Chapter 3
Monday 18thAugust 2014
I manage to walk home without anyone else deciding to be my friend then ditching me when their bullies of friends say so. So it's pretty safe to say I'm not in the best mood when I walk into the kitchen. Grandma Saraiyu is sitting at the island counter, sipping on a cup of coffee and inspecting a banana.
She looks up when I walk in and I can tell when she realizes I'm in a bad mood because her eye brows lift in surprise. "Who's been tugging on your bridle?"
I'm not entirely sure what that means; just that it has something to do with horses and I'm not in the mood for a lesson. "Just some girl I met down the street. Well, it was her guy friends, actually, who were doing all the tugging." I set about unpacking the shopping bags and putting everything away.
"Ah, so you've met Luca Hale and Maiara Hughes. Who else was there? Jesse Rivers I bet, he's always following Luca around." I stare at her in surprise. How on earth she knew who I was talking about I have no idea.
"Yeah, them and two others. Avery and … Kailya I think her name was." I found the pastry Faye had slipped into the bread bag. It looks mouth-wateringly tempting so I stick it on a plate, crack the can of Coke and pour it into a tall glass with some ice cubes.
"Avery Williams and Kailya Steele," Saraiyu clarifies, nodding. Settling into the bar stool next to her, I place the plate on the counter between us, indicating for her to share it with me. "I see you've also met my little sister Faye then," she said, tearing the pastry in half and making quick work of her piece. "Mmm. I do love her baking. If only I had gotten those genes, instead of a knack with horses." I almost choke on a mouthful of apple and pastry. I was related to the woman who gave me the free bread?
"Faye's your sister? So that means she's my great-aunt? But Mai was saying she was her Aunt. Am I related to Mai, too?" I'm not sure if that would be a good thing or not.
Saraiyu laughs and pats me on the hand gently. "No child, you're not related to Maiara. Not closely anyway. Faye and her mother have been best friends since we were all children. So naturally she was there when Mai was born, and there through all her life, so I guess she's an honorary aunt."
I nod thoughtfully. "I just don't get it. Mai helped me with the shopping and stuff and she was being so nice. But then as soon as she tried inviting me out with them to some party, Luca and the other guys showed up and totally shut her down." I take a large gulp of my drink to try to avoid looking at Saraiyu. I don't want her to see how much it annoyed me that someone would do that. I mean, they were basically bullying her right in front of me.
"That's just them," she says, standing up to put the plate and her mug in the dishwasher. "They have their own ways of doing things, since they've known each other since they were children. It's hard for them to welcome change." She purses her lips and I can't help but think there is more to this than what she's telling me. I decide to just let it go; it had been too weird of a day already.
"I'm gonna let Mom know I got the stuff she wanted." I smile at my grandmother and wander down the hall to Mom's room. She and Saraiyu both have rooms downstairs while Sky and I sleep upstairs.
Her door was open and I could faintly hear the sounds of shuffling inside. When I poke my head in I see that she's struggling to drag a box over to the bookshelf. No doubt that was her collection of books, the ones she wouldn't even let me read.
"Hey," she calls out as she spots me in the doorway. I watch as she straightens and brushes her pale blonde hair out of her face, breathing heavily. She seems better than she had before I left.
"I got the stuff you wanted. I'm assuming we're having vegetarian lasagna for dinner? Lasagna sheets were one of the things you wrote on the list so it's a fair guess." I lean against the oak doorframe, watching as she begins to stack the heavy books in the gaps between other volumes on the shelves.
"Yeah. Hey, I need to talk to you about something." She almost looks nervous, uncertain maybe. But surely it's just because she's tired; my mother was never nervous about anything.
"Sure, what's the problem?" I mean, there had to be a problem right? No mother with two teenage daughters looked this worried without a damn good reason.
"Your grandmother reminded me about something this morning that I had forgotten about in our haste to get here." She pauses. My brow furrowed slightly. What the hell was she trying to spit out? "You see, there's a … special high school that teenagers from around here attend."
"Okay…?" I was still not getting it.
"Well, I guess you could call it a boarding school, seeing as it's quite a few hours from here, which means that you will be staying on-campus while the school semester is underway."
I blink. Oh. So now, three days after moving across the damn country, I was being sent to a freaking boarding school? A red-tinged haze swims behind my eyes, but I quickly blink it away. Get your shit together, Serenity.
"So when do I have to leave?" Thankfully, my voice doesn't betray the anger that has blossomed behind my breast-bone.
