Scarlet in Glezentine

Chapter 2 - Hair

Now I'm standing in a very different place. It's really weird, but somehow I'm standing in a stadium-like place with a big track in the middle. It looks normal except for the fact there's lava. Then I notice the people. Their skin ranges from really pale to dark. It's their hair that catches my attention. Everyone's hair is a bright colour. Some are brown, but I also see people with bright green and blue hair.

At least I'll fit right in. I think, running a hand through my long,  bright red-orange hair. People would always ask if I dyed it, but I never have. This is its actual color.

I sneak under the bleachers to my right, watching and hoping that no one can see me. As I'm walking, a girl with shoulder-length straight black hair runs into me, and she falls over.

"Sorry," she mumbles, still looking at the ground. When she looks up, her eyes go wide.

"Wh-Who are you?" She asks nervously. "Is that your real hair? Did you dye it?"

I sigh. "Yes, this is my real hair. No, I didn't dye it."

Somehow her eyes got even wider. "What's your last name?" She asks once her eyes go back to their normal size.

"I don't have one," I say truthfully.

She gives me a look that says yeah right.

"It's true! I promise!" Then I think for a second before adding, "Well, I guess I had one once. I'm an orphan. I never knew my parents."

She looks sad for a moment, and then someone calls "Caroline!"

The girl, whom I assume is Caroline, snaps to attention, remembering what she's supposed to be doing. She looks in the direction the voice was coming from, then to me. She sighs making up her mind.

Then two boys that look about the same age as me walk into view. One boy has blue hair, the other has green. I suddenly get the need to flee. (I think it, not the voice. At least. . . I don't think it is.)

I choose to stay because, in a weird way, I trust her. Also, she's holding really tightly to my arm.

The boys get to us, look at me, and both their eyes go wide in surprise. They stare for a moment before the one with the blue hair says with a British accent says "I'm sorry! I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is James. You can call me James." Then he points to the guy with green hair and dark skin. "That's Adam. And that's princess Caroline." He finishes, pointing to the girl next to me.

"Oh!" I say in surprise. "Your majesty!"

I bow, which is hard to do with her holding tightly to my arm. She lets go. James snickers and I feel a blush on my face. I just arrived and I'm already being made fun of.

"Please don't call me that," the princess grumbles.

I still feel awkward, considering the princess of . . . wherever I am, ran into me, and I didn't even know it was her.

After some silence, Caroline asks, "What's your name?"

Oops! I forgot to tell them my name, even after they told me theirs. "My name is Scarlet."

James then asks, "What's your last name?"

"I don't have one."

"Well, then what's your house name?"

"What's that?" I ask, very confused.

James sighs and says, "What's your family's power? Their power has a name, and that's what the house name is. It's very simple."

"Um, I never knew my parents, and I don't have any powers."

James looks annoyed and says, "Of course you do. Don't you know anything? The barrier only allows people with powers to come in and their power relates to their hair. Mine is blue. I'm in the Water house. Adam's is green. He's in the Nature house. Caroline's is black. She's in the Shadow house. Which house are you in?"

I know I should be kind, but James is being really rude. "Saying that won't help me remember. I've been trying to remember for years. Besides, I only barely got through."

"Well, people who can't get through burst into flames. You look un-burnt, so you were clearly allowed to come."

"Guess what? I did burst into flames. That means I'm not supposed to be here. The only reason I am is that I was being chased, and they couldn't get through."

"Wait what?" says James, looking terrified.

"They couldn't get through?"

"No, not that. You burst into flames? And survived? How is that possible?"

I shrug. "No idea. But I wasn't on fire for very long. It felt like a few seconds then I tripped, and the flames disappeared."

James looks less scared. He looks at my hair. Caroline seems to know what he's thinking.

"Do you think. . ? Could she . . ?" Was all she says, but James understands. He nods his head vigorously.

"Um, mind including me in the conversation that I feel is about me?" I ask. They ignore me and keep talking.

"But how?" James asks.

Caroline shrugs. "No idea. But I'd be very grateful if it's true." Those two are clearly not going to include me. I turned to Adam, who seems to be enjoying their conversation. He sees me watching, and his face goes blank. The only thing that shows any emotion on his face is his eyes. And all I see is nothing. Except for a tiny part that shows something else. Is that. . . fright? Is he scared. . . of me? I don't know him and I'm fairly certain he doesn't know anything about me.

I hear Caroline ask "Should we tell them?"

James says a defiant "No." Caroline starts to protest when James adds "Not yet. We need to know for sure."

Caroline seems to have nothing else to say. They finally turn back around to face me.

They just smile at me, saying nothing.

I really liked writing this chapter. I hope you liked it! Please tell me what you think!