The Nineteenth Girl - Book 1 Of The Oddity Trilogy

Chapter Five - Nathan

Kota and Gabriel exchanged looks. They were doing that silent conversation thingy Kota and Victor were doing. The thing that Kota and I had done moments ago.

"What's going on?" A boy with reddish brown hair and serious blue eyes came strolling into the room. "Kota, Mr. Blackbourne's asking for you..." His sentence trailed off when his serious blue eyes landed on me. His gaze stared into mine for a few moments before flickering to Kota's. "Who's she?"

I felt a flicker of annoyance that he hadn't addressed me personally but I stamped the emotion down. I wasn't supposed to be here anyway. Kota surprised me by nodding in my direction so that I could answer on my own. It was like he read my mind.

"I'm Sang. What's your name?" I think that was how you ask. It was like that in the books anyway.

"Nathan." He answered quickly. I nodded, showing him that I'd heard him. "So..." He trailed off awkwardly. "What exactly are you doing here?"

My finger found my drifts to my lower lip and pushes. "Umm..." To tell the truth I didn't know. My eyes drifted to the person who actually brought me here. Kota sighs and launches into the explanation that he had spilled punch on me and couldn't just leave me standing there stranded, wet, and sticky.

Nathan nods at all of this occasionally glancing at me for clarification. I would then nod and zone out again.

"...and so yeah." I snapped back to reality. Kota's explanation was finished.

"Kota?" Nathan prods him. "Now that you've explained and all, I just remembered why I actually came here." He takes a deep breath in through his nose and lets it out through his mouth. "Mr. Blackbourne has summoned you."

Mr. Blackbourne? By the look of utter shock and...fear, on Kota's face, I could guess safely that this Mr. Blackbourne person was not someone to be messed with.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" I was shell shocked as anger reddened Kota's face. "I could be in a huge amount of trouble now?!" I blink. Whoa, was everything okay?

"Well I'm sorry but I forgot!"

"It's like you wanted to forget!"

"What are you getting at?"

"Get it through your think skull! I'm saying that maybe you wanted to get me into trouble!"

"Why would I have any reason to do that?"

"I don't know, maybe because you're jealous?"

"Shut up." Nathan lunged at Kota.

* * *

I slipped outside and into the festival. I refused to think about what happened in there. But as always, my mind continues thinking about a particular fight. To tell the truth, this was entirely my fault. If only I hadn't sneaked out of the house. If only I hadn't given in to my curiosity and my dream to escape. Even for one day. If only...had I not been there, Nathan wouldn't have been distracted by a stranger and would have told Kota what he was there for. If only...then, the fight wouldn't have broken out, Gabriel would not have been tugged into the mix and they would not have been shipped to nursery. If only...

The thing is that I've run out of time. I don't have time to play "what if" games. It's time I realized that it was my fault and I can do nothing about it.

But wait...I can do something. I could...visit them and apologize and disappear from their lives altogether after I've apologized. There was a slight problem. I wasn't sorry. I was sorry I caused a fight but not sorry I met them.

That's it, I thought. I would apologize for the being the cause of the fight but for meeting them. With a new purpose I started walking to the desert table. But before I said sorry and left this festival saying goodbye to the only people I know who are nice to me, I want to get some chocolate as a souvenir.

I walk leisurely to the desert tables, thinking. Kota had said he would've picked me as one of the girls for the Selection if he were a prince. Did he really mean that? I wonder. It's probably not true; a little voice inside my head told me. Who would pick you? A girl who didn't even know her own status. You deserved all those F's that Marie traded you for your passing grades. She knew better. True stung my eyes but that little voice was right. I was nothing. I better go and apologize to the guys soon. Why bother? The little voice said. It's not like they'll accept it.

The oddest thing was that the little voice inside my head sounded a lot like Mother's voice.

An aroma of chocolate surrounded me and my stomach grumbled. My feet unconsciously started moving faster. I knew I shouldn't eat chocolate on an empty stomach but who cared? Certainly not me. I could do anything right now. I could even kiss a guy!

I stop dead at the thought and slowly backtrack. Whoa Sang, chill would you? A guy wouldn't want to kiss you anyway. I wondered how it felt like but reprimand myself for my thoughts. How dare I! No wonder Mother calls me a slut. I am one.

I mentally push my thoughts away and eat a chocolate. The sweet smooth deliciousness glided down my throat.

I heard giggling nearby and nearly a dozen footsteps came up behind me. I raised my head and saw a huge group of girls surrounding a blonde haired boy. His hair was shoulder length and he had sparkling brown eyes that seemed a bit dull. I could sense his agitation from here.

"Ladies, ladies, there's enough of me to go around." A melodic, playful voice said. It sounded somehow fake though. I don't know why. Because the girls were bothering him? Either way, I decided to help him out.

Using the oldest trick in the book, I tap on one of the girls' shoulders and yell, "Look!" And with that, I quickly grabbed the handsome blonde's hand and yank hard.

He tumbled out of the circle of girl surrounding him and followed me under the table. After we were both safely inside, and the girls were disappearing, confused where their Blonde hunk went, I turned back.

Brown eyes twinkled and sparkled. They seemed to lure me in that I couldn't possibly look away. All sounds drained away. They fell silent until I couldn't hear them anymore. All sounds except one.

"Hello there beautiful." His voice was like Victor's but less smooth. Southern. Alluring all the same. His playful voice didn't have a fake undertone to it so I was relieved.

Right back at you. But I didn't dare say it out loud. I could never. Instead, I opted for a "Hi."

"Thank you."

I blinked. No one's ever said that to me before. My lips curl up even though he has no reason to thank me. "For what?"

He chuckled, a melodic sound reaching my ears. "For saving me. It was like you could read my mind when I wanted to escape."

I blink as my thoughts run wild. He's such a gentleman. He didn't even think of pushing them all away.

I didn't notice that this little voice in my head sounded a lot different than the last one.

Hiya!!!! How is everyone?