Feathers

New Life

New Life

The pools that had formed in Stella’s eyes vanished quicker than dew in a hot sun, but they left lakes behind in her mind. Fear must be hidden. Stella hated emotions more than this stupid school, so she pressed all of hers behind her face, leaving even her eyes with little trace of her thoughts.

Julie didn’t have to pretend to be strong. Years of living in a small, scarcely furnished apartment over her mother’s struggling dance studio left no room for weakness. The single Russian woman put up with nothing from her daughter, and expected nothing short of perfection through pain, stress, and fatigue.

The girls sat in their new uniforms, fuming on the inside, waiting for the two boys that were their other halves. Stella saw her father perusing the crowd, looking at all of his new prodigies. She shot him a silver glare, but his monstrous heart was bulletproof. The girls didn’t say a word as they rested their sore bodies on the ledge of a tall, gothic window in the dining hall. They drowned out the cries of the other students, staring off into space, in a land that wasn’t real. Stella longed for the campus to be empty, for it to be summer again, when she, Valence, and their father were the only ones who resided there. Julie simply dreamed to be home.

“Why did you come?” Stella broke the silence. “I told you not to.”

“My mother made me,” Julie replied, “She can’t afford for me to go to college. She wants me to have a higher education than high school. Anyways, your father paid us a personal visit just to convince her. He erased any doubts she might have had.” Stella sighed, staring at her feet. There wasn’t anything she could do to send her back home now, nor the others.

“At least Isaiah’s my partner and Shiloh is yours. We know your dad has some sort of heart,” Julie said. “Didn’t put us in the same room, though.”

“You’re in the room next to me. We share a bathroom,” Stella told her. Small talk only made the moment awkward. None of the negativity left the scene. Soon, they were approached by the boys they’d been waiting for. Shiloh, a tall, dark haired and charming boy, led handsome Isaiah, whose blonde hair fell in perfect order around his ears.

Both received a hug from their female counterparts, but a kiss, even on the cheek, didn’t seem appropriate. Stella gave Shiloh a tighter squeeze than he’d ever felt the normally physically distant beauty give him. It was a gesture only he could fully understand. He pulled her as tightly to his hard, bony chest as he could, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair. He knew she’d never let him protect her, but at least at the moment he held her in his arms.

As soon as Julie and Isaiah touched, their bodies knew the steps. They intertwined like a dance, hearts in perfect rhythm with the other. Their fingers twisted together, Julie rested her cheek on Isaiah’s inviting shoulder, and he settled his chin upon her head. They became one, woven together to create a beautiful tapestry. Their ease with each other was key, and it was engrained deep in both of their minds. Heads turned, feeling the sparks between them.

Then, all appeared to be okay, just for a moment, for the four teenagers with aching backs and nothing of their own. The boys joined the girls back at the place on the window ledge, communicating silently by taking in the slightest flinch of vibration of the others. Their bond was almost ancient. Unbreakable, as far as people go.

Across the room, a new bond was being forged between Peter and Kory. In between, unexplored faces hung in a chaotic panic. Few looked inviting in that moment. York had been lost in the mass to fend for his own, find somebody to talk to. Lou stood in the corner, taking in everything. Valence shook his head as he stared across the students, and Lucy only wanted to hide. Kirabo pulled his feet up on a table, trying to rest and remind himself why he was there. A small and fragile looking boy with dark hair and rectangle glasses approached him and took a seat, introducing himself as Monty Rier. He smiled reassuringly, but his eyes betrayed what he tried to say with his lips.