Wolf Sirens: Forbidden: Discover The Legend Page 2

  I pulled my sleeve over my tattoo, looking ahead as a stare came from the desk adjacent, from the most unnaturally bright eyes, belonging to the curlyhaired one. I thought she must have been wearing contacts.

  She looked alarmed as I caught sight of her raised brow. Not bothering to return the glare, or not brave enough to, I slouched further in my chair. My hand instinctively covered my wrist. Judging by her expression, I assumed right then that I was too imperfect for these affluent looking country kids. I wasn’t going to fit in.

  How could I know that my innocent presence terrified them far more than they threatened me, or what I had just triggered? I was what they had feared, what they had been hoping wouldn’t come. I had no way of knowing that I had surprised them or what they had sparked in me, which would soon ignite. I was simultaneously smashed into a thousand pieces inside and mysteriously, very slowly, began to reform from within, shard by shard.

  The next few days passed in a grey haze, illuminated only by the penetrating eyes of the aloof clique, with that same alarmed look on their faces.

  The school was surprisingly large for a country town, but families were big and nearly all the surrounding town’s teenage population attended the public high in Shade Valley. I was an outsider, an introvert, and clumsy. Locals didn’t welcome newcomers from the city. The vernacular for me was ‘city slicker’, ‘tourist’ and my personal favourite: ‘yuppie’.

  I fumbled and dropped my math’s workbook on the linoleum on my way to class. I saw them again. They had that same look on their faces as they passed, like I offended their sense of smell. The darker boy’s amber brown irises glared at me as they glided past. I flushed crimson as his wideshouldered friend brushed by and looked me over with his sapphire eyes.

  Shrugging off all the icy stares that followed, I told myself it was just that I was new. Maybe I would grow on them but I felt like a trespasser and by the second day I wasn’t being ignored so much as avoided

  - by everyone, including the popular clique, who eyed me apprehensively from across the canteen as they downed their food.

  Lunch hour was spent staring at my sandwich miserably. The minutes dragged as I became agonizingly self-conscious. I didn’t need to look around to feel the silence from all directions. I wasn’t a native inhabitant and I was beginning to feel like a freak. I failed to relax as I breathed out in relief on the bus home, unable to shake the agonizing discomfort from school as I watched the grey sky from my window seat. When I arrived home, throwing my backpack off, I wilted onto the floor against one of the cream walls of our new house, my head in my hands. Every shuffle was amplified in the shell of a house, scattered with half emptied boxes. Sophie wasn’t home.

  I spent the rest of the late afternoon diligently unpacking the remainder of our belongings. Trying not to think about it. I wasn’t paranoid. No other students had approached me, despite their curious expressions at lunch and in the halls, though I offered no threat. It was as though a very bad rumour had been spread about me that everyone at school believed without question. They gazed at me and I failed to understand what was written in their indifferent stares.

  Over dinner I bravely told my mother how coldly they were treating me. She gave that expression, that wince, which told me I was bothering her by merely speaking. This was followed by an evident pause. Sophie had made some sort of an effort with the dinner laid out before us, which had no doubt exhausted her. Usually we ate alone or in front of the television whilst having our faces irradiated by the blue light. She said it would take time until I found my feet.

  Sophie put on her mum voice.

  “Lila, you know your father and I need this to

  work,” she cautioned with a hard expression. This

  was unusual of her. Sophie tended to ignore conflict,

  or mentioning my father – but what she really meant

  was, that she was at a loss as to what to do with me. I

  knew she couldn’t take it if I caused problems here. I

  realized my pain wasn’t upsetting to her.

  She was pleased she had met a few people at the

  Penny Market, the only chain store in town and the

  only place that didn’t require experience. She seemed

  less drained and more content now that she had rekindled some old acquaintances and she had a job, all

  of which was an improvement.

