Disclaimer; I own nothing
I sighed deeply turning off the shower and wrapping a towel securely around my body and my hair. I dressed quickly in fitted comfortable jeans and a loose blue sweater before walking quietly down 2 flights of stair (There's six of us we needed a big house and no one likes sharing so yeah there's a few floors), I could hear that the TV was on in the living room so I decided to get my pay back on the little hell spawn quickly.
I jumped down the last flight of stairs landing lightly and quickly pulling Connor up by his ankle until he was suspended upside down in the middle of our living room.
"No far Bella you said we couldn't use them on each other!!" He whined while Darnel held his sides rolling around on the floor laughing.
"So what do you call waking me up at god knows what time then?" I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips. I know I should be the grown up one in this scenario but I mean he even crossed his arms for crying out loud you picture that and not laugh.
"I'm sorry but its nearly six and we couldn't get back to sleep." He pouted.
"Fine but next time try just waking me up slowly and save the alarm clock." I lowered him carefully on the couch and shot Darnel a pointed glare praying that my lips didn't twitch.
"Can we get some food now, please." Again with the pout Connor.
"Fine I want you both showered and changed then you can have something." Max choose that time to descend the staircase his smirk confirmed that he heard everything.
Connor and Darnel ran off without another word while Max headed to the kitchen to hopefully begin breakfast.
I listened carefully hearing the quiet scurrying of many feet letting me know that the rest of my little tribe was getting ready. I moved steadily to the kitchen and quickly began making fried eggs, toast, bacon and sausages while Max set the table with juice and made some coffee.
We had a large island in the kitchen so we could eat at least eat together given the choice. I put all the food in the middle of the table so everyone could help them selves and as if on cue in they all piled in quickly grabbing food mumbling Hellos.
I quickly joined them and started shovelling food into my mouth when I spotted Sasha making a bee line for the coffee, I shot Max a quick glance and he smoothly grabbed the coffee handing it to me out of Sasha's reach.
"Hey, I wanted some of that." She stated glaring at Max and me.
"Not a chance do you remember the last time you had coffee." I smiled remembering how she ended up dancing for hours before passing out exhausted in the middle of the forest we were currently holed up in. "We're meant to be acting normal and you dancing around will not help convince people of that not to mention what you could of done last time if we weren't in the middle of no where."
"Please, last time was a one off it was the adrenaline as well I mean we just" I cut her off there before she could start off an hour-long rant about how she should be allowed to have coffee.
"Hell no, we can't take risks and speaking of risks let me remind you all of the rules." That statement was greeted with groans from around the table. "Hey you wanted to go we could always just run now save me a lot of hassle."
"No Bella you promised, please." Mixie begged holding on tightly to my arm.
"Fine but make sure you have your phone on you on vibrate, keep to the story and keep your eyes open. We meet for lunch at the cafeteria doors, any problems and we text a blank message to one of use and it's passed on and we run no questions asked straight to the forest." I've said that a lot over the last week but its important my family's life could depend upon it.
"We know Mum" Darnel quipped as I swatted him on the back of the head lightly.
"Right everyone pack your bags and grab something warm."
Everyone left quickly except Max.
"It's going to be okay you know, we covered everything and they know what to look out for." I smiled warmly at him nodding. He may not say a lot but he knew just how to calm me.
He left with out another word, I knew he was right and we had already mapped out the school and the town so we wouldn't get lost and had all the escape roots planned out if worst came to worse. We have covered everything we possibly could; we even had a stash of essentials on the other side of town if we needed to get away quickly.
I grabbed the keys to the minivan (I know not my first choice but with six of us to move around it was necessary.)
"Lets move people, make sure you've got your slips to be signed" We already went to the school on Friday afternoon while everyone was in their lessons. It was a rare sunny day and we left quickly luckily avoiding any stares from our soon to be classmates.
After 15 minutes of arguments and phone checks we finally got into the minivan and had everyone strapped in tight and began our journey for our first ever day of school and I was terrified.
I hated new people and crowds, I didn't like to be told what to do or been stuck in one place to long but this is what my family wanted and I couldn't deny them they were all I had.
It took us 20 minutes to get to school thanks to how secluded our house was but we still arrived early. Just enough time for one last pep talk. (I really didn't enjoy doing them honest.)
"Okay remember" I began only to be cut off quickly.
"We know keep our phones on and our eyes open." Four voices echoed to me one sounding suspiciously like my own.
I had to laugh and was soon joined by my family.
"Its okay Bella today's gonna be fun!" Mixie chirped at me.
