discussion."

She walked to the student in the first row on the wall-side and said, "Now, let destiny decide", which meant "Take a card and go look for your partner".

This was her version of forming teams. While other teachers simply ordered you to work with the student sitting next to you, Ms. Fairyman asked "destiny to decide". Before the lesson started she would put every student either on the wall- or the window-side a tarot card on his or her seat and then she would let the other side take a card from her second deck during class. The two persons with the same card had to work together without any ifs and buts. – Destiny had decided so objections were not accepted.

The first student looked at his card with an amused smile and walked over to the window-side to find his partner. The second shouted, after taking a look on his card, "Tree of eternity" and the student with that card on the window-side came and sat down next to him. The third one got up again and the forth called his partner, while Ms. Fairyman made her way through one row after another, giving comments on the card the student in front of her had just taken.

"Let's see what destiny has for you today, Mr. Wing," she said with a gentle smile when she stopped at my seat.

I stretched my arm and took the last card from the deck, which she was holding like a fan in her hands, without any hesitations. I always took the last one. I hadn't believed in fortunetelling since I was born and neither did I do now. I didn't care which card I would get. I mean, it was just a card, how should it be able to tell me something about my life? If I wanted to know what would happen to me next I would ask Alice and if I wanted to know what weather there'd be tomorrow I would watch the weather forecast or ask Alice again.

Without any expectation I flipped the card. It showed a silver treble clef on a dark blue background. Under the treble clef was aquamarine-blue water that made small round waves. In the two corners on top of the card were two identical ornaments that contained notes and each with two bass clefs. Three words were written under the picture in a squiggled handwriting.

"Ah, Melody of secrets," Ms. Fairyman said in a dreamy tone, rolling the syllables as if some sweet ice-cream was melting on her tongue, caressing her senses. "A very cryptic card. Its sense is never completely distinct unlike the other card. I guess it means that there'll be a change soon which will cover your eyes so you won't be sure whether this change is good or bad."

I nodded, repressing the urge to roll with my eyes. The word "Nonsense" flashed through my mind but I didn't say it out aloud. "Thank you, Ms. Fairyman," I said instead.

She nodded, still smiling, and went to the next student.

The seat next to min was empty (History was the only class in which I had a human desk neighbor) so I had to call my partner. Although we had done this kind of exercise a lot, I still felt stupid when I said "Melody of secrets" to find my partner.

I heard a chair been pushed back and quiet steps coming closer. I sighed. This was kid of insulting for someone who had a Doctor title in History. I guessed that I knew everything that had happened on this little planet. Greek Antique, Roman Wars, Chinese Dynasties, French Revolution, Russian Revolution, World War I, World War II, Great Depression, Global Financial Crisis 2008 to 2009, etcetera, etcetera… I had studied everything. And here I was. Sitting in some kind of under average small High School and discussing with a pubescent teenager –who was attached to me by tarot cards– and who probably didn't have the slightest idea what exactly the Cold War had been about.

Heaven forbid.

The chair next to mine was pushed back. I managed to repress a sigh and looked up.

If my heart hadn't already stopped beating over a hundred years ago, it definitely would have stopped now.

She pulled her long black hair back and looked at me calmly. Her sapphire blue eyes bored into mine.

"Umm… Hi, I'm Derick Wing," the words blurted out of me. Strange, I had never been one of those "Talk-trash-at-non-stop-when-you-are-nervous"-type… "We met before lunch at the parking-lot. Your voice is very impressing. I really have ne-"

"A waste of time," she suddenly cut me off. Her crystal-clear voice didn't show the slightest hint of impatience or anger. It was as if she simply pretended that I'd never spoken. Or maybe she didn't hear me, it was quiet loud in the room now because the other students had started their discussions.

I paused. "Excuse me?"

"There had never been a nuclear war," she explained with an unreadable expression on her face. "The two Great Powers managed to agree in the end and everything worked out fine. It's senseless to talk about something that had never taken place. – A complete waste of time."

