Dark Radiance, page 2
“No, you keep that. Think of it as a welcome-to-town present, plus I’m sure Aspyn can take you to where you need to go.” Celia smiled sweetly towards me, swiftly folding the bill back into the palm of my hand. My movements were spastic as I tried to get the strap of my duffel bag around my body without tangling it, but I was failing miserably in the process.
“Oh no, really I’m sure I can manage.” I continued to wrestle with the bag, huffing at it in annoyance.
“You might get lost and, believe me, even in small towns people end up missing all the time.” Aspyn grinned in my direction. “Come on, let’s go.”
Jumping from the stool, her feet landed softly next to me before her hand latched down on my upper arm and dragged me from the café and into the frigid night air. As we walked, Aspyn explained the people who had requested to foster me were named William and Emaline Goodwin. They had a daughter name Brinley who was in the year below both Aspyn and me, making her a junior. Both of the Goodwins were high up on the town council and Emaline was the high school’s current principal.
“So I got stuck with the people in town who aren’t going to bend any of the rules and are a part of the high society of Idelwood.” I broke out into a fit of laughter—making it through the night with people like them was highly unlikely.
Aspyn’s nose scrunched up at my comment. She turned to walk backwards, making sure she could still see me in the process. “Not quite. Brinley could commit murder and no one would bat an eye at her.”
“That’s their own daughter—they have to put up with her, not me.” My feet found some small rocks to kick down our path. I watched each one travel across the gravel road while we walked in silence for a while. I pulled my jacket closer to my body as the night’s wind picked up, thrashing around us.
Aspyn came to a halt in front of a large, two-story home surrounded by a long iron gate that was enclosing the structure from outsiders. Vines from the ground laced through each hole of the metal, and an unsettling feeling washed over me as I continued to stare. Behind the opening, the entire structure was lit from top to bottom in a glowing, white light, which cast outwards onto the trees placed on either side of the stone walkway. This would be the place I called home for a little while, although everything sitting in front of my eyes made me feel out of place. I took in every elaborate detail of the building—never had I stayed in a home this nice, or even been in a rich-enough neighborhood to catch sight of one, too afraid to be labeled a thief for just existing on the street’s presence. My eyes finished taking in the last brick of the house before the slight movement coming from behind a curtain sitting next to the front door caught my attention.
“Well, here you are 28290 Saints Lane, home of the Goodwins. I have to get going or I’ll have to answer to my pigheaded brother and his overprotective nature, which will make my brain hurt with all his stupid questions. Hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow at school, although I would try to get out of that for as long as possible.”
A small chuckle escaped my lips as I began to think of all the possible get-out-jail-free cards I could use.
Aspyn winked in my direction before starting down the dirt path. There was a light jump in her steps as she went. “Bye, L.”
Chapter Two
There’s this funny feeling you get when you step foot into a small town. It grows inside even the darkest corners of your heart the moment you reach the city limits. Peacefulness washes over you when the quiet of kind smiles and gentle waves surround you rather than the hustle and bustle of a big city. The warmth flooding deep in the pit of your stomach can only be described as a sense of belonging.
Even as an outsider looking in on the locals, that feeling I so desperately craved was a sensation I clung to with all the strength I could muster. Towns like these were places I wanted so badly to live longer, but being in the system those chances were out of my life. Even in those towns I loved so much, one thing always mattered more than staying in them. Finding Nate once more. Becoming attached to small towns like Idelwood was a dangerous game I was not willing to play. It would only lead me to my own heartbreak in the end when I ventured on to another place.
My gaze held tight on Aspyn while she continued down the long dirt path. The strange girl had automatically accepted the newcomer with open arms as soon as I had stepped into Celia’s café. No strange looks or questions came from her tongue like so many other curious “friends” I had once known. Aspyn was beyond beautiful, which along with her vivacious personality allowed her to stand out. Her energy gave me a slight high of excitement when I was in her presence. Now that same high I had just felt moments before drained from my body as quickly as she disappeared into the darkness of the night’s shadows. Dread replaced the buzz as my eyes traveled back towards the brightly lit house in front of me.
I grasped the strap that hung around my body, gulping in icy air before forcing my feet to move up the paved walkway. The only sound floating around the night air as I reached the door came from a yellowed, cushioned porch swing, its linked chain letting out a ghostly creak in the breeze. Little white dots clouded my vision as a bright light illuminated the porch when the door swung open. A young girl around my age stood tall in the doorway, straight white-blonde hair hanging all the way down her back, stopping just above her hips. A pair of striking blue eyes stared at me in a venomous glare—if looks could kill, this one surely would have knocked me dead.
“I really wish you would refrain from dragging the trash around the front of the house.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. Tension stuck in sticky globs against the doorway. Neither of us made the first move, eyes locked in an intense battle. Nothing about the girl who stood in front of me frightened me—she was the perfect example of being all bark with no bite to back it up.
