Chapter 73: The Truth Is Out

The next morning broke into a absolute storm of utter chaos across the grand cobblestone courtyard of Moonside Academy.

Engines roared, students shouted over one another in frantic chatter, and the metallic clatter of luggage carts echoed off the stone buildings. The long-awaited trip for the Inter-Academy Tournament was finally happening, and the air was thick with competitive tension and nervous energy.

Aina stood awkwardly near the edge of the bus line, her fingers tightly clutching the worn strap of her single, battered canvas training bag. It was the standard school-issued bag, complete with the faded Moonside badge stamped on the front, holding nothing more than her folded uniform and a couple of plain, extra clothes.

Beside her, Molly looked like she was preparing to move into a palace permanently.

"Molly..." Delilah said, her mouth hanging open as she stared in shock at the towering wall of bags piled around Molly’s feet.

"Girl, that’s a lot of clothes," Beatrice added, wincing as she shifted her own modest duffel bag on her shoulder. "Aren’t you sure you want to size down a couple bags?"

Molly gasped loudly, slapping a dramatic hand over her chest as if she had been physically struck. "Size down?! This is the best I can do! We’re leaving for a whole week, a whole week! I need proper clothing! And what am I going to wear when we explore the city and stuff? Guys, don’t be ridiculous!"

Beatrice, Delilah, and Aina all turned to exchange a weary, knowing glance.

Aina caught their eyes, biting down on the inside of her cheek to keep from letting out a hysterical snort. Don’t say anything, yeah, her quiet look warned them. Just let her carry her whole bedroom.

"All Year Ones! All Year Ones!" a deafening, thunderous roar boomed across the courtyard.

It was the Shifting Coach. He marched into the center of the walkway, his massive, terrifying frame clad in black athletic gear, clapping his tree-trunk hands together with loud, sharp cracks. Instantly, the endless chatter died out, and every single student froze to look at him. There weren’t many gathered in the Year One section, about fifty students at most stood huddled together under his looming shadow.

"You are my Year Ones," the Coach bellowed, his sharp, predatory eyes sweeping over their anxious faces, "and I want you to know, since the other years know already, that this will count 100%! Your score you get will count 100% to your final mark, your final term mark! Please know that, Year Ones!"

Aina felt her heart instantly drop like a lead weight straight through her stomach, hitting the cold dirt beneath her sneakers.

Great, she thought, her stomach twisting into a tight, sickening knot of pure despair as her mouth went dry. There goes my 100% right now. I mean, there’s my 0% right now, not 100.

While Aina was internally drowning in her own funeral, the rest of the crowd erupted into relieved, excited giggles and cheers.

"Thank goodness that this is going to count 100%!" Delilah squealed, clapping her hands together. "You guys are going to need it!"

Beatrice and the others burst into lighthearted laughter, nudging each other playfully.

"Alright, settle down, everyone!" their register professor shouted, stepping down the stone stairs while tapping his clipboard. "It is time to enter the bus!"

The Year One class began moving toward the massive, sleek tour bus parked at the curb, shuffling forward in an eager line. Aina let out a heavy breath, pulling her light bag higher on her shoulder as she stepped up behind Molly, ready to just get on board and disappear into a back seat.

Suddenly, a sharp, icy tap landed hard on her shoulder.

Before Aina could even gasp or register the touch, a harsh grip clamped down on her collar, and in a matter of a second, she was yanked violently out of the line and dragged around the sharp corner of the stone wall into a secluded alcove.

Her back slammed against the cold stone. She opened her mouth to snap, but the words withered instantly in her throat.

Standing right in front of her was one of Sophia’s pale, sharp-eyed vampire friends. And leaning casually against the brickwork beside her, a terrifyingly sweet, malicious smile spreading across her painted lips, was Sophia herself. A few feet back, Ally was standing with her hands wringing nervously, her face completely drained of color as she stared at the unfolding nightmare with sheer panic in her eyes.

"Well, I remember where I have seen you," Sophia purred, stepping closer until her sharp scent of sweet perfume and blood filled Aina’s lungs. "You are not Travis Whitelock, are you? Turns out I am friends, well, my younger sister is friends with Amilia Whitelock, your sister."

