When Noa Rembrandt was eight years old, she began to experience strange things happening that somehow mixed with her emotions. Now at sixteen, she's been kicked out of every foster home she's ever lived in and now her only choice in Thornbrandt: a s...
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Noa did not have time for school today. Her whole world had imploded and she was still expected to be outside the steps of Thornheardt at 6:45 on the dot to be taken to school.
She'd spent hours with Lily and Cyrus, getting all the information she wanted. The significance of eight. The rules and law of witchcraft. If Noa's mother and father were still alive.
Most information they could give her; the whereabouts of her parents was unknown.
So now Noa, exhausted by lack of sleep and the apparent nonexistence of coffee on Thornheardt grounds, did not give one heck about school today.
"Noa Rembrandt, please report to the principal's office. Noa Rembrandt, please report to the principal's office. Thank you."
It was third period. Chemistry. Noa wasn't even good at science in the first place, how they thought a Chemistry class was a good fit was beyond her.
Everyone glanced at Noa as she gathered up her things to leave. People were scared of her. Apparently, Madison spent the night in the hospital and was released just this morning. She suffered from heat stroke, and something to do with her kidneys. Rhado-something.
Of course Noa couldn't have anything to do with that, from what the others could tell. Noa knew the full story: the power of Spirit, finally unleashing itself in Noa's emotion. She could literally suck the soul out of people. A perk of being a Gaean sacrifice, according to Lily. Still, that didn't stop people from speculating. And what kind of freak accident caused someone to have a heat stroke in an air conditioned building in the beginning of winter?
Noa made her way down the hall towards the office, her anxiety causing her heart to bounce across her sternum. She walked into the office, and bounded up to the TA who helped her just yesterday, before she almost killed someone. The TA smiled sheepishly.
"Just have a seat, Mr. Sawyer will be with you in just a moment, hun."
Hun. One of the Southern term of endearments that Noa never liked. Sounded too condescending, especially with a Southern accent.
Noa sat on the hard blue chairs lining the wall, two other misfits just like her sitting and waiting. Noa's phone buzzed with a text. She glanced down at it, Lily's name flashing along the screen. Who'd you kill now?
Noa let a smile tug on her lips. No one. I swear. She typed back. Still, anxiety sat heavy on her chest.
Fifteen minutes pass, and Mr. Sawyer finally opens his door. Madison steps out, pale and weak-looking. She's accompanied by two older people, a man and woman. Her parents presumably. Madison glared at Noa, exciting the office quickly with her family, an aura of terror around her.
"Miss Rembrandt," the principal spoke, gesturing into his office. "I'd like to have a word with you."
Noa stood, and entered the office. She sat in the chair positioned across the desk, waiting for Mr. Sawyer to sit in his own. When he did, he sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his face. He placed his glasses back on his nose and stared at Noa intently. "What happened yesterday morning?"
"In regards to what?"
"Your experience with Madison Scott."
"She started it."
"Miss Rembrandt, I'm not concerned with how the fight began. I'm concerned with the stories of you causing Miss Scott's hospitalisation."
Noa rolled her eyes. "You're implying that I caused Madison to have a heat stroke?"
Mr. Sawyer looked down at papers in front of him,, skimming the lines briefly before continuing to speak. "We have witness reports saying you were touching Miss Scott when she lost consciousness."
"Okay? I don't understand what you are trying to imply." Noa sat back in her chair, arms crossed. "You're trying to tell me I somehow heated up the insides of a person just by touching her arm?"
It was weird now that Noa knew the truth. That the impossible was possible, and even though she was trying to lie her way out of the situation, Mr. Sawyer knew something was up. Or maybe he was just like her before she knew her own secret: things didn't add up, but that didn't mean they didn't happen.
"Miss Rembrandt, you have to understand that being at Thornheardt means you are a guest at this school. For students like Madison Scott, this town is their home. You are just temporary."
Anger surged through Noa's body and she found herself clenching her fists. She stared in complete disbelief at the words coming out of Sawyer's mouth. As if Noa being a foster child meant she did not hold the same place in the town that Madison did. She noticed the windows begin to shake, the plant on Sawyer's desk begin to wither. Gross injustice aside, Noa had to get her emotions and magic under control, quick.
Noa took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, unclenched her fists. When she opened again, calmness fell over her. Sawyer raised an eyebrow, wondering what kind of mental breakdown his student was having. But the windows had stopped shaking, the plant still living.
"What kind of punishment am I getting for upsetting your precious queen bee?" Noa spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. "I am getting punished, right? That's the point."
"Unfortunately, I'm at a point where I can no longer tolerate the misbehaviours of the children of Thornheardt." Sawyer grabbed a paper from a drawer, and began to scribble on it. "So, since you've incited violence on this campus, I have no choice but to suspend you for two days."
He handed the paper to Noa, where she could grab it and read what he had just said to him. "You'll need a parent--er, guardian--signature on this sheet when you return."
"What kind of school requires signatures on a suspension sheet? Wouldn't they know their kid was suspended, because they were at home all day?"
"Thornheardt's headmistresses is notorious for losing track of her kids. I want her to know for sure that you were suspended on your first day."
Noa stifled a laugh. "You purposely made a sheet of paper to fuck with orphan kids?"
"Misfits."
"Our parents are dead. How else are we expected to act?"
"It's time for you to leave the campus, Miss Rembrandt."
Noa shook her head, grabbing up her stuff and standing to leave the room. "This is bullshit."
Still, despite her troubles at school and having to tell Montgomery that she was suspended on her second day, she was excited. Noa for the first time ever was able to control her emotions and stop her curse from happening. No more incidences. No more moving. She just had to learn, and work harder to get where she needed to be.
