DARLA

1

          The car stopped by a corner within the school premises. Susan put the gear on park and glanced sideways to her daughter. The scowl was still plastered on the latter's face.
"Darla, come on," She said. "I know it's been a week but you can't  still be mad."
"Exactly more reason I have to be mad." Darla's brown eyes narrowed behind her thick rimmed glasses. "It's been barely a week and Kim and her goons are trying to make it hell for me. The other schools didn't give me this much hassle. At least they waited for like a month before trying to rile me up."
This was the fourth high school Darla had been attending in her sixteen years of age and it was because of one reason; Violent conduct. A repeated victim of bullying, she had responded in vicious ways and it earned her expulsions.
"Darla." Susan cupped her daughter's cheek and tilted her face towards her. "There is no place in this world that you won't  meet obnoxious people. Schools, restaurants, offices and even parks. But the best way is to totally walk away."
"Not when you're not given the chance to do so!" Darla huffed.
Susan sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I understand how you feel,love, but please try to hold it in. I don't want to risk you exposing your powers. The last time you almost compromised yourself."
Darla's eyes softened as the memories came to her. She was born with an extraordinary ability  that no human ever possessed. That was beside her deceased  father. Her mother had given her instructions since she was little to avoid revealing it to people.
"Darling." Susan leaned her head on her daughter's. "Please promise me you won't get into any kind of scuffle again. Promise me that you'll walk away when you're confronted."
Darla hesitated. The idea of crossing her fingers behind her back seemed tempting, but she knew better. Her mother would detect and it would cause a strain in their relationship.
"Fine," she mumbled. "I promise."
"That's my girl." Susan smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "You have a great time in school. I'll see you later."
Darla stepped out of the car and returned her mother's wave as the latter started the engine. After a long gaze at the retreating vehicle, she braced herself and headed into the school.
Brushing her way through bodies in the crowded hallway, she spotted a familiar red head by his locker beside hers.
"Hey,Phil." She nudged him as she began to open her locker. The red head spun away from his locker, startled.
"Darla." A relieved smile appeared on his face, his blue eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "What's up? How are you doing?"
"Better than you,that's for sure." Darla put her hands on her hips and stared at him curiously. "It looks like you didn't get enough sleep."
Phil sighed and took out some books. "I wasn't given the choice. I was handed by Yvonne."
"Your cat?" Darla raised her eyebrows,a smile tugging at her lips. "What did 'Her Majesty' want this time?"
Despite the tiredness in his eyes, Phil found himself chuckling at her comment.
"Well, I wish i spoke 'cat'," he said. "She was meowing unnecessarily all night. And I know it wasn't for food because she ate an hour prior. Then came the sleeping on the face thing. You know that thing cats do when they crawl up on your face and block your vision."
Darla giggled helplessly, steadying herself by her locker. During her one week in the new school, Phil was the only friend she had and for numerous reasons. One was the fact that the both of them were both needs. The other was the fact that they complemented each others in ways they couldn't  explain.
"I really need to step up my ambition." Phil took off his glasses and wiped it with his handkerchief. "If I really want to be a zoologist, I have to study animal behaviours well."
"Good luck with that." Darla pulled out a book and stuffed it into her backpack. "When it comes to cats, they are hard to study. Mysterious little buggers. You know maybe she's trying to warn you of something."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. I'm just assuming."
When she didn't get any comment from him, Darla pulled her head out of the locker and gazed at him. He was staring beyond her with nervousness written all over his face. When she looked behind her to fund out why, her mood dropped.
"Great," she muttered.
Walking towards the duo was the school cheerleading captain,Kim. Her platinum blond hair bounced and her brown eyes sparkled with pride at the attention she garnered as she moved. Flanked on her right were her two friends and team mates; Racquel, a slender girl with straight ginger hair and Nora, a more curvaceous girl with black hair styled in a bowl cut. Flanked by Kim's left with her arm intertwined with his, was Jack, the blonde, muscular captain of the football team.
Kim's  eyes darted sideways to Darla and Phil and she paused in her steps. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Oh, something stinks in here." She sniffed the air and recoiled. "It's the familiar stench of losers."
Her friends laughed as she pulled out a small bottle of perfume from her jacket and sprayed herself. Jack chuckled,pulling her to him.
Darla's nose flared. This was what she had been going through for the past one week. She had tried to keep a low profile when she enrolled at first but her actions only made her a target for the buxom cheerleader and her team. Each day, she nearly gave into the temptation of a physical confrontation. Kim may have been athletic but Darla had the secret advantage that was only known to herself. And with the promise made to her mother, she had her back to the wall.
But that didn't mean she couldn't improvise. As she saw Kim spray herself with the perfume, a devious thought crossed her mind and she grinned.
"Urgh! This is awful!" She wailed dramatically, pinching her nose close with her fingers.
"Are you okay?" Phil turned to her, his eyes reflecting worry and obliviously missing her act.
"No,I'm not,Phil," she replied. "The smell of this perfume is horrible. It reminds me of the same one a hooker my mum and I passed two nights ago when we went to get groceries."
Phil's mouth dropped open. Kim's eyes went wide at the snide remark directed her way although Darla wasn't looking at her.
"It was horrible," Darla continued, feigning terror to Phil. "We couldn't stand it. I pity the poor client that must have hooked up with her that night. She probably choked him to death with the stench. I'm imagining deja vu after today's soccer practice. Some poor jock is going to be infected. "
To Kim's surprise, laughter rang out in the hall. She turned her seethed gaze to the audience around them and they innocently went about their business. She turned towards Darla who obviously ignored her and still had her nose covered with her hands. She attempted to move towards her but was held back by Jack.
"Let it go,babe," he said. "It's not worth it."
Kim grumbled under her breath. She cast one final deadly gaze at Darla before stomping down the hall, her enrourage following closely.
Darla smiled at their retreating figures and turned to face Phil. He stared back at her in disbelief.
"What." She shrugged. "She had it coming."
"That mouth of yours is going to get you in deep trouble some day." Phil shook his head.
"That will be the day," Darla said dryly.
A moment of silence passed between them. Darla saw him shift from side to side, his hand rubbing his arm.
"So I've been meaning to ask you something." He cleared his throat. "W..Well..Prom is in two weeks...a..and..well, you know,I've never been to one before because..no one would...well... the point is..I was kind of wondering-"
"If I would go with you?" Darla smiled at him in amused fashion.
"Well, I'm saying.." He coughed and looked away. "Just as friends. Y...You don't really have to-"
"Relax,Phil." Darla punched his shoulders,giggling lightly. "Stop acting nervous, I'm not a carnivore."
"Right." Phil stuffed his hands into his pockets. The bell rang and the students began to disperse,leaving the two of them there.
"So." He stared at her expectantly.
"I can't give a definite answer at the moment." Darla adjusted her glasses with a sigh.
She saw his shoulders drop, disappointment reflecting on his blue eyes.
"No, it's not like that." She waved her hands frantically. "It's just that there's  something about me you should know. If you want to remain friends with me, then you should be aware that I'm not your kind of regular nerd."
"Darla." Phil corked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? What do you want me to know?"
Darla's chest heaved, evidence of indecision bubbling within her. She barely knew Phil for more than a week. However, her instincts were toying with her at the moment. He seemed like a nice guy and they seemed yo have a connection. He may not have a unique ability like she did, but the fact that they were both outsiders in the school's social world connected them with a kindred spirit. Resolved, she made her decision.
"I'll show you after school."