C5

Eversince the incidence at the sea, Anthony had been extra careful especially with Bouler that the kids began to wonder if there is more to Bouler that they did not know. He changed the position of almost everything in the house and he made sure he sound a note of warning to the children never to go to the sea at all.

Jocelyn wouldn't accept the fact that Gwendolyn doesn't know about the incident that happened at the station but Gwendolyn insisted she doesn't know anything about it. Throughout their journey back to school that morning,Jocelyn seems to be boiling with rage. To Gwendolyn, a secret is meant to be kept as a secret. Being a wolf is Layla's secret and they also have their own secret that they are protecting with their lives. She knew there is nohow she is going to tell Jocelyn what happened without mentioning the incident that took place and that will no longer be her secret. She believed the girl had suffered enough slander from the students than to add another salt to her injury. She better keep it that way.

They walked down to their class. The incident of the previous night at the station was on the lips of all the students as most of them was seen in twos or threes either discussing about it or watching the video which the station footage had captured on their phones.

Gwendolyn sat silently on her desk trying to avoid Marcellus and Lucas who seems to be watching her every steps.

"Hi! Good morning Layla." She greeted.

"Morning." She answered casually.

"You didn't come to the registration centre yesterday." She pointed out.

"I'm not interested." She retorted.

"Okay, I thought as much." She replied concentrating on her desk.

Jocelyn sit down quietly beside Olivia not uttering a word.

"You wouldn't tell me sorry?" Olivia broke the silence between them.

"Well, you didn't give me the chance . You're frowning your face. I even tried calling yesterday, you wouldn't pick up."

"You should have known that I'm angry." Olivia spouted.

"Oh! Alright, angry bird. I'm sorry. Will that do?"

"Cool. Did you see the video?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah. I've seen it." Jocelyn answered.

"I don't think we're safe anymore in this city. People were saying there was a figure there before the wolf. The footage didn't show her face."

"Perhaps she has been eaten by the wolf."

"Of course not. She transformed. She is the wolf." Olivia whispered.

Marcellus stand all of a sudden and walked down towards Gwendolyn. He stood at her front staring into her eyes angrily. By now, the class was silent. All attention was on them.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"Nobody in this school has ever done what you did to me." He spouted. As Gwendolyn opened her mouth to talk, he landed a hot slap on her face.

"Whoa!" Most of the students exclaimed.

Gwendolyn hold unto her cheeks.Layla keep a straight face. Jocelyn stood up angrily and headed towards him. As she angrily made to slap him in return, Gwendolyn held her hand and nodded negatively. Marcellus stared up at Jocelyn stupidly.

"You really think you can do that bitch?" He retorted.

Jocelyn almost screamed hard trying to yank her hands off Gwendolyn's grip.

"Don't dare Joce." Gwendolyn warned quietly.

Marcellus smiled mischievously as he headed down to his seat. Immediately, the scenario was posted on the school platform by those that captured it. Som ladies were jeering, cheering Marcellus up and calling Gwendolyn and Jocelyn the bitches. Gwendolyn persuades Jocelyn back to her seat.

"What on earth just happened?" Olivia asked surprisingly.

Jocelyn didn't utter a word. She had her face on the desk, disappointedly.

"Why did you do that Marcellus? We need a female lead singer for crying out loud. " Lucas complained.

"And you think I will allow that stinking bitch to be our female lead singer?"

"Why not?"

"Why not? You're asking me that? It's because she stinks."

"She stinks? What are you saying Mars?"

"I cannot allow a stain on my personality Lucas. And she is a stain."

"In what sense?"

"In all senses."

"That's bullshit!"

"You can't dictate for me Lucas. And I don't want you tell me anything about that bitch again."

"Great." Lucas snapped angrily.

Gwendolyn felt the urge to cry hard out of disappointment. She definitely didn't want to get into trouble.

"Sorry." Layla muttered.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Have you talked with him before?"

"Not really." She answered.

She didn't really want to go deeper into that and she secretly appreciate the fact that she didn't probe further.

