Forgotten Royalty (Escaping The Throne)

by Tiffany Wood

  Thank God the final bell just rang as I finished that final assignment. I grab my bag and head out to my locker. As I put my books away, Shaun catches up with me. “Hey, what was that all about earlier?” he asks. “You’ve told everyone about those dreams. Why were you acting like this was something new?”

  I told you he would ask me about it later. “I haven’t told anyone else that I’m having them again. I didn’t want everyone to start psychoanalyzing me again. You know how Torrie gets. And what was up with that blonde remark?” I hope that switches the attention off of me.

  “I figured that you didn’t want to talk about it so I took the attention off of you, and don’t think you can get off that easy changing the subject.”

  Guess not. “Yes, I had the dream again last night and this morning, no, I can’t figure out what they’re saying and I just want to leave it where it belongs, in the past!”I shout.

  Shaun looks down in defeat making me feel really bad. “I’m sorry Shaun. I just don’t want to talk about it right now. Aunt Lynn has been on my case and I’m just really frustrated.”

  Shaun kicks his toe off the floor, “Don’t worry ‘bout it. I know you’ve had it hard. When you’re ready to talk about it though, you will call me, right?”

  Shaun and I have been friends so long I don’t keep anything away from him for long. He was there for me when the accident happened. He remembers it almost as well as I do.

  “Yeah, you know you’ll be the first to hear it. I gotta go for now though. I kinda slammed the door in Aunt Lynn’s face this morning and if I’m late getting home, I’ll be grounded for life instead of just the next week. If I don’t call, you know why.”

  Shaun smiles, “Do you think you could go one day without angering your aunt? I’ll see you tomorrow.” Shaun always knows just what to say. I close my locker and head for the door. No one else will stop me on the way out. Todd drives Torrie home every day and Neiva stays after for the Algebra Club, she’s the president. Shaun walks home every night, he only lives a block from the school.

  As I head out the door, the sun glares in my eyes. “Oof,” I almost fall down the steps but someone catches me. “Wow, thanks. If you hadn’t been there…Hey do I know you?” He looks so familiar, but I don’t know where I would’ve seen him.

  “No, I don’t think so. I think I would remember someone like you. Are you okay?”

  What did he mean someone like me? “Yeah, my name’s Sara.”

  He smiles, “Well Sara, try to be more careful.” He walks away

  “Hey wait, what’s your name?” I try to run to catch up to him but he gets in a car and drives away. That was just unreal. I have never had a guy be so rude to me when I introduced myself.

  BEEP! BEEP! “Sorry.”I just realized that I had stepped into the street trying to catch him. I run back to Thai’s cab and get in. “Did you see that guy?”

  Thai looks at me confused, “The only thing I saw was you trying to get hit by a car. I couldn’t see much else up there. Why what happened?”

  Wow, am I going crazy today? I seem to be assuming that everything that happens is revolving around me. None of this could be connected. I tell Thai everything that has happened today and he nods and listens intently.

  “Sounds like you had an exciting day. You didn’t get hurt when the crow swooped at you or when you fell? Sounds like you have just been very lucky today.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I don’t know why I let them upset me so much. I guess not getting much sleep will do that to you.”

  Thai tries not to look to overprotective as he says, “Maybe you should take a nap when I drop you off. You could go on my route with me if you wanted to sleep in the car.”

  “Thanks but Aunt Lynn is already going to ground me if I don’t get home. She didn’t like my outfit this morning.”

  “What’s wrong with your outfit? It’s not like it’s to revealing.” He asks.

  “She thinks that I should wear more colorful clothes not all black. She is such a pain to be with. Every time I turn around she is psychoanalyzing something about me, my dress, my makeup… anything she can think of.”

  “You know she just wants to keep you safe though. She loves you.”

  There it was the old adults all want to keep you safe speech. Why do they all have to defend each other? “You can just drop me at the corner. I’ll walk down the street.” That was my way of telling Thai I was done talking about it. He dropped me at the corner and told me he would see me tomorrow.