Mom looks even more uncertain, as if she doesn't fully believe what I was saying. "The bus leaves in two weeks. I believe there are quite a few kids from here who will be joining you. That could be fun."
I think of Luca and his group of weird-ass friends. Fought the urge to roll my eyes. Mai's sweet smile as she offered me the can of Coke brings me up short. Yeah sure I want to be friends with her, but I'm not sure Luca would like that too much.
"So I guess there's no need for me to really unpack?" I ask, smiling as I say it in an effort to override the sullen tone in my voice.
Mom is relieved. I can see it in the way tension leaks out of her shoulders. She reaches behind her and brings forth a thick parchment envelope.
So this is my very own Hogwarts letter, huh? I think wryly as I take it from her.
"I know it means we won't be able to celebrate your birthday properly, but I thought we could do something as a mixed birthday and going away party." The hopeful smile she gave me was enough to make me want to agree with anything, just so I won't hurt her feelings.
After a forced hug – I'm not feeling very affectionate right now – I retreat upstairs to my bedroom. Before I have the chance to shut my door, Sky's hand shoots out and grabs it.
I just about have a heart attack. "Jesus, Sky, what the hell are you trying to do?"
She glares up at me. "Don't play dumb! I heard what mom was telling you, and I've already looked in the envelope. I found it in mom's handbag when I was looking for a pen. What kind of dumb name is Heathstone Academy for a school anyway?"
"Ugh. Get out would you? I need privacy." I push Sky's hand out of the way and firmly shut the door. I hear her huff of annoyance and retreating footsteps as I slide slowly to the floor and open the envelope.
Miss Serenity Oaken,
It has come to our attention that you have recently relocated to Serenity Falls on a permanent basis. Due to your family's particular lineage and standing, you have been reserved a place at our most precious Heathstone Academy. As such, you will be joining the rest of the Serenity Falls students on the 31st of August for the journey here.
We trust that your mother and grandmother have filled you in on everything you need to know before attending.
Included in this envelope are your timetable, list of required equipment and a general pamphlet about the school and its grounds.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Tatiana Hennington
Headmistress of Heathstone Academy
It was signed with a flourish, and written in what looked suspiciously like real black ink. I frown. Well this posed more questions than what it answered.
I spend the rest of the afternoon in my room, trying to work out what to unpack or not, every now and then taking a break to read over my letter again. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic, even in this huge room.
I could barely keep still through dinner, hardly even tasting the steaming food. I excuse myself as soon as I can, made up some rubbish about being exhausted, having a headache and going to bed early.
Changing quickly, I turn the lights off for good measure, and am thankful I had when I hear soft footsteps outside my door. Probably Mom checking on me. Once I'm sure no one would be bothering me, I slip out of my room, cross the hall quickly and duck into the library.
It was a massive two-story affair, complete with oak banisters and matching-backed sofas scattered around the place. I'm standing on the balcony that made up the second floor, circling the great empty space above the floor below.
As quietly as I can, I pad down the circular, twisting staircase hidden in one corner. At the base of the steps, I pause again, making sure I can hear no noises from the hall outside.
Thank God I'm such a trustful child. I almost snort at my own joke as I unlatch the glass French doors and escape into the darkness at the back of the house.
I had never ever dared to do this in California, and normally I wouldn't just go wandering around in the dark anyway, but I just feel so cooped up inside. I need the fresh air; the freedom.
I slip out of a side gate that I hadn't realized existed until I literally stumbled across the weeds growing in front of it. Thank goodness there's plenty of light from the full moon; otherwise I probably would have never seen it. I don't even really know where I was going after that. I kind of just walked.
The streets are quiet, but not in that creepy way that makes it feel like you're in a horror movie. It was a soft silence, like goose down, muffling the normal sounds of a town at rest. It's not very late, and there are plenty of house windows still lit, but there isn't that big-city noise I had grown used to in California. The change is nice and long over-due.
The atmosphere begins to change when I found myself wandering down Blue Moon Lane – who the hell named these streets? – And I feel the first tinge of uneasiness. Houses are on one side of me, while open forest stands on the other. I shiver, realizing for the first time that I'm only wearing shorts and a shirt, no jacket or anything. I'm vaguely surprised I'm even wearing shoes – yeah, I checked.
Then the hair on my arms stands straight up and I just know I'm being watched. I scan the darkness surrounding me, trying to work out where they – or it – is watching me from. My eyes fix on a dark patch of trees directly ahead of me. I begin to back away slowly. A large pair of bright green eyes blink into existence right where I was staring.