The Beginnings: A Shadows novel

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I walked outside into the blinding hot sunlight with my mentor, Magenta, and my only family, my grandfather and my identical twin sister. My grandfather was talking on the phone to his assistant, Charity. And for once in her life, my sister walked in silence and appeared to be staring at nothing. I caught sight of my best friend and his parents walking across the street. His head was hung low in shame for getting yelled at by his parents in public.

We had gotten in so much trouble so I understood why he was ashamed. My sister and I walked with our dignity intact. Our grandfather had told us we could do whatever we chose to do. But we knew we were going to get a talking to when we got home. From our grandfather and from Magenta.

The story about Magenta. She came bouncing brightly into our lives about a decade ago when I was 6. Our grandfather thought my sister, Katrin, and I, Raine, needed a tutor and a female pressence since we don't have a grandma and our mother dying. Magenta, Katrin and I became friends and since she was only a teen with the brains of a rocket scientist, she became our teacher. We, Katrin and I, looked up to her. Now at age 27, she is the same as she was back then. This cheerful, beautiful ball of... Beauty. But instead of kissing our bruises, cuts, and scraps, she gives us advice on friends, school and boys.

I saw an elderly man wave to me and I looked away, letting my eyes travel over a few things before looking back at where the old man stood. He wasn't there. I shrugged and continued walking. My sister grabbed one of my arms. I looked at her and smiled.

"So how much trouble do you think we are in?" she asked glancing at Magenta and grandfather talking and glancing back at us.

"I don't know but I don't think it is going to be good since they keep looking at us," I replied, smiling at them when they looked back again.

"They are making me anxious. I keep wondering what our punishment is," Katrin said, glancing around.

"I don't know nor do I really care. But I know we won't be getting the same punishment as last time."

"We should leave."

"You mean run away. What will running away solve? It will make us look weak and unsure. We have enough problems at school and that will just prove that we are. But you, grandfather, Magenta and I know that we aren't weak."

"Girls," out grandfather said, standing in front of us. We look up at him with reluctance. He towered over us, mainly because he was like 7 feet tall. He kneeled down in front of us so we could like eye to eye. "Girls, I want to inform you that you two and your friend have been expelled from Carol Braun High School. Tomorrow we shall start looking for a new school. I also want you to know that I'm not mad. I told you guys to be careful but from what I heard from your story, your friends stories, and your ex classmates everything seems to fit in line. If you say he provoked you into... I believe you."

I sighed with relief and I heard Katrin do the same. Magenta hugged us all. My grandfather laughed. It was a deep bellow laugh, a true one. Not like the ones he faked around his partners.

"Let's go get something to eat," my grandfather suggests. "Any suggestions, girls?"

"Nope not really," Katrin said for the both of us.

"There is a new place not that far from here. I think it was a Hindu restaurant," Magenta said. My grandfather pondered.

"There is a new French, Italian, German and Egyptian restaurant named The Fige. It is about half an hour out of town and kinda fancy," I said. My grandfather nodded.

"More possibilities. And I hear German food is delicious."

 We joked around all the way there. Grandfather and Magenta had some champaign. I had a little bit by mixing it in with my caffinated beverage. Katrin gave me an extremely stern look when she caught me but luckly didn't say anything to Grandfather.

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Grandfather's chauffeur dropped us off at the front doors. People stared at us. It could have been from Magenta's bubblegum pink hair or from the fact that grandfather is somewhere outside the house and or his work. Then again it might be because Katrin and I are exactly the same. It was like one us is cloned (which we aren't).

Katrin and I get stared at a lot. We also get called weak and all that other fun stuff. Yes we get bullied. A lot. That is only because we aren't allowed to use certain things. Our grandfather forbides it.

I felt Katrin touch my arm with hers. We smiled at each other. Our grandfather and Magenta walked ahead of us and reserved a table. Katrin and I excused ourselves to wash up before dinner. Magenta and grandfather thought it a great idea and told us to take our time. As Katrin and I headed toward the bathroom, I spotted the old guy from earlier. Unknowingly I walked straight into a server who had a tray full of food. It ended up all over the waiter and me.

"I am so sorry. I have been so busy I must have spaced off while walking," the waiter said. He got up then offered his hand to help me up. I took hold of it gently. He pulled me to my feet while almost losing his footing.

"It was my fault I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking," I said, giving him a half smile. He smiled back.

"I think we both are at fault. I am sorry."

"Same here."

"Raine, let's go back to the house so you can shower and change," Katrin said. She took my arm and lead me away. I only got the chance to wave bye. I went out to the car as she went and told Magenta and grandfather what had happened. And within five minutes we were pulling out of the parking lot.