They were like a pack of hungry wolves, eyes bulging and faces untamed. They hadn't seen a new student since Abbey, and she became nothing of interest to them, but Isla on the other hand, was a beacon of hope for these students. They hated the school lessons and activities, particularly Mr Salmakian's gardening class which Isla had observed unknowingly. Who needs gardening anyway? That was all the brain fried minds could think of. In the springtime, there was horse riding, and the children had gone mad with time. At first they tried to bond with the stallions, fillies, foals and the rest, but the horses were fierce with rage and hormones. The children were outnumbered. Teachers presently occupied the frenzied scenes of bucking, kicking and walloping, but they too couldn't rise above the pressure, therefore running from the hecticness. Self preservation was far too important for the adults, and several of the sixty or so students ended up being scattered to hospitals across the country. They persevered through the pain with valiant efforts, and by the time they had healed everyone had moved on to a clean slate. That was until April Fools. Teachers versus students in a fight to the death. That is, if you call some tumultuous water balloon fighting a fight to the death. The teachers took it as more of a light hearted occasion, giving the children their own sense of freedom, but as expected, they owned the battlefield. They treated it like a rebellion for all the pain and torture that Cromwell supposedly had to offer. She stared into their eyes filled with beady intent and somehow gauged out this story with her mind. She had no idea what she just did, or what she was unknowingly capable of, but there was a great mutual understanding already cast between her and the lot.
One boy had jet black hair and subtle jade eyes. In the light, it looked only black, but as he swayed from side to side, it shone with a vibrant wave of blue. He looked the most interested in her and he was the first to speak up. "Where are you from?" he asked. He seemed like the leader, for the others took off their gardening gloves and placed down their pots, eyes shifting to him, then returning to the new girl. She was almost hesitant to answer. Then again, she wasn't a social butterfly, and her outcast like behaviour left her with no friends at Liptossal. She had tried, at least, but then failed.
"Clean slate," The girl channelled in her mind, "This is a clean slate."
"I came from Liptossal. It's just a far way south from here." She gestured backwards and felt a tinge of embarrassment crawl up her spine as they watched in a spooky silence. "I-it's a school. But--" Unlike with Abbey, she paused on the rest. Her trust had been broken far too many times particularly by her rotten parents, who were on a trip to Hong Kong at this very moment in time, bathing in luxury since they haven't had to dispense money on her, thanks to her awaited departure.
"Go on! Go on!" The rest of them chorused, exclusive of the black-blue haired boy. He decided to introduce the troop, lifting all the pressure off Isla's small shoulders.
"Ok, guys. She doesn't know any of us, nor trust us, so we better introduce ourselves. I'm Jake!" He gestured to himself with a goofy smile. "This is Jordan and Jemima, the Hanson twins." The two were at either of his sides, both with strawberry blonde hair which on Jordan was short and on Jemima was curled down to just below her neck. Again, when they moved, the hair glistened with streams of purple. They also shared sets of sparkly blue eyes. They were twins after all, coincidentally born at the beginning of June, therefore making their zodiac the Gemini. After she had focused on those two, Jake moved on. There was a short girl behind him, "This is Malvena." She shuffled forward, encouraged by Jake who, as Isla was thinking about it, appeared to be the oldest one there.
"Hi." She squeaked, light brown hair in a fringe. Fringe brown, the rest a bright pink. It floated above her larger than normal sized eyes, and she blew at it vehemently, for she didn't want to cut her locks, nor did she have a clip or hair accessory available. She looked at the crew, pleading with watery eyes. Jordan and Jake shrugged and Jemima was carefree about her hair, apologetically shaking her head. "Fine…" She huffed, taking her attention back to the girl. "Do you have a hair clip?" She spoke childishly, with an obvious quality of youth that the others seemed to have outgrown. She looked about five, as the school took from kindergarten to year six. The Cromwell high school was highly inconvenient, over sixty miles away across the border. The junior school was in the fairly normal state of Alta, whereas the high school was in the winter state of Fendig. But Isla didn't know that, for she hadn't discovered the history or geography of the newfound place. Anyway, geography wasn't her strong suit.
