The Not-So Austen Bookclub discussion

Maximum Ride told us the story of Avian-Americans, as they were so quaintly called...but what if there is more to the plot? What if scientists, in a dystopian world, had found ways to experiment with the human body and to create half-humans...human hybrids that were all built for one purpose - to give the scientists leverage.

Become a hybrid, a mutant, a scientist or an ordinary human - join in this dystopian world where science has turned the tables one what we believe to be possible.

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My character:

Name: Nina Stiles
Age: 16
Type: 80% human, 10% bird, 10% cat.
Quick Bio: Yeah. If you've read the type above, you're probably thinking "Say WHAT?!" Birds and cats? Someone was off their rocker. Well that 'someone' happens to be a lab full of crummy scientists who thought it would be cool for humans to have the agility and flying abilities of birds and yet the stealth and sight of cats. So that left them with a girl who has night vision, can sense someone coming from ten metres away and who had wings on her back. Nice right? Wrong.

Name: Juliet
Age: 15
Type: 82%human, 6%wolf, 12%tiger
Bio:Yeah blending not Juliet's thing, especially since some sicko paid one of the scientists to make a "cat girl" who could protect him and his valuables. The scientist made a "cat girl" all right, she's got the whole shebang, ears, tail, even claws. Too bad the rich sicko didn't have tight enough security to keep her locked up. But it's hard to blend in with civilians when you've got ears on top of your head and a three foot long tail growing out of your back, not to mention the lupine fangs and even the yellow eyes were hard to control sometimes.

Name: Ciara Dayle
Age: 14
Type: 90% Human, 10% Vampire Bat
Quick Bio: "Ooo! Let's make a vampire!" was probably what those dumb scientists were thinking. Okay the sonar kinda echolocation thing is pretty cool. And the wings. But it really sucks when any noise is amplified about 10 MILLION times! And the long elf ears are pretty hard to cover up too. Not to mention my craving for blood which is pretty hard to control at times. My eyesight is-luckily-not too bad, so that's an upside.

Name: Emma Mundy
Age: 16
Type: 80% human, 10% wolf, 10% peacock
Bio: A girl with the Amber eyes of a wolf, hair as blue as peacock feathers with wings as beautiful as their name sake. She can charm all in a heartbeat but is deadly as a wolf when necessary. Emma Mundy seems to have it all- exotic beauty, fearful strength and the intelligence of all three creatures combine. But she's a freak, a blue haired, blue winged, amber eyed freak. People never take the time to notice her shy yet kind personality, they walk all over her. She's sick of it, now she's standing up for herself

Nina Stiles:

"Cat Woman," Jana said, curling one blonde strand around her finger and nodding decisively. "You'd rock that outfit."

I raised an eyebrow at my only friend at Herrenrich High. "Cat Woman. You're so not serious."
"Oh, I am." Jana waved at a girl she knew from cheerleading practice and then turned back to me motioning at my height. "Black leather, cat ears, a mask...and you're set."
I kept my eyebrow raised. Jana rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, Nina. You're acting like I'm force-feeding you poison."

"That would be quicker and less painful than attending our Halloween Dance," I retorted, watching the crowd of students through my black sunglasses. I never took them off and had managed to give the teachers the same crap about eyesight issues for years without raising suspicion. Gossip, yes, but not suspicion.

"How about an angel?" Jana tried, as we reached our side-by-side lockers.
"I sense a theme here," I said wryly and Jana sighed.
"I just want you to feel less...awkward. You know, about your..." She trailed off and made a gesture at me. I knew what she meant. Jana was the only person that knew my secret besides my foster parents. Oh, she had freaked out at first. But then she had gotten all 'omigosh' about having a 'catbird for a bff'.

I don't know which was worse. Being called a 'catbird' or a 'bff'. Why not 'best friend' - why did everything have to be shortened? Including my jet black locks, which Wendy - my foster mum - had forced me to have cut so that they no longer fell down my back and hit my waist, but barely brushed my shoulders.

Jana seemed to be waiting for a response. I sighed, grabbed my English books and shut my locker door...fine, slammed it. "Jana..." I gave another sigh and ran my fingers through my hair, tucking it behind my ears. "I really don't want to go to the Halloween Dance."

Jana gasped like I had just said that Taylor Swift lip-sang and wore blue contacts. "What?! Nina, you HAVE to come! I need someone to go with-"
"You have Kyle to go with," I reminded her calmly, waiting for her to finish applying a third coat of lipgloss in front of the mini mirror she'd stuck to the inside of her locker door. "And I'm not thrilled at being the third wheel, Jana. You'll have more fun without me."

Jana smacked her lips together and glared. "Kyle has friends, Nina. I could always ask-"
"No pity dates, Jana. Actually - no dates period. I have bigger problems to worry about. Like THEM."

THEM being the mad scientists that created me. Wait - you didn't think I was this freakish naturally, right? No, I was originally a normal 100% human like many others on this planet. Until a bunch of whack-jobs decided to stuff up my life.

Emma Mundy

School. To all those who attend- Hell. The breeding ground of gossip, heartbreak and perpetual misery.

Emma got off the bus, headphones still in her ears, with The Temper Trap telling her to 'Soldier On' as she entered the gates on the mandatory prison.

New school. New beginnings.

Of course, the past was too hard to forget. Whenever Emma looked in the mirror, memories of crazy genetic scientists and mutant enthusiasts flashed through her mind like a horrific stop motion movie.

Let's just say that Emma was easily noticed in a crowd, she had Peacock blue hair (that refused to dye, no matter what colours she chose) and amber crystal eyes that apparently, were as mesmerizing and intelligent as a wolf's. And that's just what people immediately saw.
She had beautiful peacock-style wings that, thankfully, she was able to hide well enough and ferocious claws she when needed them.

Emma could charm anyone, persuade them to do anything that they would never agree to in there wild dreams. But to them, she was their wildest dreams. A creature of exotic beauty, just like one of the animals she had so cruelly been forced to cross with.

She shook her head, chasing out the last reminants of this morning's resentment towards her 'Torturers'. Emma had spent her whole life being walked over, abused and used, being too shy to stand up to her oppressors, until she escaped.

New school. New beginnings. She thought again, breathing in and out in deep, calming breaths. Something her yoga instructor had taught her to do when she was stressed.

She walked through the front doors where large signs reading "Halloween Dance!!" hung in every hallway.

Great. She thought. I can go as myself.

Emma turned up the vollume as she made her way to the administration office.

Nina Stiles:

"Miss Stiles," Mr Fisher says as I enter the History classroom. "Nice of you to join us." Immediately, thirty-two teenage heads swivel around to stare at me standing in the doorway.

You gotta give it to the man - he may have no tact, and no sense of timing, but he can get a reaction like an Easter Bunny singing Christmas carols.

I nod, the extent of my communication with the man, and glide down the aisle to take the only remaining seat, which is - thankfully - not too close to the front. I drop my bookbag, take out the pen that I tucked behind my ear earlier during Math, pull out my book and try not to notice that there are stares drilling into me.

Easier said than done.

"Now that everyone's here," continued Mr Fisher, "I think it's time that I talked you all through this term's research assignment." Groans sound from around the room and one guy actually lets a paper aeroplane fly off his desk...and it lands an inch from Mr Fisher's leathered shoed foot. "Please contain your excitement. You will be in pairs and will pick one ancient civilisation on which to give a presentation on to the class. It'll be due in two weeks time, so I expect you to get started soon."

I stared at the clock, then at the window, and then at my nails. The cool thing about having sunglasses was that teachers could never tell when I wasn't paying attention.

Mr Fisher handed out small slips of paper, putting one on each desk. The girl beside me actually sucked in a breath and started crossing her fingers. What was this - fourth grade? I rolled my eyes and began drawing a gnarled tree in the back of my book to pass the time.

"And Miss Stiles." Mr Fisher had reached my desk and I forced myself to look up into his brown-black eyes with the wrinkles crinkling at the sides. "I would appreciate it if you came to class on time, next time please. And here is your partner." He put a piece of paper down on my desk, smiled, and moved on to the next desk.

I eyed the piece of paper with distaste. Maybe being a lab experiment sucked. Maybe scientists were my no#1 enemies. But assigned group projects made a close third to both those problems.

"No use delaying the inevitable," I murmured to myself, picking the slip of paper up with two fingers and unfolding it quickly.

Two words. Blake Johnson.

I put down the paper and returned my attention to my book. Blake Johnson - who the hell was that? It sounded like a designer label crossed with a real estate agent's name. I added grass to the base of the tree drawing and began to shade in the bark when a shadow fell across my desk.

"Um, hey. You must be Nina, right?"

