Fractured souls

"You could've warned me," I growled angrily.

My gaze narrowed, landing on the girl. I wanted to sneer but remember that she had tried calling out to me but I had ignored continuing with our 'agreement'.

"I tried. You just didn't bother to listen."

The crescent moon eyes squinted back at me, I thought to myself she was so pretty with "red skin"-- a Peru type brown which was extremely light, adding her thick long, dark, natural hair and you have to look at her twice. All of this was thanks to her great maternal great-grandmother who was Chinese by birth.

"Thanks a lot,"

I huffed, rising from my seat while pilling out my crappy phone checking my phone to make sure it was on silent. My purse, I opened, then checked that I had my identification card, my bank card and my keys. Confirming all of that, I prepared myself to leave the classroom.

Honestly, you can never be too careful here, because these kids would steal anything they could get away with.

Of course, my bag was different. I was never the normally known brand type. Instead, I bought my bag and shoes from Cheapside market from the old ladies who sold stuff that was no longer needed second hand.

My bag was quite sturdy though, made from cotton and a blend of polyester with metal shoulder straps, padded with cotton, giving it an old-fashioned look I somehow loved. All in all, my bag leaned on practicality than trendy and useless. Hence, no one pays attention to my bag and in extent; my stuff.

Also, I always, always had my most important stuff on me at all times, along with hand sanitizer, to clean my hand if someone touches me because yo, people were disgusting. I even had wipes and title spray as well.

Positive I had all I needed, I turned back to the door, raising a part of my lip in a sneer. When I saw that, he still stood there with those large arms crossed, biceps bulging - like, wow, this dude probably worked out twice a day to get those guns.

Ah, I shook my head, wondering; why could he not disappear?

"Yuh gine continue tuh block de exit Mr giant?"

I asked in a not so gentle tone, not even bothering to hide my accent.

It was clear he was not a "Bajan white". His stature and looks were different. It was a look that said; 'he was not one of my kind and I should be wary.'

He stared from my hair, which was secured in six cornrows going back for the week a green ribbon at the end which matched my skirt perfectly, then my chest since I didn't have much breast a handful I guess, maybe a tiny bit more. I was proud of them. I could go with or without a bra and run comfortably without them jiggling all over the place. honestly who would want that?

His eyes fell slowly, lower and lower, before returning to my face, which I had to admit that I was comfortable with.

I didn't turn heads again, which was fine by me. Neither did they run screaming, so I was comfortable because all I had to do was lose the cornrows, and I will surely turn those heads.

My belief is, after all, is that hair makes a person.

Though on the other hand, I still wanted Sharice's legs, those were slightly bowed and fair-sized in comparison to my almost skinny long legs. She had what I called a true coke bottle shape.

Slim upper torso expanding from the hips...

"Finished?"

I asked him. Looking back, I saw Sharice was finished and was standing behind me, walking past him. I paused when he grabbed my hand, pulling me to him.

What nonsense is this?

Suppose he scratched his a** and touched me or worst, got off and didn't wash his hands?!

Or maybe dug his nose?

I felt my body begin to shiver as I watched him breaking down in my mind from paranoia struggling not to freak out.

Oh my, the germs...

Oh my, I might catch something...

Oh my, I need to wash my hands-

No, I need to sanitise my hands, ugh like sanitise, wipe and spray ah.

He's one of them and he's touching me with his-

I stared at where he gripped me and thought ah he really needed some sun. His skin was extremely pale in comparison to my toffee tone skin.

I gasped. After all, I was female and sh** he was all stone-like hard, muscle was everywhere. Sigh only if he was from the Caribbean. Then maybe I would stand a chance, but this giant is out of my lead.

Either way, I was still curious.

"H-how tall are you?"

I stuttered in question, distracted when he suddenly dragged me closer.

I inhaled sharply, stiffening before relaxing. His scent was extremely pleasant: his clothes smelled clean, his chest solid. Among the girls, I was among the tallest already but in comparison to him; I was a shortie.

