One last string

Chapter 8

After hanging out in the library was lunch, fantastic. The school was only a few big buildings and was closed off. So the cafeteria was one entire building.

Everyone was already mingling and socialising around the tables. People were chatting and laughing along with each other. It was all very alien to me, just like the affection from my family.

Vicky hooked her arm with mine and guided me through the crowded place near a corner. Before we were just meters away a boy stepped in front of us and looked me straight in the eye.

"Are you Humming?" he asked. The boy was at least a foot taller than me and his dark brown hair covered his black eyes.

"Yeah, why?" I say firmly, looking him straight in the eyes. You never show your opponent any sign of weakness. He leans in, so close to my ear I could smell his awful breath on my cheek.

"You hurt my cousin, I will make you pay." he whispers low and deadly. As fast as lightning his hand snaked around my throat. It should have burned and been painful. But this has happened way too many times to feel any more pain.

"My family mean everything to me and no one hurts them like what you have done." he snarls, leaning back to look at me again.

His grip loosened so I could speak and the pain was only a minimum, despite it should be burning.
"I never hurt her. She was the one that hurt me. Not the other way around!" I yell, then spat in his face.

At some point the twins came up and were looking terrified. They tried to grip the boy back to get him off of me. But it wasn't working, he was stronger.

"Ryder, look she's new. She doesn't know any better!" pleaded Lucas. Their huffing and puffing was a clear indication they ran here as fast as they could.

"Shut up Newton! She hurt Brie!" Ryder yelled in his face and he lowered his head in submission. The bully's face was beat red and his free hand clenched and unclenched.

"Listen, Ryder! She is new! She just got here from Brisbane yesterday. Please Alpha, she has had enough negativity and violence in her life. Whatever, she did was pure defence or reflex. Please Alpha." pleaded Rory.

What the hell did he just call him? Alpha? Isn't that a name they use for the leader of a pack of wolves? Why would they call him that? He is no leader! Not from what I can see.

But I understand his need to protect his cousin. I did the same with my cousins.

"I am the Alpha and I do as I please." He hissed through a whisper and Rory bowed his head in submission. That was it! Despite the stupid nicknames they give Ryder, no one bosses my family around.

I let loose the arm Vicky had and wrap it around his neck. I tightened it long enough to have him gasping for air and lets go.

I let go and grab his hand and twist it behind his back in a fatal position.
"You listen here Ryder, don't be such a hypocrite. You are beating me up because you think I hurt Barbie over there. But I merely defended myself and my families honour," I whisper into his ear.

"So how about we make a deal? You and Barbie leave the twins and I alone. In return we leave you alone. Deal?"

"Sure, as long as you let go of my arm then fine. It's starting to hurt." I let go and he turns around to face me.

"Did you really think I was going to hold on and have you in pain?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

"Well I nearly choked you, I thought you would break my arm in return." he states it like the obvious thing in the world.

"I don't believe in revenge. There is no point to it, except a desire."

"Hmph keep your end."

"Yeah whatever." I roll my eyes and look towards Rory and Lucas. "We are having a serious talk when we get home." I say firmly and their heads nod sadly.

"I can't believe you. I am starting to doubt the things you said you liked on the plane."

"I do like them it's just some things were forced into my life. I don't want to talk about it." I whisper.

We headed over to a table with a group of girls and boys already there."Do you have a death wish? You stood up to Britney and Ryder." said a boy that was larger than the rest of them.

"Meh maybe I do. Maybe I don't."

"Huh, Name's Jake. I suppose you are new around here."

"Yeah, I'm Elisa."

"Well don't just stand there sit down! I'm April by the way." said a girl that looked a lot like Jake. They hade the same milky blonde hair. But Jake had green eyes whilst April had blue.

We took our seats, Vicky being on one side, Lucas and Rory on the other.
"So your the twins cousin?" asked April.

"Ah yeah."

"That's unbelievable I never knew they had family besides their parents."

"Aprils right your family is secret you know. They don't usually socialise much with the community." inputs Jake.

"Really?" I whisper, glancing at my cousins. Their heads were looking downwards like they were hiding something.

They are hiding what happened to me. They are hiding the terrible things our uncle did. I can't believe no one knew the truth. I will ask them about it later along with the stupid nickname.

"Ah yeah I was living in Brisbane and we don't usually see each other much. Plus this is the first time I came to Melbourne." I explain.

"I guess the makes sense." said Vicky. I opened my lunch and munch on a salad wrap. Chicken and mayonnaise filled my taste buds. A potential moan escaped my throat and the looks I got from the table were odd and disturbing.

"Are you ok there?" asked Jake, his eyebrows furrowing together. Crease lines marred his forehead and a few dimples were shown.

"Hmm, oh ... I, uh. Well I love chicken and mayonnaise wraps. Well I haven't had one since the dawn of time and god it's ... yummy." I take another bite and a larger moan came out, no how hard I tried to keep it in.

"How can you moan over a chicken and mayonnaise wrap? Its the strangest thing I have ever seen." Said April.

"Oh come on April. You moan over chutney and ham sandwiches." defended Jake.

"I love chutney and ham sandwiches!" I scream.

"Oh my god! Me too!" screams April. "What are you dodging after school? Do you want to come shopping with Vick and I?"

"Yeah sure."

"No you can't." Said Rory and Lucas in sync.

"Oh and why not?" I shout, glaring at them.

"We don't want anything to happen to you." Mumbled Rory.

"I can handle myself, thank you very much! I don't need you two babysitting me and I haven't been shopping in a while."