Chapter THREE
There was a time where I was a good girl, a time where I never ventured to speak my mind. I used to be the quiet, timid child. Not once had I dared to disrespect the rules. I was the girl with no backbone.
People change.
Now I was oozing with confidence. I defined badass. My walk strutted class and I smirked with mystery. I burned with a new fire.
My eyes stared right back into my English teacher's eyes. They were glistening with a teasing spark. My smirk didn't falter as did his but my heart drummed against my ribcage as a lock of dark golden hair fell across his forehead. I had to clench my fists to stop from reaching out and brushing it away.
"I should watch where I'm going? Sir I do believe you are awfully new to the building so I'll forgive you for bumping into me. I guess we could blame it on a loss of direction hmm?" His smirk grew larger as I finished speaking. I ignored his presence once I started picking up all the objects that had fallen out of my bag. Mentally I was scolding myself for wanting to be closer to him.
Mr. Blaze had arrived to this school at the start of this week. It was the exact Monday as my return. He was the new teacher that happened to be one of the youngest teachers at our school. I knew he was smart. He explained how he skipped many years of his school life because he knew more than others. When students his age were studying for their A Levels, he was studying for a degree in University.
I hadn't once talked for this whole week. I haven’t uttered a single syllable apart from informing that I was indeed in the class and not absent. I refused to introduce myself on his first day as well as mine. So today when I held up an argument for Romeo and Juliet, something changed.
He told the class that he wasn't good with names but he would try his best to remember. Yet he knew mine, and surprisingly not the girls that discarded their morals for him.
"Or we could, perhaps blame it on a sudden blindness of beauty?" My hand paused on the last object that needed to be put back into my bag. I looked down at the pen enclosed around my hand.
Did he imply that I was...Beautiful?
"What?" I stared up at him with a poker face, trying to keep my voice steady but it came out quite breathless.
"Have a good day Miss. Thorne," he smirked secretively before walking down the hall. I didn't turn around to watch, as I listened to his footfalls fade into a ghost of an echo.
"Likewise Mr. Blaze," I mumbled as my legs sprinted down the now empty hallways. I pushed against the school doors and rushed towards the now moving bus I could see a few meters away, shouting for it to stop. I slowed down to a jog whilst I watched it move further away until it was out of my sight, ignoring my desperate pleas.
I kicked a few stones harshly and looked at the sky in hatred. “Really? Is that all you have for me? Go on, make it more fun for yourself up there!”
I think I was going a bit insane but it was going to be a living hell walking all the way home. I continued shouting more to whatever soul was controlling my fate. Then of course, one single drop of water lands on my cheek. It trailed down my cheek until it fell and then it started to rain. It wasn’t even a light drizzle or a spitting shower. Nope. Instead it’s a torrential downpour, mocking me for my challenge.
I’m soaked.
My mood deflated even more as I tried to look straight down the empty sidewalk. My vision was blurred with the raindrops spilling over my lashes, so I continuously wiped at my eyes in a futile attempt to see. I had been walking for approximately five minutes and right now, I was completely and utterly pissed off.
I walked through a large park-Valley Park- with heavy legs. It was cold and raining but I admired the many golden hues form the color of the leaves. They were scattered all around, wet and discarded. The park was huge, full of greenery and life. The autumn weather was pronounced in every part but even with the awful weather, I smiled.
There was this pure smell of nature and life. There was nothing false about being here. This was all real, nothing but greenery and time. I always came here, the park was so large, I could get lost and nobody would be able to find me for days. I had searched every part of the Park. I once came across a forest at the deepest, furthest area of the park. I doubted anyone had even found it but it was the best short cut to my house.
I hardly heard the sound of crunching beneath my feet as I walked a well-trodden path. Then I walked up a hill before finally seeing the clustered formation of the trees up ahead. I reached there after a few more minutes. It was a longer distance than I thought and with the slippery mud, it slowed me down further.
A heavy breeze whispered along the trees as I entered into the woodsy forest. It was darker here and I shivered. I didn’t know whether it was because of the cold or the feeling of anticipation. Yet I didn’t understand what I was anticipating exactly. Something didn’t feel right but in my drenched and numb state, I had no desire to read into it.
A wayward leaf fell in a slow, gentle motion, finally released of its tentative hold on the tree, the one I stood under. It landed on my head and I shook it off before moving my legs past the trees. My footsteps were heavy and angry as I stomped my way out before realizing I had been doing this for twenty minutes.
