Kaya’s POV
"All of them are weird," I replied turning away, "Eyes,” I huffed repeating her subject topic “My eyes are brown. If you ask me she should focus on Azians. Changing color and whatnot, and the other guy is just plain mysterious and creepy if you ask me, let's not exclude her-" I rambled
"Wait what did you say?" Ally me off.
"Exclude her?" I repeated, glancing up at her.
"Before that," she countered.
"The other guy, I always forget his name,” I mumbled prodding my mind, “do I even know it?”
"No before that!" Ally exclaimed with a look of curiosity, "the eye thing!" She added.
I froze at this realizing I had let that part slip out. She probably thinks I’m crazy. Then I’d blame this town for turning me into a crazy old hoot, "Azians changing eyes?" I whispered eyes darting to and fro, in no place particularly, "It’s nothing. Must have just rambled.  I have a large imagination, my mom says so all the time-" I explained feeling very embarrassed as to why I mentioned anything remotely close to that. I didn’t even want t think about what she thought of me.
"I've noticed it too," She blurted out, before covering her mouth. Her eyes widening at the outright confession.
"You what?" I echoed, my full attention steadfast on her.
"I-it’s not-"
"Don't you dare say it’s just nothing alright? Come on, it’s me.” I huffed, “just say it already “I challenged.
She sighed, "Don't think I'm crazy it’s just-"
DING! DING! DING!
Talk about perfect timing. That meant classes were beginning.
"Let's go Kaya!" She chirped heading toward the door, her tone sounding relieved.
I pulled her back giving her my famous look, narrowing my eyes down at her.
She sighed, glancing around before turning back to me, "I'll tell you about it after school,” she promised.
"Don’t you dare lie to me," I huffed.
."Cross my heart," she replied dragging me out of the bathroom.
********
"Maybe I’ll just come over tomorrow,” I said nervously frozen right outside Ally's front door."Really Kaya?” she dragged “It’s been years since you saw my parents, they will be so happy to see you," she urged opening the door to her house. She stood in the doorway, giving me a look. I sighed, breathing out, walking through it.
I noticed everything was spotless and clean, not anything put out of place. If I recall well, Ally was a tiny bit messy, in a good way. She was at least able to clean up after herself even if it did take a while.
I followed behind her, heading for what I assumed was the kitchen, immediately spotting a  woman, back turned towards us, curly hair in a fuzzy bun, humming along by the counter, seemingly wiping it down to her satisfaction. Okay, so I guess it was cleaning day.
"Ally is that you?!" She shouted out, over the soft music she had playing beside her whilst she cleaned.
"Yes mom and I'm right behind you," Ally replied making her mom turn around. Her eyes widened when she saw me and I grinned recognizing that face instantaneously,
"Sweet heaven, Kaya is that you?" She asked slanting her head to the right as she examined me from head to toe, placing the cloth on the counter.
"Yes Aunt Kathy," I replied with a large grin, a chuckle escaping my lips.
Ally's mom hadn’t aged a bit. She and my Mom had been super close both as neighbors and as friends before they moved away.
 She moved to hug me tightly and I buried my face in her shoulder. Her scent hadn't changed, just the same as my mom's, a beautiful Vanilla type. They had many similar tastes. I guess that’s why they got along so well, “God it’s been so long” she smiled,
I nodded still in her grasp.
"Wow,” she gasped I could see faint tears in her eyes, “have you grown to be a pretty young Lady!" She complimented holding me at arm’s length.
Young lady? I would be all lady in a few months. Just waiting to hit 18.
"Do you still have the-"
"Nope, no, no,” I chuckled knowing exactly what she was going to say, “ I got rid of the braces years ago, and boy am I glad," I replied.
She grinned, "I always thought you looked cute in them though,” she pouted and I shook my head not missing them even a tiny bit, “ anyways I'm so sorry I didn't come and see you this week. Your aunt told me you had arrived at book club yesterday, but I was so busy, with work and everything-"
"Don't sweat it, I understand," I replied still very happy to see her.
"Oh baby, you look so good,” she hype don in such a manner I was tempted to do a catwalk, “ I see your hips are out now."