  I stood and watched as he drove away and then turned the opposite direction and walked toward the library. I wasn’t ready to go home just yet and Aunt Lynn wouldn’t be home for another two hours anyway. She always worked late on Mondays.

  Aunt Lynn is a therapist. She tells people how they should think all day long and comes home to tell me the same thing. She gets mad when I tell her I can run my own life. Don’t get me wrong, I love Aunt Lynn and she’s been there for me since the accident. She just doesn’t seem to get me. I can’t seem to talk to her about the important stuff. I’ve tried telling her about my dreams, but it immediately turned into a therapy session. I just wanted her to listen.

  As I walk toward the library, I catch something out of the corner of my eye. Was that the SUV from this morning? No, it couldn’t be. Even if it were, I’m sure it’s just a coincidence. I keep walking and try to ignore it. It pulls into the library parking lot. Okay, that’s not strange. People go to the library every day. I start to cross the street and am almost hit by a red car. Wait, that’s the car that boy got into earlier. And he’s driving.

  “Watch it! Pedestrians have the right of way!” I shout. I wasn’t in a mood to be nice after this afternoon.

  He pulls in front of the library and gets out of his car.

  “What’s your problem?” I shout as I walk closer.

  “You stepped out in front of me, remember. It’s not like I veered to hit you.”

  That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting. “The sun was in my eyes, I didn’t see you coming. Why were you going so fast anyway?” I looked away to try to hide my shame. I had stepped in front of him.

  “Like the sun was in your eyes in front of the school. Do I need to avoid you at all costs in order to keep you from getting hurt? You seem to be kinda accident prone today, or is that an everyday thing?”

  That was hurtful, but it refueled my rage from earlier and I started shouting again, “At least I don’t make it a habit of being rude to someone who just introduced themselves to me.” And with that I walked away. I can be rude too.

  He reaches to grab my arm but I pull it away. “Look, I’m sorry if I was rude earlier. I had someplace to be.”

  Wow, did he just apologize to me. My mouth was still hanging open as I turned toward him. I quickly closed it, “Oh, uh…” What do I say now? I have never been speechless before. Think fast Sara. “That’s okay. You don’t have to apologize. I just, I didn’t catch your name earlier.”

  “You said your name was Sara right?” He avoids the question so smoothly.

  “Yeah, and you repeated it right before your dramatic exit.” The library is looking more and more inviting. Why am I so moody today?

  “Sorry, are you going in?”

  “Maybe, are you going to tell me your name or should I just walk away again?” That was mean of me.

  “Sorry, I guess I just got caught in the conversation. I was gonna ask if you needed a ride if you weren’t going in. I really didn’t mean to be rude.”

  I meet his gaze. Wow, his eyes are beautiful. Almost like that crow earlier. The irises are a deep gray that almost looks black and the pupils are like a deep space. I could get lost in those eyes. It almost looks like there are stars in the irises, like he has a universe in his eyes.

  “Sara?”

  “What? I’m sorry. I must have zoned out there for a second.”

  “I just asked if you wanted to go for a ride.”

  “Uh, no…I mean…I can’t. I
’m not supposed to accept rides from anyone. I mean yes, I’m going in the library.”

  He turns at that and gets the keys out of the car. He walks past me as if I’m not even there. How does he go from I didn’t mean to seem rude, to ignoring me?

  I walk up the rest of the stairs and he is holding the door open. Well, chivalry might not be dead, but I’m not taking pity either. I open the other door and breeze past him like I didn’t even notice.

  I went to my favorite fiction section of the library and looked for the next book in the series I’m reading. I sit down with it at one of the tables and notice him sitting at the table across from me.

  This is going to get really annoying. I can’t focus on my book so I return it to the shelf and look for another. Suddenly I feel something moist and warm on my shoulder. Does he really think that I will forgive him that easily for being rude?