  3. The Library Girl

  Eager not to be late her first day Sophie dropped me off too early, under an ashen white sky, near the school sign that read: Go Wolves. I noticed someone had put graffiti on the road, the words No Wolves in white paint, as I travelled over it on foot. The cold weather made me shiver, though it was less icy than the day before. There were no messages on my phone. The grounds were deserted, I felt a foreboding unease as I sighed and then decided to go by the school library.

  I hesitantly pushed the creaky doors open and saw that no one was around, as the emerald green carpet assaulted my eyes.The large two-story interior smelt faintly of musk. I scanned the bindings of a row of books below eye level, running my fingers along the shiny cardboard spines. Reading would soak up the hours and hopefully fill in the gap where my social life was meant to be. I had discovered what I had known all along: that there was very little to do in a small town. Sophie had counted on it, because since my brother Tim had left home, I had been her biggest problem.

  “Hello, dear,” said a voice from nowhere. I turned see a tall, thin woman in neat attire. When she spoke only her bottom lip moved. “Can I help you?” She glared over the rim of her square glasses.

  “Hi.” I faced her. “I’m a new student.”

  “Oh, well, now June will have to show you around…were you looking for anything specific?”

  “No.” I shook my head and did my best to look sweet.

  “You won’t be able to borrow until you have a card,” she cautioned sharply.

  I nodded, understanding the implication.

  “I’ll leave you to look around.” She moved behind the front desk and my mind was elsewhere when a larger authoritative woman approached.

  “Hello, you’re a new student, are you?” Her voice went up an octave at the end as though excited by this for my benefit. “I’m June.” She didn’t wait for more than the beginning of a nod from me. “This is the fiction section.” She pointed like an airhostess. After a lecture on the rules, I was walked to the office behind the counter. I leant in the doorway as a library card was manufactured for me on the office laminator.

  June talked from behind her desk to me. I gazed around and something caught my eye behind the shelves, like an animal rustling in the undergrowth. I twisted my head to make out the shape of a torso in a blue jumper, visible through cracks in a row of shelves. I wondered when they had come in. Obviously I wasn’t the only loser at Shade High in the library well before morning classes. I could see her black lace-up army boots through a space in the shelves, crossed up on a chair.

  “Oh.” June seemed to remember something, as she then shuffled under her desk, awkwardly impeded by her stomach, straining to reach a box. “And here’s your copy of the year book.” She slapped it triumphantly on her desk.

  I forced a smile as I accepted it.

  “Every student receives one,” she said with a reassuring closed-mouth smile. “Do you have any questions, dear?” She peered over her large glasses.

  I shook my head.

  “Thanks, that was…good, thank you for the card.” I waved it in my hand and backed away. This wasn’t the sort of interaction I had craved.

  As I briskly pushed through the door a peripheral glance took in a view of the golden hair belonging to the blue jumper and black boots hiding behind the shelves, absorbed in her reading. Maybe I sensed something different about her in that brief moment.

  The next day I went to the library to get a book for English, reading in the corner until the bell rang. I made out the yellow-haired girl in boots up the library stairs on the sec
ond floor, but she was out of clear view.

  During the next days I became invisible at school, which was a relief from the intensity that had plagued me on arrival. I began to become braver in my observing glances around the class as I seated myself next to a small girl with dirty blonde hair and pale eyebrows. She smiled meekly with watery eyes and I hoped we could perhaps get along, at least as lab partners. I wondered momentarily if she was the blonde girl I’d spied in the library, but her hair was much too long to be the cropped blonde girl and she was tanned. My lab partner, Angie, spoke less than I did. I was beginning to wonder if this was a conspiracy to drive me out with passive resistance. I spied her at lunch, the library girl, buying cookies and bottled water and sausage rolls from the canteen. Far too much food for one, she must have been in a group. I felt disappointment as she strolled by with purpose. Everyone had at least a few friends, except me, the new girl. She balanced the packages of food awkwardly in clumsy-looking fingers, which on closer inspection as she passed me were gnarled down. I’d never seen such obviously chewed fingernails, like pink budded stumps, winding awkwardly around and anchoring the food. She headed out to the grass area away from the undercover where I sat, and disappointingly out of my view.