Aina felt every drop of warmth drain from her blood, her breath catching violently in her throat as her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.

"And when I told her about Travis," Sophia continued, tilting her head with a cruel, mocking amusement, "she said, ’That’s weird. Travis is in the Whitelock pack territory. He is not at the academy.’ And I’m like, how is that possible? I can see him right now."

Sophia leaned in so close her cold breath brushed against Aina’s ear, making her skin crawl.

"And then I sent a picture of you," Sophia whispered, her voice dripping with poison. "And well, she’s like, ’Well, girl, that’s a girl. Isn’t that a girl? Yeah, I mean, it looks like a boy, but... wait you know what that person looks like?’"

Sophia paused, slowly turning her dark, gleaming eyes toward Ally, who flinched where she stood. "Don’t you want to finish my sentence?"

Aina kept her jaw locked tight, her hands trembling inside her pockets as she forced herself to remain completely silent, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a tremor in her voice.

"Well, okay, I’ll finish it," Sophia chuckled, turning her gaze back to pin Aina against the wall like a bug on a display board. "She looks like Aina. You’re Aina Whitelock, aren’t you? The girl that has been on the news for a very long time with her family looking for her, so worried. You’re Aina Whitelock."

Shit, Aina’s mind screamed, a wave of cold, dizzying terror washing over her body. Oh my god, I’m screwed. I am completely, utterly screwed.

"No, no, I’m not Aina!" Aina blurted out desperately, shaking her head as she forced her voice into a rough, defensive raspy tone. "What made you think I’m Aina? I’m Travis!"

"Don’t give me that bullshit!" Sophia snapped, her eyes flashing a dangerous blue colour as she stepped directly into Aina’s personal space, her voice dropping into a harsh, warning whisper. "I know you are Aina. You have to be."

Aina squeezed her eyes shut for a split second, bracing her body for the agony of pulled fingernails or a beating on the hard gravel.

"But relax," Sophia added softly, a chilling, triumphant smirk settling onto her face as she stepped back. "I’m not going to tell anyone."

Aina opened her eyes slowly, her chest heaving as she stared at her in utter confusion.

"You will do something for me," Sophia promised, her voice laced with absolute, terrifying control, "and I won’t be a snitch."

"What is it?" Aina asked, her throat feeling as scratchy and dry as sand.

"How am I supposed to know?" Sophia scoffed, waving her manicured hand dismissively as if the details were beneath her. "I don’t know, but when I know, you will do it. And I won’t tell anyone, okay? Your secret is safe with me."

"Travis, come on!" the register professor’s sharp, impatient voice bellowed from the front of the bus. "We won’t wait for you! The bus is boarding!"

Aina nodded frantically toward the walkway, her mind spinning out of control. "I’m coming!"

Without waiting another second to let Sophia speak, she forcefully shoved her hand off the vampire girl’s grip and sprinted full-speed out of the dark corner toward the safety of the teacher.

As her sneakers hit the bus steps, she turned her head just enough to lock eyes with Ally, whose pale face was twisted in absolute horror and confusion.

Aina caught her gaze for a split second, her trembling lips moving silently as she mouthed the frantic words:

I’ll explain everything later.

She threw herself into the bus aisle, her chest heaving for air as the heavy pneumatic doors hissed shut behind her, sealing her into the unknown.

"Over here!" Molly called out waving her hand from the back of the bus, Aina with her heart pounding against her chest quickly made her way down the bus ramp and sat next to Molly on the bus. "Are you good? Your heart is beating like crazy." Molly asked and Aina snapped her head to her "You can hear that?"

Molly nodded curving her lips "It’s sort of hard to miss and that’s coming from me who is not a vampire."

Aina signed, shaking her head "It’s nothing, just nervous about this whole tournament thing. I don’t know how I’m going to score good points with a freaking cast." Aina lied as she pulled her phone from her pocket and shot a text to Ally.

Aina:

I’m so sorry, I didn’t tell you I was a girl. Please message me we need to talk.

I am so dead!