Yeah, I'm the 'Big Bad Demon Slayer'

Chapter One

“UGH,” I grunted as I kicked the soccer ball as hard as I could towards the goal. It skidded across the wet field to Lia, who then proceeded to scoring a goal. Our team cheered, and Lia and I bumped fists.

“Nice pass!” Lia smirked.

“Nice score,” I grinned back before taking a swig from my water bottle.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Liam stick his tongue out from across the field to us. I made a goofy face back, which made both Lia and Liam burst out laughing. The Phys. Ed. teacher shot us a wary look, and I smiled back impishly.

One thing you might not have known is that Lia and Liam are twins, and my best friends. They’re both tall, Korean and very athletic. We all are athletic; Coach Ellis’s best (and weirdest) students. They both had choppy, layered sleek black hair, dark brown eyes and pale skin. Nowhere near as pale as mine, though.

I’m full-blooded Icelandic, the complete works: pale skin, white-blonde hair, and pale blue eyes that, in the right lighting, became lavender. People often misunderstood my genetic hand-me-downs for albinism. I was skinny and petite, but strong and flexible.

There were advantages and setbacks to my appearance. I could fit into small places and win most fights (with the element of surprise). On the other hand, bruises lasted longer and stood out more on my pale skin, and my furious blush was inevitable. The taunts were relentless. My schoolmates often called my “Snowflake” or “Albino” or “White-y”. They taunted Lia and Liam as well, for both their ethnic traits and their twin traits. Our school was very intolerable. The only thing that made it bearable was Lia and Liam.

“Wanna come over to my house after school?” I asked the twins after the bell rang. We had stayed after to clean the field. All the other students left to go home: P.E. was our last class of the day.

“Weren’t we going to anyways?” Lia asked. Yes, we always showed up at each other’s houses unannounced; our parents were used to it by now.

“I guess,” I chuckled. “I should warn Amma, anyway.”

“Why?” Lia whined. “She knows we’re coming.” I shot her a look, and then she added sullenly, “Well, she probably knows.”

I picked up a discarded soda can and tossed it into a trash can ten feet away. “I know, but Amma said something about visitors coming over today.” When Lia scoffed, I clarified, “Like, not you visitors. I should probably ask permission.”

Lia dramatically threw her hands in the air and exclaimed, “Out of all of the kids in Washington, I befriended the responsible kid! Woe is me!” I laughed and punched her arm playfully. Liam came over and ruffled our hair. “Whatcha gossiping about now, girls?”

“Gossiping?” I guffawed in mock bewilderment.

“Us? Gossips??” Lia feigned shock. “Well, I never!”

“You guys are weird,” Liam mumbled as Lia and I cracked up. Lia and Liam continued conversing as I excused myself to make a phone call.

The other end of the line picked up and a familiar kind voice asked, “What’s up, dearie?”

“Amma, can Lia and Liam come over today?” I asked.

“Thank you for checking in. I am afraid they cannot,” my grandmother sighed. “There is someone very important you must meet. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Oh,” I said, at a loss for words. “Alright. See you at dinner. Bye Amma.”

“Brynja,” my grandmother called. I instantly bristled: Amma never used my full name. She always used my nickname, Bryn. “… Be careful. Come home quickly.”

The other line hung up, and I shuddered. I wondered what made Amma warn me. I often walked home alone, and she never warned me any other day. Why today? And who was this stranger who couldn’t meet Lia and Liam? I quickly packed my things and bade the twins farewell before starting the long walk home.