Soon before the arrival of Mr George, Lucas walked out of the class angrily.

"Good morning." Mr George greeted.

"Good morning Mr George." The class chorused in reply.

Mr George faced the board and write the subject 'HISTORY' on the board.

"Today, we will be looking into the history of some creatures that existed apart from human being." He said.

Jocelyn raised her head from the desk to face the board and Gwendolyn tried to concentrate.

"Today, we will be sharing experiences on what we all know about these creatures. One tangible creature in our list today is the vampire. To some people, vampires never existed and to many they do. Vampires were originated from folklore reportedly from eastern Europe in the late 17th and 18th centuries....."

"Do you believe vampires existed Mr George?" Olivia asked.

"Of course Olivia. We are meant to believe they do because vampires are mainly dead people invoked by demons and spirit to rise again as living human beings and they in turn feed on their relatives or people in the neighbourhood where they live when they were still alive. Since people can't stop dying and committing suicide nothing can stop the existence of vampires."

"Why are they fond of hunting people down but not animals?" Jesse asked.

"That is because they drink human blood for survival Jesse. " Mr George explained.

"I learnt those bitten by the vampires also becomes vampires." Carmilla put out.

"Of course. That's the major way of acquiring vampirism."

"I'm sorry Mr George but I begged to differ. I don't believe in vampires. If a vampire can make another human a vampire, then all human race would have turned to vampires before the cure was detected. " Olivia argued.

"That's very clever of you Olivia. But people really do want to prevent the existence of vampires in so many ways. We have some brave men who sacrificed their lives to find the prevention motives."

"So, what are the prevention motives Mr George?" Jesse asked.

"Garlic, holy water, crucifixes, mirror and many more. Vampires were being kept away by those things."

"And silver." Olivia added.

"Yes Olivia, and silver too." Mr George affirmed.

"Is Abraham Lincoln a vampire?" Marcellus asked and all attention were directed to him.

"Not really but he is." Mr George answered.

"You're not sure George. You shouldn't be teaching us what you are not sure of." He said.

"I am sure of what I'm saying Marcellus. "

"You dare not utter my name George. Who are you to do so?" Marcellus demanded angrily.

"You are my student." Mr George muttered.

"So? I'm your student doesn't mean I'm living a wretched life like you. What is the purpose of your existence? A tie and a trouser? Just to become a teacher with meagre salary. I used your salary to buy wrist watch George. So, don't come to the class and start teaching what you don't even understand. I'm paying your salary. Next time you stepped into this class just remember it's my class." Marcellus retorted pompously.

Mr George heaved sadly and disappointedly before walking out of the class. Olivia signed and sit down angrily. Some students were cheering him up while the sensible ones were murmuring disatisfactorily.

"Bitch!" Olivia retorted angrily as she sits.

"Is he always like that?" Jocelyn asked angrily.

"Today is a good day. He had caused the resignation of some teachers. He seems to be on Mr George's tail." Olivia explained.

"Why?"

"I think because Mr George is not like other teachers. He didn't value his superiority and Marcellus thinks it's a slap on his face for all he cared. He never allow him to finish his period not even for once."

"I will make him pay." Jocelyn boasted.

"You can't do anything Jocelyn. He will make you pay with everything you have. Nobody has ever stood up to him and go scot free. Nobody." Olivia warned.

Gwendolyn shifted uncomfortably on her desk as she watched Marcellus walked out of the class.

"Do you believe vampires exist Gwendolyn?" Layla asked.

"I don't know maybe they do. They might really exist. Who knows?" Gwendolyn answered.

"I don't know if they existed but I'm sure wolverine does." Layla said.

"Wolverine......like the one that killed the police men.......at the station?" She demanded watching her reaction with keen interest.

Layla didn't talk for minute. She strongly believed no one will ever know her secret. Her grandmother that knows apart from Noah William is dead now.

"Maybe." Layla answered

Gwendolyn knew she had a conscience hunting her deepest emotion. The quilty conscience. It's all over her face and she really need to let it all go.

