Shared Skies Read online

  “Now, I know, of course, you haven’t been trained to encognate people but I have, and I’m allowed to do it around you if it’s necessary. Okay, so the story is, we’re best friends forever. That’s what we’ll be telling people. What kind of guys do you go for? I like big and blond.” She sat back but had barely taken a breath when she was off again. “Now believe me, I do know this is a serious business and things are on a knife edge for our three worlds. I really do get that, but hey, I’m getting an Earthways assignment that’s really electric, and I’m getting to hang out with a melding’s child. Honestly, it’s so exciting I can hardly speak.”

  Gaiah and Alasdair looked at each other and smiled. It was one of those glorious Highland days and it succeeded in claiming Gaiah's attention. The sky was a high transparent blue with a few fluffy clouds for decoration. The dark green of the tall firs and pines contrasted sharply with the russets and golds of huge, spreading oak trees. She smiled. Feels like I’m suddenly in some cheesy holiday ad.

  “We’re nearly there.” Renny exclaimed and rooted in her bag. “How do I look? Oh Energies! I must fix my eyeliner. Do you think we’ll make friends on the first day or should we hold back and be aloof?” She took out her make up kit and started repairing.

  Oh God almighty! Gaiah cringed at the thought of the day ahead. Although she’d had a brief visit there yesterday and it hadn't been too bad, it was still a new school. A new bunch of know-it-alls and bullies. Another crowd of people to feel uncomfortable around. She waited for the usual rush of anxiety but it didn't come. I am different from them. Totally different. I don’t even have to care. No more butterfly stomach, no more clenched teeth, no nerves on edge and ragged, bitten fingernails. With these thoughts came a rush of happiness, a feeling of liberation. She smiled to herself. Yes! I can do this–easily.

  They turned off the green, wooded country road and drove through a more built up area, until she saw again the long, low building that was her new high school.

  Renny was almost out of the car before it stopped. “Quick, quick, we’re sooo late. Bye Alasdair.” She ran towards the front door.

  Gaiah got out more slowly. Alasdair reached a hand across and stroked her cheek. “Look, Gaiah, for a few hours you can just be a regular girl, joining a regular school, and you don’t have to worry about evil beings out to control the world and annihilate all who oppose them.”

  Gaiah smiled at him. “In my experience, there’s not much difference!” Alasdair's bellow of laughter cheered her up. She waved and ran after Renny. She caught up with her, heading into a bright, airy reception area, where a small woman with a big clipboard was waiting.

  “Names?”

  “Renny Shaman and Gaiah Hansfort,” Renny answered immediately. Gaiah's eyebrows lifted. Eyes wide, she stared at Renny. Shaman, that was her grandparents’ surname. It had never occurred to her they were related, if, of course, that’s what being from the same Clan actually meant.

  “Ah, our two new girls, I have to say–a late start is not a good start! I hope this isn't an example of your usual time keeping?”

  Renny beamed. “Oh, no. I’m usually bang on time. It’s just that things are a bit confusing around here.” She gestured widely, encompassing the entire school. Gaiah felt like giggling at such a weird answer, but stifled it as the woman spoke again.

  “Oh, oh, my Goodness, well...yes...em…don’t worry, you’ll get used to us. I’m Miss Bird, the school secretary. Now, let me see, here are your timetables.” She checked her clipboard. “I think you have all the options you chose, yes, indeed. You are meant to be in Mrs. Kane’s maths class at the moment. I´m afraid you missed all the welcome speeches and any new rules or regulations, but I’m sure your class mates will fill you in, and if you have any queries just pop into my office and see me. Now, if you’ll follow me?” She led them down a bright corridor lined with metal lockers. A highly polished floor squeaked underfoot as it reflected the fluorescent lights.

  As they walked Gaiah whispered, “Are we related?”

  “Well, same Clan. Someday you´ll meet them, they´re great. Especially Morg-hana, my great grandmother or something. She’s one of the oldest women on Gaiana and every one is a bit scared of her. She sees things-”

  “What on Earth do you mean?”