“I’m Lily. Your parents are fostering me for the next few months.” My wrist flicked up in her direction, wanting to cut the tension around us in half. As my fingers extended out fully, she flinched away from them like the hand was going to poison her with a simple handshake.
She composed herself back into the mean-girl disguise she wore. Her voice shook as she spoke. “Unfortunately for the rest of us. I’m Brinley. Just stay out of my sight and we won’t have a problem.”
A devilish smile flashed across her face before she turned on the heel of her shoes, blonde hair floating after her as she stalked into the adjacent room, leaving me awkwardly standing in the middle of the doorway. My feet stood planted against the barrier, not sure if I wanted to cross into the home. Voices floated around the banister of the staircase before a man in what looked like his late thirties descended the steps. The woman following close behind was slender with short hair that curled at the ends, the coloring identical to the girl who had passed through moments ago. The man let out a gruff laugh towards the woman, allowing me to see his perfectly chiseled cheeks and dirty blonde hair. A phone was held securely in his grasp, and his ice-blue eyes left the device’s screen for a moment, catching with mine. The woman followed his stare, locking dead on my shivering figure.
“Oh, Liliana, I didn’t hear the door. I’m so glad you arrived safe and sound. We were beginning to worry you weren’t going to show.” The woman glided down each step with ease, landing directly in front of me seconds later. Her hands clasped in front of her face while watery eyes examined me. “You are just as beautiful as I thought you would be.”
Slender arms enclosed my body as she pulled me in for a brief hug before drawing back to get a closer look at me. Her wide eyes combed over me as though I was the first person she had ever laid eyes on. The urge to squirm underneath her stare was causing every muscle in my body to tense. Most of the people who choose to foster me barely gave me a glance, let alone knew my name when I arrived in their homes. It was almost protocol for a long list of rules and their corresponding consequences to be barked toward me before sending me from their sights. That was usually one of the only times I had any contact with them. The more you blended, the better off you were in the system.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin.” I forced a bright smile to flash across my face as I spoke. My caseworker would have shed a few tears of joy if she saw it.
Mr. Goodwin let out a booming laugh. “Oh please, Liliana, call us Will and Emma.”
“All right, but only if you call me Lily. I despise my full name.”
“I think we can manage that.” Will winked at me, striding down the staircase. “You must be tired from your journey. Emma will show you up to your room, and we will all talk more in the morning.”
He smiled once more before looking back down towards the phone he held in his hand. Emma began making small talk about the town’s high school, explaining all the events that they would be hosting in the coming semester. I tried my best to look interested in her words, slowly nodding my head once every couple of points. My feet trailed behind her. A large wall lining the stairway was dotted with family pictures that showed off the many memories the Goodwins had enjoyed together as a family. We traveled down a long corridor before arriving in front of the last door in the hall.
Emma turned her body towards me. “No one has ever stayed in this room. It was only for guests, but we don’t seem to have many of those coming to Idelwood. I want this to be your home as well, so feel free to change anything to the way you would like it.”
“I’m sure it will be perfect, Emma.” I played with my fingers nervously, trying to hold the woman’s gaze. It was a tic I had never grown out of—Nate had always reprimanded me for it. Seconds later, though, he would end up laughing at his terrible ability to scold me. Nate could never take anything too seriously when it came to me. The jokes and games were never-ending with him.
“Well, I will let you rest. If you need anything from us, don’t be afraid to ask for it, Lily.” Emma began down the hall, rounding the corner only to poke her head back around the wall a moment later. “Oh, and towels are under the sink.”
Then she was out of my sight once more. I gripped down on the cold metal of the door, pushing it open to reveal one of the most beautiful rooms I had ever laid eyes on. The walls were painted a light lilac color with elegant gray flowers decorating the room. A birchwood dresser sat against one side of the wall, mirroring the matching bed, which held a white comforter on it, making the piece look like a cloud. Stepping further into the room, I allowed the air conditioning to pull the door closed behind me. Turning toward the connected bathroom, I tossed my duffel onto the bedspread. A shower was exactly the thing I needed after the long bus ride.
Water tumbled from the showerhead, sending steam to fog the mirror as the liquid warmed to a reasonable temperature. I stepped into the small, stone-covered shower, letting the stream of fiery water pound against my back, the heat beginning to work out knots I had acquired from the cramped bus seat. Every trouble I’d had washed down the drain, along with the grime and dirt which coated my skin. Stepping from the shower, I wrapped myself in a fresh towel. My hand reached out, smearing the steam-coated mirror to reveal a girl peering back at me.
The girl staring at me was someone who never truly matched the person I felt I was inside. Innocent, sea-blue eyes with pin-straight, strawberry-blonde hair mirrored the features I held. She looked like a girl who didn’t know how cruel the world could be. This girl in front of me was someone who had friends and attended high school dances in hopes of winning the crown awarded at the end. Those were daydreams I could never have. I was just Lily, the new girl in every city who hid behind the crowd, careful not to be noticed by the others around her. The girl staring back at me wasn’t me at all. All I wanted was to find out how to make the girl in the mirror match who I was on the inside—no town was ever going to show me that.