"I'm gonna make so many friends and then we could go to the movies and shopping OMG please Bella can we go shopping this weekend I found some really cool stuff in the magazine that we totally need." Sasha smiled just imaging all the things she could get up to. (I knew I shouldn't have let get those magazines.)
"Whoa their Sash we haven't even got through Monday yet can we at least see how it goes before we make shopping plans." I couldn't help but grimace at the thought of shopping not something I had a passion for but luckily Mixie animatedly joining in with Sasha's planning saved me. I heard a few cars beginning to pull up, I noticed Max tense slightly and saw his hand automatically reach for the lighter inside his coat. I grasped his hand gently trying to send him what I hoped was a comforting smile.
"Alright this is our cue people, please behave no tricks and I'll see you at lunch." I smiled brightly trying to portray confidence that I was severely lacking at this point.
I hugged them quickly before they ran quickly towards the entrance trying to avoid the drizzling rain. I shared an anxious glance with Max before taking a deep breath and making my own way into the building keeping my head high but avoiding curious stares from the few students that had arrived but I couldn't avoid there hushed whispers.
"Is that one of the new kids."
"I heard there's six of them and none of them have parents, no one wanted them so they just pushed them out here."
"I heard they were all to messed up to live with normal families."
I noticed that most of the comments came from kids close to my age and just prayed that Sasha, Darnel, Connor and Mixie would be able to avoid this although I knew it was unlikely.
Parents had always been a sore spot for use seeing as none of us could remember a time that we weren't locked up in that Facility.
I blocked out the comments heading straight for my French class dropping the slip on the teachers desk without breaking my stride as I walked purposely to the back of the class taking the seat closest to the window (quick escape routes, comes naturally when your running for your life)
The class slowly filled up and I refused to make eye contact instead staring straight out of the window. I didn't look at the class until my teacher, Mr Parsons, entered the class.
He slammed his briefcase on the desk snatching up my slip. He looked up from his desk glancing around the room until his eyes connected with mine, I really didn't like him.
"Your Isabella Brown right."
Well duh do you see any one else you don't recognise I mean seriously the last time they had a new students was over a year ago and before that it was over ten.
"Its Bella sir and yes I am the new student,"
"Well then Isabella if you'd like to take your seat again we can begin the lesson." He replied curtly. I wanted to scream at him, I hated the name Isabella; I was even registered under Bella can the man not read.
I sat down quietly and took notes for the rest of the lesson paying the bare minimum of attention; I knew the material any way. I asked Sasha to hack into the school systems about a year after we got out, so that we could learn quickly, it also kept us occupied when hiding out with nothing but a laptop and a couple books to entertain you.
The bell finally rang and I was about to make my escape when a tall boy with dirty blonde hair with to much gel, he was about 6ft and had blue eyes.
"Hi I'm Mike Newton and you must be Isabella" Clap clap for the boy with ears.
"It's Bella" I went to move past him but he blocked my way again, man he was getting annoying.
"So Bella do you need help getting to your next class?" He asked a confident smirk on his face as of he really thought I would say yes. Ha not likely.
"No its fine now if you don't mind I need to go." I gently pushed past him smiling at the look of disbelief on his face.
The next three lessons passed much in the same fashion, only one of the teachers a Miss Vaughn managed to call me by my actual name, I text my family through out the day just to calm my nerves until I saw them at lunch, Sasha some how managed to reply with a three page text on how amazing school was and all she was going do this weekend. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at my enthusiastic sister.
It was finally lunch time and I couldn't help but notice I was getting more glares from the female population I passed I could only guess that my little chat it Mike had gotten round faster than I thought.
I couldn't help but be relieved about that at least meant I might be left alone now.
I was the first one to arrive at the doors slowly joined by the rest of my family, Mixie and Sasha quickly said goodbye to there newly found friends and without a word we joined the line to get our food. We each got very large portions, which earned us more curious stares. (Of course a teen who actually eats)
We managed to get an empty table near the window, immediately the boys started to dig in.
"So anyone ready to leave yet," I asked not able to disguise the slight pleading in my tone. Max smirked slightly, while the others launched into protest.
I chuckled slightly.
"Okay I was kidding guys, well mostly." Hey a girl can dream right.
"I've met so many great people already and they all want to be my friend. Can I eat lunch with them tomorrow please??" Sasha's eyes went wide towards the end of her speech; I was just about to answer her when I caught a scent that nearly froze my insides.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed and added my story to Alerts. Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions as well. Thanks. LT