Breaking Away From the Flock

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Chapter Four

I felt a cold hand clasp my shoulder and I froze, the automatic thing to do when someone practically clutched me by the scruff of my neck.

“I’m really sorry about your drawing, Phoenix, I really didn’t mean to.” Her Highness said with fake sadness, her eyes wide as though she were trying to achieve puppy eyes on me. Not going to work, girlie, not going to work.

“It’s alright,” I smiled with a grimace of my own, my eyes sparkling with hidden hatred for the tall, red head that was clutching my shoulder now, her blue eyes baring into me like they could see everything. “I can always draw another one.”

“I’m sure you can,” Kaitlin grimaced again, her smile so fake I could almost see cracks. “Anyway, I’m inviting all the girls over for dinner tonight, pizza. I was wondering if you want to tag along too.” Tag along, not come along, but tag along, like I was some hound whimpering at their heels for scraps.

“Umm...I’m not too sure that I can come tonight, Kate,” I shrugged, “I have way too much Math homework, sorry.” I muttered, feeling her anger radiate through her palm as she gave my shoulder a sharp squeeze. “I suppose I might be able to come...” I trailed off, wanting to say anything that will get her icy hands away from me.

“Good,” she grinned wickedly. “I’ll see you at nine then. Bye, Phoenix.” Her Highness sung, trotting away from the hallway to her own locker.

“Good riddance.” I breathed, shaking my hair about my face and squeezing the muscles of my shoulder where she’d clamped my bones so tightly.

“Ditto that.”

 “Excuse me?” I muttered, looking up into two black eyes, frowning as I moved so I was infront of my open locker.

“You’re excused.” The boy grinned, holding out his hand. “Matthew and pleased to meet you. I suppose that she’s the queen bee around here?” It was only now that he spoke with an accent I knew almost like my own; British.

“You’re from Britain?” I asked, cocking my head to the side and slipping my hand in his, letting him shake it firmly.

“Yeah, and I take it you’re from Ireland?” Matthew smiled, letting my hand go, brushing a brown lock of hair from his face. “I could tell by your accent, probably how you could tell with me, yes?” Matthew said with a shrug. “How long does it take until you get used to how this school runs?”

“About a few weeks,” I mumbled, turning back to pull out my books for Math. “You need to learn all the rules, not of the school’s but rather of her’s.” I leant in closer, lowering my tone. “You want to be careful about her; she’s as nasty as a banshee.”

Matthew laughed, tilting his head back as he chuckled. “And what rules will I need to know?” He asked, raising brown eyebrow.

“I don’t know, things like not to mess with her friends, not to even talk to her at all, and always call her by her full name, never by anything like Kate, only her friends get to call her that.” I told him, pulling my books into my arms and propping them against my hip. “You should learn fast. You might get beat up a few times, but you’ll get used to it. Just stick to the rules and you’ll be fine.”

“How can you be so sure?” Matthew breathed, taking a step back as I closed my locker and keyed it shut. I walked away, trotting to my next class. “Are you going to answer me, Ireland?”

“I know because I was like you only a few years ago.” I shouted to him over my shoulder. “And I learnt the hard way.”