7: A Puppet's Revelation
Econara slipped quietly into her seat in science class right as class began when the teacher wasn't looking, avoiding a tardy mark. Emma nudged her.
"Are you doing okay after Saturday? We were only trying to help," she whispered.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just had it rough. But now I'm fine," Econara replied.
"That's good." Emma smiled, and Econara, finding the smile too infectious, grinned too.
Later, as the trio of Emma, Olivia and Econara walked to dinner, Damien walked up to them.
"Hey Damien," Econara said.
Olivia whispered to her, "I thought you didn't like him."
"My mom made us spend some time together over the weekend. I've found he's not so bad. Just creepy sometimes," Econara whispered back.
"Oh."
"You guys understand that I can here everything that you're saying about me, right?" Damien comented.
"Yes," Olivia said, even though it was a bold faced lie.
"Riiiight," Damien said under his breath; if Olivia had heard, she didn't let on that she had.
They walked on to dinner in silence, even though there were other kids shoving past them. When they got to the cafiteria, they sat down with the rest of their group.
"H-h-hello, D-damien," Billy stuttered, still aware that he could turn into a giant avian creature.
"I told you I wouldn't bite you, Billy. Besides, Econara and I are friends, right?" He looked to Econara. She nodded.
"He let me meet someone I haven't seen in forever... literally."
"So how does your necklace work? My uncle Press was wondering how it works," Charlie said.
"It's hard to say how, but I think I can use it to shoot fire or something like that," Econara said.
"Are you sure that's all it can do?" Tancred asked suspiciously.
"For now, yes," she lied.
"You think it might do more?" Lysander asked, joining the conversation.
"Probably."
"Cool," Fidilio piped in.
"I will say it is qui-"
"I'M GOING TO GET YOU, DAMIEN CARDIM!!"
"Great, he's consious again," Damien said, flicking his eyes over to Manfred.
"You'd better go," Olivia said, her eyebrows raising as she noted the multiple shades of red and violet on the headmaster's son's face.
"You're probably right," Damien said, standing up and slipping out of the cafiteria before Manfred could reach him.
"Where's your boyfriend, freak?" Manfred spat at Econara.
"Okay, A) he's not my boyfriend, and B) I'm not the freak. You are." She calmly folded her arms over her chest as Manfred raised his fist to punch her in the face. She looked him dead in the eye, and he stopped. You don't want to do that, she thought at him. He lowered his fist. Good. Now leave us in peace, and don't try hurting Damien for a while, got it? Manfred then meanered off in a dazed state.
"What'd you just do?" Emma asked.
Econara shook her head as if just awaking from a dream. She looked to Emma. "To tell you the truth," she said, "I have no idea."
"I-I-I heard you were going to leave, Econara," Billy stammered.
"No, I think you heard wrong. I'm not leaving. Not 'til I have to. You guys need all the help you can get, I'm here to give it to you -Damien too. There's too fragile a balence of power here, and it's too obvious who holds the cards. This school's full of puppets and puppetmasters, each playing a part in a bigger production -much bigger," she looked around, then finished, "We need to stop it."
"Yeah, you're right," Emma said quietly, and the headmaster dismissed them from dinner.
AN: FINISHED! There, I'm done. Did you like the story? Did you all like the last chapter? TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT! I liked it, but I think I cut the last chapter too short... Oh well! I will be putting the first four chapters of Invisible Bonds up asap, kay? Hope you enjoy it!
