Isabelle

The last thing I wanted now was someone ruining this peaceful stroll. I still haven't recovered from everything that have been happening. I guess I needed some time to myself for a while.

I let out a sigh of relief as I was out of reach from school and tightened my grip on the box that was dangling in my loose pocket.

The last thing I need is this getting missing again. I'd never be able to forgive myself if this repeats itself again.

I'm never let you outta my sight again!

Never ever ever ever let yo—

I almost jumped in fright when something, or rather someone, tapped me on my shoulders from behind. Turning abruptly, I let out a sigh of relief to see who it was.

"Got a lot to explain this time huh." Julius frowned and folded her arms across her chest.

I laughed nervously and rubbed the back of my head, looking for an excuse as we both walked home. I clearly forgot that I and Julius walks home together.

"You ditched Geography, Isabelle! Geography!" Julius dragged the word geography to make it sound like a big deal, which of course it was. Not only was that my main field, but was also my favorite subject so far, as it deals with nature.

"I umm...was with Ruby, he...he was..." I stuttered, not wanting to go into details.

"Don't worry, you're all over the school now..." She chuckled darkly in a way that made me know what she hinting at. "I was there live and charged, I can even show you the—"

"Just because he saved me doesn't mean we're a THING!" I cut her off, nudging her arm with my elbow angrily. "He and I didn't happen, okay?"

"Whoa, whoa, you said it...I said nothing." She laughed and raised her hands in surrender. There's no way I can talk some sense into this girl. She's surely going to torment me the whole day, there's no doubt about that.

I exhaled deeply and just shook my head in defeat, whereas she smirked in victory and kept winking sheepishly each time our eyes met. I rolled my eyes at her childish behavior and silently looked somewhere else to get my head off the events. There was a wave of silence hanging in the air as we both walked. Is it me or I'm having this weird tingling of emotions again?

I could feel the inside of me clenching and unclenching in the form of an electrifying feeling, causing goosebumps to sudden rise all over my body. It can't be hunger because I'm pretty much stuffed right now.

"Anyways, we've got assignments from geo—"

I groaned at the mention of assignments. I had to deal with sanity and she's talking about assignments?

Seriously?!

Okay, calm down, Isabelle.

Calm. Down.

Just...just ignore this one for now...

Let it slide.

As if that wasn't enough, Julius began tapping me furiously without stopping. I gave her signals that I wasn't in the mood for anymore talks but she kept on pressurizing me.

That's it!

"WHAT?—". I flinched from her roughness and turned to her angrily, giving her a tired glare. "Now what?" She began pointing towards a direction, chuckling to herself.

My eyes widened at the glorious limousine that was parked some distance away from us. I could see Xander and few of his bodyguards in it, and as usual, he didn't get to notice me.

Ugh.

I felt my heart beat betray me this moment and suddenly went self conscious at once. It was too late to knock myself out of the daze as I felt my cheeks do the tingling again.

He said we can't be friends and I can't stay around him...

Fine.

I sighed and lowered my gaze to the ground. I thought of how pathetic I'd probably be looking now. When I raised my head back up, our eyes surprisingly met. I wanted to look away so bad but I couldn't. He didn't break the awkward stare as well, I could see him giving me that same pitiful look like he always does. What do I look to him? A child? That finally brought me back to my senses, and I kept reminding myself that he was a senior and I was a junior, nothing would definitely work out. I couldn't take it anymore and walked away briskly ahead of his other worshippers.

When I walked a bit further, I noticed that Julius wasn't by my side anymore. Glancing back, I saw the girl talking to him while making some stupid, weird motions. The girl left me for him! Seriously?! I facepalmed in disappointment. Guess I'd just walk home myself.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and kept on walking. Sure I was mad but I was hurt. Different emotions all flowing through me like they want to burst out. It wasn't long before I started hearing Julius' call-out from behind. I snorted and didn't heed to her voice at all because I knew what she wanted to do. She freaking wants to drag me back there, only making me going to end up being humiliated. Well, sorry, not this time.

"ISABELLE!"

"Hey! Wait up!"

"Isabelle Wintman!"

"Jeez, are you suddenly deaf?" She pulled up to my side and pushed me by the shoulders, making me jerk back a little.

From nowhere, I felt a strange burst of energy sweep from the side of my pocket to my chest at once, and before I knew it, I turned abruptly to her and grabbed her by her collar. I felt my face heating up and my eyes bulging out.

The fear that was on Julius' face was enough to tell me that something had happened. I didn't even want to know what she had seen as a wave of guilt hit me.

I felt ashamed of snapping at her and bit my lips nervously, running away this time without looking back.

I could only hear these sounds repeatedly around me as I didn't stop running in tears:-

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Stomp.

Stomp.

Stomp.

Halt.

Silence.

Sigh.

"Meow."

Huh?

What was that?

I froze in my tracks and turned around to see if I was hallucinating again, but saw nothing.

Okay?

"Meow!"

The intensity of the assumed cat's sound was like it was right in my eardrums, and that was pretty disturbing.

I faked walking straightaway for a while, with the intention of catching the prankster in the very act.

Making a sharp U turn, I jerked my head to the left and right hand side of the street.

You guessed again..

Nothing.

"Alright, seems like the hallucinating thingy is back again..." I clenched my fist in fear but more of anger, and started walking once again. And this time, it was just few miles to my house. "Mum and dad were right after all, I really should go talk to my therapist."

The cat's sound didn't continue fortunately, but not until after fifteen minutes. And trust me, I didn't turn again and didn't want to anymore, as I assumed it to be a prank or a stray cat.

Pfft..

Usual neighbouring pranks.

It continued for a while, but still I didn't bug. I even went ahead to cover my ears with the back of my hand repeating some jumbled words to get my mind off the sounds.

"Meow!"

"Meow!"

"Meeooowww!"

"Do you want to die?!"

I didn't have time to process what I heard and saw what looked like a bombay cat leaping across the busy highway road.

"Oh my God!" I screamed at the ignorant cat. "Get away from the road!"

But no, it just sat down there, licking its paws mischievously. I can only say that it was either arrogant or ignorant of it's surrounding.

Just in time, I was able to grab the cat before a vehicle could crush it to death but I narrowly escaped big time.

"Meow?"

So this is what have been MEOWING the whole time?

Are you kidding me?

I tilted my head at the strange black cat in my arms and examined its knuckles for any signs of injuries and thankfully, there weren't any—except for some hidden smears on its dark furry parts.

"Why did you stay there, you poor kitty? Do you want to die?" I asked worriedly and paused at my second question.

I swore I heard that same statement from somewhere...

I turned to see it tilt its head, its beautiful green eyes shimmering a bit into mine. It all felt like a trance or something—and what I could feel was nothing but dizziness.

And within the blink of an eye, it wasn't by my side anymore. There was not even a trace of it's existence or something. I'm even beginning to doubt that it was here moments ago. This is definitely a sign of my first bad luck to happen.

Seriously?

I'm losing my mind already...

"What's happening to me?!" I screamed in my palms at the fear of me going insane. "Am I going insane or something?"

And almost immediately, a white feather hovered in circles towards my direction gently.

Good luck?

I better hope so...

I blinked and bent down to pick it up carefully, like it was something precious. I don't believe in all these fortunes but who are we to argue with the chinese—white feathers are believed to be sent from the Gods or Goddesses for good luck.

With a sigh of tiredness, I walked down the neighbouring lane and finally within two minutes, safely this time, ended up at my house.

Well that was fast....

Guess that luck really helped me this time.

Who knows what else this luck holds for me?