My head barely reached his collarbone.

"Six foot seven last I checked."

"I see,"

I replied staring up at him he reminded me of the guy I used to stalk when I was in fourth form, tall well-muscled and gorgeous as hell while my first crush was black with caramel toned skin though and just six feet with brown eyes a perfect low hair cut who outright ignored me.

This one was white six-foot seven-ish and muscled like he was on steroids.

Who, damn it! was presently assaulting me. To even make it worst this was the first day of school.

Like what the fickidy-f*ck was this drama?

Eh? Did I miss some sign?

Why would this fool appear and touch me with his disgusting hands?

What if I catch something?!!!!!!

I admit though I like his scent. Since most Bajans love nice scents and used their nose to identify many things throughout life and determine their moods, I really began to feel irritated.

The bell rang, saving me from him. I wanted to sag in relief because my mind seems to begin to sink into depravity and maybe the kind of thought to let my hands roam.

"I have to go," I mumbled, stepping away from him. When I looked down, I noticed this boy still held my arm and I really truly felt irritated, so in an unfriendly tone I growled.

"Release the hand Mr giant!" I snapped, extremely annoyed by this fool. He looked down at me while I glared up at his gorgeous feautures. Those lips, I'll not admit are tempting me, those eyes I ache to pluck and the skin I want to rub against to see if it is as soft as it looks. "I have a name, tiny."

'Your father is tiny, aunt, uncle, brothers and sisters are tiny!' I roared in my mind. Of course I stayed humble and shut up.

My nose flared when he called me tiny I don't think five foot ten was tiny but then again narrowing my eyes on him I was kind of tiny to him, this humongous dude looked to be around six-four or five, still tugging my hand I looked around noticing that my best friend was gone, what a deserter.

I hope she falls down the stairs or something!

Slumping in defeat, I waited, hearing the second bell and the sound of children rushing to the hall.

Tugging once again, I thought to myself; I don't want to be late damn it!

It's the first week of school and I had no desire to see the principal as yet. She scares me.

Mornings, I hate it. The sun, the annoying rooster crowing in my ears and those birds being annoying going; 'tweet, tweet' noisily in my damn ears!

Like yo, can I wake up to silence once?

Annoyance was stamped on my face. Unwillingness to leave the comfortable bed but I had to, it is not like I can't be like those other children who get up leisurely in a morning.

Nope.

Had to be one of those types.

Life, did I do you wrong sometime? I mean, if I did please forgive this small one, thanks.

"You ain't planning on getting up?" my dad roared in question from a distance. I struggled not to suck my teeth, least I receive a slap.

My father was a builder. Good money, I guess.

He raised and sold pigs, which basically was better or rather, much easier. The cost of a pig alone here on the island would cost around seven hundred for a mature boar. A sow, on the other hand, would cost a little more. Since she is able to breed, as of now we had two sows, a boar and with fifteen piglets everything would have been all well and good, if my dad would hire some farmhands, right?

But nope. He had to continue playing cheap and so I; this daughter had to help with them.

I hated pigs!

They stink, and they ate anything including trying to eat me, on several occasions, but mmm... I eat them so fair is fair; I suppose.

My dad also had dogs; in my eyes, this was not bad and is seen as more of a good thing, since my so-called father was hardly home. They were four of them, three males, one female, I adored them all.

My grandmother and grandfather, on the other hand was something else.

Both of them owned land across the island. My grandfather invested in houses - like he bought them, repaired them and then sold them. My grandmother - ah, this dear grandma, had three homes, yes, three.

The family home, which was never occupied it took up almost four acres of land and was extremely pretty. It was fenced off by a twelve-foot wall and guarded by around fifteen dogs. May be more by now I have no clue, really.

No one would dare enter, since the things that guarded were monstrosities.

For example: The English mastiff, wolfhound, saint Bernard that guarded were all supposed to be at max. what 36 inches, right?

Well, these things she... I have no idea what she fed them was around 43-50 inches.