  “She’s got some weird Earth history, got involved during an Earthways visit giving advice or help to a king or something. I don´t know, no one talks about it really-”

  “Girls! If you’re ready?” At the third door down the corridor, Miss Bird had stopped and rapped on the frosted glass. She opened the door. “Excuse me, Mrs. Kane. I have two latecomers who are newcomers as well.” She smiled broadly at her own witty remark, stood back to let the girls enter the room and pulled the door closed behind them.

  Gaiah and Renny were in the spotlight of twenty pairs of eyes. If it had mattered to Gaiah, it could not have been worse. If she had cared, Gaiah would have been very pleased she had picked her clothes so well this morning–even if it had been yesterday morning. Her Guinevere plait, almost to her waist, shone in the sunlight that was getting through the none-too-clean windows.

  Gaiah was acutely aware of the class watching. She knew they were waiting for the two new girls to cringe or blush and search for a place to hide. This behaviour was all wrong and it got worse. Renny strode up to the teacher and held out her hand.

  “Hi. Mrs. Kane, I’m Renny. I’m so pleased to be in your class. Where shall we sit?” Gaiah smiled. She knew the game for new students, and this was not how it was played. Mrs. Kane recovered from her surprise and shook Renny’s hand.

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you too, Renny, and I hope you settle in well.” She looked as if she doubted the possibility. She turned her gaze to Gaiah. “And welcome to you too, Gaiah. There are two seats over here where you can sit. I believe the two of you are friends, and so as long as you can work together and not distract each other you can keep those places. Right, class, back to work! Gaiah, Renny, we’re starting on the algebra unit dealing with polynomials. That’s page twenty in your book. Now, there are some words and phrases to look out for when you're dealing with polynomials; degree of a polynomial, power, index, co-efficient, divisor, quotient…”

  The class returned to their books. Gaiah and Renny settled in to their shiny school chairs, took their books out and scanned the faces. Cheerful, scowling, bored, blank, there was the normal classroom mix. She shifted in her chair, trying to look casually behind her, and her heart nearly stopped. There, grinning at her from the back of the class sat Graeme and in the far corner was Neal. This was too much, the two of them in one class.

  She turned quickly back in her chair. Memories of her ridiculous remarks to Graeme and of hitting Neal made her blush furiously. Renny was quick to notice. “What? What?”

  The teacher’s voice stopped any answer Gaiah may have given. “I hope that’s the maths problem you’re discussing. Any chance of giving me the answer?”

  Gaiah dragged her mind back to the book in front of her. It took all her will power to concentrate. Luckily, maths was one of her good subjects, so she gave a creditable account of herself and even if her answer wasn't exactly right, her method was correct and Mrs. Kane was pleased.

  Gaiah didn't take her eyes off her book for the rest of the class, refusing to let her mind wander to the back of the room.

  As soon as the bell rang and the teacher had left the room, Renny turned to Gaiah, her face bright with anticipation and said, “Okay, who? What? Where?”

  Before Gaiah could answer, Graeme was in front of them, more handsome than she remembered. His black hair gleamed and his white t-shirt under an open thick knit hoodie made his eyes look darker than ever.

  “Oh, My Lady of the Twenty Pounds Credit, here you are again and obviously as intelligent as you are beautiful.” He also seemed taller as he looked down at her. She was aware of a delicious, warm, woody fragrance when he moved.

  “God! Graeme, you’re so full of shit.” inte
rrupted the freckled face boy from the desk next to Gaiah. “Don’t take any notice of him. The rest of us know how to behave.” He held out his hand. “I’m Donald Campbell.”

  Graeme ignored him. “What’s your next class?”

  Gaiah felt her face redden again but her eyes met and held his gaze. Renny stretched across and shook Donald’s hand while Gaiah forced herself to look away and find her timetable. “We stay here for a double history.”

  “Shame, I’m off to double geography and Picasso there,” he pointed to Neal, “is leaving for a double art class. See you at lunch.” He grinned, did a mock salute and left.

  “Wow.” Gaiah turned to Renny and let out a shaky breath. “Now, he is good-looking.”

  “You never told me you knew people here.” Renny leant forward, grinning hugely.

  “No, I just met them in the shop, the other day…”

  “Them?”