Daylight peeked through the window, the next morning shining straight into my eyes. I had fallen asleep with ease last night, no tossing or turning due to being in a new place. It felt like the first time in a long time I had slept well in an unfamiliar place. The clank of dishware mixed with the soft drone of music that flooded into the hallways of the home. I stepped from the warm protection of my bed, toes curling into the cool hardwood as they hit the floor. Making my way out of the room, my body stood frozen outside the door, debating if I truly wanted to face the Goodwins. Before I could retreat back into bed, Emma rounded the corner. She jumped slightly at my odd presence in the hallway.
“Lily, I see you’re an early riser.” She winked at me. “Something we have in common. Would you like some breakfast?”
“Sure, thank you.” My hand reached up and tucked a stray piece of hair that had fallen from the messy bun sitting on the top of my head behind my ear.
“Well, come on then or it will get cold. Also, this will be the perfect time to discuss something with you.” Emma motioned for me to follow her, making my stomach drop. I tried to keep up with her as she took the stairs two at a time, reaching the kitchen shortly after. Emma gestured towards the barstools which lined the countertop. I took the seat in the first one, waiting for her to speak again.
She turned back towards the stove, beginning to prepare a plate of food. “I know you probably want to wait as long as you can before you jump straight into a new school. However, I am the principal of the high school…”
Her voice began to trail off into the silent kitchen. Placing a plate of food in front of me, her hands shook, hesitating before resting one on my shoulder. Emma’s eyes held a certain fear in them. I watched them travel between her hand and my face. She looked as if there would be serious repercussions followed by touching me. Her daughter’s actions from last night flashed across my memories.
“I can start today, Emma, if that’s what you were hinting at. I don’t mind.”
Picking up the orange juice in front of me, I took a sip before continuing my thought. “Just know my transcripts are not the best, from being transferred as many times as I have been.”
I dropped my eyes from her gaze as she began to chuckle, rapidly retracting her hand from my shoulder. “I am sure you are a very bright girl, Lily. All you need is to get your footing in a new school and you will excel. I can help you in any way you need.”
The rest of breakfast was filled with sporadic conversations about different aspects of mine and Emma’s lives. Emma was a bubbly person who continued to go out of her way in making me feel welcomed in her home. She was leaning on the counter, talking about how much she enjoyed living in this small town, when she sucked in a sharp breath. “It’s almost seven, how did I not notice? You need to go get ready.”
Immediately I was pushed from the stool and up the stairs to get ready for the day. Once we had reached the top of the steps, Emma shot off in the other direction, leaving me alone in the middle of the hall. Reaching the bedroom in a matter of seconds, I dressed in a simple black T-shirt and a pair of ripped blue jeans I adored. It was plain, but more importantly, it would help me blend in as much as the new girl could on her first day. I laced up my boots before grabbing a worn jean jacket to throw on. By the time I reached the front entrance, I had tied off my hair in a side braid, watching as Emma came rushing down the steps after me, gracefully balancing an arm full of binders.
“Are you ready?” Her question came out in breathy whisper. Taking in my nod, she turned herself towards the second floor, calling back up the staircase, “Brinley, I swear if you are not down here in five seconds, then you are grounded for the rest of eternity.”
“I’m coming, Mother. There’s no need for the dramatics this early in the morning,” Brinley answered back to her mother, not bothering to look up from the phone she had pressed into her nose. She was dressed in the shortest cut-off jean shorts I had ever seen. I knew by just looking at them they wouldn’t pass any dress code, and the navy-blue tank top was nearly painted on the top half of her body, leaving nothing to the imagination. How she was not going to freeze in the fall air was beyond me.
“Darling, I am your mother. I earned the right to be dramatic at any time of the day if I so please. Now we have to get going or—” Emma glanced down at her watch. “Well, we are already late. Let’s go.”
I hurried behind both of them into a car while Emma began to lecture her daughter about the tasks that they had to do later on. The entire drive, the conversation stayed directed towards Brinley, who was too absorbed in her phone to acknowledge her mother. Aspyn hadn’t been lying about Brinley—she was one of a kind. The car pulled into a parking space labeled “Employee” when we arrived at the school. Barman High School was the only school even remotely close to Idelwood, which meant all the town’s adolescents gathered here five days a week to stick their noses in each other’s business. A comforting thought to the new girl who wanted nothing to do with the gossip ring.
The school was a large brick structure with a bell tower sitting at the top. The bell was enclosed in a marble-accented barrier, bringing a classic touch to the century-old building. Emma and Brinley filed out of the car, and I followed behind them stumbling from the seat belt I had managed to tangle myself around.