Anyway, the main house used is; a six-bedroomed, three bathrooms, fully walled home located near a gully. The gully is where a bunch of trees grew bamboo, mango, golden apple some and Bush. Yes, Bush! Behind that area it was really cool even though the island was extremely hot even during the rainy season back to my grandmother, I have to say that woman even though we shared the same blood I feel like "slamming tar" each time I even got a glimpse of her face. For instance, what guarded that house she used were two snakes, a fifteen-foot python and a twelve-foot boa constrictor.

I'd know because that evil woman had locked the previous host in the yard not long later. The boa had almost squeezed her to death while the grandmother watched.

Who would watch their grandchild being squeezed to death?

This entire family was cold-blooded.

So cold-blooded. I wanted to flip tables left and right like a crazy woman, Er... teenager.

The other children from my father, my elder sisters, who had locked previous host in an empty dog pen and trapped two dogs on each side, drenching me in pig blood and dog food.

Those memories solidified my urge to hurry and save enough so I can flee from this sort of life.

Why would my rebirth bring me back to this part of life?

This is more like a damn joke!

Other than being an evil woman; my grandmother was a cultured woman, at seventy-five with a slim fit form. She looked like forty, when I realised how young she looked for a seventy-five-year-old woman. I nodded to myself, wishing I could grow up to look just like her, but let's be honest here that will never ever be possible I'd have to work harder, and long silver hair that reached the middle of her back in soft waves, she was pretty with dark brown skin, but let's get to the point here, she is the head reason my dad is so cheap! Anyway, I opened my eyes to a new day. It has been seven years since I had been sucked into this body after wandering for the only god knows how long.

It was another morning the annoying sound of the rooster woke me with an irritated snarl I threw the sheets off of me, there were a plus and a negative to the sound, a plus being I did my chores on time, therefore, earning me my weekly pay.

Yes, I had to earn every cent I was given.

I supposed to some it was unfair. A child should not have to work for her parent to earn her keep, but life was not easy.

I knew deep down father wanted me to always make an effort for what I earn so no one can look down on me, we at least it's what I tell myself you know so I can continue to stay positive.

Stretching, I walked to the window, picked up a rock that was there and threw it at the rooster, missing it by a hair's breadth but getting my point across when it went silent.

I didn't want it to die, but it should always remember when to shut to f*ck up!

Further down the hill about two minutes' walk from the house the stone and wooden pigsty was located. I heard the annoying things squealing.

Fully up, I got up from the bed tossing the threadbare sheets aside; I pulled on shorts and a vest. Along with some knee-high rubber boots, they were fairly new since I bought them six months ago.

If they were necessary, I would have just continued to walk around barefoot, but who likes to step in stray s**t?

Even though it hurt my savings, but was a necessity, again; who would want to clean a pigsty with no shoes all the time as well?

Yeh I know right, not me, I couldn't. Three days was enough!

As if inhaling that grossness was not enough.

Closing the door behind me, I walked down the pathway smiling at the piglets. At two months, they were still cute later they will be sold while two females will be kept to be breeders then sold once those reached their maturity.

Walking past them, I went to the storage area for the food. Taking a large bucket, I poured the grain in, mixed a few apples and corn then partly dragged, partly lift the bucket.

This I repeat eight times, in the end; my shoulders, back and hands from switching when one got too tired.

They burned, I looked at my toned arms secretly admiring them, in my previous life I had to work extremely hard to get a form like this, but now all I had to do was get fit doing choirs and on top of that get paid. Father always said hard labour makes a strong body, soul, and mind. Your body is your temple, of which I agree.

He was such a wise man even if he was extremely cheap!

Sty cleaned, pigs fed. I walked back to the house, grimacing as I went.

My mother was poor living in a one-bedroom house with a front house and kitchen she had four of us two girls and two boys, my oldest sister at the age of twenty-five had moved out and worked at a fast food place serving customers.

While my brother who was older than me by three years six foot two to my five-ten lived I-have-no-idea.