  “Him too.” Gaiah pointed her thumb behind her. They looked around at Neal. He had a strange, intense look on his face, and Gaiah suddenly wondered if he remembered that she overheard him threaten Graeme in the shop? The history teacher arrived noisily, dropping books and papers. Neal sauntered over to Gaiah’s desk. He looked at her carefully through hooded eyes. Her heart seemed to jump.

  “Don´t get involved there,” he said in a low voice, and stalked out before she could reply.

  What the...? Had she even heard that correctly? Instinctively she pressed her palms to the base of her throat. Her pulse raced beneath her fingers. Was she that afraid of him? Why?

  Renny hadn't noticed this exchange. She was talking across Gaiah to Donald, who was staying for this class too. He was saying, “She’s kind of crazy, but she’s a great teacher. She can make history seem almost interesting.” By the end of the class Gaiah was in full agreement with Donald.

  “History is like the most interesting soap opera imaginable,” said the teacher, Miss Flynn. “Except that you don’t have to wait a week to know who finally betrayed whom or if King so-and-so kept his word. We, as observers of history, as possessors of hindsight, have a fly on the wall view of enough dirty deeds, scandals, love affairs, murder and mayhem to fuel a dozen HBO scripts.” Those were her closing words at the end of two hours that flew by, and Gaiah was actually looking forward to the next history class.

  “I’ll show you to the canteen, if you like,” offered Donald. “It’s break time.”

  “Great,” said Renny. “But first,” she smirked at Gaiah, “tell us all about Graeme, even if he isn't my type, he’s incredibly good looking.”

  Donald raised his sandy eyebrows. “Not your type? Well, maybe there’s hope for me, so? Mind you, you’re the only one to think he’s not so fantastic. He’s already been through most of the girls in year twelve and some in year eleven. And he only moved here a few months ago. I heard a rumour that even some of the teachers have succumbed.”

  Renny wasn't going to let all this go without more details. “When you say ‘been through’ you mean, what exactly?”

  Donald’s face flooded scarlet. “Jesus! I don’t know all the details, but a damn sight more than hand holding, so I've heard. He’s got some charisma going for him though, because no one’s objecting, even though he’s seen week after week with a different girl.”

  Gaiah leapt to defend Graeme. “Maybe it's because he’s just nice and knows how to stay friends with people? He seemed very easygoing when I met him.” She remembered Graeme’s complete unconcern at Neal’s bullying. She wished she could have been like that for the last few years.

  Maybe I have something to learn from Graeme? The thought made her smile as they headed for the canteen.

  Chapter Ten

  Gaiah knew her own corn-coloured, waist length hair and Renny's over the top biker look weren't exactly ordinary. So she wasn't surprised by the amount of attention they got as they headed down the corridor. Donald appeared to be enjoying this. He smiled broadly, his voice louder than necessary. Gaiah smiled at him.

  Her new situation had given her a different perspective on things. Making her look outside herself and her own problems. She was happy to stroll, chatting and laughing down the corridor. Donald stopped at large, plain, wooden doors, which he opened with a flourish. “And this is our canteen! Well, really it’s a place to eat our own food or buy their processed crap.”

  It was a long, low-ceilinged room, with a side wall of glass looking out over a swooping green field. A self-service counter ran down most of the opposite side. At the moment, it was a slightly overwhelming, multi-coloured cacophony.

  Donald led the way through the canteen, a noisy sea of students and clashing crockery. The greasy smell of fried food mixed with sweat and perfume was offset by a fresh, herby smell of cut grass carried through the open windows. Renny seemed oblivious to the scrutiny they got from all sides. Gaiah noticed but didn't care. They sat together at the far end of the room by the poster-covered wall. The scarred table told Gaiah that Joe had been there in May 1998 and that Helen loved Peter 4ever and that physics sucks.

  They dumped their bags on the table and opened their lunches. Donald eyed the girls’ homemade pate and chutney rolls and the stack of oat cookies. Laughing, he showed them the two pieces of bread and some cheese that he'd thrown into a bag that morning. “I kinda hoped they’d look more appetizing by now!”

  Gaiah grinned and pushed their food into the middle of the table. ”Here, help yourself, we’ve loads.”

