Crashed on the floor when I moved in
This little bungalow with some strange new friends
Stay up too late, and I'm too thin
We promise each other it's 'til the end
"White Houses" by Vanessa Carlton
Chapter Two
"Oh giirrlllss!!!" Stella's singsong voice floated through the common room that Nolee would share with the Winx Club. It was yet another decadent room that Nolee felt uncomfortable sitting in, with its silk-and-velvet covered surfaces.
"STELL!!!" Nolee heard a voice scream. She leapt out of the way as a girl with dark hair done up in two pigtails barreled past her and hugged Stella tightly.
"Girl, it's been so long since I saw you. Why didn't you tell me you'd be here early? I was going to come early too, but I didn't want to be alone!" the dark haired girl spoke in a lilting voice that sang of confidence and amusement. Stella, laughing, hugged the girl back, then whispered something in her ear.
Nolee, feeling a teensiest bit left out, stood stiffly staring at the light pink carpet, waiting for Stella to introduce her.
"So, you're Nolee."
She looked up into the deep navy eyes of the girl, and gave her a hesitant smile. "Yeah, that's me."
The girl stuck out her hand, and Nolee shook it. "I'm Musa, princess of the Harmonic Nebula. Anytime you need anything, feel free to ask me."
Nolee nodded shyly at Musa's kindness, at the same time studying her. She was taller than her, about Stella's height, with funky, edgy pigtails, and a pretty ivory face with dark eyes. She moved with a grace that Nolee envied. Nolee wondered if the princess was a dancer, knowing from the melodious lilt in her voice that something about her was devoted to music.
"So, Nolee, where are you from?" Musa asked, making herself comfortable on one of the squashy, baby-soft white leather sofas. She stretched out, lying on her side and propping her head up on her right hand.
"Girl, you can sit, you know that, right?" Stella said, sinking into an armchair that matched the sofa Musa had claimed. She drew a compact from her pocket so gracefully that it was as if she'd conjured it from thin air, and began to touch up her already flawless makeup. "The furniture, while gorgeous, isn't just for being looked at."
Nolee, blushing, sank into the loveseat that, along with a chaise lounge, recliner and ottoman, rounded out the white leather furniture set. "I'm from Eraklion," she responded softly to Musa's question.
Musa caught Stella's eye, as if to confirm. Eraklion, huh?
Stella's lips moved a fraction of an inch into a smirk. I know, right? Can you imagine when they meet?
Musa chuckled slightly.
Nolee looked from one girl to another, wondering what was going on.
Great, she thought to herself. They hate me. Silent conversations I don't understand, laughter I'm not a part of…Oh, yeah, I'm doomed.
Stella glanced at her once, and immediately became solicitous once she saw Nolee's downcast face. "Hey, why don't I go introduce you to some other friends. Muse, you coming?"
Musa nodded, sending Nolee an apologetic grin, then leapt up from the sofa. "C'mon, all the rest of the girls are in their rooms. Might as well go to Bloom and Flo first; I gotta borrow a potion from Flo."
Musa set off across the common room and into another hallway, Stella and Nolee lagging along in her wake.
"Hey, Stella?" Nolee asked quietly as they strode. "Is everyone here royalty?"
"Nolee! It wouldn't matter anyways. None of us care about that kind of thing. For your information, though, no, not all the girls are royal." Stella said in a rather reprimanding tone. Nolee gave a silent sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't be that much of a freak.
The room they emerged into from the hallway was every bit as big and luxurious as Nolee's own, but airier. Ceiling to floor windows were on one side, and the room was divided into two parts, one higher than the other, connected by two steps. A girl with clouds of long, fiery red hair was standing on one of the beds, tacking a poster to the wall. Two pixies buzzed around her, one blonde and one with pink hair, chattering and laughing. Musa ran up to the redhead's bed, and plopped down. She was immediately swarmed by both pixies, who hugged her as best they could. Stella gave Nolee a reassuring smile then led her up to the girl, who'd just jumped off the bed and had turned around to greet both of them with a smile. She was the tallest of the group, with big blue eyes, and a slim build, her skin the same flawless pale color as Musa's.
"Bloom, meet Nolee. Nolee, meet Bloom." Stella said lightly. "And lighten up Nolee, Bloom won't eat you."