  I watched the popular boys I’d seen in the halls, which must have made up the school football team. In hindsight I was rather taken by them, as I am sure was the entire female student body. The tallest one had short chestnut hair tucked behind his ears and bright blue eyes which contrasted his caramel skin and straight white teeth. He was addressed as Harton and his wing man was a slightly shorter, broader boy with deep brown skin, high muscular shoulders and black spiky hair.

  They brandished footballs and muscular tanned bodies, which seemed to attest to their athleticism. They walked the halls like roman gladiators. I blushed and looked away when I felt their presence, embarrassed by their gaze.

  As I ate alone, like a mirage out of the busy lunch area they lurched. Parting the crowd, the gathering of pupils separated instinctively for them: the popular clique with the white-blonde haired girl in the lead. I swallowed as they headed straight towards me.

  Suddenly they joined my table. I wondered momentarily if I should leave. The blonde, the redhead and the curly-haired girl with blue eyes settled around me. For the first time I also noticed their other companion, a petite pale brunette with a patch of freckles across her nose.

  They smiled at me with reserved expressions. “Samantha – Sam.” The blonde smiled with a row of perfect teeth. I caught sight of her canines behind the corners of her dark red mouth. Her ice blue eyes were flecked with sparse deep brown spots.

  The redhead offered me not-so-subtle style tips. “Wouldn’t this look better short?” she asked, examining my hair with her sparkling green eyes. I stifled a frown, having made more effort with my hair today. Despite the antagonism, I began to develop the distinct vibe that I was their pet project.

  “Mmm, split ends,” agreed Giny examining them. Her hair was thin and dark and she had a long wispy fringe, which looked as though she was trying to grow it out.

  After further comments, which I wasn’t sure I was meant to hear and a compliment on my long nails by Lily the redhead, she grabbed my cold hand in her white and very warm uninvited talons.

  “Do you coat them?” she asked. Before I could reply the blonde ringleader interrupted. Reflexively, I pulled my sleeve down over my wrist and the crest of my ink, which had been exposed.

  Sam asked, “So you’re here from Horkum?” A chorus of giggles ensued. Her eyes told them to be quiet, with a serious sideways glance.

  “Yeah,” I nodded, unsure.

  “We wanted to meet you.” She flashed a soft, condescending smile. I kept my answers as safe as possible. I was sure the slightest thing would be fodder for them afterwards. I wondered if I was being interrogated, or whether they were leading me towards saying something, which they could turn against me in the small town gossip mill.

  I looked around, wondering exactly what the joke was.

  The blonde girl continued. “The other kids have been making fun…of the new girl from whorecome.” She rolled her eyes.

  I had heard this joke before. “-And City slicker,” I offered smirking. If this was the worst of it, then maybe I could deflect them with my dullness and their sudden interest in me would wane.

  “Well, that’s original,” she added with sarcasm, returning the smirk with her painted lips. I glanced around at them now, all four sets of eyes on me, wondering why this assault hadn’t passed on the first day of my arrival. I tensed and wracked my brain for something to say.

  “Sooo…” I dragged the syllable out. “Where do you guys live?” I almost squeezed my eyes closed, as I silently scolded myself for the stupidity of the question. Shade wasn’t exactly sprawling, it was more of a suburb in itself, spread out over farmland.

  However, Sam answered eagerly, tucking her blonde straight mane behind her ear.

  “Lily’s at Tarah beach.”She looked at Lily.“Giny’s on Bayson Road, the rest of us live on Stone’s Road, just on the way out of town.”

  I assumed as she gestured to Bianca that they lived on the same street. Sam looked straight at me.

  “You should come over some time, we hang out with the boys over there.” She looked over her shoulder and they looked over at her, across the canteen. Probably the broad shouldered boys who sat up the back in class and threw footballs at each other in the hall. The handsome tall one sat atop the table. I retracted my glance and sipped my straw as my cheeks warmed.