Silently, I lifted my head and took in what - sorry, who - I supposed was Blake Johnson, Real Estate Agent In Training. Tall, not lanky - he had definite muscles - and with beach-boy hair that worked with his eyes that were lighter than hazel, but not quite green.

In short, he was the perfect example of a jock and I half expected to see a football slung under one arm, a toothpaste company tailing him and a cheerleading squad squealing in the background whilst he posed for maximum effect.

"Yes." I couldn't have sounded any more unenthusiastic if I tried.
He smiled and dragged over a seat, placing it in front of my desk and straddling it - leaning over the back of it to face me.
"Nice. I'm Blake Johnson."

I smirked and held up the piece of paper so he could read the words printed across it. "Yeah - I gathered," I said cooly, before scrunching the paper up, throwing it into the bin a metre away and then returning to my drawing.

"So are we gonna pick a topic, or whatever?" Blake's voice was starting to get on my nerves.
"Go ahead," I said, adding a bird's nest to the topmost collection of branches, my eyes on the page. "Knock yourself out."
He seemed taken aback. Obviously he needed things spelt out for him. "So...do you like Romans?"

Let me see...bloody fights, slaves, scantily dressed women and high levels of testosterone? What's NOT to like?! "Try again," I said. Gees, this assignment was going to make me re-asses the whole 'go to high school like a normal teenager' thing.
"Greeks?"
"Nope."
"Aztecs?"
"Do you even know what they are?"

He frowned at this, paused and then said, "Actually-"
"Yeah I thought so," I replied. "Pick something you can actually do some of the work for." Another blank look. "You know...work?"
"I know what work is," he said, tone terse.
"Good. Glad to hear it."

The sound of the bell and Mr Fisher's loud reminder to keep working on the project were both music to my well-tuned ears. I grabbed my bag, stuffed in my book and put the cap on my pen before putting it behind my ear. Blake got to his feet too and said, "Want to meet up in the library after school?"

"Can't," I said, pushing past him and making for the door. And I left it at that.

__________________________________

"Gees, Nina - working to stun?" Jana commented as we lined up in the cafeteria. I rolled my eyes at her, even thought she couldn't see from behind my glasses. She was referring to my outfit of choice today - black slightly heeled boots, with a long black skirt and a short-sleeved dress top that hovered between black, deep blue, and silver. I had paired it off with silver earrings that brushed my neck when I moved my head.

Stun? No - I wish. Stunning would solve a few of my problems.

"You didn't mention it this morning," I replied. "Besides - I always wear these boots."
"They're hot," was Jana's nice reply. "You have to help me find a pair. I'd stun the braincells out of Kyle if I wore boots like those."
"He needs all the braincells he can get, Jana - perhaps you'd better drop the boot idea."

She poked her tongue out at me, but she knew I was right. Kyle may be Jana's 'dream guy' but he was definitely not the descendant of Albert Einstein. "So...whose the buddy for History? I heard Jessica talking about how Fisher really gave a shitty one this time."

I grabbed a tray and then swiped some silverware before the line moved on. "No one. Blake Johnson - this random guy, who-"
"Blake. Johnson?!" Jana seemed to be oxygen deprived. "Holy...God, Nina, why didn't you say anything before?! Are you SERIOUS?"

"Whoa," I said, putting a salad, an apple juice and a blueberry muffin on my tray. "Calm down. What's the big deal?"
"The big deal," Jana said in hushed tones, "is that he is majorly goggle-worthy!"
"Great." If I rolled my eyes anyone they'd fall out of their sockets. "I'll pass on your number, then."
"Nina! I DO have a boyfriend, you know."

"Then act like it," I replied as we took our seats at an empty table. Jana was glaring at me and I was a little sick of it.
"I MEANT that this is the perfect way to get a Halloween Dance date!"
"For you?" I asked.
"For YOU." Jana retorted, biting hard on the end of her carrot stick.

Yes, Jana's diet consisted of rabbit food.

"I refuse to have this conversation," I said, eating a forkful of salad. Jana huffed and I continued, "Look, Jana, no offence to you, the guy or your sacred Halloween Dance, but I'm busy that night already, ok? Not to mention I'm not interested in any of the man-candy you keep showing me."

"I see," Jana said after a brief lapse in conversation. "Does this mean there is someone else?"
"What?!" The first time today that Jana had surprised/shocked me. I took a sip of juice to hide it, even though my sunglasses did most of the work already. "What the hell would make you say that?"

Jana just smiled and said, "I can tell, Nina. You can hide from the teachers, and the world, but you can't hide from me! I know EVERYTHING."
"That is beyond creepy, Jana."
"Kyle says my knowledge is a beautiful quality."
"Kyle is a flirt and is impressed by words with more than six letters."

Emma Mundy

The morning had been a rush of introductions to teachers, meetings with the principal, rush overviews of rules, schedules and maps and she was sent off to figure it all out herself.

So Emma had spent most of her morning wandering around, trying to get a feel for the place.
By lunch, she had a rough idea of where everything was and was able to make her way to the cafeteria without the aid of the school grounds map.

It was busy. Crowded and busy. Emma could feel her heart shrivel and her stomache churn as she entered. She could feel the stares of passer-by students as her hair shone like a beacon, "Look at me!" it sang.

Emma kept her head down as she made her way to the nearest empty table.
She pulled a tin of tuna and a fork out of her backpack but didn't feel like eating. Her appetite and feelings of confidence had flown out the window, waving mockingly at her before it left.

I'm part wolf and I can't even look a stranger in the eye. Emma scolded herself. What a pathetic excuse of a wolf I am.

She suddenly felt silly for wearing such bright colours. It'll help your self esteem. She immitated her mother. I feel like a clown.

She was wearing bright green skinny jeans and a floral chifon shirt with a black cardigan over the top. She really didn't look bad, she was just uncomfortable with her new adjustment into colourful clothing.

Emma shook her head. It doesn't matter. She thought as she took out her massive reading glasses and her book.

Abandoning the tuna and the whole of the student body, she began to relax and feel at ease.

Nina Stiles:

It was the end of the day and Nina was following Jana to the school parking lot, where Jana's Cadillac (rather Jana's older brother's old Cadillac that he had given to her before he'd gone to college) sat waiting, its new paint job gleaming brightly. Jana looked over her shoulder - to wave at Kyle - and then paused, her mouth drawing into a thin line.

"Who the hell is that?" Jana asked with venom.

Nina turned to see an odd-looking girl wearing bright green skinny jeans and a floral chifon shirt with a black cardigan over the top. Her bright blue hair stood out like a traffic light as she walked out of the school doors.
"Ah...dunno," Nina said, opening the passenger-seat door and looking across at Jana who hadn't even bothered to open her own door. "Emma something. I think she takes the same Arts class as me-"

"Seems to me that she takes more than art," Jana said, and I followed her gaze to where Kyle had sidled up to Blue-Hair and was obviously chatting her up. Jana's face turned red and her glare was set to kill. "I cant believe this! She's stealing MY boyfriend! MY date for the dance!"
"She's not stealing him, Jana," I said patiently. "He's talking to her. She didn't initiate anything."
"She didn't have to. Her looks said it for her."

I sighed and got in the car. Jana followed suit, slowly and sniffling a little. She was fragile, Jana was, despite her bubbly cheerleader persona. "Jana...Kyle is not going to dump you."

Jana gave a sniff and swiped at her dry eyes. "God. Out of all the times for me to see...how am I going to watch Gossip Girl tonight? Knowing that my very own guy could walk away from-"

I tuned out and turned on the radio as she pulled out from the parking lot, ranting about boys, blue hair, dances and the unfairness of Leighton being prettier than Jana would ever be. "That hair!" Jana shrieked at the road. "How can I compete with THAT?"

I rested my head against the glass and stared out the window.

Ciara Dayle

I filed out of the school, trying to get away from the mad pushing and shoving fest that everyone seemed to be a part of. I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to rip open my leather jacket and spread my leathery wings to fly the hell out of there.
"Move it, maggots! We got places to go and shit to do!" Some obnoxious 'popular' kid yelled from a few metres away. I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my fists. To my stupid long elf ears it sounded like they had screamed into an amplifier aimed at my ear. I pulled my black beanie over my ears, protecting my eardrums from any further abuse.

It was frustrating, being able to hear everything everyone says. I couldn't ignore anything, it wasn't just my thoughts. Even when the people around me were quiet, I could still hear their breathing, their sniffling, the little scratching noises when the kid across the room fiddles with their hair, even some heartbeats from the ones closest to me.

As soon as was a comfortable distance away from the 'normal' kids, I started running. It was hard getting through school everyday but I had to deal with it. It was better than being at the other School anyway. You know, the one with scientists, experiments, needles, drips... I shuddered, shaking my head. Just... Forget about that now. It doesn't help to dwell on the past.