  He was giving them all the info and gossip about their teachers when the girl from the open day came over. Today, she wore a long, navy cardigan open over a tiny, blue skirt and t-shirt. She sat down next to Donald and smiled. ”Hi, we didn't actually get introduced. I’m Cassie Stuart.” If she noticed Gaiah was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, she very kindly didn't mention it. “I’m Donald’s neighbour. We come to school together every day. Where are you two from?”

  Before Gaiah could answer, Renny was gushing. ”We’re from London and we've been friends all our lives. Gaiah is living with her grandparents and I’m staying with them while my parents are in America.”

  Gaiah interrupted. “Renny has no filter program, please don’t ask her how she is or she’ll tell you about every cold she’s had since she was seven.”

  Donald guffawed. “Great, a kindred spirit, I’m always being told I don’t know when to shut up.”

  “You mean, you’re always being told to shut up.”

  “Oh, now I’m hurt.”

  Cassie grinned, and offered him a biscuit from her lunch pack.

  Renny leaned forward, chin on hands. “Now, tell us all about everyone here, especially those two.” And she nodded her head at Graeme, who was waylaid at the entrance by three girls and Neal who was leaning against a wall by himself, eating a sandwich and watching everyone.

  Gaiah was still feeling uneasy about Neal’s earlier remark; it seemed too pointed to be casual, but now, she wasn't even sure what he actually had said. Cassie needed no more prompting. “Oh, where to start…Well, Donald and I have been here all our lives as have most of the pupils including Mr. Sunshine there.” She looked at Neal. “But Graeme is a newcomer like yourselves.”

  “Yes, we heard about his successes with all the ladies.” Renny giggled.

  Donald blushed and Cassie didn't look too pleased.

  “Not quite all,” she muttered. “Well anyway, I have to say generally, everyone is pretty okay here. We don’t have the cliques and gangs you seem to get in huge city schools, people might have one or two best friends…”

  Renny interrupted again to say, “Just like us, Gaiah!”

  Gaiah closed her eyes and shook her head slowly.

  Looking a bit perplexed, Cassie continued, “But generally, everyone is friendly and gets on well.”

  “Even him?” asked Gaiah, nodding at Neal.

  “Well, he’s a different case, a real loner. He’s a bit older than the rest of us. I think he’s nineteen already. He missed a year or two of schoo
l over the years. It’s hard for him here where everyone knows everyone's business. His mother, Moira, was my mum’s school friend. Moira was a real tearaway. Always skipping school, she even made a camp and stayed up in Craigphadraig woods. Anyhow, apparently, no-one was surprised when she took off as soon as she was eighteen.” Cassie lowered her voice to a whisper. “No-one was surprised either, when she returned six years later with a baby. She was a changed person though, sort of lost. Didn't want to be friends with my mum anymore, even though they both had babies around the same age. She lived for her son, but she died when Neal was ten and her parents had to rear him. As you can imagine, they weren't too delighted. She never told them who the father was.” Cassie blushed and looked down. “God! I’m an awful gossip. It’s just, my mum is always talking about it.”

  Gaiah was afraid to look around at Neal in case it was too obvious they were talking about him. Donald joined in.

  “We were actually quite good friends with Neal for a while when we were young, had pretty good fun too. God– do you remember the time he ran into the pond in his new shoes to save that kitten? And it turned out to be someone’s woolly hat? We laughed about that for weeks, teasing him about his ‘selfless bravery’–rescuing a hat. His granddad hit the roof that time.”

  “Yes,” chimed in Cassie, “and he came into school one day with that hat stuffed in the shape of a cat with eyes painted on and a tail pinned to the back and a note saying ‘I owe my life to Neal.’”

  “What happened to you all? How come you’re not friends now?” asked Gaiah, sympathetically.

  “Maybe it was living with his grandparents, but he really changed, started to ignore us, went off on his own. He stopped being fun. It was as if he was somewhere else in his head and slowly he changed into someone else. The only things he’s interested in now are his art and these hard core self-defense classes called Krav Maga. He's been doing these for ages at a local gym. He practically lives there when he’s not at school.”