"Mom!" Ally whined, her eyes widening.
"What?” Kathy asked turning to her daughter momentarily before she turned back to me “She always said wanted some," Kathy retorted, “padding those hips with small shirts and what not to give you more shape o so you claimed.”
"I laughed, it was true, when I was younger I used to pad waist creating chunky hips, because I wanted the generous figure God gave to Miss Kathy Bells, to be handed down to me.
"Well I'm getting there," I joked showing her my figure.
We all laughed as she put down a plate of cookies and milk before us.
We settled around the kitchen table, still conversing.
"So,” Kathy continued, “Tell me, how's your mom? It’s been ages," she smiled, her perfect teeth flashing white.
"She's doing alright. She is China now," I replied sipping my milk.
There was a small silence, at my answer before she spoke up again, “I heard about the divorce, and I'm so sorry, how are you holding up?"
"It’s okay I guess,” I breathed out. I didn’t want to talk about but I knew I would have to talk about it one or two more times in my life so it didn’t really matter, “it happened over a year ago, and I'm glad to say I'm in a better position as of now."
She nodded turning back to the plate of cookies before her. We fell into another round of silence. Yes, I did know she didn’t believe any word I was saying because truth be told I still had high hopes Stephanie would disappear my parents would get back together.
"So where is Mr Bells?" I asked biting into my chocolate chip cookies.
Anything to kill this awkward silence that seemed to envelop the both three of us.
"Dad had an important meeting today, “Ally began. Ally’s Dad was an attorney if I remembered correctly “The Company he was representing just lost their candidate," Ally replied taking in a sip of milk.
"Lost their candidate?" I repeated.
Kathy nodded, "the guy in the news last night?" she asked as if expecting me to have heard of it which I should have but I didn’t watch the news last night.
"News? I didn't catch it yesterday, " I confessed now intrigued in the conversation.
"Here," Ally began, pulling out her phone, handing it over to me.
"CEO MURDERED SAVAGELY IN ALLEY"
I read the heading out loud.
"The guy was found with three claw-like marks across his body and his intestines were out in the open," Ally stated plainly as I swiped to see the picture, not at all prepared for what I was to see.
I almost spat out the cookie in my mouth but it was too damn good to waste, only choking momentarily. I took a quick chug of milk to ease me before looking back at Ally.
"Sorry about Ally's bluntness," Kathy apologized sending her daughter a you better behave glare that Ally just rolled her eyes away.
"Not all of us can stomach horrific events," she added still in her stern tone before turning back to me with a bright smile..
Ally shrugged taking in another cookie.
"Did they catch the killer or at least find the murder weapon?" I asked, handing the phone back to Ally whilst a dark shiver darted down my spine. Why kill someone and with that much cruelty no less.
"No, sadly he is still out there. The police don't want to classify him as a serial killer since it seems it was just a personal vendetta, but if he kills again…" Kathy trailed off shaking her head whilst leaving the sentence hanging.
"They won't find him," Ally muttered, "and he will kill again," she added finishing her cookie.
My eyebrows furrowed studying her, "why are you so negative about it?" I asked, feeling a tiny bit sick ever since I saw intestines outside a human body.
Kathy grunted, straightening her posture, "My daughter believes he was killed by something...unnatural," She whispered the last part taking a swing of her milk.
"What?" I repeated leaning in, then glancing at mother and daughter. They said that so casually.
"Since we moved,” Kathy explained glancing momentarily at Ally who gave her a blank look in reply, “Ally seems to think, other species other than humans occupy this town. I mean obviously she was already obsessed with the supernatural before, " she explained leaning in, "Tinker Bell, " she whispered sending me a wink,  as I grinned, " but it seems to have heightened to much deadlier creatures of the night," she whispered the last part.
"You do know I can hear you right? I'm right here," Ally replied raising her eyebrows.
I chuckled amused at their relationship.
Kathy sighed, “This is because of that Twilight thing you watched right?" Kathy asked.