The youngest at ten still lived with my mom, him to for some reason was going to be another giant, my brother used to come and help but then he didn't like it so he went on to construct houses last I checked, me, I was still going to high school at eighteen after being granted another year.

Since I was doing well and wanted to finish four more subjects before looking to apply to a college overseas.

Staying here is good, but I am not sure at this point.

Perhaps I might be subjected to mind change later... Now though, it is definitely: 'I am leaving this dot for an island on the map.'

Filling the bucket with water, I grabbed the soap and cup, making sure my skin was nice and wet before proceeding to lather my skin.

Being poor was not so bad, yes sometimes my father forgot I existed, but I was eighteen, which made me legally not his responsibility.

Sigh, I guess I am making excuses in my head because even before that he still forgot about us, leaving us to fend for ourselves at such a young age.

Hehe, such a thing like us having to sneak out some of the coins he had stashed around the house to purchase biscuit and sardines, pick some coconut, limes or lemon from the trees and if we had change buy something to drink or sugar though we rather just drink plain water.

Soft drinks were a luxury to us, sugar as well, but the water was even more precious than that was clean enough to be drunk. Even if it is collected from rainwater.

Sigh, thinking about that. It is such a miracle we had never fallen sick, and when we did, father would feed us some concoction enabling us to recover in a day or two, feeling even healthier.

We had no electricity. While everyone used electricity to light their homes, we used candles or oil lamps. We also had no proper furniture to sit on except the bed and some huge wooden four-seater chair.

If someone had to visit my home, they would pity me and say how poor my life is, but the thing is we were not dirt poor. It's just my father was a cheap bastard who hated to spend to make life better.

Money is made to spend, but did father care?

He hoarded it like a dragon guarding its treasure!

Cleaned, I wrapped the threadbare grey towel around me with the soap. I carefully placed it safely high up, wrapping it in plastic and placing it in a dried coconut shell.

After all, it was homemade using grated lime skin and pig fat with shredded coconut and honey.

My skin was smooth and shiny with the shavings of coconut giving it a nice smell. It was a wonder bees and flies never followed me, but at least I was self-sufficient. I had to think about this father for that.

Inside I quickly scrambled to get ready for school thinking of the time, on the plus side I always had new school stuff, and I had extra of everything and my clothes were always clean dressed I looked at my pristine white shirt and starched green school skirt white socks and shiny black shoes, slipping on my bag I then dashed from the house slamming the door, I was barely on top the hill before I heard my father snap in his accented voice.

"Hurry man I ain't got all mornin', or I gine long and leff yuh!"

"Alright!" I grumbled as I rushed down the hill to get in his rust bucket, my foot still hanging out and I partially leaning out the door he sped off scrambling so I don't fall out the moving vehicle I slammed the door closed buckling myself in.

My dad was a speed demon, but for some strange reason, he was never pulled over.

He also had a terrible temper. He was not too tall at six feet with an extremely muscular built; he had dark brown skin which was the colour of pecan. His hair was cut low never growing much, but I remember that one time when he did allow it to grow a few inches and saw it had a curl to it.

My dad had these dark brown eyes paired with a voice I had heard mother say 'seduced her'--his voice was deep but not extremely so. He was also rude, but it was part of the family-I suppose.

After all, my grandmother was just as rude.

In under fifteen minutes, we arrived in front of the school. Since I had grown accustomed to his speeding, I was no longer trembling and wishing to puke as I got out.

In my mind, though I still thank all the things that are of a higher power for allowing me to arrive safely.

So many near misses, I can't even count how close to death I came on the way here!

"Don't ask me to drop your school anymore, I got to..." And he droned on and on. Honestly, if I did not have to clean and feed pigs every morning, I would be on time, but I did, so I never had time.

Well, seems I have to be up early to catch the bus to be at school on time.

Closing my eyes I sucked in a breath surprised that not even a flicker of anger surfaced, then reopened them seemingly normal.

Closing the door careful not to slam it. After all, my father was not afraid to slap me across my head. If he did that, would it not make me the school laughingstock?

