Don't give up on me ✓

[17] Peacock

You must be willing to protect yourself and what you cherish, no matter what the cost - Christopher Paolini

Chapter 17: Peacock

A man from the convenience store ran out and grabbed us by our shirt collars, "You two should be in school instead of fighting in the middle of my street. Don't even think about running."

We were shoved into his convenience store and awkwardly stood there while he dialed the school number. Our school uniform had given that information up.

"Monday afternoon... on my street..." he grumbled as he stabbed the numbers on his landline phone.

I looked out of the window. The thief had picked himself up from across the street and hobbled off. I held my bag tighter, relieved that we had gotten it back. Jesper was staring at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"Nothing," he shook his head.

"Ey, you two! What are yer names?" the storeowner yelled at us.

Before I could give fake ones, Jesper said, "Jesper Palmer and Georgia Young."

"Jesper," I hissed, "What are you doing? We're not going back."

"I think we should," his voice was low, "There's nothing normal about the way you threw that man."

I didn't say anything. I didn't dare.

The fact that Jesper wanted me to stay, meant there was a problem. I was a problem. And if so, then maybe Maythorne would be able to help.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

We were in trouble.

Jesper and I sat in the plush chairs of Mrs Maythorne's private quarters. It was our first time here. And we were being punished.

Mrs Maythorne was in a long sweeping robe with a pashmina covering her head. "Truants! You think I accept that kind of behavior?"

"Those are all rhetorical questions, right?" I mumbled to Jesper.

Mrs Maythorne's eyes widened, "Georgia, your attitude-"

Her phone rang.

"It's the Principal," she sighed and picked up, "Hi Ana, yes, thank you for calling... it came as a shock to me too... You should punish them as you see fit... Two detentions? That's not fair. At least five..."

"This is a joke," Jesper muttered, "We were gone for barely an hour."

"The principal's name is Ana?  So it's Ana Santana?" I realized, "That's a song waiting to be written."

Jesper and I were on different wavelengths. I was coming up with Ana Santana theme songs when Mrs Maythorne hung up and dropped her phone on the table.

"Kids, I understand that the events yesterday shocked you and I don't blame you for that. It was a wild day, but do not let it traumatize you. What we did was not murder."

"It seemed a lot like murder," Jesper crossed his arms and leant back, getting ready for this creative explanation.

"For a start, they were not human, so it doesn't technically classify as a murder."

"Yes, it does," he answered.

"I don't know what dictionary she's looking in," I muttered.

"The two of you need to stop trolling me or I will start speaking with you separately. Humankind has good and bad within them. But the people yesterday were not human. They don't have souls. They come out of darkness, so it's not the same thing. Excuse me for one second," she went to the door where we heard some tapping on the other side.