Bittersweet (Book #1 Evening Wings Trilogy)

Chapter 19

19

It was still cold, the after effect of Christmas time and snow rained down in soft little flakes outside my bedroom window, each one like the delicate end of a Q-tip falling down to earth to join the others, all just heaps on the ground.

The forest was better now.

They called out to me less and less, I was ignoring them.

I had my own problems.

It was about time for school to begin again. The holidays were over and it was time to get back to working and preparing for exams. Only thing was, I didn’t want to go. It would be just like starting all over; something I was unprepared to handle. But my mom didn’t care. I had to be at school come Monday, whether I liked it or not.

So when Monday came and I rumbled into the parking lot of the school, I didn’t get out of the Rust Bucket, I sat in the driver’s seat, unmoving and unwilling to.

A sharp tap coming from the window made me jump.

There stood Zaria, one of the people I hadn’t seen in quite a while. Something was different about her, and though I couldn’t actually pin point it, it was good to see her happy all the same.

“Hi Liz!” she grinned.

“Hey Zaria, long time no see.” I smiled warmly.

Her smile faltered and then it repositioned itself. “Hey don’t be mad. I’ve just been—busy. But never mind that; how are you?”

“So, so,” I admitted.

“Yeah,” she laughed. “I’ll walk you inside; I have loads to tell you.”

I walked along with Zaria as she told me about her Christmas, her grandmother and her relatives and it really sounded that her life was taking a turn for the best. She didn’t act sullen, which was very strange and she was more than exuberant today which was also equally strange. But I was glad to see that she wasn’t paranoid.

A whole forty-five minutes had passed when I looked up to find Heidi strutting down the hall. Her porcelain hair was noticeably longer and her winter clothes were just spectacular. Just trust Heidi to make a scene.

As she passed us, I thought she would make it her absolute best to sneer at me, but she turned and sneered at Zaria, that resentful smirk and loathing eyes fixed on the taller girl.

Zaria stared back with as much animosity and equal attitude until Heidi had to look away because the expression Zaria wore was too intense.

“What’s going on with you all?” I asked her.

Zaria folded her arms and glared at Heidi’s retreating figure. “Heidi and I fell out during winter. She’s a horrible friend. Anyway, a whole bunch of us disbanded from her group. She’s the most neurotic, controlling person I’ve ever met.”

“Oh, that’s—but I thought you two were best friends?” I asked a tad confused.

“Sometimes, some people just don’t get along, Elizabeth.” Zaria said primly, closing my locker door. “Now come on, we’ll be late for Chemistry.”

And dazed by her sudden wisdom and boost in self-confidence, I followed.

#

At lunch, we sat across the room from Heidi, with Zaria’s whole group of followers—all the ones who were finally sick and tired of her mind games and threats.

Of course, I could smell that they were all Seelie, and I knew that they truly felt in their hearts that they should betroth their loyalty to the queen’s daughter, as they would be serving her one day.