The girl laughed, and shook Nolee's hand. "I guess you know my name now. I'm from Earth-,"
"Earth?" Nolee was surprised enough to interrupt. "I didn't know there were fairies on Earth."
"Well…I'm originally from Sparx. Last survivor, heir to throne, et cetera." The girl said, a little hesitantly, as if she were wondering whether she wanted to divulge this now.
Nolee contained her amazement, and said, "I'm from Eraklion. Nothing as interesting as you."
Bloom was looking at Nolee in a rather strange way, and Nolee wondered in panic whether she had something on her face.
"Eraklion, you say?" said Bloom thoughtfully. "On the contrary, that is interesting." She looked at Stella and Musa, who both nodded.
Bloom quirked an eyebrow. Should we tell her…?
Stella and Musa both shook their heads fervently. She's harried enough as it is.
"Um…is something going on?" asked Nolee timidly, her eyes going from face to face.
"Er…it's nothing. We just know someone else from Eraklion." Bloom chimed.
"Though of course," came a dreamy new voice from behind them, "Going to a school like Alfea, we know people from all over."
The four girls spun as a whole; then Stella broke away to give the owner of the voice a hug. She was not as tall as her friends, but still taller than the petite Nolee. Her skin was the color of cocoa, and her eyes a brilliant, clear, sparkling emerald green. She wore a pale, apple-green shirt with a large pink flower embroidered over her shoulder and chest. Her low-rise jeans hung low on her hips, and, coupled with the short, off-the-shoulder top, showed a thin strip of equally cocoa-colored skin stretched across tight stomach muscles. This girl was gorgeous.
"I'm Flora," the girl introduced herself, extending her hand. Nolee shook it, Flora's calm demeanor working its magic on her mood. Nolee was suddenly more at ease than if she had been popping Xanax.
"Hello." Nolee smiled. "Nolee Denvers."
"Well. Hello to you, Nolee Denvers," came a merry, accented voice. Nolee looked over Flora's shoulder to see a tall, slender girl with a shock of bright pink hair step up. She had blazing turquoise eyes and was dressed completely in purple, holding some sort of mechanical gadgets in both hands. She, like all four of her friends before her, extended a hand that Nolee took. The girl looked Nolee directly in the eye, saying, "The name's Tecna. I expect you're the new girl everyone's abuzz about? From Eraklion, I presume. You seem slightly flustered. Don't be."
Slightly taken aback at Tecna's perceptive abilities and no nonsense demeanor, Nolee gave her a small grin.
"Well, girls, times awasting. Let's go get some dinner," Stella's tone was businesslike and brisk. "The food here isn't half bad."
If the food was anything like the rooms, Nolee thought, that'd be the understatement of the century.
Stella led the group to the cafeteria, which was just a beautiful and elegant as the dorm rooms were. However, it was still high school cafeteria food served on those sophisticated, black-and-white marble tables and fine china. When Nolee found a hunk of chicken bone in the under-heated chicken-and-broccoli Alfredo pasta, Tecna kindly explained that the gang generally opted for the salad bar and/or eating-out, as opposed to the school meals.
Not everything here is perfect, Nolee inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe I don't have to be either.
"…and so, she walked along the cold, deserted corridors. An icy breeze blew through the hallway, chilling her. Clutching her cloak ever tighter, she suddenly heard a hollow, rapping sound-,"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"AHHHH!!!" the room was filled with screams and hysteria as Stella paused in her tale, the blood draining from her face. All six girls swiveled around to stare in fear and panic at the huge French doors that opened out to the balcony. They could hear the rain smattering the castle walls outside, and the whistle of the wind through the trees, the breezy warm day having taken an unexpected turn for the worst.
"I-I swear I just heard a noise. Someone rapping on the doors." Musa whispered tremblingly. "T-The balcony doors."
"Y-You don't think it's the m-murderer from the story, d-do you? I-I mean, that would be completely illogical, and-," Tecna tried to steady her voice, but she was interrupted as the French doors suddenly burst open with a roaring noise. The girls froze, none gathering enough courage to scream. Drawing closer together unconsciously, they stared as tall, shadowy figures jumped onto the balcony, rain making their forms visible. One drew forward, stepping into the dorm room…
Bloom jumped to her feet, fire blazing in her eyes. "Riven Christopher Mauvais! You are the most horrible, repulsive, vile jerk that it has ever been my misfortune to meet! You just scared us all half to death! HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD OF USING THE DOOR?!?"