Emma Mundy

The bus was running late, but she expected that, public transport was always unreliable.
Emma was proud of herself, she had managed to get through the day without causing any drama or trouble. She'd actually enjoyed the few periods she'd been to and no one had any reason to hate her for. That's what she though anyway.

Emma put in her headphones and began searching through her play list for an appropriate song to match her happy mood.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a guy making his way towards her.
Don't. Don't. "Hi." Said the stranger who was now standing next to her.

Why don't people get it? When I have headphones in, don't talk to me! Emma thought to herself. She put on her best smile. "Hi." She said, taking out her earphones.
"Are you new?" the stranger asked.
When'd you figure that out genius? she wanted to say, but all that came out was, "Yes." Her stomache was beginning to flip. Curse my shyness! she thought.
"I'm Kyle." Kyle told her extending out a strong hand.
"That's nice." Emma took his hand uncomfortably. He looked at her expectantly, "Oh, I'm Emma."
"Pretty. Are you catching the bus, because I am too, I could keep you company?"
Emma lied, she had too. "No actually, my mum's picking me up. I'm meeting her over there. I'd better go. Nice meeting you Kyle."

She left before he could reply, Emma called her mum and explained to her why she was not catching the bus.

Juliet

"Yeah, I know but-"
"No buts jewel."
"But-"
"What'd I just say?"
"Argh, fine. I don't know why I listen to you."
"Good, tomorrow's your first day. Try not to be late."

Juliet slammed her phone shut, trying not to wince when she heard a small cracking noise. I can't believe Cole is making me go to school. The word felt foreign to her. School was for normal people, not freaks with two sets of ears and a tail for crying out loud. School was for all the normal teenagers who would someday do something with their lives to better society, not some mutant who didn't even know when their last day would be when that stupid tattoo would appear signaling that they had outlived their usefulness.

I hunched over the wheel of Cole's '68 camaro, I don't know why he wanted me to go to school. I don't even know why he cared, he hadn't even known, he'd had a sister, hadn't even known I existed until a year ago. So I don't see why he had felt the need to help me escape from that sicko's house, or why he had taken me in immediately afterwards. It didn't make sense.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, now wasn't the time to be preoccupied. I made sure my cap was sitting just right on my head so that no one could see the bumps my extra ears made, and that my tail was safely wrapped around my hips underneath me dress. I tried smiling, that's what other girls would do right? They would smile and try to be pleasant for their first job interview, wouldn't they?

I got out of the car and walked towards the large building, even if I didn't want to I needed some means of income. I couldn't just leech off of my brother forever, even though I'm fairly certain he would let me if I wanted to. I squared my shoulders and walked into the building, Cole had called it a mall. I know he wanted me to just be a 'normal' teenager, but I could get a job right?

******

"Congratulations. Welcome to Wet Seal, your first shift is tomorrow. You start at 3:30, don't be late." I tried to smile again, but this woman's attitude was almost contagious. She spoke in such a flat and depressing tone it was hard not to feel a little sad. "Thanks." I tried to say, attempting to be as upbeat as possible. She just stared at me, "you were hired for your looks, nothing more." I grit my teeth, forgetting for a moment my lupine fangs which were digging into my bottom lip.

I quickly left, and probed my lip with my tongue trying to make sure I hadn't done too much damage to it. whatever, I'm only doing this so I can pay back Cole I kept my head down as I navigated through the crowded mall, but there were so many people I couldn't help bumping into a few people.

Unfortunately one of the people I bumped into seemed to take that as some large offense. "Hey, what's your problem!" I slowly turned to him and had to crane my neck to see the beast of a boy. When he saw my face he grinned, "well now, you should watch where you're going you caused me a lout of trouble. Don't worry though, I'll forgive you if you give me an apology kiss." I narrowed my eyes, "Wow, that was a seven letter word. Good for you." I said mock clapping.

The big lug, turned a bright shade of pink and leaned down so he could get in my face. "Look here-" I stood on tiptoe so I could get in his face, "no you look here, there are a lot of people in here. I didn't mean to bump into you so. Let. It. Go." I gave him my best wolf glare and I swear I saw him pale a few shades. He straightened up and turned to his buddies, "c'mon lets go." He turned to me before leaving, "this isn't over."

Whatever he was nothing special, nothing compared to the other genetic freaks I had had to face to get away from my captor's gruesome mansion. When he grew some claws and a backbone maybe I might be slightly scared, but as long as he was just a normal human he couldn't hurt me all by himself.

I quickly left the mall and found the camaro. I felt a little bit better that I could start paying my brother back for everything he had done for me. Even if I didn't know why he had done anything in the first place.

Ciara Dayle

I stopped walking and looked around before clambering up the side of the tree. I swung myself into the treehouse and ducked low, peering over the edge in case anyone saw me. When I was satisfied I leaned against the sturdy wall and sighed, casting my eyes over the area. It was small and quaint, only a few metres each side, but it was hidden, hard to reach and safe. To me, that was all that mattered.

I peeled off my black leather jacket and spread my wings through the slits in my shirt. I stretched my wings half their full length, shaking the muscles back to life. I ripped off my beanie, letting my brown hair loose. My ears poked up the sides of my face, the tips almost reaching the top of my head.
I opened my school books and started on my homework but I couldn't concentrate. I decided to take a nap until night; it ws easier to concentrate then.

I chuckled to myself, those scientists had actually gotten quite me quite close to a vampire. The only thing they missed was the "allergic to sunlight" thing, but I was fine with that. Also, I usually drank animal blood instead of human blood. But human blood was more nutritious, so I ventured out to drink it about once a week.
I shifted my body to lay on my stomach, my wings splayed at my sides. I closed my eyes, thinking about the Halloween party. My lat thought before I went to sleep was:
If I went to the party as my true self-wings and all- I would probably make a convincing vampire, and everyone would think it was just a costume.

Nina Stiles:

Dinner was stifling. Well, seeing it was some kind of healthy all-the-rage curry, it made sense, but the atmosphere was perhaps even more stifling than the food. My foster parents Wendy and Jack sat at both ends of the table, eating silently and I sat in the middle, picking at my food.

"How was school?" Wendy asked, pouring herself a glass of apple juice. "Are you liking your classes?"
I gave a non-committal nod and focused on separating the broccoli from the rest of the curry, using my fork to move it onto the edge of the plate. A loner. Kinda like me.

You know I've lost it when I start comparing myself to vegies.

"And how's that Hudson girl...Tara, was it?" Jack asked between a mouthful of rice.
"Jana," I corrected, for what must have be the hundredth time over my nearly year-long association with the girl. "Her name is Jana, Jack."
"My fault."

Silence fell again and we all pretended to be interested in the food. I know what they really want to ask. Did you keep your 'stuff' a secret? Were you treated well? Did you get into trouble? Do you think you can be normal now?

Normal. Like that will ever happen.

"Can I be excused?" I asked, pushing my plate away. "I have a tonne of Trig homework to do." Lie #1: we're studying Functions. And Ms Reyner gave us one page of homework to do and it was multiple choice.

"Sure...sure," Wendy said, repeating the word twice like it sounds more profound that way. "Are you sure you don't want anymore?"

I nodded and took one last sip of juice before getting up and, once I exited the dining room, raced up the stairs and fled to my room - locking the door behind me. I leant against it and let out a sigh.

One day down.

I flip open my phone and check my messages. Nothing from Aiden.

Aiden. God, Jana would bury me alive if she knew about him - not that there is anything to know about...Aiden is practically a monk, or so I joke to him whilst secretly admiring his physique.

Aiden Trent is the only person who knows what I have been through, mainly because he was there himself. The son of a genetic scientist he was 'offered up' at age two and they gave him the power of flight, much to his dismay. Yep, he's a regular 'Avian American' but I am jealous of the fact that he's not a cocktail of types, like yours truly.

Bird and human is one thing. Bird, human and cat? That is quite another.

Aiden and I escaped together and managed to get in with a bunch of nice-and-not-as-psycotic scientists who decided to 'ease us into society' by giving us to foster parents, in the hope we would act like happy little campers and be nice, normal teenagers.

Yeah. And lemon drops and gum drops will rain from the sky.

Now we live one neighbourhood away, and - I hate to admit it - I miss him. I miss the ease with which I can talk to him, unlike Jana. I liked that Aiden got me. That Aiden wouldn't treat me like a charity case, or pity me, or put me down for not wanting to 'fit in'.

I closed my phone, and flopped back on my bed. Should I text him? No. He said he'd text next time he was free to train with me. Since we were both 'winged' as such, we liked to test our abilities by training sessions every once and a while.

In secret.

Because the scientists, Wendy, Jack and Aiden's foster parents could never know. Because we weren't meant to be honing our skills. We weren't meant to be revelling in our differences. We were meant to be trying to be as normal as possible.