  I grab a book off the shelf and turn to go back to my table. SMACK! There standing in front of me is a very large man. He doesn’t make any attempt to move. I turn the other way but he blocks me and pushes me up against the book case. He smiles a devilish grin that tells me he wants more than help finding a book and I close my eyes.

  Is it over? I open my eyes up to find that he’s gone. I don’t know where he went and right now, I really don’t care. I put the book back on the shelf and go back to my table. I pick up my bag and turn for the door. Standing in front of me is my least favorite person today.

  “Are you okay? I saw that guy at the bookshelf.”

  What? Was he watching me? “Why don’t you just go back to your table and read? Just leave me alone, I’ve had enough of your mood swings for today!” I start to walk around him but he turns and grabs my bag.

  “Wait, I didn’t mean to upset you. Where are you going?”

  Is this guy a psycho or what? “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m going home and don’t even think about following me,” I snapped!

  I was so freaked out right now I just wanted to be by myself. Could this day be any weirder? He let go of my backpack and went back to his table. He looked at me one more time with what looked to be concern and hate in his eyes before I walked away. I went out the door and stood at the top of the steps scanning my surroundings for that guy from inside. I didn’t see him. I ran down the steps, crossed the street, and ran the whole way home. I wasn’t waiting for anyone.

  Chapter Four

  ‘His’ POV

  I watched as she ran off to make sure he wasn’t following her. I knew he wouldn’t, knowing I was right there. I went to the parking lot and found his SUV with him leaning on it.

  “Who do you think you are twerp?” He yells at me.

  “I’m the one who just put you in your place. You are in violation of the council ordinances. It is my duty as keeper of this district to stop you. Leave that girl alone!”

  He smiles big and I can hear his thoughts, “You think you can stop us? You know why we want her, and you know that we will get her.”I knew who he worked for. He had been tracking her for days and I had just caught up to him. “Our people know your plans. We aren’t letting you get away with it.” I wasn’t going to send him my thoughts. That would be too dangerous.

  “You think that your measly little pack can defeat us? Don’t make me laugh. I am going to get that girl, and then I’ll make you watch as I turn her to our side.” He was trying to get a reaction out of me and it was working.

  “I won’t warn you again. Next time, I will hurt you! Don’t push me.” I walked away.

  The Blood Borne Shifters had been our rivals for centuries. The fact that this maggot had gotten past our defenses made me worry about our security. The Knight Wolves Pack had been protecting this area for as long as I could remember. The girl didn’t know it, but she had lycan blood in her. That’s why they wanted her. They wanted to use her against us.

  “Hey Twerp, I didn’t catch your name.” He was toying with me now.

  “The name is Damian. Would you like to give me yours so I can carve it on your tombstone?” I could play games too.

  “Name’s Bane and I doubt you’ll be forgetting it anytime soon.” And with that, he got in his SUV and drove away.

  Sara’s POV

  Aunt Lynn was anxiously waiting by the phone when I walked through the door.

  “Where have you been? I have been worried sick about you. And if you think you’re getting off the hook for that stunt this morning, you’re sadly mistaken young lady!”

  I ran up to Aunt Lynn and gave her a big hug. I might not have wanted to hear everything she was going to say, but I was just glad to be home right now.

  “Don’t think that sucking up is going to get you off the hook either. You’re grounded for two weeks.”

  I could live with that, “Alright.”

  “Don’t argue with…wait, did you just agree on a punishment? Are you feeling alright? No fever.” She says as she feels my forehead.

  Aunt Lynn wouldn’t think to ask me what happened and I really didn’t want to talk about it. I just wanted to eat dinner and go to bed.

  “Is dinner ready? I’m starving.”

  Aunt Lynn just looked at me. “Dinner’s on the table. When you’re done, go straight to bed.” I wasn’t going to argue. I cleaned my plate, brushed my teeth, and went straight to bed.

  As I lay in bed that night, I thought of the boy with the deep eyes. He was so rude to me, but that wasn’t what I was thinking about. I kept thinking about him catching me outside the school, how he looked at me when he thought that guy may have hurt me.