There was snickering on the balcony. "Your middle name is Christopher?"
"Shut up! Bloom, I told you not to tell anyone!"
"What makes you think I'll do you any favors when you just broke into a GIRL'S DORM ROOM?!?" she spat.
The rest of the Winx were on their feet now, seething, and Nolee was hovering uncertainly near the back of the gang.
Musa picked up the nearest heavy object, which happened to be a lamp, and hurled it at Brandon, who had just stepped into the room and was struggling to keep a straight face.
Surprised, he instinctively caught it, and Riven sniggered, socking Brandon in the shoulder.
Snorting, Brandon said, "Temper, temper, Muse. That wasn't polite at all."
"Polite?!? I'll show you polite." Stella fumed. Brandon immediately backed off, his face completely serious.
"S-Sorry, Stell," he stuttered.
"You're whipped." One of the boys (most likely Riven) coughed.
Brandon was about to retort when Nolee let out an audible gasp. The inhabitants of the room turned questioningly to her; the boys gave her an automatic once-over, trying to deduce who she was. Brandon scrutinized the pretty newcomer, and let his eyes linger on her a moment longer than necessary.
The girls, however, knew what had astonished Nolee. Sky, Timmy, and Helia had jumped in from the balcony, their clothes wet with rain.
The blonde was pushing hair out of his eyes, his insignia ring flashing in the light. Nolee was staring, rather transfixed, at him. He, in turn, was looking at Bloom, clearly asking who the new girl was and why she was staring.
Stella, the good hostess, immediately made introductions, pushing Nolee in front of her friends to meet the guys face-to-face. "Red Fountain boys, this is Nolee; Nolee, this is Brandon, Timmy, Helia, Riven, and Sky."
Nolee swept into a deep curtsy that rivaled those of Stella's ladies-in-waiting back on Solaria. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness."
Sky blushed. "Uhm…I just go by Sky here, generally. It's nice to meet you, Nolee. I take it you're from Eraklion?"
Nolee nodded, the brief self-assurance in her curtsy evaporating when he spoke to her. Eyes wide, she discreetly shuffled to the back of the group of girls as the pushed past her to talk to the boys.
Nolee watched the group interact, envious of the clear familiarity between them. She could tell that Bloom and the Prince were together; it was in their every glance and touch. She wondered a little why the girls hadn't mentioned Sky, then concluded that he probably didn't want the fact strewn to the masses; there were paparazzi and all.
Her gaze wandered over to Timmy and Tecna, who were in a friendly debate, and Helia and Flora, who were talking quietly together. Riven was laughing at some cynical comment Musa had made, and Stella was scolding her. Nolee felt a pang. It seemed everyone had someone but her.
She wondered where the last boy was. He was incredibly good-looking, with his warm brown eyes and chiseled features covered by a mop of brunette hair. It didn't hurt that he was taller than the rest of the guys and built, too.
Just then, a flash of cinnamon caught her eye. The boy named Brandon, the one she was just mooning over, was coming over to talk to her.
Suddenly, the snow-white carpet was the most fascinating thing Nolee had ever laid eyes on. She wondered if Brandon could see the blush creeping up her face and neck, or if she was just imagining it.
"Hi, Nolee," Brandon said casually.
"Hi. Brandon, right?" Nice, she congratulated herself. Just the right combination of casual and polite. Warm, inviting. And you didn't squeak. Go me!
"Yeah. I'm from Eraklion, too. I'm actually Sky's squire," he said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's pretty awesome. It's not even hard, because Sky is a better fighter than I could ever be, so it's really easy to protect him. And that's my job, so… yeah it's pretty simple."
"Brandon!" Stella called. "Snookums, come over here this minute!" she demanded.
Brandon smiled. "I'll talk to you later, Nolee. It was nice to meet you."
Nolee watched him go. He has the most gorgeous eyes, she thought silently.
So, how'd you guys find the chapter? Apply the cardinal rule of fanfiction: review.
Ciao,
LadyNightSky & one.foot.out.the.door