But since when was being normal any fun?

Ciara Dayle

I woke up to something scuttling over the back of my neck. Before opening my eyes I could tell it was a squirrel. They made a little sound as if they were chattering to themselves. I opened my eyes and peeled the creature off my neck. It struggled in my arms and I scratched it under the chin and placed it carefully on the wooden floor. The squirrel ran up the trunk to it's little hole. I stood up. It was dark, probably around nine or ten O'clock. I put a foot on the branch further up the trunk and jumped up, grabbing my school bag from the 'shelf' I'd stuck there.

It took me a few minutes to finish since Ms Reyner was awesome enough to give only one page of multiple choice. My stomach rumbled and I huffed. I checked my storage box but I didn't have any food left. I'd forgotten to stock up last week. I sighed,pulled my jacket on to cover my wings and stuck my beanie over my ears. Human blood was the only thing that'll fill me enough to get food.

I slid down the tree and walked around, ear cocked to the side. I heard someone walking a few streets away and headed towards the sound.

Emma Mundy

Home was the only place she felt comfortable, it was her refuge in which, she spoke openly about her ideas, her feelings and her passions.

Emma sat in front of the lit fireplace, watching the flames dace in their beautiful dresses, quickly spinning to an unheard tune. She now wore a strapless top so that her wings were out and she could finally stretch them.

They were truly beautiful, her wings. They even made Emma herself sigh when she saw them.

Now, little five year old fingers rang along them, deruffeling and refining them to their glory. "I wish that I could be an angel." Lillia Mundy said, running her hand over them once more, mesmerized by the enchanting variety of blues that eventually transcended into bright greens. "Then we'd be sisters!"
Emma snorted and pulled the small girl onto her lap. "We ARE sisters, you crazy kid. And I am not an angel!"
It was true, Lillia and Emma were biological siblings, they would have looked quite similliar had Emma not been kidnapped and tested upon. Lillia still believes that a fairy came and made her older sister some beautiful creature, no one had had the heart to tell her otherwise.

"Is blue your favourite colour, Emmy because it would be bad if it wasn't." Lillia told her sister, now running her small fingers through Emma's vibrant hair.

"I guess it is." Emma laughed and began braiding her sister's long brown hair. "What's your favourite colour, crazy kid?"

"I like pink, but only when it's Monday. I don't like to wear it on Tuesday, because my favourite colour is purple on that day. Wednesday is the day when I only like yellow and I hate pink and purple..."

Emma sighed to herself. If only her problems were as blissful as not wearing red on Sunday and not to do with being a freak who has to fit in with mundane society.

Nina Stiles:

I'm eating some kind of crackling-leaves-with-crunchy-nuts-feeling cereal the next morning, sitting on a barstool at the kitchen bench top and watching as Wendy made herself a wholegrain toast with honey, banana slices and drizzled honey.

Did I mention that Wendy and Jack Frinsk are health nuts? Jack was sipping a soy-based coffee and I could smell the healthiness of it from across the room. Wendy gave me a smile over her reading glasses and flipped the page of her 'Science Weekly'.

"Is Jana dropping by this morning?" Wendy asked pleasantly.

I shook my head. Sometimes Jana would give me a ride to school and save me the twenty minute walk, but today she had promise her mother that she would drop her younger sister Yasmin off. "No. I'm walking today."

Jack glanced up from his coffee and morning paper. "Are you going to school dressed like that?" I pulled an affronted expression and stood up to expose my outfit to maximum effect.

"Why not?" I asked, giving a short twirl and striking an exaggerated pose. "I think I look...ravishing." Wendy smiled and Jack glared. But I mean, come on. Give me a break - I didn't look that bad.


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Long black skirt, boots and my favourite black shirt with a mock-grey corset over the top. Finish off with silver necklaces and ta da! Scientific abomination outfit complete!

"Well, I better get going," I said, heading for the door and slinging my bookbag over my shoulder and grabbing my black sunglasses off the bench. My amber eyes may be ok on display at home, but at school - not so much. Wendy gave my back a last-minute check to make sure my wings were retracted and fully covered and then I was out the door, walking down the front path.

I swung open the quaint iron gate and stepped outside the white-washed fenced 'enclosure' that counted as 43 Brimwell Lane and began my long walk, keeping to the sidewalk and popping in my earphones and cranking up the volume of Little Mix's 'Wings'.

Mamma told me not to waste my life
She said spread your wings my little butterfly
Don't let what they say keep you up at night
And they can't detain you
Cause wings are made to fly
And we don't let nobody bring us down
No matter what you say it won't hurt me
Don't matter if I fall from the sky
These wings are made to fly

I was vaguely aware of the distant honking of a horn and watching from the corner of my eye as a sleek BMW came up beside me. Pissed, I popped my earphones out, stuffed them in my bag and crossed my arms as the car window rolled down. I opened my mouth and said, "And who the hell do you think you-"

A handsome face sporting a wide grin appeared and my words froze in my throat. I rushed over to the car and stuck my head through the window, flinging my arms around the neck of the driver.

"Oh my god, oh my god!" I shrieked, clinging on tightly. The driver laughed and tried to pry me off, saying,
"Gees, Nina! Give me a sec, ok? and I'll open the door!"

I reluctantly let go and waited impatiently until I heard the click of the car doors unlocking. I ran over to the passenger side and hopped in...smiling widely at none other than Aiden Trent.

Aiden Trent was 7'2 with lightly tanned skin, bronze hair and grey eyes and a superhero complex that matched his Avengers obsession. He loved pizza, hated M&Ms and lived to fly. You could say he was a bit of a daredevil...though that streak often disappeared when it came to giving me the 'Be Careful and Cautious' talks. Then he was a boring monk-like mentor with bird poop for brains.

He gave me a side hug - which was quite the feat considering we were sitting in a car. "Gosh, you've grown, Nina. It's been, what...four weeks?"
"A month and two weeks," I answered, raising an eyebrow. "You haven't texted." I know I sounded like a clingy girlfriend but I couldn't help it. He had promise to keep in touch.

Aiden rubbed a hand over his jaw. "Sorry 'bout that. The 'rents have cracked down hard and I didn't want to risk them finding us out."
I shook my head but smiled anyway. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're here."
"So am I," he said, grinning and I felt my insides turn into Jelly-O. He gestured to the sidewalk and said, "You going somewhere?"

"School." Aiden was home-schooled - lucky idiot. Wendy and Jack had insisted that I have the 'full cultural and social experience'. "I was just walking over."
"Want a ride?" he offered, giving me an earnest look.
I winced. "You appear for the first time in over a month and I make you my chauffeur? Seriously, Aiden, don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

He tapped the steering wheel and shot me a look. "Come on. I want to! Besides, I'd give anything to see the institution they've got you in." Ass. I flicked his bicep and he chuckled. "You can make it up to me later. How 'bout I drop you off, pick you up and then we'll take the afternoon off?"

"What?" He'd surprised me. Normally, when Aiden did appear, it was for 'training and sober activities' time - not recreational stuff and 'seeing the town'. "Are you serious?"
"Sure. Why not, hey? I'll have you home before the parental units send out the search party, I promise. Scout's Honour." He held a hand to his heart and I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever."
"I'll take that as a yes then."

I buckled up and settled back in the seat as Aiden stepped on the pedal. I cast a quick sideways glance and took in the image. Aiden driving me to school. Aiden wearing a grey t-shirt that brought out his eyes and made him look...right at me.

I blinked and fought to think of something to say. "Please tell me you haven't grown," I blurted.
He shook his head and smirked. "But I'm still taller."
"I can kick your-"
"Don't count your kittens before they hatch, Nina."

That was his favourite comeback - a bird-and-cat combination he'd made up just for me. I punched him in the arm and the car swerved dangerously before getting back on course. He glared and I smiled sweetly.

"Eyes on the rode, Handsome."

Emma Mundy

Emma had decided that she'd be walking to school from now on, recalling the encounter with Kyle and kbowing that seeing him again would be awkward, at least for her.

Anyway, Lillia had Day Care on Tuesdays and it was right next to the school. "You got everything Kiddo?" Emma asked, holding Lillia's hand and they walked out the front door. Lillia, dressed all in different shades of purple, nodded enthusiastically. "Ok then, let's go."

Still holding the child's hand, Emma walked down their street. What a sight we must be. Emma thought. Lillia in purple and me in red, we'd definitely be attracking some attention.

"I hope we do finger painting today." Lillia thought aloud, she did that a lot. "And if we do, I hope James Randers isn't in my group."
"Why? What's wrong with James?"
Lillia continued to rant about why James was naughty boy all the way to Day Care.

"Ok Lilli! Bye, I'll see you this arvo."
Lillia waved and ran into the gates, totally forgetting her worries of James Randers.

