CHAPTER ONE — STELLA
Whispers.
They are all around me.
It isn't uncommon for me to hear them, especially when I'm walking down the school corridors with my girls hot on my heels, but this is different.
It's very different.
"What's everybody talking about?"
I murmur out quietly to my best friend Musa, slowing down so I can link arms with her.
She leans into my side, whispering into my ear.
"Apparently there's a new family in town," she begins saying as we make our way towards our English lesson. "There's rumours of new students joining the school."
I raise an eyebrow as I nod my head at her.
We all live in a small town, so word gets around quickly.
If a new family has moved in, then it only makes sense for new students to join our school too.
It just doesn't make sense why everybody around us is so keen on whispering about it.
"That's what they're all losing their minds over?"
I retort, scanning through the waves of students who are making their way to their own classes too.
Everywhere we step, eyes are on us, and as we speak between ourselves, their gaze only grows curious.
It's fun being popular, until it's not.
Some days, I can't bear it. And other days, I love it.
It truly is a love/hate relationship.
Musa stops walking, as do I, then she turns around to face me.
"The family everybody's talking about…" she trails off, eyes wide as she takes a deep breath in. "They moved into that house, Stella. You know which one I'm talking about."
Dread fills my stomach.
My lips part as I look over at my friend, my ears ringing with the bomb she's just dropped on me.
That house…
The new family moved into that house?
I can't believe what I was hearing.
That house is cursed.
It isn't safe for anybody to live in.
It carries bad memories for both us kids, and our parents, and it will haunt that new family too.
I'm sure of it.
Once upon a time, it was a house we all loved, a house we all called our second home.
But that was before the awful event, and it was before everything turned to ashes.
Now…
"I feel sick."
I tell Musa, my stomach flipping as my vision begins to get blurry.
I'm swaying on my feet, and just before I can fall down and make a complete embarrassment of myself, there's a palm on my hand, holding me up from crashing to the ground.
"Whoa, are you okay?"
I blink a couple of times, shaking my head as he steps into my line of vision, his arm now hooked around my middle.
It's my brother, Riven.
"I feel lightheaded."
He frowns slightly, lifting his other hand to press the back of it to my forehead.
"Want me to take you to the nurse's office, Stella?"
After taking a deep breath in, I shake my head at him.
He drops his hand, but still keeps one arm looped around me.
I smile at him.
"If I go into the nurse's office now, there'll be rumours about me being pregnant before the day even ends."
Riven grins, but there's no real humour in it.
"And if those losers have something to say, I'll put their fat heads through the wall."
Musa snorts beside us, slipping both her arms around his middle as she lifts her head up to look at him.
"That's why having a big brother is the best!"
In return, my brother tips his head down, smirking at her.
"Want me to be your big brother, Musa? I can tuck you into bed too."
I scrunch my nose up at that comment of his, but a small breath of laughter does escape me.
"Ew, Riven. That's too much, even for me."
We all laugh at that, catching the attention of those around us, but we pay them no mind.
They both move in closer to each other, press their lips together for a soft kiss, before they pull away from one another.
I smile at my brother and my best friend, loving how much they love each other.
After straightening up, Riven throws his arms around our shoulders, pulling us both even closer towards him.
"Come on," he says as he begins dragging us away. "Let me take my girls to their class."
And with every step that we take, there are eyes all over us.
The whispers grow louder, but not for the reason before.
I smile.
Lifting my head, I straighten my shoulders, and take one steady step after the other.
A queen never bows.
Author's Note:
2 reviews already?!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I've been really desperate to get back into writing so I hope you all love this story! Thank you so much for reading.
~ lovelanii