I didn’t exactly know which direction I should have been heading. My mind was full of negative thoughts. The memories of my horrible past had sneaked their way into my head. My resentment to life blooming into hatred had me lose concentration of where I was going. Then-
“Turn that frown upside down.”
I let out a shrilled scream. It echoed into an endless tunnel until a cold hand clamped down on my mouth from behind. I struggled with cries coming out mumbled until their voice reached my ears quietly, “What’s up with the screaming? Sheesh, do you want to attract danger or something?”
My eyes furrowed into a deep frown. His voice was light but there was seriousness in the words spoken. I didn’t know what to think but I wasn’t scared. It was shock that made me panic and then it was just a reflex action, I guess. I could take this person down if I wanted to.
“Now I’m going to let you go but none of that girly screaming stuff alright? I have sensitive ears,” I could just hear the amusement in his tone. “Nod your head if you’re going to cooperate.”
I closed my eyes for a second before nodding my head. I felt him move his hand back slowly, cautiously as if he didn’t fully trust me. I immediately spun around and glared at the person who nearly gave me a heart attack once he let me go. I took a fighting stance with my fists raised in front of my face.
Bright, light blue eyes twinkled at me mischievously. A young man stood at a tall height of around six foot with thin, red lips that smiled at me cheekily. But it was his pale, paper white skin that had me stare at him with wide eyes. It was as if he had no…blood.
“Whoa there tiger, put the fists down, you might injure yourself,” his voice pulled me out of irrational thoughts. The amusement in his tone made me relax. He didn’t seem the type to murder a girl in the middle of a woodsy forest. But we all know looks can be deceiving.
“Injure myself?” I questioned with narrowed eyes.
“Yup, wouldn’t want a pretty little thing like you to get hurt now do we? Your punches will have no effect on me,” he smiled with a shake of his, something in his eyes laughing at a secret. I put my fists down slowly. I was utterly confused.
“Who are you?” I asked, tilting my head to the side in curiosity as I took in his thin but muscly body. He was dressed in simple dark jeans with a plain dark green jumper. I liked it. At least I knew he wasn’t some crazy homeless person.
“Wouldn’t you like to know hey?” he winked before something serious filled his ocean blue eyes. “The question is Fiera, what are you doing in the middle of a forest?”
“How do you know my name?” I gasped. I had never in my life met this man. I was more than sure that I would have remembered him otherwise. His boyishly handsome features would be impossible to forget. Though his face was friendly, I was sensing this man was full of dark secrets.
“Fiera Thorne,” he whispered my name, something in his voice sounded afraid. I shivered, feeling that sense of dread as a slight breeze whispered at me to run. “It’s dangerous, the sun will be setting soon. You need to get out of here.”
The way all of his playfulness vanished had me looking around the forest with fear. All of a sudden, the shadows seemed to be something so much more. I took a step back away from him, my body feeling heavy with my soaking wet clothes. Drops of water fell from the trees above me and then slowly, trickled down the side of my cheek.
I blew out of heated breath before whispering, “I’m lost.”
His face softened. It suited him, that warm friendly look. He walked ahead of me, before gesturing with his hand to follow. I hesitated at first but then when he rolled his eyes, I felt my legs start to move forward. My heart tugged with trust and I was the type of girl, who always listened to her heart.
We walked in silence. There wasn’t anything awkward about it. The heavy drops of rain filled the quietness. It was simply…Peaceful. But I couldn’t help the curiosity that burned in me as I watched his gracefulness. Every step he took was as if he were gliding across air. It didn’t even seem that he was touching the ground; I couldn’t hear the leaves rustling under each step as mine were.
“Why are you so quiet?” I jumped slightly as his voice pulled me out of my thoughts. He tilted his head to side to give me a questioning look before looking forward once again. I had this promising feeling that he was looking out for something. The way his light eyes took in every part of the dark forest.
“No reason,” I said quietly. Then I frowned at myself, realizing I forgot to ask the most obvious question one usually finds out when they meet someone new. “What’s your name?”
His red lips parted to reveal his grin as we slowed our walk. I raised an eyebrow, staring at his sharp but perfectly straight teeth. Then I watched as he gave a small bow before saying, “Lucas Swift at your service Ma’am.”
I came to an abrupt stop and I stared at him, my eyes squinting in concentration. Questions swirled through my mind in an endless tunnel. I knew he stopped walking and I just gave him a questioning look.
