Chapter 16 Nothing happened
Naomi
I went to school the next day feeling tired and restless. The hunt last night wasn't an easy one, coupled with the attack. Julian hadn't said much after he checked my hand. I prayed that nobody else did.
I wouldn't know exactly what to tell them as everything happening was beyond me.
Lunch break came, and I didn't want to go outside. I stayed in class to go through a few of my books, but the whispers from the students didn't let me stay even for a minute. I decided to go to the library instead to see if I could pick a book there to read. I walked close to the shelves to see if I could find any interesting books.
A realization hit me: No one was watching me. Maybe I could find some supernatural books to read, and I might eventually come across something related to what was going on with me.
I spent almost 30 minutes in the library searching. I couldn't find anything. I settled for a history textbook; maybe I could learn one or two things that I had no knowledge about.
I came across a book and bent over to take it, when it was taken from the other side of the shelves.
I looked through the space where the book had been taken. I saw a hand flipping the book. Because I didn't want to get into trouble with whoever it was, I decided to look for another book. But then, I heard footsteps behind me.
When I turned around, I came face-to-face with Julian. Why was he behind me? I didn't say a word as I started to walk, pretending as though I was searching for books. What was he doing here in the first place? To ask what happened to my hand that it healed so fast? No way!
"Here, you can have this one. I wasn't going to read it in the first place."
"Then why did you pick it?" I said, soft enough so that he could hear me. I turned around, staring at the book in his hands with no interest in taking it.
Then I noticed how his eyes were looking at the hand that had been bitten by a werewolf yesterday, and he seemed to have questions to ask me, but he was holding himself back.
"Are you not going to have the book?" he asked, stretching his hands even further.
I took a step forward. When I extended my hands to take the book, he pulled the book away from me.
Maybe he thought this was some kind of kindergarten playground, but I wasn't in the mood for that.
"First, I need to know what happened to your hand," he said, glancing at the hand that had no scar on it, and I even had a long sleeve on.
"Nothing happened to my hand, and I have nothing to tell you."
He regarded me for a moment, like he was trying to digest if I was hiding something away from him.
"I clearly saw your hand yesterday. I saw how deep the wound was, and the flesh was even ripped apart. I saw the blood, and I was the one who told you to tie it up. But then, you come to school the next day with no trace of any injury on your hand. I'm not that stupid, Naomi,"
He said as he started to take steps towards me.
I kept moving backward as he approached. "If you tell me what happened, I promise not to tell anyone. It would remain just between the two of us."
How do I tell him that I had no idea what happened? I was as confused as he was right now, and I had no one to run to for answers.
The only person who could tell me more about what was going on has refused to tell me anything, telling me everything was hallucinations.
"I don't know what you are talking about, and you have to leave me alone. I do not want to talk to you or anybody."
He stopped walking towards me, with the book still in his hand. He crossed his arms behind his back and looked at me up and down. "Tell me, are you one of them?"
My eyes widened at his question. One of them? What did he mean by that?
"Because from what I know, only these forbidden creatures…these werewolves…can undergo such a rapid healing."
My heart thumped so heavily in my chest; I was afraid that it was going to fall out.
"You don't know what you are talking about, and I am…" I was going to say hundred percent human, but I held myself back because I didn't have to explain anything to him.
I continued to walk backward. I only stopped when I came in contact with something. It was like I stepped on somebody's toes. When I turned to look up, Mr. Rex was behind me. He looked sternly at Julian.
"What is going on? Are you trying to corner her or something?"
"Well, what I want to do with her is none of your business."
I stood between them, not knowing exactly what to do. So, did he actually follow me into the library? Julian walked and stood in front of me, leaning toward my ear like what he wanted to say, he wanted just me to hear about it.
"My sister was injured just like you were, but she is still recovering. Why have you healed already? You had better tell me what happened, else you will not like it here." He put the book back on the shelf and walked outside.
"Are you okay, Naomi?" Mr. Rex asked. I could see from the corners of my eyes how his hands were itching to touch or maybe hold me, but I stepped behind.
"I am alright. You don't have to worry about me." With that, I turned and walked away.
I went back to class. The next person I saw was Calix. I thought she was undergoing treatment, just like Julian told me back then. Why was she in school? One of Calix's legs was wrapped in a bandage, and she had crutches with her.
I went and sat on my desk and pretended to study because I didn't want to interact with anyone, but then I felt a presence sitting next to me.
"We are still confused about what happened yesterday, and the fact that we saw what happened to your hand, only for you to come back with no injury," Benita started to talk.
My hand reached out to my temple as I rubbed it. Why wouldn't she just let me be and understand that I do not want to talk to anybody, and the fact that she has become more vocal lately is even pissing me off.
"Nothing happened to me. Maybe you saw another person and immediately thought that I was the one. I wasn't injured. I didn't sustain any injury, so I'd appreciate it if you'd just stop asking me questions."
"Stop asking you questions? I was badly injured, and even when my brother came in front of me, I saw your hand. When he asked you to tie it up, it was badly injured. But then you come to school the next day with nothing on your hand! What's the truth? You have to explain exactly what happened. Are you working with those beasts? Or perhaps you are working with them and you asked them to come and attack us?"
I almost stood up to give her a slap, but I had to hold myself back. What was wrong with everyone?
"Nothing is wrong with me! Just leave me alone! I do not know anything, and I have no idea what everyone is talking about!" I screamed, grabbed my bag, and stepped out of the class.
Why is everyone questioning me? I thought as I hurried outside. I didn't understand what was going on with me, and they kept asking me questions.
‘Where are you going?”
Oh, just great. Mr. Rex was on my tail as I stepped out of the school gate.
"Stop! Can everyone just leave me alone! I have said that I do not know what happened! Nothing is wrong with me! Just leave me alone! I don't want to hear from anybody!"
I flagged down a taxi and got inside.