Chapter 2

“Yes, great question, Kal. Where is Harry?” Greyson said.

“I don’t know where he is!” Brooke muttered and crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at Greyson and his friends. “Now, please leave us be.”

“As you wish,” Greyson scoffed, and Brooke turned back to Indianna.

“Sorry about that,” she apologized. “He’s an ass.”

“And he happens to know your boyfriend,” Indianna observed. Her voice was quiet, but Brooke caught it.

“B-boyfriend? W-what?” she spluttered, and Indianna smiled ever so slightly.

“Harry. That’s what they said his name was?”

“Observant.”

Indianna jumped when Greyson appeared behind her, leaning back against the cupboard, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Now,” he said, looking Indianna up and down. “Who are you?”

“I think it’s better if you don’t find out,” Brandon muttered. Greyson ignored him.

“Her name is Indianna—”

“I’m pretty sure she can speak for herself, Brooklyn.”

“She’s shy,” Brooke shrugged, glancing at Indianna, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but in the classroom.

“Well, come on, I don’t bite,” Greyson urged, and Indianna stiffened, just like before.

“Don’t talk about that,” Indianna said. Her voice was still quiet, but it was firm.

“Struck a nerve, have I?” Greyson wondered and smirked. “Somebody likes it kinky.”

“For God’s sake, Greyson!” Brooke hissed, and Greyson looked at Indianna.

Indianna was very beautiful, but her beauty was obscured by her lack of confidence. She hid behind her glasses, and her long brown hair shielded her face. ‘Pretty’ was a word she had never used to describe herself.

“What’s your name?” Greyson asked firmly.

Indianna forced herself to talk. “Indianna.”

Greyson narrowed his eyes. “Hughs,” he said under his breath.

“What?” Indianna asked, not hearing him.

“Nothing,” Greyson said dismissively. He looked at Indianna once more before walking back to his friends. He spoke to them quietly, and immediately they both looked at Indianna, their eyes wide and focused on her wrist. Indianna was holding it, covering the scar.

Brooke noticed the three boys looking at Indianna and scowled. “You’re freaking her out,” she scolded. “What’s your problem? God.” Brooke rolled her eyes when they looked away. “Just because everyone is scared of them, they think they can get away with everything. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Indianna said quietly, and she looked at the door of the classroom, praying the teacher would arrive so she wouldn’t have to talk to anyone.

A few minutes passed, and Indianna rubbed her head. She was stressed, and a headache was starting. She wanted the world to swallow her up. The school was the last place she wanted to be.

‘What happened to your wrist?’

Indianna jumped in shock and looked around in panic. She could hear a voice, loud and clear, but she was certain it wasn’t out loud.

“Are you okay?” Brandon asked. He and Brooke both looked at Indianna in concern.

‘Don’t panic, you’re not going crazy.’

“I, er...” Indianna choked on her words. Was she imagining this?

‘You’re not imagining it.’

“Indianna?” Brooke said softly.

“I’m fine,” Indianna mumbled. “I just have a bad headache.”

‘What happened to your wrist?’

Indianna struggled to control her breathing. She was panicking. She was certain she was hearing a voice in her head. And that was not a good sign.

‘I told you, there is no need to panic. Just speak to me.’

Indianna furrowed her eyebrows. The voice sounded familiar.

‘Who are you?’

It felt weird speaking in her mind. This whole exchange felt so incredibly invasive, and she didn’t like it.

‘I’m asking the questions, Indianna.’

‘How do you know my name? How are you even in my head? Am I going insane—’

‘No, calm down, you are not. Now, answer my question. What happened to your wrist?’

Indianna paused, thinking. This voice was in her head—it clearly wasn’t real. She guessed it was like talking to a figment of her imagination.

‘Indianna.’

The voice was growing impatient, and since she had no idea how to get rid of it, she decided to answer its questions.

‘It happened when I was younger.’

‘I’m going to need a bit more information than that.’

‘I was... attacked.’ She didn’t think she could whimper in her head, but she did.

‘Wolves.’ It wasn’t a question—it was a statement. Indianna had a feeling that the voice, the guy’s voice, already knew the answer to his questions.

‘Observant.’

Her head snapped to look at Greyson and his friends, but this time, he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking down at his desk, drawing absentmindedly on the surface. Now that she thought about it, the voice did sound similar to what she had heard of his.

“What are you looking at?” Brooke wondered, snapping Indianna out of her thoughts. She shook her head and looked at the desk.

“N-nothing.”

Brandon narrowed his eyes at her, then looked over at Greyson, who slowly looked up and raised his eyebrows at Brandon.

‘Who are you?’ she asked. ‘You’re not real, are you?’

‘I am most definitely real, but who I am doesn’t matter.’

‘It does if you are in my head.’

‘You talk a lot more when you aren’t physically speaking.’

‘So I’ve met you.’

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘You implied it.’ Indianna was getting irritated. She wanted to know who this guy was and how this was possible.

‘How old were you when you were attacked?’

‘I have a feeling, you know,’ she said quietly and bit her lip. She didn’t enjoy remembering the attack. ‘I was five.’

‘Your father... he died.’

‘H-how? How do you know this?’

‘Lots of people know the story of the attack, but they don’t know that it’s your story.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Not even you know the whole story.’

‘Then tell me.’

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘It’s not the right time.’

‘You are a voice in my head—I don’t care! You are scaring me! Now tell me how you know so much about me!’

‘Just focus on making friends. You’re shy—take the chances you get. Brooklyn is a nice girl, don’t ignore her by talking to me. You’ll hear from me soon.’

‘Wait!’

The voice was gone. It was almost like there was a presence in her mind, and now it was gone. So was her headache.

“Are you listening, Indianna?”

“Hmm?” Indianna looked at Brooke and smiled.

“You’re shy and not very talkative, but I like you, Indianna.”

“Um, thank you?”

“You are very welcome,” she grinned and looked at Brandon. “What do you think of our new friend?”

“I think that you’re going to take a while to warm up to us.”

“Sorry,” Indianna said and smiled sheepishly. “I don’t trust easily.”

“We’ve got time,” Brooke grinned, and the bell sounded, signaling the lesson change. “Let’s see your timetable.”

Indianna handed over her timetable, and Brooke quickly scanned it. “Your next lesson is Italian. Brandon and I have French, but our classrooms are next to each other. Shall we show you where to go?”

“Um, okay,” Indianna nodded, and the three of them stood up. Indianna grabbed her bag and followed them out of the class, but not before glancing back at Greyson. He looked up at her and smirked ever so slightly.

The voice in her head sounded so much like his.