Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 27 - A Voice In Her Head - IV

  The whispers were back, but to Natalie's surprise, she welcomed them. Suddenly, it was exciting to have the whole school talking about her again. They weren't talking about her scars, her weird home life, or any of the many transgressions she'd made as a new student. They weren't talking about Rallsburg either, or the Awakened, or Hailey's disastrous interview. Nothing dangerous at all. In the perpetually surface-level discussions surrounding the new girl in school, they were finally talking about something she'd wanted to do.

  Everywhere she went, Natalie could hear them talking about her ears first and foremost. Before the first bell even rang, she realized they were actually positive. They thought she looked cool. Ducking into the nearest bathroom, Natalie used a mirror and a deft bit of telekinesis to tie up her brown hair with short braids, exposing her ears just a bit more. When she returned to class, the whispers redoubled.

  Nobody actually talked to her, of course, and Natalie was perfectly fine with that. She liked the idea of being someone mysterious and cool, but totally unapproachable. If her new appearance combined with the scars kept everyone away, that just made her life all the easier. A nagging memory of a lesson from Boris about staying totally unremarkable replayed in her head—but how much had that helped? She'd tried to stay out of everyone's way, and she'd ended up in situations almost as bad as Rallsburg's last days.

  He couldn't have predicted where you'd end up. He might agree with your choice.

  Yeah. Plus, Hailey and Cinza and Ryan all changed how they look all the time. It's gotta be okay.

  The voice didn't always disagree with her, and when they spoke in unison, Natalie had never felt more confident and self-assured. Since leaving Rallsburg, she'd felt like she was on a topsy-turvy carnival ride like the one her dad had taken her years and years ago, except that she was holding on for dear life and could fall off any second. Up until the voice pushed her to run to Quinn's house, Natalie hadn't truly felt safe in months.

  Thank you.

  I am you. No need to thank yourself.

  You aren't... You're her.

  If you wish.

  So far, nobody in the school seemed to be guessing the origin of her new look. Based on what she could pick out from the whispers (supposedly out of her earshot), everyone just assumed that she'd always hidden them underneath her long hair. Natalie felt relieved. She'd briefly panicked, just as she had with Quinn's parents, that they'd be suspicious of such a dramatic change—but they were more obsessed with the actual appearance rather than where the ears might have come from.

  "So elf-girl," said Kelsey as they stretched on the track, waiting for the teacher to call the start. It was a special day in fourth period gym class, where every student had to run a full mile. Natalie hadn't ever run that far in one go before, but it didn't sound so bad. She had to remember not to use magic, but with how strong her new body felt, Natalie was plenty confident. "I'm still gonna beat you around. Just 'cause you got stronger on your vacation doesn't mean you're better than me yet."

  Natalie grinned. "Vacation?"

  Kelsey smirked back at her, before taking her spot on the line. "We had to call it something."

  "That's a really dumb vacation..."

  "Come on! You got to spend the whole week at your boyfriend's house, alone!"

  She shook her head, face lighting up a bit. "He's not... oh, whatever." He said it, after all... And I actually said it first... I said I wanted us to be dating, and I do. But I don't even know what a date is. Should we like... go to the movies or something? Except I shouldn't be going out. Going to school was already a bad idea... I wish I knew what to do.