Fashionista

Chapter 36

We walked through a nut brown forest, occasionally crunching twigs on the moss covered floors. Wild garlic lay at our feet, most likely gathered by the scurrying squirrel here and there. The trees created a leafy canopy over our heads, shading us from the rain just beginning to form.

"Come on, let's head back. I'm not liking this." Eleanor whispered into the darkening sky.

Helene scoffed. "You didn't like the idea, from the start. Take a look." She smiled, spreading her arms and twirling round. "Its beautiful. The trees are like a castle. My mom always said the trees were like towers or fortresses, guarding their people."

I had to agree with her. The crackling leaves of the bamboo trees created a harmony with the  sweet sounds of the nightingales present on the ever growing branches. We kept on walking, amidst making small talk till Camille stopped. We all followed suit as she had been walking ahead.

"Hey, do you see that?" She asked, pointing to a clearing some feet away.

"What are we supposed to be seeing?" Eleanor questioned in a small voice. At this point, i was quite sure her favourite past time was watching Courage, the cowardly dog.

Helene, ever the bold one, took a step forward and looked at us expectantly. Following a new lead, we walked forward and across the clearing where we found a small cottage.

"This was what I saw. The outline of the building." Camille said triumphantly.

The cottage was bigger than it looked at first glance. The building was all constructed with brown wooden logs, even the roof had logs covered with dried thatches. Piled up leaves lay on one side of the house, possibly swept away that morning to give a neat appearance. That meant someone was occupying it.

"Oh! Do let us go in." Daisy piped up, and out of curiosity we all obliged. Even Eleanor.

Helene tested the door as none of us would, and it swung open with a slight creaking sound. The first thing we noticed was how the house seemed to be plunged in darkness, and just as I was about to ask the lights came on.

Daisy held a remote control. "Found the light switch...or button." She sang, waving the item.

"Woah, this is nice." I said, to which the others nodded. The living area(presumably) consisted of two bright orange sofas and a green couch placed in the middle of both, along with a center table and a medium sixed TV mounted on the wall. The walls were made of the same wood as the exterior just done in white, and the floors were white polished hardwood.

The dining area had a small table with three brown chairs surrounding it, and a door that presumably led to the kitchen. The ceiling of the whole room had natural light streaming through, just like the one at the big house.

Eleanor spoke again. "While this is nice, I don't think its right for us to be snooping. Its obvious someone lives here."

Daisy sighed. "She is right. Let's head back."

Helene scoffed and stood up from the couch, placing back a magazine on the small rack which stood beside the TV.

Suddenly, the room was plunged into darkness and Eleanor let out a shrill scream. I could hear someone struggling to open the door we came through. Had we somehow locked ourselves in?

"What are you doing here?" A female voice asked just as the light came back on. Shocked to the very core, we looked towards the source of the voice and saw Mrs. Jones.

"Oh, Mrs Jones. We're so glad it's you. Some of us thought we had entered a ghost apartment." Camille said, throwing a sideways glance at Eleanor.

In that moment, a flash of emotions showed on our principal's face. Fear, Anger, Confusion, and then Recognition.

"Girls, what are you doing here? I would have called the cops."

Helene spoke up for us. "We're sorry, Ma'am. We were told we could explore the grounds and we decided to do so. We must have taken another path by mistake along the way."

The middle aged woman seemed to buy the half truth. True, we were exploring but halfway we had made an unanimous decision to explore forbidden territory.

I mean we followed the path that clearly had a sign saying "Don't not crops this area."

"Okay I'll forgive this but I don't expect this to happen again, whether here of in school. Understood girls?"

We all nodded and walked towards the door that had opened again. This house was more modern than it seemed.

Just as we left the building, I turned back to see Lucy through one of the windows just before the blinds snapped shut.

What was she doing there?

*****

After that incident, I was determined to find out why Lucy was in that house with our principal but the girls weren't that interested.

"Maybe she was just there because of some broken rule or the other." Helene offered, tying a turban on Eleanor's head in preparation for the second modelling show tonight.

"Or maybe she's having problems only Mrs Jones can help with." Camille said.

"No, I know Lucy. Its not quite normal. Besides, she's done so much in school yet nor even a warning had been offered. Something is up." I insisted.

"I have to agree on that last one. Even when we found out that Lucy took our sewing stuff some weeks back, nothing was done. Its like she's untouchable." Daisy agreed, as she helped do Eleanor's makeup.

Helene started to look convinced until she spoke up. "Well there's nothing we can do for now. Maybe after the show, the solution will drop on our laps." That was obviously a teasing remark.

I frowned, using the ironing I was doing to distract myself from so many possibilities. Luckily a distraction came from my phone.

"Hey Jake, how are you doing?" I said as soon as I answered the beeping tone.

"I'm doing well. How have you been over there?"

Knowing the full length of his listening abilities, I offloaded all the feelings I had been having for the past four days off my chest. Never saying a word except the regular steady breathing, Jake listened patiently until I was done.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't really know. I'm sure there's a connection somewhere. The Lucy I know would have come out to make fun of our exploring adventures, but she hid until we were gone."

Jake seemed thoughtful. I could see him placing his chin in his hand, and cocking his head sideways trying to understand. "Okay, maybe not hid. But that's odd, Lucy isn't one to pass up a chance to make fun of someone. Especially when there are people present."

"Exactly. But I can't do much now because of the show tonight. Everyone is expected to be there."

"Wait! Don't tell me you planned on sneaking back just to find out the truth." Jake said, probably alarmed at my train of thoughts.

I scoffed lightly. "I won't go alone. Leo and Daisy will have to tag along."

"No way. That's still risky, just enjoy the show and be there for your friend, Elaine."

"Its Eleanor. Okay, I won't sneak out but I won't relent either."

"That's my girl. Well have fun and take care of yourself alright."

"Yes I will. Bye." I said and waited till he hung up before going to join my roommates.

"It's show time, lover girl. Let's get a move on." Daisy sang.

I blushed and entered the bathroom to get set for the second show of the week.

*****

Firstly, let me apologize for the late update. So many things have been happening with school resumption, family and young adult drama and I've been so busy.

Anyway, once again its show time, people. What do you think the principal and Lucy have in common?

Let me know your thoughts. Remember to tap the vote button.