Paradise

Chapter Sixteen

I doodled on my Biology notes, drawing scraggly lines and making flowers out of little circles that I shaded in. As I busied myself with this (while Mr. Anders prattled on and on about cells ... or whatever) I thought about Yvette's ability, and wondered what it would be like to draw something and actually have it come to life.

Then I thought about Yvette, and how upset I'd been with her on the rooftop Monday, when I'd realized that she'd known the song all along, and forced herself into my life with purpose: not to be my friend but to fulfill some supernatural obligation. It had been such an overwhelming feeling. I'd felt vulnerable and scared. But now ... things felt different.

Yvette had surprised me with her confession. Yes, she had still used me, and no, I still didn't know exactly what for, but I was beginning to get it (I think). And what she'd done to my bullies was amazing. It told me that she really did care ... because only true friends came to your defense in times of need.

Now I finally felt that I could trust her.

But....

Yvette was a lot kinder than I. My bullies would have stood little chance against my creation. All that pint up anger from over the years. I would have had them running down the hallway, screaming, as some large abomination-of-a-creature chased them relentlessly.

I stifled my smile just as Mr. Anders looked my way. Oh, yes. It was wickedly satisfying to think about this, because I wouldn't just frighten them. No way. I'd make sure they never messed with me again!

That's when I found a piece of paper in my binder, smashed between pages of notes and worksheets. I carefully pulled it out, and smoothed the creases with my hand. My eyes widened. This was not my handwriting. It was Ms. Albert's.

That could only mean that this was one of her music pieces, but how had it gotten in here? The only explanation I could come up with was that it had somehow slipped out of Ms. Albert's satchel when it was in my backpack, and found its way into my binder. Even that was a bit far-fetched. It almost looked like someone had planted it in my binder on purpose.

I looked over the sheet music carefully, reading each word:

"Expel the evils from your heart,

Replace them with a kinder part.

Please just let me be."

My throat tingled in that odd way I'd come to expect. This was almost too coincidental. It fit perfectly with my situation, with Sandy and Taylor and Johnathon, that it didn't feel like an accident. Had Ms. Albert wrote this song to help me?

But how did she get into your backpack to plant it? My mind asked. It's always with you.

That was definitely true, but there had to have been a moment when I wasn't around. Maybe she'd hidden the sheet-music while I was in the cafeteria? Maybe in choir—Monday?

But....

How had Ms. Albert known it would be so easy to convince me? And how had she known that I would be allowed to stay after school on Monday? Yvette had known I was the one they were looking for from the moment we met-- at least that's what she'd said, so it could have happened anytime between then and now--

Of course, it would have had to happen after the incident with the bees, right?

I dropped my head onto my hand and sighed. This was getting more and more confusing by the moment-- no, by the thought! Yet, as confusing as it was, I felt excited, like I actually had a reason to stay awake now, and that my life felt worth living.

This felt so much like one of the crazy, make-believe games my cousins and I had played throughout the summer when I'd stayed at my grandparents' place. I was around twelve or so, and although I'd initially felt a bit silly to be playing such a small-child's game at that age, I'd really had a blast. It'd definitely been a memorable summer-break, that was for sure.