"I do." She replied, head flowing with warmth. She was building friendships so fast, and she was giving to them! That made her all the more ecstatic as she pulled the crimson clip out from her pants pocket, tied in a bow with asymmetrical white spots.
"Gimme!" Malvena barked, and Isla flung it over. Thank goodness that the seven year old caught it, otherwise it would've left a nasty mark at her forehead, or above one, maybe even both of her eyes. She fiddled with her hair at the speed of light, and within an instant, her face was visible, and she herself was brightened. "Thank you." She smiled with polite innocence. "Now, I'll show my bestie…" Before she could continue, the rest of the cast intervened.
"Rude!" They all shouted in one form or another, turning heads in frantic bickering.
"You can't call favourites!" Jordan exclaimed.
"Yes, I can." Malvena retorted.
"For her age, this kid has got a lot of sass." Isla thought. She cleared her throat to grab their attention, for she was becoming aware that these people were like glue, and that glue would find it difficult to vacate room for newcomers.
"Right." She batted her eyelids, "My favourite is… Carlo!"
"Oh…" The troop unified in consensus.
"Of course it's Carlo." Jake spoke up, "Carlo?" He looked around the greenhouse and found the guy to the back amongst the bushy box hedges. His head was barely visible, only a few strands of his wild green hair in plain sight. "Come out," The leader walks closer, whispering, "The new girl wants to see you!" He points emphatically at Isla, and she nodded with pride. Carlo manouevered out from behind the plants and into the open, yelling out to the surroundings.
"She wants to see me!" He screams maniacally, "Me! And I'm special!" He dances around like a jester, teasing his friends, who laughed alongside him. His hair flowed wildly, painted of Christmas colours.
"Carlo, Isla. Isla, Carlo!" Malvena smiled. Carlo stopped to squint at her scrutinising face.
"Are you okay, Carlo?" Isla questioned.
"Better than ever!" He sniffles, rubbing the snot off his nose and onto his jacket. He's probably overheating in the near thirty degree heat, but Isla couldn't control him. Jake dragged the newcomer aside.
"He's got Tourettes syndrome." Jake muttered, "That's why we all like him the most. We've gotta take care, ya know? And he isn't a burden, k?"
"K…" She replied with a tainted confidence. She didn't like that abbreviation, nor had she ever said it herself, but the thought struck at once. That was how she had to fit in. The way she had to crawl through the cracks in the glue and cement herself. As if the group of the close knit five were a bunch of knots and tangles, and Isla had to put herself not between them, but with such precision to be a part of them. The pair walked back. Isla took a look at them as Jake playfully barged through as they huddled together as if in a family photo. The tall twins at the back, tiny Malvena at the front, Carlo and Jake smiling hand in hand to the little girl's right. There was one spot left. Her face grew with worry.
"What about Abbey?" She croaked, gesturing to the empty space next to Malvena.
"She's not here, is she?" Jordan winked. Isla gulped down the hint.
"Was she ever your friend?"
"Well, yes." Jemima confessed, "At one stage. Then she did some stuff and grew apart. No one really knows why…"
Carlo giggled, "She's not bad, per se, but she's rowdy around us. Oh, and she's got some hidden talent, like--"
"Shush, Carlo!" Malvena nudged him at his ribs, enough for him to notice but not enough for him to be crying in pain. He sealed his lips at once, and Malvena sheepishly smiled.
"Anyway," she squeaked, "Take it or leave it."
The option was hanging right in front of her bare face. She was torn. There was a heavy, sagging pressure at her shoulders, which flowed through to the mind with ease. It felt like she could only be a part of one, being criticised if with the other. It was a decision, and she had to follow the protocol. She had to choose.
"Ok…" She consulted her thoughts, "Abbey's nice, again rowdy, mysterious… There's that whole dust thing that she can do, plus she dug through my brain! Isn't that suspicious?! But these guys, they are kind, sweet, gentle but feisty and playful all the same. They have my back like a concrete wall would. On the other hand, Abbey would have my back, sure, but it feels like it'd be a green screen…" It became all too obvious after that.
"I'm taking it!" She screamed with all her heart, and the five became a six.
"Grace! Grace, take a photo!" The twins shouted to a lone girl who was taking pictures of the plants with her phone. She turned around in shock, as the six waved with unadulterated triumph and excitement. She hurried over and altered the phone's position until she found the perfect angle.