Another girl was dropping her sister off too it seemed. "Bye Yasmin." She said, smiling but when she saw Emma, the smile fell from her face and she stormed off towards, what Emma assumed was her car.

Emma frowned in confusion, but seeing the time, ignored the strange behaviours of the girl and hurried to school.

Nina Stiles:

"Thanks, Aiden," I said through the car window, giving him a salute. "I owe you," I added, feeling bad for making him take time from his schedule to babysit me. Aiden waved my thanks away and smiled.

"No prob, Nina. I'll catch you this afternoon - be prepared!" He grinned and pulled out of the school parking lot. I watched him go, feel a tad sad.
I wished I was more apart of Aiden's life, but the facts were in front of me - I was the crazy mutant girl from his past who he needed in order to train.

Yeah, maybe we were friends. But anything more than that would be dreaming.

"Nina!" I turned and saw Jana hurrying over to me, tottering in her pink pumps. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave me a pleading look. "Please don't be mad at me for this morning - I feel SO bad for making you walk-"
"Don't worry," I said, stepping in beside her as we entered. "I got a ride."
"From who?"
"Umm...a neighbour."

We headed straight for our lockers and Jana opened hers with a vicious tug, and it was then that I noticed her red eyes. Red-rimmed, that was. "Hey," I said, worried. "What's up?"

"Let me see." Jana jutted out a hip and pursed her lips. "My supposed boyfriend calls me last night and informs me that he doesn't think we should go together to the dance. Something about 'making friends' and 'not being so tight'."
"In other words," she continued, her eyes snapping with an angry spark. "That shecock has her claws in him."

"Shecock?" I asked, bewildered.
Jana sighed. "She-peacock. That blue-haired girl. She looks like a freaking peacock. What Kyle...what people see in her-"
"Kyle's an arse, Jana," I said, squeezing her hand. She rolls her eyes and tries to smile.

"Anyway," she says, taking a deep breath, "I dig your outfit, girl. Very chic."
"Thanks. Jack disapproves."
"Which makes it the perfect choice - you parents are too uptight."
"And healthy."
"That too."

Emma Mundy

There he was. The very person she aimed to avoid was standing outside the gates.
"Hi Emma" He smiled happily.
Oh my gosh, Emma thought, go away!
"Kyle." She replied but kept walking.
He stayed beside her though, "How are you? Do you want me to hold your books? What classes do you have?"

Realisation hit her quite suddenly. He didn't have feelings for her, it was her Peacock beauty and Wolf elegance that attracted him.

She had zoned out as his onslaught of questions continued. Eventually, she couldn't stand it anymore. She stopped in front of her locker and turned to him, amber eyes burning into his brown ones.
Even her shyness couldn't stop her wolf side coming out. "Kyle, do you always follow pretty girls mindlessly around? You look ridiculous and I'm sorry but I'm not interested. "

Luckily she didn't say it very loudly so as to humiliate him.

Kyle shook his head, as if he were coming out of a trance. He looked at Emma, "Hi, I'm Kyle. You haven't happened to see my girlfriend Jana, have you? Oh, there she is." He left Emma and went over to a girl. It was the girl ftom the Day Care center! That's why she hated me, I hope this clears it up.

Emma rolled her shoulders, her wings were killing her today. Suddenly, she felt them beginning to unravel without her consent.

She saw the bottom of her wings sticking out of her shirt. Emma grabbed her backpack to cover it, she looked around to make sure that nobody saw.

It seemed as if no one did, until she met the eyes of the girl standing next to Jana, who was talking to Kyle furiously.

The other girl had a look of shock upon her face as she looked once more at the bottom of Emma's shirt.

Still her wings decided to keep unravelling and Emma sprinted to the girl's bathroom and locked herself in a cubicle.

"What the hell is going on?" she whispered, her wings seemed to be growing bigger. "Why now?"

She remembered overhearing the genetic scientists, "Every month, her wings will grow until, after a year, they're the size of her body."
"How will we know when it happens?" the other asked.
"She will feel growing pains the day before and when they grow, it will be rapid and spectacular!"
She shuddered as she remembered their sadistic laughter as her wings continued to grow.

This morning, they reached from the top of her shoulders to her lower back. Now, they arched to the height of her ears and continued passed her butt.

It was spectacular, in a cruel kind of way. "I'm just going to have to wait it out." Emma sighed.

Then from outside her cubicle came a voice, "Are you ok?"

Juliet

"Why can't I just drive the camaro?" I asked curiously, Cole had insisted on having one of his drivers drive me to school. "Because Miss, he's worried about you and thought someone ought to keep an eye on you. And that is a very nice car, he doesn't want it to get stolen." That explains it I thought to myself as we pulled up to the school.

As I got out of the car I waved the driver off and turned to see almost everybody in the parking lot starring at me. Perhaps showing up on my first day of school in a limousine wasn't such a good idea. I didn't know whether to duck and avoid the stares or just ignore them. I chose the later. Something about having the pride of a wolf had a large part in it.

I still didn't get the reason Cole was making me go to school, it wasn't likely that I would make it to adult-hood anyway. It was stupid to make me go and waste my time in a place preparing me for adult life.

I eyed the posters hanging on the wall, something about a Halloween dance. Continuing on past the posters I walked into the school's office to get my schedule.

After talking with an overly sweet administrator I scanned my schedule. Over the past six months Cole hired a tutor to home school me so I would be caught up when I eventually went to public school. It wasn't like I was stupid before or anything, just not up to date on certain subjects. Unfortunately it seemed that the tutor had done his job too well, all the subjects on my schedule were things he had taught me already. I shrugged, not really caring at least all my classes will be easy.

I looked up, trying to get used all the people. I wasn't used to crowds, I supposed I would have to get used to them though. Off to the side I heard someone take in a sharp breath, and I looked wondering what would cause them to do that. I saw a pretty girl starting at someone in horror and shock. Following her gaze I saw what she was looking at. My eyes widened, there was a girl with striking blue hair with what appeared to be feathers that were trying to rise up against her shirt.

The blue hair girl sprinted to the bathroom, trying to hide the feathers. As she dashed away I saw that the feathers were peacock feathers and they were attached to wings. I stared after her in shock, just standing in the hallway until someone jostled me out of my daze. There's someone else who's not human. Someone like me. I thought as I strode after her, determined to at least meet this girl.

She had run into a bathroom, so I followed her in and made sure no one else was inside with us. I heard the girl whimper, "Are you ok?" I asked her with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Could you just go away?" She said in a strained voice. I leaned against the outside of her stall. "I'm sorry but I can't do that. If you'll let me, I want to show you something." I knew the only way she would trust me was if I showed her something personal. Her voice shook when she replied, "really, could you just leave me alone?"

I pursed my lips, "please I really think you should see this." I locked the door to the bathroom before taking my hat off, though I kept my ears as flat as I could manage. "Fine, if it will make you go away I'll look at whatever you want." I tried to smile, but the jitters I was getting were too much. The only person to see my ears with my consent was Cole, now I was showing them to a random stranger.

The girl slowly opened the stall door about three inches and looked through the crack. I slowly made my ears rise up and I unwrapped my tail from around my hips, letting it hang down the back of my short dress and swishing it back and forth so she could see it.

"So what do you think?" I said nervously, if I was wrong and she was just a normal human I was in big trouble. I swallowed, the nervous jitters were starting to get to me.

Nina Stiles:

"I'll just be a sec," I said hastily to Jana, who nodded vaguely, her concentration wholly on Kyle who had waved at her before joining his jock friends. I ran to the girls bathroom, quietly opening the door and then staring - shocked - at the two girls before me.

One with ears. One with wings. This scene is brought to you by "Holy *** we're all mutant teenagers what the hell do we do now?!"

"You...crap." I tugged on one of my silver necklaces and stared unabashedly at the two girls - the one with ears quickly whipped a hat over her head and the one with the blue hair gave a shriek and locked herself in the nearest cubicle. "This is so not happening."

Name: Zelena Allen
Age: 17
Type: 90% human, 10% mutant.
Quick Bio: One night, as she was preparing to leave school, a lightning bolt shattered a case full of chemicals and spilled them all over her. As a result, she found that she could run extremely fast and had matching reflexes.

Zelena Allen

"Oi, Zelena. Your going to be late for school" my brother said, yanking the doona off me.

I laughed and stretched "When has that ever been a problem for me?"

He scowled "What if someone sees you?"

I laughed again, hopping out of bed "Yeah right. Plus, I've been doing this for the last 2 years. No one at school has noticed, ever. I'm still the same person they always thought I was. Now get out"

He huffed, then walked out, slamming the door.

I threw on some clothes, grabbed my backpack and walked into the kitchen "See you tonight big bro" and dashed out the front door.

