The Girl In Black

Chapter Five

"Tough times never last, but tough people do."

Robert H. Schuller
•••

"You're going to fit right in," Lucy observes whilst combing her hair, she's staring at me through the wall sized mirror in our room. There's a hint of worry layering her words and I'm quick to pick up on it.

"And you're not?" I question with a raised eyebrow and press deeper into the super king sized bed I was laying on.

God, rich people had the comfiest beds.

"I don't think so. You just look like you will."

"We're wearing the same clothes, Lucy. Everyone at Willerton Academy will be wearing the same uniform. So tell me how will you not fit in?" I tug at my white shirt and point at my navy knee length skirt causing Lucy to muster up a slight smile. She didn't look convinced.

"But you're different, Nova. Just like the people...here. You look like you belong here. I don't." She mutters, pulling her gaze away from mine. I shuffle my way off the inappropriately gigantic bed and walk over to her.

"Lucy," I place my hand on her shoulder but she pulls away. I patiently wait for her to braid her shoulder-length hair into braids before I begin my typical elder sibling probing.

"What's wrong? And don't you dare say nothing. If you even think about lying I will waste no time in telling your new school friends about your peeing incident-"

Lucy spins her body round, as swiftly and eagerly as a curving bullet. I mentally high five myself when I catch fear in her eyes.

Four years and it still worked like a treat.

"I was ten! When are you going to let it go?" She complains, her face bunched into a scowl.

"When you stop hiding things from me. Now tell me what's wrong. For the past two days, ever since we've been living in this place, you've been over the moon. Giggling and jumping around like some high fricking bunny. All of a sudden you're sulking. Have you changed your mind? If you have then we can leave today. Right now. We'll find a way to escape and we'll find a place to live. Somewhere no one can find us. I still have money from my last...job. I can do this. We can do this."

Lucy shakes her head, "No I like it here, Nova. I don't want to leave. I'm just...scared."

I reach out to grab her, my grip tightens around her slim wrists, "Did someone hurt you? I swear to fucking god if someone, anyone, laid a single finger on you I will rip their fucking heads-"

Lucy surprises me by clamping her hand over my mouth.

"It's not that," she hisses, and looks behind. Our bedroom door is firmly closed but that doesn't stop my sister's paronia.

"Stop saying stuff like that! Someone will hear you! And what will they think? Especially, after everything they've done for us! No one's laid a finger on me. I'm just scared of losing you! Okay?" Lucy breathes heavily and wipes away the tears falling down her flushed cheeks.

"Losing me? That will never happen." I reply, leaving no room for argument.

"Yes, I know," Lucy says eventually, "I just freaked out at the thought of starting a new school. You've always been so popular and I...I...started to think about how you're going to make amazing new friends and completely forget about me. So yeah, I panicked. It was stupid. I'm sorry."

I let out strangled laugh and dropped my hands.

"I've been worrying about the same thing, Lucy." I tell her with a relieved grin, "Why do you think I insisted our dear grandmother on letting us share a room? These people, although family, can't be trusted. Not until we know their true intentions. Do you ever think about why we're here? Why they found us now and not two years ago, when we needed them the most?"