  He even looked upset when he almost hit me with his car even though he was yelling at me. I dreamt about him that night, which was a nice change from my normal dreams. I dreamt that he was sitting in the corner of my room, watching over me like I was someone precious to him. Something woke me up and for a second, I thought he was really there. But when I turned on the light, he wasn’t.

  It was 5 o’clock in the morning. I decided to get up and take a shower. I wouldn’t be sleeping anymore this morning. I got dressed in my usual gothic attire, put on my jewelry and makeup, and went to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal.

  When I heard Aunt Lynn coming out to the bathroom at 6, I laughed because she looked in my room and almost passed out. This was the first day in months that I was up when I was supposed to be up, let alone before her. She looked to the kitchen as if she were afraid I had run away, but saw me sitting there and went into the bathroom.

  “You’re up early.”

  “I guess you were right about all that ‘early to bed, early to rise’ stuff.” I faked a smile.

  “You’re not wearing that to school are you?”

  “Please don’t start that, I know girls that wear worse than this to school.” I thought she was going to start arguing again but she didn’t.

  “Okay, I just wish you would wear stuff a little more colorful. I guess I can’t complain that you’re trying to hide yourself from the world; after all, you are a drama queen.”

  Wow! Did Aunt Lynn just agree with me on something? Write this down on a calendar.

  “I’m leaving. I already called Thai. He was almost as surprised as you at how early I’m up. I’ll see you after school. Love you.” As I walked away I could feel my aunt staring at me with pride.

  On the ride to school, Thai wanted me to tell him everything and anything that happened last night because he was convinced that whatever it was is why I was up so early.

  “It’s just a fluke. I didn’t feel good last night so I went to bed early.” Well, part of that was true.

  “If that’s all it takes to get you to school on time, I’ll call your aunt and tell her to make you tofu burgers every night.”

  We laughed. Thai new I usually didn’t eat my aunt’s cooking. He figured that I must have eaten it last night and it didn’t agree with me. I wasn’t going to tell him any different.

  “So, how long are you grounded for this time?” He would ask.

  �
��Two weeks, but if I keep this up, I may get an early release for good behavior,” If only that were true. I notice something dangling from Thai’s mirror. “Hey, you don’t usually have jewelry hanging from the mirror. Is that a family crest?” I knew it was. We had been studying them in History but I couldn’t find the one from my necklace.

  “Yeah, I usually wear my ring on my finger, but it’s swollen today. I never leave home without it, so I put it on that necklace and hung it up.”

  I could show Thai my necklace, but I don’t want to ruin his moment. We were only a few blocks from school now and I figured I could show him when he picks me up later.

  “So you’ll be out here on time today, no running in front of vehicles?” He mock yells at me.

  I looked at him incredulously, “I can’t believe you’re making fun of me. Yes I’ll be here on time, no running out…watch out!”

  There was that SUV again. Why do they keep trying to hit us?

  “They get closer every time don’t they?” Thai didn’t think anything of it, but I did.

  As we pull up to the school, I thank Thai and tell him again that I will see him after school. I glance at the parking lot and notice a familiar, red, hot rod.

  “Hey Sara,” Shaun called as he ran up to me. “You’re actually on time for once.”

  Let the razzing begin. “Yes, Shaun and you actually dressed yourself this morning and managed to get your hair to stay down.” He had a horrible cow lick that I had to fix between first and second period almost every morning.

  “Alright, truce. I just meant it was nice to see you before first bell. We may even be able to hold a normal conversation before class.” Shaun knew when it wasn’t good to push my buttons. I was happy to see him though.

  “Shall we go in?” I feign a British accent.

  “Yes, I think we shall.” Shaun replies. We walk to our lockers and everyone stares. “I guess I’m not the only one who was surprised by your early arrival.” Shaun says sarcastically. “Take a picture; she may sign it for you one day.” He yells at everyone so they quit staring.