"Ok, smile!" Grace beamed, and the group huddled closer together, smiles plastered all over their faces. Nothing could stop the victory that Isla, nor her friends had seized. With a swift click, the memory was intact, and everyone relaxed their posture.
"Send it to me!" Jake ordered, and Grace who wasn't a great part of the close knit group, but still a peer, proceeded to AirDrop the image. Jake then sent it to everyone else, including Isla who had her phone in her pocket, holding it out eagerly, and gave his thanks to Grace, who went back and bonded with nature. Out of nowhere, Carlo grabbed a long lone stick from afar and bounded back to Isla.
"B-b-by the power vested in me," He grinned, "I hereby declare that… We don't know your name…"
"Isla Tiang."
"That Isla Tiang is officially binded into the s-sacred ritual known as friendship!" He tapped both her shoulders and a thunderous cheer was alight. They chattered, played, relaxed, read, gardened and teased each other until the sun was almost setting. The new day was dawning. Abbey watched on from a balcony above, face weary and inspecting the charade. She tossed her arms into the air.
"Now she'll never come back!" She muttered aloud in a filthy tone. "Unless…" She mumbled something chaotic and complex under her breath. It was done.
Isla felt a surge of malice coursing through her veins. It was uncontrollable. She was writhing again, twisting and turning like a broken toy ballerina. She screamed in agony. It was digging deep into her, plunging at her hips, then ribs, torso, stomach, even the heart. And that's where it throbbed the most. It was malice, after all. Pure evil. It was consuming the good.
Four of the six gasped and Carlo let out a small squeal.
"What's wrong?" They all asked.
"It's her." Jake spotted the spellbinder. Abbey played fake, smiling and waving cordially.
"It sure is dark out here, isn't it?" She smirked, fingers dancing over the rusty railing.
"Exactly." Jake snorted. He held out his hand, harnessing energy from the surrounding environment. "Come on!" He beckoned the others, and their hands extended as one, assembled in a powerful stance. It was a fierce matchup. She was swift and precise, and they were forceful and concerned. Water on water, but the one mixed with the qualities of blood prevailed. She tumbled over backwards, bubbling with disgust.
"I'll get you next time!" She cried, fiddling with a piece of paper.
I switched sides. You aren't worth all the trouble. You had one job. Protect her. You aren't to be trusted. She knew from the beginning. I'll say it one more time.
I switched sides.
M.S
"But, Ma!" She cried aloud, legs tearing themselves apart in anguish, stumbling to the bedrooms and sobbing. She sunk against the wall. She had broken herself. She could never be redeemed.
Back at the greenhouse, Isla was lying down, winded. Jake was tending to her wounds. There was nothing wrong physically, but mentally, there were huge cracks. Her head was ringing at such a volume that she covered her ears and flailed about.
"Just try and stay still," Jordan soothed.
"But it hurts!" She cried, arms now wrapped around her stomach. Carlo had wandered off, coming back with an ice pack from the sick bay.
"Here." He passed it to Malvena, who placed it on her rapidly heating head. They left her alone for a few moments, huddling away in a concerned circle, out of Isla's earshot.
"Wait a minute." Jake sighed, "I'll contact Mum. I bet you she had something to do with it." He pulled out a piece of parchment from his pocket, and watched the writing appear like a running wind.
Oh, my goodness, Jake! I have never been more proud of you! I assisted your spell, helping you unleash the power so you and the rest wouldn't grow tired. She's one of you. She could read your story with her mind, but she did it in ignorance. Abbey has been disarmed, but not banished. As promised, she will strike. She will strike bold, loud and proud. Your sister will send her to oblivion. Come back to Starlia. You can show Isla, but only when it's time. Abbey won't come home for Christmas, so make sure to seize the day. Give them all my love.
M.S
He showed them the parchment. "That's what we have to do. Carpe diem. Seize the day." His smile glinted with heroism and passion. "Take her back to Starlia and get her initiated as soon as possible!"
They all cried, "Job done!" Hands in the middle and lifting up in teamwork. Their chatter lulled down as they raced back to Isla, who they stayed by all night, as she mumbled and moaned in a deep slumber.