I needed a second to react. She talked pretty fast, faster than usual humans did, and she spoke the words so convincing and sure that I almost believed her. "Well, you've a point here," I replied with a smile, paying extra attention to hide my razor-sharp teeth behind the lips. "But that's exactly the reason why we need to talk about this. You see, it was miracle that the West and the East managed to agree in the end. The entire world population was prepared for a third World War. So it's important to remember this, so it won't happen again. Don't you agree?"

She didn't respond, but her face didn't show the slightest bit of agreement. Maybe she was angry because she couldn't find any good argument against mine. But she didn't look angry. There wasn't the tiniest impulse in her face. Nothing.

"Er… are you okay?" I asked carefully, breaking the tense silence.

"You're not from here," she talked around my question, her face still perfectly emotionless.

"No," I admitted, going into her change of subject. "My family and I moved to Forks a y-"

"No," she cut me off again.

"Excuse me?" I frowned. What was she driving at?

"You're not from here," she repeated, her voice matter-of-factly. "You're not from this time."

My eyes widened. Did this girl know anything about our secret? It might be possible. She didn't look dumb. No, definitely not. Her blue eyes were watching me observantly, as if she could see everything – as if she knew everything…

'No, don't be ridiculous, Derick,' I reminded me. She couldn't possibly know something about us, no matter how intelligent she might be. I had to admit that my famly and I would always stuck out despite all our efforts to act human. But nobody would immediately jump to the conclusion that we were vampires. You need to be a real freak if you actually did.

But I was curious. What did this strange girl think and why would she conclude that I'd not be form this time?

I rested my head on my hand and put on an amused smirk. "So, am I?" I demanded in a causal tone. She didn't react so I went on. "And which time do I come from then?"

She shrugged – finally a human reaction. "I'm not you, so how should I know?" she asked back. "But you have experienced the Cold War."

I paused. I must've given her that impression when I objected her. Damn, I usually didn't slip. "You think so?" I tried to sound like joking.

No answer, but her sureness on her face approved my guess.

I chuckled, it sounded a little nervous. Man, that girl's secretiveness was driving me insane. "Wow, then I must be," I paused and pretended as if I was calculating. "about 140 years old now." –I laughed– "That's impossible."

"We live in a world where a father rapes his daughter," she said, her face an unreadable mask. "Nothing is impossible."

The bell rang and she got up without another word. My eyes followed her to her seat in the last row at the window.

"Ah… how time flies," Ms. Fairyman said, clapping her hands. "Let's part here and unit tomorrow again. No homework today."

The kids cheered. All except for the girl. She was packing her things; it seemed that she didn't even hear the noise around her. Then she rushed out of the room. Well, she didn't actually "rush", but there was something about her pace that reminded me on the opposite of leisurely.

I shook my head confused. Who the heck was that girl?

"You look irritated, Derick. Is something wrong?"

My head snapped up. Ms. Fairyman was standing in front of me with a gentle smile. The room was deserted except for the two of us. I got up and gathered my books. "Er… No, nothing."

She looked down at my desk and her smile grew wider. "It seems that the orchestra has already started playing."

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow.

She tipped with a finger on the desk. I followed her gaze. The long rectangular tarot card was still lying there. I picked it up and offered it her.

To my surprise she shook her head. "No, no. Keep it."

"But-"

She smiled. "You're going to have a hard time, Derick. But it will end with a happy ending if you have faith in yourself and do your best."

Then she turned around and left the room without another word.


I've to admit... Ms. Fairyman is a little similar to Trelawney from "HarryPotter" ^^ -but she not so creepy like Trelawney... at least I think she's NOT creepy... ^^ hehe...

but... c'mon! be honest! -who doesn't want to have a teacher like Ms. Fairyman? ;) -you love her, admit it!! XDD

-don't forget to review!! ;)

-Mulan-

PS. have you seen the new "Eclipse"-trailer? ^^