Chapter 6 “You don’t belong here”

Leona's POV "Leona," Aunt Elysia's voice was the first thing to pull me out of last night's dream. I quickly adjusted my breathing, pretending to have just woken up, rubbing my eyes and mumbling a "Good morning." Aunt Elysia was as indifferent as ever? In short, she didn't seem to care how I woke up, much less kiss my forehead like my mother would, asking if I had a good dream, because I do have a bad dream, again. "Good morning, but I'm not the first person I wanted to see this morning," Aunt Elysia's voice interrupted my rambling thoughts. I followed her gaze to the window. The white curtains softened the bright morning sunlight, and two faces, more beautiful than the sun itself, came into view. Ariel and Atwood. They stood on the path in front of the door, sunlight falling on their shoulders, like figures in a gymnasium poster. Oh my god, why are they here? My heart started pounding. I grabbed a hoodie I'd casually taken off yesterday, but pulled it off halfway through because it smelled a little off. Aunt Elysia handed me a new shirt. I took it and started buttoning it up furiously, because I figured I needed an extra 30 seconds to see what I looked like in the mirror. “Honey, you know how beautiful you are, right?” Aunt Elysia’s voice was laced with laughter, but I couldn’t quite manage a smile. I didn’t want to be so obvious. Now, almost everyone standing next to me would realize I was having a crazy crush on the twins! But I shouldn’t be like this, my last shred of sanity seemed to scream: Stay away from them. They’ll bring trouble. Since arriving here, all the problems seem to be related to them. But my body—involuntarily leaned in another direction, restless, pacing back and forth, urging me on. Before I even realized what I was doing, I opened the door. Atwood's smile instantly blossomed. "Good morning! We...uh...want to apologize. For yesterday. We didn't mean to embarrass you like that." Ariel nodded. "We should be aware of the situation. The teammates, the crowd, and the way Atwood pulled you over—" "I didn't pull her—" Ariel ignored him. "Anyway, we're sorry." Their sincerity was touching. From the heart. The walls around my heart began to crumble, because I knew everything—the stares, the girls' whispers, yesterday's conflict—seemed to have started because of them. But they weren't the source of the hostility; in fact, they were one of the few who protected me. They were just too dazzling, and some people don't like me blocking the light that should have been shining on them. But, anyway, it wasn't their fault. Ariel tilted her bicycle slightly. "We're on our way to school. Maybe we can give you a ride. If you'd like." My heart skipped a beat. The longing within me grew stronger, burning and irresistible. This time, my hesitation was almost instantaneous. “Okay,” I whispered. As I jumped into the back seat, Ariel's car inevitably lurched. To maintain my balance, I lightly brushed my hand against his shoulder, a slight shiver running through me—instinctive, untimely, yet intoxicating. Ariel pretended not to notice. We drove along the road, a cool breeze blowing. For the first time since arriving in this unfamiliar town, the tension in my chest dissipated. The houses we passed blurred in the morning mist, the air filled with the faint scent of melting frost and a wild fragrance—a scent that soothed my lungs. Spring. The air was filled with the scent of spring. Everything revived, everything began anew. I immersed myself in this feeling, savoring it for a few minutes. The world seemed lighter, as if all worries had vanished with the night. When we got to school, I braced myself for the stares, whispers, and disapproval of my classmates. But when I got off my bike— none of that happened. Instead, people excitedly whispered as I passed by. “It’s her.” “The record breaker.” “She’s amazing—did you see her times?” “The coach said he wants her to train with the team.” I blinked, completely bewildered. Ariel gave me a knowing smile. “I told you this would pass.” Atwood nudged me lightly with his elbow. “You should see their faces when they hear the news.” I tried to hide the warm feeling welling up inside me from their nonchalance—they made it all seem so normal—and followed them down the hallway. Before class, I saw Coach Miles and agreed to try hockey lessons after school. He was practically trembling with excitement, muttering things like “talent” and “potential.” I couldn't help but laugh out loud as I left his office. That feeling of being recognized and valued gave me a strange surge of excitement. When the school bell rang, I was exhausted, but almost…happy. I walked towards the school gate, intending to ride my bike home alone, to think about how to avoid disappointing Aunt Elizabeth again. Maybe I could even persuade her to let me adjust my curfew— Suddenly, a shoulder slammed into mine. I fell heavily to the ground, my palms scraping painfully from the pavement, and I gasped. The world seemed to tilt for a moment, then regain its balance. A girl stood before me. She was tall, pale-skinned, and her hair was so black it almost shimmered with blue. Her eyes were cold and gray, making me tense. She didn't look familiar—but she stared at me, as if she had been waiting for this moment. “You don’t belong here,” she said. I struggled to my feet. "What did you say?" She still looked at me the same way. "You've gone the wrong way. Your home should be in the northern forest, not this chaotic place." "The northern forest?" My parents mentioned that place at the hospital that day. How did she know? "Wait!" I tried to grab her as I got up, but she slipped past me like a gust of wind. I ran after her, but her figure quickly disappeared into the mist, as if she had never been there. I stood there, my mind churning. The almost stranger, yet willing to adopt me, the white powder in the kitchen trash can, the inexplicable drowsiness after dinner, the strange and uncontrollable urge towards the twins, and the northern forest… I took out my phone and dialed my mother's number. I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on my skin. Eight seconds later, the call was answered. "I'm not your child, am I? Tell me the truth." My voice was cold and harsh, surprising even myself. Silence fell on the other end of the phone. About half a minute later, my father's voice came through, "Leona, you're a very special child. Your mother and I will always love you, but we can't tell you the truth, at least not now." Although I had expected this outcome, my heart still ached uncontrollably. "Then why didn't you send me to the northern forest?" "You...you knew? I...we couldn't do this to you, but perhaps one day this is something you have to face. Your mother and I can't help you." I looked at the address flashing across my phone screen. I knew it—a place full of legends and desolate wilderness.