“What?" I whispered.
Sylvie gave an embarrassed smile and propped her workbook up so the study hall monitor wouldn't see us talking. "Sorry. I don't mean to stare. Its just-I've known Clio for three years, and now I know you, and you guys are so different, I mean, I was never good friends with Clio or anything. But still, you look so much alike, but you're really nothing alike."
"We dress differently" I said. Being back at school after my X-Files morning was weird, but school felt safer and more familiar than the rest of my life.
"Its more than that.' Sylvie said. "You're just really nice,'
I winced. "Ouch."
She grinned. "Not goody-goody nice. But not a user, you know? I'm not saying Clio's mean, exactly. She's never been mean to me. But she's always been one of the really popular girls. Girls want to be her, and guys want to date her, and she knows it. And she gets into it." Sylvie stopped, as if shed just realized she was talking about my sister and didn't want to hurt my feelings.
I thought about my life back in Welsford. I had been one of the popular girls, and guys had asked me out. I knew people had thought I was pretty. In a way, I hadnt known how pretty I was until I had seen Clio. I saw her and how people reacted to her, and I realized they would react to me that way too. Was that what Luc saw? I thought again of his kiss for the nine-millionth time that day. Even at Petras, hearing about my family's unbelievable past, I had thought of him again and again. What would happen the next time I saw him? Was I ready for it?
"What are you thinking about?" Sylvie asked behind her hand.
"Oh-just, back home, you know," I said, putting Luc out of my mind before I blushed. "It was so different than it is here. My school was really small, and wed all started together in kindergarten, and no one was all that much better or worse than anyone else. So being pretty or popular didn't really get you anywhere." ficole Bernardin was about ten times bigger than my last school had been, and even on my second day I could see clear tiers of social strata. Clio and her friends were at the top.
I wondered where I would end up.
Axelle was waiting for me at the door of the apartment, pacing and smoking. I came in and our eyes met, a world of knowledge passing between us.
" Petra called me," she said.
I walked past her and dumped my backpack in my room, then came out into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of seltzer. Finally, practically trembling, I faced hen Despite what Petra had said, I had to ask Axelle myself.
"Did you Ml my father?" My voice was like ice. I'd never heard it sound like that,
"No." Axelle frowned.'! didn't even know him."
"Then how did I end up with you?" I yelled, taking us both by surprise.
Axelle looked defensive. "We… kept in touch with your father because of Clemence," she said. "When he died… unexpectedly, we thought it would be best if you came here, where you have people in your famille. I admit I pulled a few strings after your father died. It was important that I get you here. And really, don't you agree it's in your best interest? Aren't you glad you met your sister? And your… grandmother?"
"Of course.' I said with gritted teeth. "But you did all this behind my back. And if I hadn't run into Clio at school, I still wouldn't know about my sister and grandmother. When were you planning to tell me?"
Axelle took a moment. I could practically see the mental gears turning. "The less you know, the safer it is for you," she said. "Of course I would have told you- when the time was right. You just found out a little sooner is all. Eventually, everything will be clear."
"So you're a witch too?"
"Of course," said Axelle. 'Just as you are.'’
I ignored that. "You're part of the same famille as Petra?" I tried to pronounce the French word as I'd heard Petra say it.
Axelle looked at me consideringly, her black eyes thoughtful. "Yes. The same as you."
"What about Jules and Daedalus?"
"Yes."
"Even that kid Richard, the goth guy? He's a witch?"
"Yes."
" Petra knows all of you?"
Axelle nodded.
'And you've always known Clio?"
"No. I saw her once, from a distance. But none of us know her, and she doesn't actually know any of us."
"So what's going to happen now?" I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at her.
Axelles face seemed to close, and it was like I could actually see emotions shutting down. "Nothing. Business as usual. No huge fireworks or anything. Listen, I'm going upstairs for a while. Later well order in Chinese," She turned on her spiked heel and went into the main room. I heard the door open and then the click of her sandals on the wooden steps. She didn't know I'd been up there. I had my secrets too.
An image of Luc flitted through my thoughts, and I got up to go to the garden. But just as I opened the front door, a thunderstorm blew in from out of nowhere. I'd gotten used to this happening almost every day, sometimes twice a day. One minute it was sunny, the next it would be literally black outside, with rain falling so hard and thick that you literally couldn't see through it. Not even Connecticut nor easters came close to a regular New Orleans summer storm.
Inside the apartment it was dark and cool. Outside it was pouring, with lightning and thunder. I sighed. We'd probably lose power soon. Since I'd lived here, we'd lost power maybe five times already. Just for a few minutes or an hour, but it was still disconcerting to have everything suddenly shut down.
An instantaneous boom! of thunder and a blinding flash of lightning that made the courtyard glow made up my mind for me. I closed the door. Back in my room I lay on my bed, listening to the buckets of rain drumming on the low roof over me. It was oddly soothing, comforting, and despite thunder that reverberated inside my chest and lightning that made the world go white, I actually fell asleep.