Juliet

I stared in shock at the girl who had run into the bathroom. oh, **** Blue girl had shrieked and run into the stall. I sprang at the girl, grabbing her and yanking her towards the stalls. I turned and blocked the door, blocking the exit since obviously the lock was not reliable.

My heart was pounding so hard I wouldn't be surprised if it beat right out of my chest, I had screwed up showing someone I thought was like me was one thing but some random girl I knew nothing about was entirely different. I stayed right in front of the door and tried to sound as menacing as possible, "You didn't see anything." The girl paled a bit and I bet my wolf eyes were flashing.

She swallowed, "u-um your tail....." I sent her a death glare and quickly wrapped my tail back around my hips. I hissed at her, and she flattened herself against the stall. "I won't tell anyone, promise!" My lip curled back, showing my lupine fangs. "And how do I know that?" I stalked towards her, making sure to keep between her and the door. "Because I'm like you!" She blurted out, and I stopped short.

The odds of their being not just two but three freaks was unlikely, unless this town was some sort of hot spot for genetic screw ups. "Show me." I backed up from her, giving her some space. I tried to keep my menacing glare, but I could feel it faltering. "H-here?" I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded.

The girl slowly let her wings unfurl, and I let out a sigh of relief. She was like me, which meant I could trust her. At least to keep my secret. I relaxed my stance, letting my arms fall to my sides. The girl hide her wings and looked around a little fearfully.

"I'm sorry if I came off as rude. I really feel bad about it, but things would be bad for my brother if anybody found out about me. I'm sure you know how it is." I tried to smile, but still felt immensely guilty. Just seconds ago I had been threatening her for no reason other than seeing something I wished she hadn't.

The girl looked suspicious and eyed me warily, "I'm Juliet, I am truly sorry if I scared you." I looked down at the ground, my shoulders sagging. I thought about Cole and what his reaction would be when he learned what I had done. I looked back up at the girl, "what's your name?"

Emma Mundy

Three freaks in one bathroom? The odds of that were like next to nothing, yet there they were.

"I'm Julliet." said wolf girl, but Emma barely heard her. She knew yet another onslaught of pain was coming on and it made her dizzy.

She felt excruciating pain and gasped as her wings grew once more. Then, as if it couldn't get any worse, she heard the tearing of fabric as her shirt could fight her powerful wings no more. It ripped right in two. "S**t." She cursed, trying to cover herself with the small fragments of fabric that remained of her shirt.

The pain brought her to her knees and she cried out.

"Oh my gosh, are you ok?" Julliet said as she and the other girl rushed towards her.
"Fine.." She managed, "You girls wouldn't happen to have a spare shirt, would you?" She asked weakly.

But she was far from fine, her back was on fire and tears streamed down her face. Soon, she could take no more and Emma fainted, right there in the bathroom in front of two strangers she'd just met.

Nina Stiles:

I raised an eyebrow at the girl. "Uh, Nina. Nina Stiles." I reached a hand behind my back to make sure my wings had retracted. I couldn't risk anyone else finding out. "So - Juliet. Sorry about barging in it's just that I spotted the other girl's wings..."

The blue-haired girl's head appeared from around the door to the stall she had barricaded herself in. "You saw them earlier in the hall? So it wasn't just my imagination!" She rubbed a hand over her face, looking freaked out. "They have never acted like this before - never. I've always been able to control them."

"Ears are so much easier to manage," Juliet said, patting her head. She looked over at me and said, "So - Nina. What's up with the sunnies?"

I took a breath and whipped them off, showcasing my amber eyes. "This is what's up," I said, before sliding them back on. "Besides - they look hot."
Juliet snorted. "So you're an evil-eyed bird?"
I bit back a retort. "No. I'm part human, part cat and part bird."
Juliet looked surprised. "O-kay. My capacity for weirdness has been extended."

"I've got to get to class," I said, patting my hair and checking my refection in the bathroom mirrors. I stared at their reflections before turning back around, my back to the sink, to face them. "Should...I mean, do you both wanna - I don't know. Hang out sometime? Only if you want to," I hastily added. "It's only that I had no idea that there were others here, at school, of all places."

Nina Stiles:

Suddenly, though, the blue-haired girl cried out.

"Oh my gosh, are you ok?" Julliet said, hurrying over, and I was close behind her.
"Fine.." she managed, "You girls wouldn't happen to have a spare shirt, would you?" she asked weakly, before falling to the ground in a faint.

"Great." Juliet gave me a look. "Now what to we do?"

Zelena Allen

I arrived at school in record time, and sauntered down the school hallway. Senior year. My last year of high-school and I couldn't wait to be out. I stopped at my locker, where a girl was standing in the way, in a trance-like state, starting at a bunch of guys a little further ways up.

"Umm, excuse me, do you mind moving over a scooch?" I said, touching her shoulder lightly.
She whipped around to look at me, moved slightly and sighed "Do you think all guys are jerks?"

I opened my locked and laughed "Yes"
I grabbed my books out, closed my locker and found her staring at me, shock eyed. "Really?"

"No, not really. You just go to find the right one" I smiled at her.
She smiled back "I'm Jana"
"I'm Zelena" I replied, bouncing on my toes slightly, when her eyes went wide with shock again. Of course, most girls do when they find out my name.

"Your... Your Zayden's sister" she said.

"Yep, the infamous Z twins" I nodded.

Ciara Dayle

I strode into the school slowly, tugging my black beanie over my long ears to shield them from the amplified noise. I sat on a bench alone, as usual, with my eyes closed. The kids around me walked past without hesitation, probably not caring about the loner freak. I chuckled to myself. It was kind of funny, in a sadistic way.

I heard a group of kids giggling together.
"There's the emo freak." One of them whispered. My sensitive ears could hear the conversation as if they were standing right next to me. Emo freak? Seriously? Just because I wear black...
"She's so weird, she just sits there with her eyes closed. Like, what's up with that?" Another said.
"I wonder what hobbies she has. Maybe she, like, murders things. Or captures things to torture them."
I frowned internally, do I really look that suspicious?
"Check her bag, maybe she hides the bodies there."
They giggled.

I heard their clothes rustle and knew they were making gestures. I'd read about something bats could do, called Echolocation, where bats bounce sound waves off their surroundings to find their prey. I hadn't practised it much, since I usually didn't need to. But now would be a good time to practise.
I took a deep breath and convulsed my throat, sending out a sound wave too high-pitched for any human to hear. It bounced off the group and I listened to it. The sound wave made an image in my mind. One of the kids, a boy, was holding a finger to his lips, and the others were huddled together, watching me.

The image faded and I heard the boy tiptoe towards me. When he was close, he stopped and reached for my shoulder bag, which I'd left next to me. The tip of my finger twitched. He was going to steal my bag! How low can you get?

The second he touched my bag, I snapped my eyes open. He froze, hand around the strap. The group behind him gasped. I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled his face close to mine. He stumbled forward, eyes wide.

"Get. Lost. Brat." I sneered into his ear. My voice was gruff from not talking in ages so it sounded a lot more menacing then I meant it to. He shrieked and fell backwards onto his butt. He scrambled back and fled, his group running behind him.

"Ciara Dayle!" A teacher's voice yelled at me a few minutes later.
I sighed, that's probably another detention for me.

Nina Stiles:

God, what an asshole.

"Ciara Dayle!" A teacher's voice yelled out, and I looked around from where I sat to see Mr Fisher stalking towards that goth-looking chick that had been sitting peacefully before the dumbass tried to take her stuff. "I think you need to come with-"

"Mr Fisher!"

Oh. My. God. That was me. I actually got out of my seat, plastered a smile on my face and ran up to Mr Fisher like he was my fave teacher on the face of God's green Earth.

"Oh, Mr Fisher!" I said, pretending to me out of breath. "Thank goodness you're here!" I pointed to the group of nasty bitches over by the main benches and to the shady bag-snatching dude. "That lot have been causing SO many disruptions. They even," I added, lowering my voice, "started to make comments about graffiti-ing the History department..."

I didn't need to say anymore. Mr Fisher stalked over to the benches, his face red and his expression furious.

Emma Mundy

Emma woke up in the school Nurse's office, her back ached, but she could tell that the growing had stopped.

She was dressed in a shirt from the school shop, but froze, wondering who had seen her Mutant bits.
"Don't worry, I was able to get you a shirt and bring you here without anyone noticing." Julliet sat beside the bed. "Are you ok?"