  “Please, join us,” she said staring at me. “We are friends, who are you?” She touched my arm. “Tell me what you are, Lila?” I noted the dark brown flecks in her crystal blue iris.

  I looked at the guys behind her.

  “Um, Lila? Crain,” I raised my brows, admiring their angular features, behind her.

  Sam seemed unimpressed with something. She looked at them over her shoulder. “Anyhow, do you drive?”

  “To school?” I asked, but she only looked at me vacantly. I continued, unsure. “No, I catch the bus.” I added in the silence “100”, embarrassed that I didn’t yet have a car or a licence, for though I had learnt how to drive I had failed the test. My mother said I was too impatient. I wondered after I’d spoken if that was too much information, if I had just given them the time and place to egg me, or something.

  Sam continued after a pause.“Hey, we could drive you,” she said to the group, trying to sound as though it had just occurred to her. She looked at one of the other girls. “Well, Giny could, she’s near you, I’ve got practice to organize.” I recalled that I hadn’t told her where I lived.

  She added apologetically,“It’s early starts, late finishes.” I wondered if I should ask what practice was exactly, but she assumed I knew. “Do you have any friends? Here, yet?” Sam inquired.

  I thought it was obvious.

  “No, actually,” was my flat reply. I bit my lip.

  “Well you could be friends with us, we won’t bite.” She looked into my eyes. “Are you different, Lila?”

  I shrugged.

  “Tell me how?” Sam’s eyes glistened at me as though it was crucial to know. She tapped my hand, so quickly, that I hardly felt it.

  “Tell us why you’re here.” Her eyes narrowed.

  I hardly knew what to say. I felt a rush of blood.

  “Sam!” One of the guys behind us called so abruptly that I jumped. She chimed “Okay” in their direction and with a swish of her straight opaque hair, she slid off her seat and marched out of earshot towards them. I noticed a soft, concerned expression on the russet faced boy. Sam didn’t bother to excuse herself from our conversation as she joined the bench where the boys were seated. I felt odd for a moment, maybe a little disorientated. But I put it down to the effects of sudden social interaction.

  The other girls looked at me. Bianca the curlyhaired girl to my right broke the short silence.

  “Why did you m
ove here?” She shifted a little closer, tentatively.

  “Um, lots of reasons, um.” I breathed in. “My parents divorced-” Before I could mention anything else, the smaller petite girl Giny interrupted.

  “-do you dance?” she blurted, also sliding up closer.

  I swallowed hard.

  “No.” I smiled shyly. I realized what it was about them that made them seem more regal. They were all dancers. Their bodies were taught and lean, like gymnasts. It made sense - the parity of matching skirts -these girls were the Dolphins, and until that moment I hadn’t realized it.

  “You know how, don’t you?” she said looking at the red-haired girl with lucent green eyes who sat to the far left of the table.

  “Well, that depends on what kind of dancing.” I raised my eyebrows, sensing a motive. At that same moment the redhead, Lily, looked up behind her and gestured to her friend, the blonde Samantha on the phone. Sam gestured back and Lily left to join her without so much as an apologetic look. I glanced in their direction. The conversation had taken a serious tone and she spoke low into the group at the other table. This place was starting to make St Agatha’s Catholic Girls School look like a walk in the park. They stopped and shifted their glance to me, as though aware I was watching. I hurriedly turned my focus back to my audience of two, the petite, dark brown-haired girl Giny, and Bianca with her dirty blonde curls and light blue eyes. “We have a troupe,” she confessed, continuing to ignore Lily’s exit:“We are short one, since-” She trailed off - “since the last girl left, so we were wondering if you would join us?”

  “You don’t have to be good,” offered Giny enthusiastically.“Just coordinated, strong and flexible?” she questioningly stated, glancing at the other girl, Bianca, unsure if she had said too much, perhaps. Giny lowered her voice as she slyly gestured around the lunch line. “You could join us. There’s slim pickings here. We would be happy to have you.”