Chapter 4: Secret
What! I was so shock that he knows who I really am. Part of me was scary that he know and the other part was happy he remember me but that I only –maybe –be happy because of the kiss just happen few seconds ago.
I look at him wide eyed while his eyes are still close and his forehead is still on her. I was not think when I push him off of me, ran out to the door and run and run. I did not stop or look back to see if David was follow me –I did not-even stop when I was at my house or when my new step parent call my name –I just ignored and run, only stop went I was in-front of my bedroom door. I open the door went to my bed and fall into my soft pillow. I didn't know how long I was leaning on bed but after a while later someone was knock on my door "Go away!" I yell at the door "I don't want to talk anyone! Leave me alone!"
I heard someone open and closing the door "You cannot kick me out your room because this is my house you live now." A female voice said.
"I want to be alone…." my face was on the pillow so went I talk to only heard me said mmm-hmhmmm. So I pop my head up and repeated what I said "I want to be alone…" and add, "….Lilian please? I just want be alone." Before I drop my head back my pillow.
"I know what bothered you…."
"no you do!" I interrupt Lilian but she just ignored it because all she heard is m-mm-mmm! So she continue talk like I said nothing "…, you were nervous about today being new girl and all –and I know how you feel because I was a new girl in school once. It sucks. But you know what?" what! I thought stupidly like Lilian can heard me what! "because it's not the end of the world! –And life get better –in time.… okay?" The all time she talked, she was sitting on my bed and patting my head moving my hair round, be a good parent! But I know she is still nervous about me –even I was here in this house for the pass week! Her and her son, Matthew, somewhere during the week I learn Matthew was not Lilian's born son –he just like me –no family. It did example, because Lilian is gorgeous with her long curly/wavy very light brown hair, with her big lips and no one can never forget her and her big baby-blue eyes. –And Matthew is 8 years old with dark hair and grey eyes –the opposite of Lilian. "Are you going to eat? –it's dinner time –are you coming to eat ….right?" I did not dare look at her just nod at her to let Lilian know I'm coming down. "Five minutes!" she then close the door. I waited and listen Lilian's foot-step fade away then I get up take off my jacket off and change to one of my hoodie sweater. I start walking then stop myself in front of my mirror and look at myself in the mirror. The girl in the mirror look pretty or more than pretty but not model pretty like Lilian. I look at mirror and touch my lip, it swollen from the kiss me and David share. I remember how I reject him and not looking back. And remember I left my stuff back there too! Kill me now!
After eating dinner, I walk back to my room go to one of my many doors to the left. Open it go up stairs open another door that lead to the house balcony with no roof. I went to the end of the balcony, lean my arms on top of the fence and look up the sky, watch the star shine.
On the next day I wake, I went to school….okay, I know what you think –but it's better if I face it now then later –right? An ways! I went to school and school went by fast today. When Violet and I have the same class we sited together and lunch too. Violet introduced me some of her friends, they were nice but my mind was into them, it was when my Grandpapa Ethan tell me a story, I did not know but I hear the story when I was little girl sited on my Grandpapa Ethan's lap listen, now I think about something weirdly familiar about it….
When I was little girl I never forget stories my Grandpapa Ethan tell me. One of the story My Grandpapa Ethan tell me was my favorite, I did not know why but it was so familiar to me and I did like it , it was about a Phoenix –yes a firebird but not that kind of story, this story was about this woman with beautiful birdlike figure, with gorgeous wing on her back. Her wing is red like her hair but not just that her wings is red it was mix with orange –orange as in fire. Her power was fire and her beauty take your breath away –some said when you look at her beautiful face and you listen to her voice you forget everything and take command from her. But her story just not stop there –what my Grandpapa Ethan tell me about the phoenix is old as 100 year old or more and so full of secret and knowledge. And maybe have immortal life that maybe true or not. The phoenix was a female warrior, who never love with anyone but one day she did but her lover was older than her –like 5 years older! But she do not care because she in love. Her lover protects her with his life. They think only each other was enough, so together they died, together. But that not what happen, this story do not have a happy ending. In the end the phoenix went to a cave where her and her lover live. Saw immortal woman sitting on top the lovers bed, who was about her lover age one thing in her mind was she beautiful. The immortal woman walk up at her said in cold, soft voice "I finally found you…" With a nonhuman speed grab the Phoenix put her to the ground, "I was looking all over for you. They are right about you. Young, beautiful and strong, –the perfect body for me to take." the immortal beautiful face turn in to a wick smile. Then take out knife behind her back, cut her arm then cut the phoenix cheek mixing the two women blood. Someone grab the immortal woman, pulling her away from the phoenix. Then the phoenix's lover grab her in the safe arms, whispered to her "that everything is going be okay". The next thing was blur one minute phoenix was her lover's arms cover her face in his chest then the next she was on the ground with her died lover, tears blind her. She feel herself get up while she tried to stand she heard the evil woman cold laugh, she want ravage. She want to killed the person who killed her one true love. Her hand was on fire and then they went though the immortal's body "you" the immortal said softly "don't have must time left. If you truly want to be with him, kill yourself before it too late, then your body will be mine. Or you stay like this, young, beautiful, and strong forever…." The phoenix tell herself once she finish with her lover then she kill herself …..
It was sad story about forbidden love well in the end, yes, if it did counted as forbidden love! One thing keep bugs me was "her hands were on fire" part. My mind went back to that day at school when it was on fire. My arms were on fire….right? then it hit me, OMG! This cannot be right! How?
