Shared Skies (12 page)

“
Come on! We’re going to
be late, probably get detention. Oh, maybe we won’t, given it’s our
first day and all.”

Kaley smiled at Renny’s enthusiasm. “Renny's
going to go to school with you every day. She has an ability to
detect any encognating in her vicinity. This will keep you safe
from any human being influenced to do you harm. After last night,”
she paused and grimaced at the memory, “I don’t think any of the
Five will risk shifting personally to get you.”

This doesn't sound very
reassuring.
“But why can’t I just stay
here and be safe? Why do I have to be sent out…out... there?” Gaiah
gestured vaguely.

Kaley took Gaiah’s hand.
“Apart from the fact that we don’t know your capabilities yet, it
could damage the Earth part of you if you permanently shifted
dimensions in one go. Earth people are held tightly to Earth, they
can neither see nor move through dimensions. You have to
acclimatize slowly. Also Gaiah, you have to get as much knowledge
and perspective on the whole situation as you can, because
you
are
going to
find the solution!” While she was speaking, Kaley shifted them both
Earthways, followed almost instantly by Renny and Alasdair. She
handed Gaiah two lunch boxes and shepherded them out to the car.
Alasdair got into the driving seat and Kaley waved them
off.

Gaiah's mind kept replaying parts of the
unbelievable meeting she had just attended. Her head was
spinning.

There would have been silence in the car if
it had only been Gaiah and Alasdair, but Renny chatted exuberantly,
pushing her head between the two front seats and waving her hands
to illustrate everything she was saying.

“
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.” interrupted 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.”