"Are you revisiting your father's case?" She asked.

"No." She snapped.

"Why?"

"I'm not interested. "

"Noah is .......your father Layla. You should try."

"I just lost my grandmother Gwen, yesterday. Can we not talk about father here please?"

"Of course sure."Gwendolyn answered staring straight ahead.

Jocelyn seems to be in a deep conversation with Olivia. The next thing she captured was Jocelyn walking out of the class angrily and Olivia followed.

"I'm coming Layla. " Gwendolyn said as she walked out of the class after them.

There are so many things Jocelyn have a strong aversion for and one of it is getting away with a crime unpunished. She had vehemently argued it out with Olivia to no avail. Either way or the other, she wants Marcellus to pay for what he did to her sister and to Mr George. She walked with high pace as Olivia tried to catch up with her persuading her to stop in her tracks.

"You can't win this Jocelyn. " Olivia warned.

"We don't win always Olivia. We might just wanted to be heard or to participate. Not all fights are for the sake of winning, some are just meant to be ironed out. This is one of it." She answered.

Gwendolyn followed them at a slow pace behind. They had had an arguement earlier at home that morning. She was angry because she thought Gwendolyn should have at least informed her about what made her sneaked out of the house that night and what she knows about the incident at the station. Another was the fact that Gwendolyn know she ought to have told her what happened between her and Marcellus at the music room. Now it all hit her in the face. For those reasons, Gwendolyn just followed behind.

Jocelyn sighted him from afar. He was talking with Owen and Lucas about how irritating Mr George was in the class. Jocelyn walked up to them when Olivia stepped forward to grab her against going. Gwendolyn hold her back.

"Let her go Olivia." She said.

"Why? You can't just let her go. Marcellus......."

"She promised mother. She will never go against her words for her." Gwendolyn explained.

"Are you sure?" Olivia asked.

"Watch."

Jocelyn walked up to the trio and stood facing Marcellus confidently.

"I can do away with everything because I have swore on my mother not to get into trouble." Jocelyn said.

"Oh! Mum's pet. What are you? Spider woman or bat woman? " Marcellus retorted.

"No I'm not. I just come here to sound a note of warning to you. You are playing with fire." She warned.

"Fire indeed. I don't have any business to do with wretched like you." He spouted and Owen giggled.

"Of course we are wretched because my name is not Grayson. My name is Jocelyn. I am not living off my father's wealth like you Marcellus. You are just an empty shadow without your father. You are just an imbecile."

"How dare you talk ill of my father?!" He bellowed as he landed a hot slap on her cheeks.

Before Gwendolyn could reach forward to prevent the unexpected, Lucas held Jocelyn's hand.

Students have gathered to watch the scenario. Jocelyn held her hand up in the air panting heavily remembering her promise to her mother.

Gwendolyn dare not touch her. All she does was to calm her down.

Through the PA, Mrs Joyce Weston announced that the twin and Mitchell should come to her office.

With much persuasion from Gwendolyn, Jocelyn accepted to see the Principal. They both walked in at the same time. But Marcellus is already there sitting at the front of the Principal.

"What did you perform out there Miss Jocelyn?" She demanded.

"Just tell us your conclusion Joyce. Should we just leave and never return?" Jocelyn asked pompously.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" Mrs Weston bellowed.

"Then how dare him talk to Mr George back in the class like that? And what gut does he possessed for slapping my sister? Huh? We're not begging for anything from you Joyce. Your school is wretched already." Jocelyn fired.

"I shouldn't have accepted to take you back then, It's just because your father is a nice man." Weston lamented.

"And do you think I care about your damn school? Who cares? You think you're doing me a favour by making me a student of SAMS? You're very wrong Joyce. " she said irritably.

"Don't worry, today is the end of everything."

Gwendolyn watched as Mrs Joyce Weston make a call through.

"Hello Mrs Mitchell. " she boomed and the voice of Milia rang out.

"I want that girl reprimanded for slandering. I will not let you go for talking to my son in that manner. You stink!" Milia boomed angrily over the phone.

