I'm Not A Child Anymore | Tenth Doctor x OC

Chapter Two~The Second Encounter

 December 12th, 2007

Walking down the street these days was dangerous. I was in the center of Manchester, at the Christmas Markets. It was somewhat beautiful though at Christmas. Stalls filled with Christmassy bits, like beautiful gold bauble, or maybe just some coffee. Manchester was only ever majestic at Christmas, it's the only time that people here can be nice, to some extent. I had to pass through here to get home from the college. I passed a Starbucks on my way, and decided to pick up a latte, to fuel the day ahead.

I enrolled at Pendleton College as soon as I was old enough, it was a change of scenery. Scary, no doubt, but beautiful nonetheless. Chase had enrolled at this college when he turned 16, he took Law, Public Services and English, finished with C's and B's. Then at 18 instead of going to University decided to join the police straight away. Now, it's my turn however. Chase had always told me how amazing it was here, and with my brother knowing the teachers knowing Chase already, I thought I'd give it a go. And like always, Chase was right.

It was wonderful. The teachers were always so kind, and the students, sometimes a little stupid but overall a pleasure. After getting the bus to closest stop to my college, I walked down the long road. I tucked my blonde hair behind my ear, before running through the gates. I saw Sadie, with a silly Santa hat on her head. I laughed. "What are you doing?" I smiled. "It's Christmas, Malia. I'm spreading some cheer." She giggled, grabbing my arm and linking it. "Oh God. You sound like an american high school girl in a typical high school musical." I chuckled. "Whatever, Grinch. Now, come on those cute drama girls are singing again." She giggled. "I'm straight!" I exclaimed loudly, as she ran off and I followed. Her hair was a dark chocolate brown, and if that wasn't beautiful enough her eyes were a burning brown.

She was definitely the looker out of the two of us. I was never particularly confident in my face or my body, but I was confident in my mind. I may never be a model, or an actress, but my mind will save me. I had blonde hair that came just past my shoulders, and pale green eyes. They said it reminded them of the Amazonite gemstone. That's how I hear some people call them.

Eventually I caught up to Sadie. "Sades. I have class, meet me at dinner?" I asked, watching her, watching the pretty drama girls sing. "Sure!" She replied, without paying attention. I just laughed. "See you later, stalker." I shouted. Then I watched as Sadie ran away, when the girls looked at her. I giggled and walked up the stairs to my English class. My teacher Julie, was young, probably only just out of University herself.

"Okay, hey guys. So, we're gonna analyze 'The Handmaid's Tale' up to page 60. Hope you did your reading?" She smiled. I smiled as I sat in my seat, in the back, opening the book.

After an hour and a half class, I decided to grab another coffee. There was a Starbucks around the corner from my college, which was convenient. It's almost as if they knew. As I walked down the road alone, I started to hear it again. It had been with me since I was a child, at first I felt like it was a gift from God. He must be speaking to me. I used to think. But now frankly, it felt like a curse.

It grew since I was little. It had started as a mere whisper, a lone, cold winter's night. I though maybe it was a bird, and I had misheard. But eventually it became undeniable. Now, it was like a symphony in my head. Loud. Growing louder. Building.

But, it was only for a few.

There was always this word, that had circled around my head. It was random, at random points in the day. Sometimes even twice a day. It would echo around my head, bouncing around in mt memories, shifting them. It had been there since I was seven, and I don't know why. Nothing special happened when I was seven. Except from my dad and Tina dying.

But nothing else.

This disembodied voice had been here for too long. The word, sounded like nothing I had ever heard, I think that's why I knew I wasn't making it up. Like I couldn't blame it on the grief, because how could I make up a word like that. I didn't even know how to spell it. But I thought once that, maybe it was a name. Like a foreign name.