I saw her sitting on a swing. Her clothes were blood stained and she had bruises all over her body, prolly from the accident.
"Hi", I called out and walked up to her, "I thought I'd never see you again". "I'm you. Of course you'll see me again", she said and started moving back and forth on the swing. "Yeah. I've got a new family now, a new name, a new house, a new bedroom, and I'm going to a new school tomorrow".
She looked at me, cocking her head. "You seem happy about that". "I am happy about that", I grinned and sat on the swing beside her and copied her movements. "You be careful. Trust nobody". I crinkled my brows, remembering Noelle telling me that I'm too young to have trust issues. Yeah, how that turned out.
"Why'd you always say that?" "Because it's the truth". "You know, anytime I see you,I know that it's to warm me about the people I met. You warned me about Orion Ross. But you never warned me about Lisa or the kids". She stared back at me with hollow eyes that enchanted me, rather than repelling me.
"I don't want us to be hurt again. That's why I want you to brace yourself for what's to come". "What's to come? What is gonna come? Is about my new parents?" She got off the swing and walked off. "Hey!", I called out and got off the swing too. "Hey! You have to answer me! What's coming?"
"Trust nobody". "Yeah, I get that, but you have to tell me who exactly not to trust", I cried hysterically. She kept on moving forward like a zombie. "Hey! You're not answering me!" She turned around and stared at me with an unnatural droop of her head. " My name isn't hey". " Then, what the hell is your name?" " You should find that out". " But how? I don't remember anything and you seem to know everything about us, so why won't you just tell me?", I cried, waving my hands in the air hysterically.
She walked up to me and held my face, her cold fingers sending a searing pain through my face. She wiped my tears tenderly. " You can't find out now. Your life is on the line". " Huh? I…" She cut me off, hugging me so tight, my bones creaked.
I woke up with a gasp. I rubbed my face tiredly. The dream I just had fading from memory, but her ethereal voice responded in my ears. Brace yourself for what's to come. Trust nobody.
I heard a knock on my bedroom door. My mom peeked her head through, when she saw I was awake, she walked in. "Kyra aren't you going to school today?" I didn't respond her, my brain was to woozy to form a coherent sentence. She cocked her head to the left. "Are you okay? You're pale".
I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and took shallow deep breaths. "I'm fine. I just had a bad dream". She isn't a bad dream, a voice muttered in my ears. "I guess it's the nerves. First day of a new school. I understand". "Thanks mom". "Go get ready. You don't wanna be late".
****
I walked into the kitchen wearing a purple and black plaid skirt and a black graphic tee-shirt and black platform goth boots. I tied my hair up in a ponytail.
"Ready?", mom said when she heard me walk in. "Yeah", I said and walked over to stand behind her. She turned around and smiled. "Kyra, you look absolutely gorgeous". I blushed. "Here", she gave me a bowl of cereal, "Eat up. Dad's gonna drop you off". I nodded quickly and hurriedly walked into the dinning room where I scarfed down my breakfast.
****
I stared out the window, at my new school, Crest-valley Elementary School. It was big, swarming with kids. A lot of them. "Still nervous?", dad asked me. I nodded. "Want me to walk you in?" I was worried about what the other kids would say, watching my dad walk me into the school, but I couldn't care less. I nodded.
He got out of the car and I followed suit. He held my hand and locked the car with the remote. We got to the entrance and everyone stopped and stared. I shrunk into his side. He squeezed my hand reassuredly.
"What's your first class?", he asked me as we rounded down a corner. "English Language Arts". Noah - dad smiled down at me. "You're gonna ace it, you know?" I nodded. I loved reading and that's what English was mostly about right?
We walked to the class,dad knocked and opened the door. "Hello, I'm Noah Ledger. My daughter's new". He led me into the class holding my hand, which I refused to let go of. " I've gotta go now bunny. I'll come pick you up when school's over". I nodded. He patted my head and left.
"Come on in darl. We were just about to start. I'm Ms. Suave. Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?" I walked on feet of bubbles to the center of the class. "Uhmm, my name's Kyra Ledger". "You're welcome Kyra. What's your favorite book?" I thought about it for a minute and said, "The painted veil by William Maugham".
Ms. Suave was surprised. " Wow, that's a complex book! Did you have any help understanding the book or did you read it on your own?" " I read it my own and then asked my friend Alaska to explain the book to me". Ms. Suave smiled. "Alright, go sit beside Creflo Smith". I scanned the room for Creflo. He waved at me and I walked over to him. He offered me a polite smile, I smiled back. His clear glasses reminded of Lucius and I shuddered.
"Aww, bunny has found her burrow", someone echoed and the class erupted into a bout of racuous laughter. I caught a glimpse of Creflo laughing. Okay so this wasn't gonna be some cliché new girl moment where my seat mate becomes my bestest friend right?
Brace yourself for what's to come.
I felt goosebumps on my skin and sat up straight. Ms. Suave glared down at the class. "Leila, I don't wanna hear such jokes in my class, you got it?" She nodded. "I expect y'all to be nice, especially to a new student. And what's so funny?" "Her dad calls her bunny" one boy with a halo of dark curls on his head piped. Ms. Suave raised her brow. "Gregor, if I'm correct, your mom calls you honey-bun. And Leila, you sleep in your parents room". The class gasped and Leila and Gregor turned beet red.
I chuckled to myself and smiled at Ms. Suave, inwardly thanking her.
****
My last class was so boring. Social Studies. I didn't care about the American Revolution, but my teacher, Mrs. Johnson droned on about it.
I groaned and stifled a yawn as my mind began to wander. I imagined what mom made for lunch and where I'd wait for dad to come pick me up. I let out an exasperated groan and counted down the two minutes this woman had of her class.
The bell rang and I quickly packed up my books into my bag and followed the throng of my classmates out the door.
"Ledger". Or do I thought. "Yes Mrs. Johnson?", I said and turned around with a murderous smile. "You're welcome to Crest-valley Elementary". " Thank you so much ma'am". " If you need help with anything, I'm always available". " Ok", I said and rushed out the door.
I walked to the school doors, my freedom in sight until someone yanked me with my backpack. " Hey!", I protested but I was slammed on the lockers. It was Gregor.
Leila strolled over and stood beside him. " Well if it isn't the little bunny? You scared?" " I'm not scared of you". " Oh so does mean you're a bunny?", Gregor asked me. " You both should let me go. My dad's waiting for me outside". Leila laughed. " According to the story, the bunny ran off to his older brother's house,not his dad".
I cocked my brow. "That's the story of the three little piggies, you brainless gnat". Leila slapped me. "You think you're better than everyone else, well you can't embarrass me the way you did again". "I don't look like your English teacher". She scoffed. "It's the two of us in this school Ledger". "I'm not scared of you". Leila cocked her brow and patted Gregor's hand.
He flicked my forehead. I slid to the ground and watched the two of them walk away, Leila's auburn hair swaying along with her body. I gritted my teeth and stared down at my trembling hands.
"Shouldn't you be going home?" The janitor scared me out of whatever I was feeling. I cleared my throat and slowly stood up and walked out of the school.
"Hey bunny. How was school?" Dad asked me as I slid into the car. I said nothing, still watching my trembling hands. He got glimpse of them and turned around to hold them. I loved the warmth of his hands. "Bad day?" I nodded. He sighed. "But I won't give up. I'm not scared of them". "That's my girl", dad said and started up the engine. I stared out the window, replaying the voice I heard the most today.
Brace yourself for what's to come. Like hell was I ready.