I definitely had no desire to be slapped in front of the school or become the school's laughingstock. So I pursed my lips slightly and opened my mouth and said in a soft almost trembling tone; "Bye dah'ay."

He grunted his reply speeding off. In composed rage, I shrugged, trying not to shake my head in disdain.

No wonder the previous owner was crazy. The father is like a psycho and the mother?

She should get her head checked and see if it is OK.

Looking at my cheap phone, I noted I still had half an hour before the bell rang.

"Hey, Kruel,"

A nasal voice greeted. I froze a moment, but it was so quickly done it was easily covered. This name...

My name is Kurly Kassandra Krystalis. This name was nothing like a normal name on this island. It was foreign and the name my dad gave us in this case me.

My mom was Krella, my sister Kelly, brother Kristophere, the last Kyle. All K names like seriously mom why did all of my siblings have a normal name except me?

I suspected she wanted a boy and messed up my name matter of a fact scratch that.

I think my ancestors were on crack when they decided on that last name and my mom was high as a kite when she wrote my name down at the registration centre.

"Morning Sharice," I replied smiling, walking towards her. She was sipping some nasty red soft drink.

I twisted my face at her choice of drink while she laughed, hooking her arm with mines.

While many children hated school - but then again, they had friends at home, played and relaxed, I loved it because it gave me a chance to be a kid. A real kid, even if I am already eighteen.

Around us some children ate, others sat around chatting and laughing, entering the inner section on the school grounds we walked the long path and immediately we took the stairs going straight to the top slipping past the principal office heading directly to our class where I placed my bag in my seat.

Immediately Shanice began to gossip.

"I heard we have a new student transfers they are spending their extra year here, older by a year so they are going with the second upper fifths." I like gossip. I mean, which female didn't?

But presently I was not interested as she handed me a slice of pizza that she baked, honestly the girl can bake. She always brought me food each morning since I never got a chance to eat breakfast bla bla ...you know the rest.

"So...you have nothing to say?"

I paused, making sure my mouth was cleared before replying

"I have not seen the new transfer student, so... what do you want me to say? As per usual I will say my interest is completing school here so I can get a job where we can at least share a place as we planned and later when we are twenty-five look for brothers or whatever to become potential boyfriends for a year, get married get pregnant twice so we can have a boy and a girl, by then we should be rich, we wouldn't need our husband's money or them we will get a divorce at twenty-eight-"

"Uh, sha-"

"I'm trying to refresh your memory-right now at twenty-eight we will have..."

My voice trailed off at the guy that stood in the doorway of our classroom. I blinked, squinted and my mind seem to explode.

How didn't I realise that he was there?

The guy was tall, maybe six, seven feet tall or more.

I mean just look at this!

He kind of had to duck his head every time he entered the classroom. He was broad shoulder perhaps from some sport?

Also, his shirt probably was a triple extra-large or custom made. Since it didn't seem so baggy on him, God, but what did he eat?

I felt horror begin to build as my mind travelled down a path of inward torture.

The last thing that had me staring more, was that he looked so pale; as if he had not seen the sun in like forever.

I had seen white people obviously on television and some customers who came to the nursery, but they had 'redskin' or it was pink.

I didn't go out enough to see one like him, in real life not since moving with my dad but not one like him he was-

Gorgeous with the clearest blue eyes I have ever seen, an extremely low hair cut so I could not tell what colour his hair colour was. It seemed as though he was aiming to be a skinhead, but not quite there.

Normally that would not be attractive in my book, but this boy his features were handsome at least for someone like his kind.

This is the transfer student?

Why would someone like this who can go to the higher ranked schools choose this one?

He will become immediately like an exotic animal on display simply because of this.

This...

I squinted, feeling some vague familiarity but could not remember for the life of me,

he looked rather familiar like I knew him.

There was a vague memory but I could not no matter what grasp it so instead, since I was annoyed I turned away from him and glared at my so-called best friend.