Hedda Mikaelson

Chapter 51 - Hedda is Growing!

"When my family have the medicine they need to make them all better," I explain what I've been taught to say, a half truth. I don't feel bad about it, I'm protecting family.

"Soon?"

"It might be," I hug her. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

"Can we skip school? No one will know," Bianca suggests cheekily. She asks this every single day but I always say no because I don't want to be in trouble.

But today is different. Today might be the last day with her.

I hate saying goodbye to friends when I move. I think about Stella, who is growing up in Mystic Falls thanks to the spell I sent and I feel guilty all over again for hurting her family.

"Okay," I breathe quietly and Bianca's face lights up in pure excitement.

"Really Mairen?"

"Let's go," I grab her arm and steer us out of the back entrance where I know Daddy won't see us.

Bianca sprints as fast as she can and I keep to her pace, not revealing my hybrid capabilities.

"I can't believe it, I can't believe it," Bianca spins around in a circle in triumph. "We're skipping a whole day of school."

She looks around in glee, "it's so sunny too!"

An idea starts forming in my mind and I pull her towards the sweet shop.

"Let's get chocolate and sweets and have a picnic. We can sit in the sun and go swimming," I lead us in the right direction when my best friend agrees with enthusiasm.

I compel the sweet shop owner when Bianca is looking at chocolate mice and we are able to leave with a free basket of yummy things.

"Do you know how to swim?" Bianca asks as we walk towards the river. The sun beats down on our backs and I know I've made the right decision in skipping school with her.

"No," I admit. "Do you?"

"No," she replies and we both start to giggle. "We can learn now."

"Okay but I can't get my hearing aids wet," I remember, deciding to keep them in so I can hear her. I'll just have to stay in the shallow water which is probably good since I can't swim.

We have so much fun gorging on chocolate and splashing in the river, that I don't hear the police sirens ringing loud through the streets looking for us. After school rang home, Bianca's dad called the police because we couldn't be located.

Hours later, no one has found us. Hayley and Daddy are really starting to think the worst.

"Let's go a bit deeper," Bianca starts to get confident because she can see it's shallow further out. "We can still put our feet down."

I agree and we get our shorts and t-shirts completely soaked. We don't mind, the scorching sun will dry us off. Our school shoes have been discarded on the river bank, thank goodness. It's always a relief to remove them.

I still hate shoes. Apart from ballet ones of course.

When I take a big leap forwards, I know I've made a mistake. My bare feet slip on the slimy green rocks and I fall under the water, thrashing and gasping for air.

What a calamity!

"Mairen!" Bianca shouts in a panic. She rushes over and pulls me close so I can put my feet down again.

I cough and splutter, all the dirty water coming back up. Yuck. It's disgusting.

Bianca says something but I can't hear her at all when her mouth moves. My jaw drops open and my hands shoots up to my ears where one hearing aid is soaking wet, and the other is missing.