Destiny (1)
Chapter 2

I’m generally a quiet kid. Which makes me an easy target for bullies.

“Oi, you look like one punch and your lights would go off. Wanna test it?”

“Hi, Sasha,” I sighed. “What do you want?”

Sasha Sanders’ three cronies - Michelle, Aurelia and Zach - grinned behind her. Sasha and Co. never bothered me unless she wanted to blackmail me into something, which was quite often, to be fair. When she found out that I was fostered, which I haven’t told anyone that I’m not related to, she made me give her my pocket money every second Thursday, or she would tell everyone my little secret. And in Year 6, she got me to run in the three-legged race on sports’ day with her, because I’m the best runner, and if I didn’t do it, she would trip me up in my 500 metres hurdles race. And the time before that… well, you get the idea.

“I left my phone in the staff room after I stole the answer papers for the test tomorrow. Fetch it for me, so I don’t have to-”

“Sasha, beat it.”

A boy I didn’t recognise stood next to me. He had a shade of dirty blonde hair that curved to the left side of his face. Facing towards me, I could see his face contorted into a frown, but I could tell that if he loosened up, who was a warm and friendly person inside. He was just less than half a head taller than me, and on his upper arm I could see a small, light brown tattoo, shaped like the Earth with a line separating it into two, with one side like a crescent moon and the other like an oval.

“Excuse me?” Sasha replied, taken aback at being told what to do.

“I said, beat it.” the boy growled. “Don’t make me repeat myself again.”

For a second, I thought she was going to punch him, but instead she just glared for a second at me, (as if it was my fault this mystery boy had given her a taste of her own medicine,) turned on her heel and left.

I stared up at the boy. I could see him grinding his teeth, his jaw muscles throbbing with anger as he glared out at Sasha, who was skulking away with her oh-so kind and charming buddies.

I was about to thank him, but I thought that would seem lame.

“I could have handled her on my own, you know,”

As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I wished I hadn’t said them.

The mystery boy stared into my eyes. Quivering, I shrank back. I couldn’t remember ever feeling more intimidated.

“Did you want to be beaten to a pulp?”

Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead. This guy was terrifying when he was angry. I took an involuntary step back. He seemed to realise he was scaring me, and softened up a bit.

“Uh, thanks,” I mumbled.

“You’re welcome,” he said. “My name’s Asher, but you can call me Ash.”

“And your last name?” His expression hardened. I had no idea what was wrong with asking someone’s last name.

“Sanders.”

Woah. Was that why Sasha had obeyed him? Because he was blood?

“Sasha’s my cousin. She’s the bane of my life.” As he said that, I completely believed him. I could almost see his neck muscles pulsing, and pure hatred in his eyes.

Hang on, his eyes?

Underneath the unreadable, glassy surface, I could see his eye colour fading between orange, chocolate brown and green, and his eye shape seemed to be flickering between human and other animals. It reminded me of my dream…

I must have been hallucinating again. There was no way that could be real. Maybe I needed to see a psychologist.

But something made me think that this was real.

Suddenly, I spotted Josie beckoning to me from the side of the courtyard. Josie’s my best friend. She loves a laugh, and she’s really considerate. Urgh. That sounded so soppy. OK, let me try that again…

Josie’s my best friend. She can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes, but I’ve never had a more loyal friend. Correction: I’ve never had an actual friend other than her before.

No, your ears have not betrayed you. I was friendless until year 8. At least, I had a fake friend.

I’m unpopular. When I started this school, I was just the same as everyone else. Another dull member of the herd.

But Sasha changed everything.

She used to be my best friend. We did everything together. Played the same music, chose the same clubs, sat next to each other every lesson. But the summer holidays after year six passed. I came to my new school for the next year with her, and she had a whole new set of buddies, and a completely new personality. I caught her bullying one of the younger students. I stopped her, and we’ve been mortal enemies ever since. And for some reason, Sasha seems to have a psychic power over the rest of the school. Whoever she hates, everyone else hates. Only Josie took pity, and helped me out.

Anyway, I saw her waving to me from the side of the courtyard, and took the opportunity to leave Ash.