"Mai?" I look up at this pretty blonde girl with black eyes. I realized we were the only two in classroom. I look up at the clock to learned just ringed few minutes ago and I was late for my next class! "your that…." I did not listen, I just start to walked away from that girl to my next class and lucky it was my last class of the day too. I realized David was my partners, I groan. I have not seeing David for the whole day not after that kiss we share. I just left him there with my stuff –by the way! Is gone! The pretty blonde follows me and was still talking! "You are that Mai girl? The new girl that everyone is talking about, right? The girl who kiss David yesterday?" the last few word she said it coldly. How does she know about that kiss, did David tell her? "I watch you two kiss." I stand still, froze at what she said. Shit! She saw what! Kill me now!
"I … I" I feel pain on my back leg and was on my kneeling. Someone grab my hair force my head (and body) to go back –hard! The girl look down at me with shine angry eyes "David was so post to be my boyfriend. I should be his first kiss!" she kick me on my ribs and I cough out of air. "You see David does not like not of the girls in school. Some people think he is gay –but he does not look gay –right? I want him! He will be mine!" the blonde keep kick me hard and harder and harder –when the point was enough. When the blonde ready to kick again, I grab her shoe pull to the side to make her fall to the ground. "ow! You little bitch!" before she do anything I kick her right under her chin hard. The blonde girl was just leaning down only breath. I get up, just leave her there and start walking to the exit door to outside. When I get to the tree, the tree I always going since the first day at school. I sitting on the ground my back to the tree and my head was look up at the sky. It beautiful today. My eyes start to get difficult to keep it open. Before I let my eyes close and let darkness take me –I saw him. I saw him pick me up and start walk away from the school to somewhere no one can find us.
I wake in someone arms around me to keep me warm. My eyes were hard to open and I do not want wake. I let out a sign… then I heard something like water fallen on top of water? I smell the forest and something else? ...Blood? I tried to remember what happen to me. Then like a trunk hit me –I remember the pretty blonde girl was angry at me and kicking for …kissed… David? –David! The last thing I remember was David carrying me away from school. I open my eyes. First my eyes are out of focuses for while then I look up at him "Hey" I said. He didn't said anything just look at me with his blank look on his face. "where are we?" I said start to blush. Realized I was in David's arms, for thirteen years old he have strong well built arms. "I saw what happen to you" he said softly to me. Is he concern about me? David hand went to my cheek, whip a tear away. I didn't know I was crying. "don't cry –it not your fault." I can't stop myself from crying even more. I start to shake my head no."Mai! Are you listen what I tell you, it not your fault –it was my –I shouldn't kiss you –it …" I stop him by kiss him. My arm around his neck pulling him to me, I feel his arm wrap me even more hard, I groan in pain that make him stop, like yesterday he was on top of me. I saw worrying in his eyes like I going to run-away from him again but I just shake my head No. I tired –without hint of pain –kiss his forehead to his cheek, he moan in please.
David help me in a sitting position and sat right next to me, tears still in run out of my eyes. David watch me –waiting for me to talk, Just like old time. I take a deep breath before I start talk. I tell him what happen at my old school about the fire, not the fire came through my arm thing, and what I ran away from home to my Uncle Mike catcher me. My Grandpapa Ethan adopted me to his family and the two Elder talk. I tell him everything little detail , but not ready tell him that I'm an Phoenix part yet –not until I talk to Grandpapa Ethan first. "….And I'm so sorry for everything happen for the past few day." I finish telling him, wait to see if he talked to me. "I get it if you do want to talk to me, David. I just leave if you want?"
He eyes went wide with shock and bright with angry. He shakes his No "No! After you disappear and left me here!" he point at where we stand "that you got the nerved to said I you to leave me again!" he got to a loud angry voice to sad soft voice that broke my heart to hear it " No…not again….I can't lost you again, Mai Ly Jezebel Iris, not again." he whip the tear away and pull my hair away from my face. Both hands on my face he kiss my forehead softly. I start sob, cover myself in David's hard chest and crying my eyes out.
"Grandpapa Ethan?" I open the door to the office he works in. After being with David for three hours (crying my eyes out) I got to know him again. He tell me he saw what happen with me and Lisa (the pretty blonde girl. Bitch!), surprise I fight back and unconscious the girl with one kick. He went after me, bring me to the waterfall in the forest where no one can find us. David walk me to my Grandpapa Ethan's office's build in the middle of city's hall. I stop him in-front of the build door to tell him to go home and I can take it from here. His eyes were concern and not convinced at what I said. He just nod, tried to understand. He ask me if see him at school and I just nod. He smile said bye to me but he didn't call me, Mai, but Mare again. I smile and walk inside.
" Mai… I'm disappoint at you. The school call, tell me that you skip class and fight with this girl at school. Want to tell me why?" he look hard at me and I did not feel bad for fight that girl, she disdained it!
My Grandpapa is waiting for me examples. But instill I said "Am I a phoenix?"
Grandpapa Ethan went to hard to shock. "How?... How you know –who told you?" he point at me, he stand up, both hands slam on his desk look at me with crazy eyes. When I talk I was surprise I sound clam "You did."
"I didn…"
"In your story, Grandpapa Ethan!"
He stay quiet. He fall back to his seat. For a long –long minute no one talk. Then out of nowhere Grandpapa Ethan start laugh. He laugh like a crazy person. "you finally know…." He laugh "you know who you are, my flying bird. Let the people see your wings open once more, Mai…Mai Heart."