The Shadowy: The Girl who was a Shadow

1: Natalie

1: NATALIE

I meet the girl who is a shadow

Hey.

I'm Natalie Lockhart. But, when you meet me, you can call me Ali or Nat. Please. I prefer it.

It's also my code name.

I know. "Why the heck am I gonna meet you and who the hell are you?" Let's start simple. Congratulations. If you're reading this, that means you've lived a normal life. For now, anyway.

If you want to live, you better email me (you'll find it in your locker) and get on the next plane to Canada, Calgary. Quick.

Before they find you.

You should be able to identify me easily. I have bright orange hair and pale skin. My eyes are hazel, but you probably won't notice that.

It might help that I may or not be holding a banner and chanting your name.

Kayla forced me to do that.

You might be wondering; why am I so special? Easy. You're part of The Shadowy, a top secret group. This was sent to one child of every country in Earth. (Except for Canada, California, America, England, Paris and Italy.)

It all started that one day when I pulled a prank on Nancy Winston...

Besides that one time I got a F in math, I was a pretty good student. That is, until Nancy Winston insulted Cornelia.

Cornelia Ronald is my best friend. She's super pretty, admittedly perky and always seems to be wearing a leather jacket. She has this always tanned skin and windblown, wavy brown hair. Her favourite colour is dark blue. "Like a whale," she keeps telling me, which seems weird to me, but whatever. She's a kind of bad girl and comes from California.

Nancy Winston should insult me, with my ghastly white skin and fiery hair. Not Lia.

I may or may not have mixed soup and shampoo together and poured it over her head.

What did the little devil say? Oh, I don't know, just, "Cornelia Ronald is the most ugly creature I have ever come upon."

Best friend, remember.

Nancy instantly blamed it on me. Oh, how I still remember it. (I kinda want to forget, though.)

"Mr. Haynes!" she shrieked very, very loudly. "IT WAS NELLIE! SHE DID IT!"

She even got my name wrong.

££££££££££££££££

Somehow, Nancy found proof (when did I use the bucket with my name imprinted on it!? Stupid me!) and they called my foster mom.

Jenny Campbell was a pleasant woman with blond ringlets and two dimples. She was pretty kind and sweet, but I could see she was disappointed in me. Jenny always, always was perfect. My grades were average enough for her, but this...this was completely different.

Principal Haynes beckoned Jenny and I to sit down, discussing what my punishment was.

I kept my head down, which didn't do much.

"Ali," Jenny said gently, "I was thinking I could send you to a special boarding school for a while."

I stood up, looking amazed. "Because I pulled a prank?" I said astonishingly. "And what about Cornelia? She's my best friend!"

"I'm just so busy-" Jenny started.

"As for Ms. Ronald," Principal Haynes interrupted, "I've been thinking of sending her there as well. Her father suggested it to me, in fact."