"And you think your son is so much important than other kids? You are mistaken Mrs Mitchell. We are all statues and your son is just a decorated one." Jocelyn fired.

"How dare you compare my son to a mere statue? You witch!......"

"That's okay Mum." Marcellus said pressing the button on the phone and ended the call.

"I'm suing you for slandering." He said.

"Slandering? What slandering?" Gwendolyn demanded.

"You have to go and find a lawyer." Mrs Weston said angrily.

"For what?" Jocelyn bawled.

"Is there no other means?" Gwendolyn asked quite pleadingly. She didn't want any of it to leak out let alone to their father's hearing because she had promised him and he so much believed in her.

"There is no other way. Just find a lawyer. " Mrs Weston said irritably.

"There is," Marcellus said"you must serve as a maid in my house and always clean my maids' shoes." Marcellus puts out.

"You've got to be kidding me." Jocelyn said angrily.

Gwendolyn grabbed Jocelyn's hand and walked her to the side of the shelf.

"We have to accept Jocelyn."

"And why should we?"

"Because I promised Dad I will make sure we didn't get into trouble."

"Did I? You are always the one that usually bring the problem out of nowhere." She said angrily.

"I know Jocelyn. Just please. We can't afford to drag Dad into these."

"And you think he is not going to figure out sooner or later?"

"We will find something to tell him."

"Like?"

"Tell him he has been working himself out to feed us and that we have found a way to help. We will tell him I wanted to be working for the Mitchell."

"And you think he will accept just like that?"

"We will convince him."

"We are not going to get paid for this service Gwendolyn. "

"I know. I will have to steal it anyways. Besides, they are rich." Gwendolyn whispered.

"Deal?"

"Deal, Jocelyn. "

They both returned to where the duo was sitting.

"I will follow you." Jocelyn offered.

"No, Jocelyn. Let me." Gwendolyn said.

"Okay." Jocelyn affirmed.

"Better." Marcellus said smiling mischievously.

"For how long?" Jocelyn asked.

"For as long as I am satisfied with your service, I will decide when."

"No, you have to be precised."

"Probably three weeks." He said.

"That's too much." Jocelyn bellowed.

"Then, go find your lawyer." Mrs Weston added.

"That's okay Jocelyn. If that is what he wanted he will surely get." Gwendolyn puts in.

"You're starting tomorrow." Marcellus said and walked out of the Principal's office with his head high up.

"I will make you pay for this." Jocelyn threatened pointing her index finger at Mrs Joyce Weston.

Gwendolyn dragged her out of the office. Each step they took back to their class, they were being mocked until they come across Olivia.

"What have you done?!" She exclaimed.

"We are left with no choice Olivia. He wanted to sue us for slandering." Gwendolyn explained.

"That's it. And I warned you " Olivia said.

Throughout that day, they were being mocked. On their way back home, the duo decided to iron out their misunderstanding.

"Why don't you tell me about Marcellus?" Jocelyn queried.

"I'm sorry Joce. I think it's not necessary."

"And now?"

"Yeah. I wanted music and I was given a music band. You know how lousy he can be, I tossed the note in his face and walked out. He said his parents dare not try such with him."

"And you just let him go?"

"What choice did I have?"

"And the station..?"

"I didn't know what happened at the police station Jocelyn. "

"Then, where did you go that night?"

"Layla's house." She lied.

"Did you find anything?"

"No."

Till they reached home, the incident that happened and how to make their father stay our of it is all they ever think of.

But by the time they reached home, they met the unexpected. Every nooks and crannies of the house had been ransacked and their father was nowhere to be found.

"Father!" Gwendolyn called.

"Leo!" Jocelyn called .

They started searching the house. Some furniture are badly destroyed. And some tools, damaged. They couldn't picture what happened until when Jocelyn found something. It's a sign of dragging. They followed the path and it stopped at the sea at the back of their house.

"That is no footprint." Jocelyn pointed out.

"It's a tail." Gwendolyn added.

"Our kind." Jocelyn whispered.