BAILE (Where We Come Home)

Chapter 21 Kiss and Tell

'It looks so pretty.' I complemented Charlotte on the stickers masking the front cover of her diary.

She smiled, peeling of a sticker and pressing it onto my cheek. I laughed, peeling one off to stick it on her forehead.

The light seemed to fade around us as a blood-curdling scream shook the bus. Charlotte and I covered our ears as the bus swerved, the windows shattering, showering everyone in shards of glass.

As the bus slowed the screaming stopped. I removed my ears, standing on my seat to see Eliza at the front of the bus, her hands over her ears with tears streaming down her face. I went to see if she was okay, as mum had always told me too if Eliza needed any help at school.

'Eliza, are you okay?' I crouched before her, taking her small hand in mine.

'Charlie's dead.' She sobbed, snot pouring from her nose.

'How do you know?'

She met my eyes, her blue ones filled with tears. 'I heard his heart stop.'

I sat by her side as the bus took us home. Our parents embraced us; sitting us down to tell us our beloved rabbit Charlie had passed away while we were gone.

'How could you have known? You weren't here.' Our mother held Eliza close.

'I just do.'

I slowly opened my eyes, turning my head to read the time on my clock. Curse my internal body clock. I had plenty of time before classes commenced. I got up, only to meet April's eyes as she slipped out of bed.

"You were talking in your sleep." She said rather casually as she stretched her graceful limbs.

"What was I saying?" I asked.

"You kept saying the name Charlie. You're crush?"

I shook my head, standing up. "Not even close."

"That's right, you only have eyes for one man." She winked.

I tugged off my top, swapping it for a black singlet.

"No witty remark, no stab at my own love life?"

I shrugged. "I just-I don't know." When I turned around I jumped at the sight of April standing so close to me. Damn her and her slight Vampiric feet.

"I see right through you."

"I have no doubt." Her penetrating gaze unnerved me.

"Spill your guts." She ordered, her hands on her hips.

I gave her a smile turning around only to be pulled back by April.

"Did you do something?"

"Let go of me."

"Did he do something? He did!" She was reading my face like a book. "Did he flirt with you?"

"Don't be stupid."

"Did he make a move? Oh Isla, you've done a very bad thing."

"And you're a saint." I countered.

"I'm Satan's daughter, now tell everything."

"You already got everything. He told me yesterday that if I got top of the class he'd give me a prize. You know, he has this tone, where I can't tell whether he's lying or telling the truth." I stopped myself from going off track. "Anyway, he gave a consolation prize."