Where had I heard that name before?
There was this empty hole I kept falling into as I searched for some idea as to why that name rings a bell. The endless tunnel seemed to not guide to me to any light. There was this knowing glint in his eyes that had me frown at him.
“Lucas Swift,” I repeated quietly. I let it roll off my tongue and I felt this familiarity. I thought maybe it would help to say it out loud.
It didn’t.
“Yup. Nice name right?” he gave me a cheeky smile before continuing forward. I just hoped he was leading me to the way out and not some death trap.
“Yeah…” I mumbled distractedly. I followed a few steps behind, watching his relaxed posture and rather carefree aura. I let my thoughts on him push their way back in my mind for another day. Right now, I needed to make sure he wasn’t some murderer. If worst came to worst, then I could just burn anything in my sight with my fire element.
Up ahead I saw the passing off a car through the parting of the trees. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized it was the road I lived close to. Lucas stopped at one of the trees, just a meter away from stepping into view of the cars. The clouds were a horrid grey and the forest was dark. Lucas stood hidden in the shadows.
My feet halted before turning to look up at him. There was this friendly smile blessing his face as he looked down at me. “This is your stop.”
I nodded my head.
“Don’t come here again Fiera, it’s not safe,” he said with seriousness. It caught me off guard as he stared down at me. There was this warning swimming in his ocean blue eyes. I pursed my lips at him, noticing how he would look over my shoulder every now and then.
“I can do what I want,” I narrowed my eyes before hitching my bag further up my shoulders and walking away. But then I turned around once I reached the view of the cars, remembering my manners to say, “Thank you for walking me Lucas.”
Then I walked off with my chin up, his chuckle fading behind me with every step I took. I strolled down the different roads, towards my house in a dreadfully wet state. The cold chill reached to my bones as I stood outside my large house. I opened the door with my key and then once I closed it behind me, I shuddered.
I felt this undeniable tug at the back of my head, screaming at me to remember something vital. It remained there as I ran myself a warm bath. I got out when I noticed my fingers turned to prunes, and then I changed into my comfy PJ’s. They were superman shorts with a matching, overly large shirt. There was italic, bold writing subscripted on the front. I looked down at the words; "You must not count on a Superman to patch up your lives every time."
Isn’t it funny how true those words are? People believe that one day, a superman of their own will save them. Maybe not now, maybe not later but maybe, with hope their superman will save them eventually.
Did I believe in this?
Doesn’t everyone?
No one could go and deny that they don’t hope that one day their superman will come and sweep them of their feet. But there’s a difference between dreams and reality. There’s a difference between wishful thinking and understanding that some things will never happen.
Superman? Yeah right, I thought with a snort.
I shook my head as I remembered a memory of when I was little. My mother used to tuck me into bed; a fairytale was read to me every night before I slept. I could still faintly feel how her touch felt, her fingers running through my hair in a soothing gesture. I believed that there was always a happy ending; my mother brought me up to believe that. Though she told me, some people don’t get it easily but eventually they will and if they haven’t, then it isn’t the end.
But it’s hard now. There’s no one to reassure me that everything will be okay. There’s no one to make me feel that deep down, I’m not a complete freak with a supernatural gift. The hollow ache never faded after my Mother’s death. Crying myself to sleep every night for a whole year drained you, till you felt like a lonesome spirit.
My Father was always at the hospital. He was a doctor, an amazing heart surgeon. He was always full of energy and smiles, he brightened peoples day but when my Mother died, a part of him left with her. He now walked around like a lost soul. His shifts would last till late at night and so I hardly ever got to see him. But when I do, it kills me to see that haunted look in his eyes, all because he blames himself for not saving her…for not being her superman.
I crawled under the duvet and snuggled myself into bed. Darkness surrounded me. It consumed me in every way and the suffocating feeling became natural. The feeling of loneliness became normal. I stared up, the soft moonlit nightglow sneaking through the curtains made it possible to make out the ceiling but just barely. I lifted my hands up and summoned my fire element. I could feel my body heat up, nice warmth radiated around me and I smiled sadly as I watched the blazing fire seep through my fingertips.
Orange and dark red highlighted the flames and I felt calmness settle over me and then I snapped my fingers and the light left me. I buried my face into the pillows and cried once again for the loss of my mother. No one stopped the tears; no one heard the soft sobs like every other night.
I was alone in this. I was my only savior. I was standing solo.
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-Swaz xo