Chapter 4 The Untouchables and the Awakening

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As the alarm blares the next morning, I realize that I'm already wide awake. The haunting echoes of wolves howling throughout the night had kept me from getting a peaceful night's rest. It was a stark reminder that the information I had read about Haven being a natural habitat for wolves and other wild animals was indeed accurate.

Feeling exhausted, I opt for a soothing bath instead of a quick shower to help alleviate the tension that had settled into my muscles. As I sink into the warm water, I feel the weariness slowly ebbing away, leaving me rejuvenated. Just as I start to relax and savor the tranquility of the moment, the water begins to lose its warmth, jolting me back to reality. This completely baffles me-I had just gotten in. Is the weather so cold that it cooled my bath water?

Since there's still time, I decide to make breakfast for myself and my mum. After much deliberation on what to cook, I finally settle on pancakes and eggs. It's like my mum has a timer on her because, as soon as I finish plating the food and placing it on the table, she comes out of her bedroom.

"Good morning, Mum," I greet her, smiling.

"My baby, good morning. Wow, this is a nice surprise," she says, smiling happily.

"Mum, I know we've not spent much time together since we moved because of your work and my school, so I thought breakfast together would be nice," I tell her shyly.

"Thank you, baby, I love it," she says, pecking my cheek before sitting down and diving into her breakfast. "These pancakes are so delicious," she adds as I prepare coffee for her and tea for myself.

I take a sip of my tea and grimace. "Ew, why is this cold already?"

"Really? Let me try my coffee," my mum says, taking a sip of hers and sighing. "It's still hot."

"I don't get it. The same thing happened when I was in the bath this morning-my water just went cold."

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Things like this happen all the time. It's probably just the weather. Don't worry, I'll make you a new cup of tea just the way you like it."

"Yes, please. I love your tea," I say with a smile. She kindly makes me a fresh cup, and I savor it while enjoying my breakfast.

The earlier discomfort with the temperature is now forgotten as I suddenly recall the storybook from the night before. Excitedly, I ask her about it.

"Hey, I didn't know you still had my favorite storybook from when I was a child."

She looks confused. "What storybook?"

"The one about the lost princess. I saw it in my room last night. By the way, strange place to leave it."

"Honey, the lost princess didn't have a storybook. I made that story up and told it from my head."

"Mum, why are you so forgetful? The book is in my room," I insist.

"Okay, go bring it so I can see it. Maybe then I'll remember."

"Alright." I fetch the book for her and she looks at it, confused at first, but then quickly laughs.

"Oh, baby, you're right. I'm really forgetful. I must have left it in your room yesterday while airing it out."

"Okay, whatever." I clear the table and do the dishes before getting ready for school.

Since I'm in a good mood, I decide to put on a little makeup to complement my outfit-a mini grey tweed dress and stockings. I apply mascara and eyeliner, which make my blue eyes pop, and finish with a light pink lip gloss. I style my hair in space buns, bathe myself in perfume, and lace up my thrifted Doc Martens shoes that I saved months to buy.

Satisfied with my appearance, I join my mum in the car so she can drop me off at school.

This time around, I'm more accustomed to Haven College since I had yesterday to get acquainted. It's truly easier to navigate a place once you're a little familiar with it.

Checking my timetable, I head to my first class. The teacher isn't here yet, so I take a seat and plug in my iPod to listen to music while I wait. Even though I'm immersed in the music, I still notice the "Untouchables"-the group Candace had warned me about. I had taken it upon myself to call them that.

I finally have the opportunity to study them properly. As I observe them, I can't help but admire their beauty. However, my attention is drawn to Dominic. His muscular physique and beautiful blond hair immediately catch my eye. What truly captivates me, though, are his striking grey eyes. They seem to hold a depth and warmth that make me feel as if they can see and heal all my scars.

Suddenly, he turns his head and our eyes meet, causing me to startle with surprise. Intrigued, I lean in to confirm if he's truly looking at me, but his gaze shifts away. It seems I might not have been the one he was focusing on after all. Nevertheless, I find myself unable to look away as they engage in their private discussion. Only when the professor enters the room do I reluctantly tear my eyes away from them.

Throughout the class, I feel like eyes are on me, but whenever I look around, no one is watching. With my heart beating fast, I bolt out of class as soon as it's over and rush to the bathroom to wash my face, hoping to calm my anxiety.

My hand hovers over the tap, but before I can open it, water gushes out and splashes everywhere.

"What the fuck?" I exclaim, trying to close it. After a while, it finally stops. Everyone in the bathroom is staring at me, and one of the girls-Stephanie, if I recall correctly from the Untouchables-glares at me before saying:

"That's what happens when they let lowlifes into places too good for them."

"What did you just say?" I ask her.

"You heard me. There's no way I'm repeating myself for a lowlife like you." She turns to walk away, but my feet remain planted as anger boils inside me. Everything becomes still and the sound of the wind roars in my ears. I wish I could douse her in water.

Suddenly, the tap explodes, and water pours all over Stephanie, drenching her head to toe, like it was targeting her.

"What did you do?" she fumes at me.

"Me? I'm not even touching the tap! This is not my fault."

"You bitch! I don't know how you did it, but watch your back," she threatens, and for a split second, I swear her eyes flash black. But when I look again, they are back to brown.

Is this girl threatening me? This must be a big, fat joke. She must really think this is high school.

"Look, I'm sorry you got drenched," I say calmly, "but if you think about it, the tap exploded on me earlier too. It's most likely faulty."

Stephanie visibly deflates, and I relax a little. "You're right. It's probably just the tap malfunctioning. I don't know why I lost my temper like that. Anyway, I'm going to go clean up."

"Okay, no problem. And once again, I'm very sorry," I tell her, and she even smiles at me before leaving.

Whew! I was scared for a moment that she was going to attack me. Maybe she isn't as crazy as Candace thinks.

I leave the bathroom and continue my day normally. When the closing bell rings, I decide to walk home but end up wandering around since I haven't seen much of Haven Town yet. I might as well kill two birds with one stone by also looking for a part-time job.

The dense forest surrounding the town is cloaked in an eerie silence, amplifying the tension in the air. As I cautiously tread through the underbrush, I can't shake off the chill that grips me.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of a twig pierces the stillness, causing me to whirl around in alarm. My eyes dart around, but I see nothing out of the ordinary. I resume walking, but the sound repeats, this time accompanied by the rhythmic crunch of footsteps.

A surge of instinctual fear urges me to flee, but before I can react, the sounds draw nearer. I turn towards the source of the approaching footsteps, only to be met with the sight of an unexpected figure.

I don't know who I expected to see, but it isn't Stephanie and two other girls whose names remain unknown. My heart begins to race unnaturally fast, and every hair on my body stands on end.

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