The Shadowy: The Girl who was a Shadow

2: Natalie

2: Natalie

I throw a hairdryer at the first student I meet at my new school. Am I off to a good start? No

"Natalie!"

Jenny's sharp yell brought me to attention and interrupted me from my deep sleep. Oh well. You cherish every moment when there's no school.

"Did you pack?"

I shrugged sleepily, not sure what she was talking about. (I was half asleep.) Then it all came back. Lilia. The Shadowy. Getting expelled. Nancy Winston. Cornelia, a Shadow.

Suddenly, I didn't exactly wish I'd pranked Nancy Winston.

"Pack? Yeah," I answered hesitantly.

Jenny looked at me thoughtfully. "Nat, I know you're upset, but this is a good thing. Shadow Hall is a wonderful place."

I had several reactions to that.

How ironic.

It doesn't sound friendly.

Shadow Hall? Are you kidding me?

Not very secretive, are we, Shadow Hall?

I shrugged again and slowly moved my feet to the ground. "Do we have to wear a uniform?"

"No," she replied. "Although there is a dress code. No inappropriate outfits."

I thought that was for every school.

"It's not far," she went on, "so if Cornelia can't come, you'll get to visit her sometimes."

I didn't know what to say to that. But Jenny! Shadow Hall is a secret place for people who can control shadows and Cornelia is one of them! didn't seem like a sentence I could say to her.

I stepped into the car and Jenny told me a story of how, once, she went to a boarding school, too. I wasn't really listening. The subtle bumps of the car kept putting me to sleep.

"We're here!" Jenny sang cheerfully.

That makes one of us.

I grumbled. Jenny had forced me into a silver tank top and green flats that reflected on my shirt. I had succeeded in wearing jeans, though they were skinny ones.

"Bye," I said awkwardly. I didn't really like goodbyes(who does?)but Jenny had been really nice to me.

Jenny sniffed a little. "Goodbye, Natalie. You were...a very good child. I hope you have a nice time here. All your stuff should be in your room. You have a roommate of course." She smiled. "Maybe it'll be Cornelia."

That doesn't seem to be likely. I mean, it's probably going to be some rich girl who has her own room and won't be happy to share it, judging from movies and books. Savannah Sinclair is an example. But Savannah turned out to be nice, so who knows?

I walked to the school. What was I supposed to do? There weren't much people outside...

What about Lilia?

I shoved that annoying inside voice away. Lilia wasn't really going to...

"Natalie, you do know this is Shadow Hall."

I jumped. By now, I hadn't seen Lilia in a while, so I relaxed. I wasn't a Shadowy. This was just a top-rate boarding school that helped delinquents.

I think I may be going crazy.

"You still don't believe me, huh?" Lilia questioned. She had her hair loose and was wearing a skirt. I hardly ever wear skirts. How is she my shadow if she's completely unlike me?