Emma nodded, "Yeah. Thanks so much for your help. I'm Emma by the way."
Julliet smiled, "Nice to meet you Emma. I wouldn't have thought that in a million years, I would meet someone like me. So, what are you crossed with?"
She spoke as if they were talking about the weather, Emma smiled. "Peacock and wolf."
The girls eyes widened, "I'm part wolf too!"
"No way! Where's the other girl? I wonder what she was." Emma said.
"She's a cross between bird and cat, she was here but she said had to get to class."
"Don't we have class now?" Emma asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah, we should probably get going." Julliet helped Emma to her feet and linking arms, they made their way to class.
She definitely got the wolf confidence that I seem to be lacking in. Emma thought. I wish that I was more like that.

Zelena Allen

"Anyway, better get to class" I said to Jana, before heading off.

My first class was English, fairly close to my locker. I wandered into the room, dumped my books on my desk and slumped in my chair. English had never been my strong subject.

A boy slumped in the seat next to me "Hey Zee"

I smiled at him "Hey Hudson. Ready for this?"

Hudson was my best friend. We used to be a trio, along with my brother, before my parents died. Before Zayden had to finish his schooling early and get a job. Before things were complicated.

"As ready as always. Which is never" he laughed "You going to that stupid Halloween dance?"

I pretended to ponder "Since your making it sound so exciting, yes I think I might" He rolled his eyes at me and I laughed. "No way. Dressing up and dates... Ugh. No thanks"

He smirked "Assassin's Creed instead?"

I nodded "Heck yes"

Juliet

I felt so giddy, knowing not only that I wasn't the only freak around but that one of them was also part wolf. I couldn't keep the smile of my face as Emma and I strode down the hallways arm in arm. I tried to tone my excitement down as we made our way towards class.

I glanced at the clock and discovered it was already 3rd period, whoops, Cole's going to be really mad isn't he? Oh well, it wasn't like I could leave Emma alone in the nurse's office. What if someone had come in and she had her wings out?

We got lucky, Emma and I had the same 3rd period class. As we entered the classroom the teacher, a woman who had uncontrollable hair and seemed frazzled called out to us. "Emma you're late, and you must be Juliet Henford. You two better have a pass." There was a collective gasp as she said my last name, or at least Cole's. I guess Cole is more well known than I thought.

Emma and I shared a look, the nurse hadn't even seen us leave. Emma still looked a little shaken from what had been happening earlier so I spoke up for us, "Emma was having some uh growing pains," not a total lie "so I took her to the nurse." I smiled, trying to take attention off Emma who clearly looked uncomfortable especially with a pretty cheerleader type girl glaring daggers at her.

The teacher looked unconvinced and looked like she was going to give us crap about not having a pass, "you could just call the nurse, I'm sure she remembers Emma." A girl with natural blue hair was kind of hard to forget. The woman pursed her lips but let it drop and gestured for us to take our seats.

****

"So, do you know where we could meet Nina?" I cocked my head at Emma, we were carrying some very questionable cafeteria lunches and looking for either a free table or Nina. Emma shrugged and hunched her shoulders a little bit, there were a lot of people staring at her. I glared at them, trying to make them look away.

With my enhanced hearing I heard someone calling my name so I turned and saw Nina trying to get my attention. I turned to tell Emma and jerked my head towards Nina and we weaved our way through the semi-crowded cafeteria.

"Hey Nina what's up?" I said before unceremoniously plopping down on the nearest seat. She shrugged sitting down a little more carefully than I had, and Emma followed her.

Nina Stiles:

"Nothing much," I said, trying to give a nonchalant shrug. I smiled kindly at Emma and asked, "So how are you feeling - better?"

Emma Mundy

"Much better. I can't believe this!" Emma said, gesturing to the the circle. "Finally I'm not alone!"

Ciara Dayle

I smiled to myself, happy that I'd avoided detention. That girl, whatever her name was, had obviously helped.
I grabbed heaps of food and sat at a table in the cafeteria, munching. My ears twitched and I zoned into a conversation between the girl who'd helped me, some other girl with awesome blue hair and a girl with amber eyes.
"I can't believe this!" The blue-haired girl exclaimed. "Finally I'm not alone!"
I tilted my head and listened in to their conversation, wondering what they were talking about. I didn't feel guilty about it, it's not like I was going to tell the world what they're talking about.

Nina Stiles:

"Shush!" I whispered, eyeing the cafeteria from behind my sunglasses, my cat's eyes giving me a detailed view. I turned back to Emma. "Not here. Someone might-"

"THERE you are, Nina!"

Jana. I forced a smile and turned around and gave her a short wave as she walked up, balancing her mainly empty tray - which sported a bottle of mineral water, a cranberry cookie and...

Carrot sticks.

She stopped short when she saw who I was sitting with...eyes narrowing on Emma. Uh oh. But luckily Jana kept her mouth shut and took a seat beside me, though the strength with which she munched on her carrot stick implied she was in no mood for niceties.

"This is Juliet," I said, gesturing and Juliet gave a short salute, "and Emma." Emma raised an eyebrow but just smiled and returned to her food. "We have...um..."
"Art." Emma interrupted me. "Art project. On..."
"Van Gogh," Juliet offered, eyes twinkling.
"Yep. And his take on Cubism."
I winced. "Post Impressionism. Van Gogh was a Post Impressionist."

Emma grinned. "That's what I meant."
"Have you seen Kyle today?" Jana asked, her tone brittle. She was speaking to Emma.
"Who?" Emma asked. Jana stared at her in disbelief.
"My boyfriend."
"Why would I have seen your boyfriend?"
"Because-"

I interrupted her and smiled tersely. "Because Kyle said he'd meet her this morning and he didn't. She was worried and she thought maybe you saw him at all?"
Jana gave me a look that clearly said that was NOT what she meant, but she didn't pursue it.

Emma shrugged. "I don't pay attention to the guys here. Losers, the lot of them...though I'm sure they all have their good sides," she hastily added after glancing at Jana's outraged expression.

Ciara Dayle

I zoned out of the conversation as soon as they started talking about boys. Bo-ring. I folded my legs, finishing off my food. My ears were pushing my beanie up slightly so I pulled it down again.
"Hey, you!" Someone called. I ignored the voice, thinking they weren't talking to me.
"Hey, goth chick!" The voice called again. I didn't look, there were about a thousand goth kids in this school, could be talking to anyone.
"You! Dayle!"
I turned my head slowly in the direction of the voice. A piece of food zoomed towards me and I tilted my chair backwards, narrowly missing it. My wings twitched nervously and I pushed my back against the chair to keep them still.
I glared at the food-thrower, who was a big kid who looked like he had half a brain cell or less.
I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes, "Problem?"
He laughed to his friends, "Yeah! It's you!"
I snorted, "So, what should I do? Refer you to someone who gives a shit?"
"Oooooooo~!" They cooed.
I lifted my arm lazily to dodge another piece of pasta.
"Why don't you get lost? Go back to your Satan-worshipping altar!" He yelled.
I tapped my finger against my chin, pretending to actually think about it, "You know, maybe I might. I'll ask Satan to hang you by your ankles in a pool of lava, then cut your neck and make you bleed."
The kid visibly paled at my calm manner, then chortled, "As if. You wouldn't have the guts!"
I smirked evilly, leaning forward, "Try me."
He looked scared and I stifled a smile by wiping the back of my hand against my mouth. Stupid jerk.

Zelena Allen

I had wandered into the lunch room, Hudson by my side, when something stopped me. Some punk kid was picking on a girl.

"Hudson, who's that girl over there" I nodded my head in the direction of the goth girl.

"I have no idea. Should I know?" he replied dully.

"Should I know" I mimicked

He rolled his eyes and walked off. I kept watching, my excellent hearing picking up their conversation..

"As if. You wouldn't have the guts!" he chortled
She smirked evilly "Try me"

I smiled. I liked this girl. I walked over towards where she was sitting, stopping to pat the big boy on the back. "Ryan. How about you back down before she puts you in your place and it gets embarrassing for you, even more so"

"Yeah yeah" he muttered and turned away.

I walked over and plonked myself across from the girl "You got guts. I like it" I smiled at her.

Ciara Dayle

I smiled at the girl who sat in front of me and shrugged, "Thanks. Guts are pretty useful things to have when you get picked on by retards."
She chuckled, "What's your name?"
I considered the pros and cons of telling her my name. Screw it, I thought, not like she'll kidnap me or anything.
"I'm Ciara Dayle." I held out a hand and she shook it.
"I'm Zelena Allen."
"Nice to meetcha."

Nina Stiles:

That afternoon I raced out of the school front doors and hurried over to the parking lot, thrilled thinking about my afternoon with Aiden. I hardly noticed when Emma ran up beside me, smiling. I stopped in my tracks.

"Hey, Emma," I said, fiddling with the sides of my sunglasses. "What can I do for you?"
Emma handed me a slip of paper, and when I glanced at it it had her phone number scrawled in blue pen. "Juliet and I are heading over to the Skim this evening, and if you wanna join us we'd love to see you there."
"The Skim?" I asked.
"It's kinda like a mini cafe that has the best desserts out there - I can pick you up and we can all go together; hang out."

