The outside air was pleasant. From the garden there was a path which we followed. It was hard to miss. We hardly talked. At least they hardly talked to me. I didn't mind. It gave me more time to take in all the beauty around me. The forest had a slightly thick vegetation. I saw lots of flowers and plants. I enjoyed the view and the musical sounds of animals around me. Way too soon we were back at the house. We ate dinner and I listened to their small talk. When it was dark outside, I left for my room. I wasn't planning on sleeping much, but I pretended to. Aderyn must have made herself ready right after me. Her footsteps were like feathers, I never heard her steps. When Edric and Daleen finally went to bed, I slept for a few hours.
After the little sleep I needed, I went to look outside. I saw a moon pass. The soft blue light shone through my window. I tried to keep low profile, especially at school. Nobody needed to have a reason to draw attention to me. I'd have my hands tied. I wouldn't be able to be myself, because I'm not human. I can't be. No one ever noticed, except one: Nia. She couldn't repeat it though. Even if she still could, I'm not completely sure she would. But what's done is done. I was in a phase. A really stupid and careless phase. I wanted to be accepted and have friends, even if it were fake ones. I was sick of being the weird white girl so I started socializing.
I had this group of friends at school. We were with nine, myself not included. Everyone was happy and laughed a lot. I just pretended to be. I don't think there was ever a time that I had lied as much as then. I had a whole fake life, but like I said, it was a phase. Nia was one of the more quiet people from our group. She was more of an observer and she was physically quite strong. I enjoyed it as much as I could, being 'normal'. I had been in the same family for about four months. Though I hadn’t been on my best behavior. I always needed that little annoying child attitude to get me out of sticky situations. I was planning on staying until the evaluation, as usual. I would make up a story for my 'friends’ to make my leaving seem like something that they could have had. I could've told them I had an aunt who had become a widow and would've liked some company, or any other excuse that would have come to mind. But I didn't even had to think about one in the end.
One day, Nia asked me to walk her home after school. She didn't live far from my place and we both went to school by foot. I didn't see any harm in it. After all, I suspected her wanting to tell me something in private. She had been nervous the whole day through. When we were walking home, she asked to enter a small alley. She was my 'friend' so I said alright and I followed her there. If I would've known exactly what she suspected me from, I could've made up a good excuse or at least lie to her somehow.
She turned around and looked at me.
“You're not normal, are you? You're an exception.”
I was a little surprised. I was quickly recapping all the times we crossed paths, searching for moments I might had moved faster than I should or something.
“I've been watching you. From day one you looked suspicious. I knew you didn't belong. You were always pretending, like that secret of yours is more important than anything else in this world.”
“What are you talking about?”
It seemed like she knew a lot more than she should. I didn't know how she knew what she seemed to know. I didn't feel like I was as readable as a book, yet she made me doubt that. And that was bad news. She pushed me roughly against a wall. I could've tried to stop her, but I didn't. I was more focused on getting all the information I needed.
“Tell me the truth! No lies or games with me. I thought we were friends.”
“We are, but you need to tell me what you're talking about.”
“I followed you yesterday. I was wondering why you sometimes randomly refused to meet up with us. I knew there was something wrong. You're such a liar.”