I smiled at her and pocketed the paper. "I'll think on it."
"Great." She smiled and then gave me a quick hug. "See you, then."
"See you."

Zelena Allen

I'd spent lunch with Ciara, and it was great fun. Hudson had been avoiding me, seemingly put out.

"Oi Hudson, your avoiding me now?" I said running to catch up to him as we exited the school.
"As if that is even possible" he replied.
"Ha. Ha. Very funny. Seriously, what's up?" I poked his shoulder.
He shook his head "You sat with that chick today"
"You could have sat with us" I countered.

He sighed, defeated "Want to go to the Skim tonight? We could ask Zayden to come too. He hasn't been out with us in awhile" He looked away and I could tell he was thinking about the old times. I missed it as much as he did.

"Sure thing" I smiled.

Nina Stiles:

I sat on the bus stop bench, leaning my elbows on my thighs - chin in my hands - as I waited for Aiden to show up.

The parking lot had long since become a ghost town, the afternoon transitioning into evening with the arrival of a sharp coolness that had made me search my bag for a cardigan I had stuffed in their some time ago, and I had shrugged it on, my breath coming out in amusing visible puffs.

It was freezing, and yet I hadn't reached for my phone to call Wendy or Jack. I'd waited. And here I was, still waiting for Aiden to show up. I slipped my phone out of my bag and checked the time. 4:20pm. He was forty minutes late.

I typed "Where are you?" and sent it to him, staring at the screen, as if it could magically make him appear. Out in the open, sitting on the hard bench that made my bottom sore and my back ache, I felt my self-assurance trickle out of me and I felt my old insecurities crawl inside of me and make me colder.

I should be home. Safe. Away from evil scientists and annoying black ants that crawl onto my lap and the cool breeze that whipped my hair across my face.

My phone beeped. A message. Swallowing thickly, I pressed 'Open' and scanned the message:

Nina,
Sorry bout that. Cant make it 4 2day but will c u tomorrow.
Sorry again.
-A

Sorry? Sorry?! No more sorry than I was. This wasn't like Aiden and I felt myself grow cold - on the inside. I slipped my phone away and got to my feet, and preparing for the long walk home.

Screw Aiden. I was going home and then I'd join Emma and Juliet at the Skim.

Ciara Dayle

I ran up my treehouse and sat comfortably, slipping off my beanie and jacket to free my wings and ears. I massaged the tips of my ears back to life. I rotated my bare feet around and stood, stretching my legs. I had enough money to go out shopping for food.

I slid down the tree after changing and dumping my school stuff there. Cocking my ear, I wandered around the mall,on the look out for a cheap cafe.

Emma Mundy

Emma and Juliet were walking back to Emma's place that aftenoon,.Lillia babbling on by their side.
"Do you think Nina will come tonight?" Juliet asked.
Emma shrugged, "Who knows? She looked pretty eager to leave."
"I like that you have friends, Emmy." Lillia said. "I was going to let you borrow some of mine, but you got some."

Emma could feel her cheeks redden as Juliet laughed. Suddenly, Lillia pulled her arm, she crouched down, "What is it Lilli?" Emma asked, confused at the 5 year old's random behaviour.
Lillia cupped her small hands around Emma's ears, "Is Juliet an angel to?"

Emma laughed and stood up again. She turned to Juliet, "Lilli likes to think that I'm an angel. She wants to know if you're one too."
Juliet laughed, "No Lilli, I'm not an angel like Emma." She winked at Emma. "But I am special like her."

"Show me!" Lillia insisted.
Juliet smiled, "Maybe later."
For a while, Lillia ranted on about how she'd look if she were 'Special'.

Suddenly Emma's phone rang, "Hello?"
"Emma? It's Nina."
"Hey Nina, you coming tonight?"
"Yeah, sounds fun!"
"Cool! I'll pick you up at six."

She hung up, "Nina's coming." Emma couldn't help but feel excited. As much as she hated to admit it, Lillia was right, she hadn't had friends for months, not since before her 'mutation'. It was nice to feel like she was liked again.

Nina Stiles:

"So you're going out with some friends from school?" Wendy asked for the hundredth time. I nodded, and fiddled with the sleeves of my top.

"Yes. Can I go now?" I asked, feeling like a specimen under a microscope labelled "Teenage Girl Interacting with Other Teens Sample 1". Wendy had given me a look as if Christmas had come early when she'd found out I was going on a 'girl's night' with some friends.

"Are you going in that?" Jack asked from the couch. I looked down at my top, jeans and boots.


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"Umm...yeah?"
Jack frowned. "Haven't you worn those boots before?"

Meet Jack, my Fashion Consultant.

"Yes. Today. This morning."
"Jack, leave her alone," Wendy said, accompanying me to the door. She opened it for me and I hurried outside, waved a goodbye and then walked quickly down the street to where I could see a car waiting, Emma's blue hair a signal in the driver's seat.

Juliet

Lilli was adorable, there was no other word for it she was just adorable. I knew that letting her think that Emma was an angel probably wouldn't be the good in the long run. I mused to myself as Emma and I waited outside for Nina. "Are you sure your brother is ok with us going out? You said you haven't been living with him very long." I shrugged, in truth I hadn't read Cole's reply. Before school got out I had texted Cole saying I didn't need a ride and that I would be going out with some friends.

I doubted that he would mind, and even if he did it was probably just paranoia talking. "Look there's Nina." Emma turned and waved and I let out a small sigh of relief. I didn't want to talk about Cole.

"So is it actually called "The Skim?" Nina asked when she got in the backseat. Emma nodded and backed out of the driveway, "weird name huh? Especially considering that pretty much everything sold there is a heart attack just waiting to happen." I smiled, that sounded great right now, a perfect way to finish the day.

"So what are we going to do about.....this?" I said gesturing to my hat. It was great to finally not be alone, but it just seemed like we should do something more than hanging out. "What'd do you mean?" Emma asked, trying to look at me but having to keep her eyes on the road. "Well it's just we found each other, so now what? Do both of you think that all we should do is hang out? Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just feel like we need to do more."

Emma still seemed slightly confused, but Nina seemed to get it. We pulled up into the parking lot of the Skim and I let the subject drop, we could talk about it somewhere else more private. "Hey Nina, do you know why that girl, I think her name is Jana? Do you know what her problem is with Emma?" Nina looked a little uncomfortable and slightly embarrassed but nodded, "she thinks Emma is trying to steal Kyle from her."

Emma looked slightly horrified, either by the thought of someone thinking her capable of stealing someone else's boyfriend or by the thought of her and Kyle together. Which, I wasn't sure.

"Hey, you! You're that girl from before!" I turned, wondering what that was about and saw the beast of a boy from earlier. "Ah, crap." I muttered, wondering if I should just ignore him or not. I decided on not. "Emma, Nina? I'll be right back." I put on my best 'screw with me and suffer the consequences' face and turned and walked towards the huge boy, leaving Emma and Nina looking mystified.

Ciara Dayle

I was about to go into some cafe called 'The Skim' but I stopped when I saw those girls from school. But. But the things on menu.... All those sweets: Cakes, tarts, sundaes, meringues, cupcakes, pastries; YUM! They weren't too expensive either.

I licked my lips and contemplated whether or not it was worth it. Then I shrugged, I wanted those sweets.
I strolled into the cafe and ordered a few chocolate cupcakes covered in sprinkles. Yu~um!

I heard some familiar-sounding retard yell, "Hey you! You're that girl from before!"
I turned my head, I'm a girl. And I was 'from before'.
I saw some girl walk up to the guy, looking ready to give him a telling-off.

I shrugged to myself, turning back to my cupcakes. It wasn't my buisness.

Nina Stiles:

I glanced back at where Juliet stood with a monster of a guy, feeling uneasy. Emma asked me something and I blinked, my attention snapping back like an elastic.
"Sorry, Emma - what was that?" I asked.
"I asked whether your parents are ok with you going to school - you know, are they afraid you're going to 'out' the big secret?"

I opened my mouth to answer but closed it when the waitress shimmied up, snapping gum and glaring as she held her notepad and pen. "What can I get you two?" she snapped, chewing viciously.

I eyed the menu and decided on an ice chocolate and a slice of Mars Bar cheesecake. Emma picked a hot chocolate and a slice of apple pie. We asked the waitress to come back soon to get Juliet's order and she left our table, her heels clicking against the tiles.

"So?" I realised Emma was still waiting for an answer.
I took a breath and let it out. "I don't know my parents."
Emma winced. "Dead?"
"The sucky thing is I don't even know. Dead or alive, I have no idea who they are or where they are. I live with foster parents."