Ally rolled her eyes, "there are supernatural creatures living here in Torent, Mom. I've seen them, Kaya's seen them, and I'm going to prove it, " she replied throwing her napkin on the table, leaning back, as she folded her arms in the most stubborn manner known to man.
I really did not know how on earth I got flushed into this argument.
 Kathy turned to face me, curiously, "you've seen them?" she echoed her daughters' facts.
I coughed out loud at the question, Ally handing me a glass of milk immediately. She seemed to have come prepared, "go on tell her," she urged.
My eyes trailed to Ally then back to her mother, "hmm..." I trailed off locked in Kathy’s gaze. Oh Dear lord, I didn’t want her to think I had gone crazy or something like that.
"Go on," Ally cheered. I had to be very careful with my words. I couldn’t hurt Ally’s feelings but I couldn’t end up sounding like I had gone insane.
"Well, I have noticed a couple of things that seemed to b…un-ordinary,” I confessed my eyes slowly meeting Kathy's.
She probably just thinks I'm crazy. Ugh…is Ally really worth my sanity? No use asking that now. I had chosen.
In the Mandalorian's words, this is the way.
But no, her eyes seemed to sparkle as she shrugged, "It could,” she finally stated leaning back in her chair, “I mean, I used to think I could sense the supernatural, my great grandmother was a seer."
My eyes widened at this. Okay, so the whole family was in on it. Alright. I could roll with this.
"I don't have the gift,” she corrected, “my mother didn't, and her mother didn't, so." She continued.
"You can see things.” I plainly stated, eyes trailing from Kathy to Ally.
She shook her head, "I have never," she replied quite plainly and honestly that seemed to ease me more.
"But I have sensed them, and I know it’s strongest when it comes to the popular three," Ally replied instead.
“That’s what you named them?” Kathy scoffed with a light chuckle, “The popular three?" Kathy echoed making it sound like the lamest thing ever.
Which it was.
Ally rolled her eyes, before staring out into space, seeming to be so lost, “it’s just so there, I can almost get it,” she huffed saying things I couldn’t even quite understand
 "I hope Abigail never hears your theories," Kathy replied with a curt grin.
"Abigail?" I echoed, unfamiliar with the name.
"That’s the popular three’s Aunt, she and her cousin Anna, joined our book club six months ago, I admit they are peculiar ladies," She replied as she stood up with the now empty plate of cookies.
"You think their peculiar as well?" Ally asked unconvinced.
"Well they look quite normal, but I must admit, they do have their perks," Kathy paused by the sink as if in deep thought, her eyes glazing over.
"Anyway,” Ally continued, “ like I was saying, it isn't just the three, even other kids, Like Aron from Arts and crafts or Lauren in P.E, even that so-called  phone thief you were with the other day,  and.." She trailed of standing up.
I leaned back trying to fit all this in my brain.
 I had never really thought of the supernatural but was always open to the fact that other beings other than humans did roam this world. I mean it would be pretty cool just as long as they weren’t trying to secretly take over.
 It might seem preposterous to some people and it probably was, but hey in the least, I found something interesting to take my mind of everything else in my life. Trust me I needed the distraction more than I needed sanity.
"What creatures do you think they are? Vampires? I didn't see anyone with pale skin," I commented as Kathy wiped the table.
"Common misconception," Kathy muttered.
"What?"
"Well, as you know I am a nurse," she began leaning against the counter.
"Yes," I replied.
"And pale skin, may result as the lack of enough blood in your system,"
"Just proving her point further," Ally remarked with a grin, standing beside me.
"Yes, but what do we know about Vampires? Why do they suck blood?"
"Because they don't have enough of it themselves," I joked.
"Well" Kathy replied with a slight grin, "It’s because it is their main source of energy,"
"And?" I asked.
"Well if you haven't eaten in one day or even two, how would you look? Skinnier?"
"Hungrier, but my body's going to need a lot more fasting to become petite," Ally replied leaning in.
"So think about it, for a second if a vampire doesn't eat for a day, why on earth would they become so pale, I would say they would look like you and me,"
I thought for a second, it could be.
Ally paused then began to walk away, "come on Kaya!" she called back over her shoulder.
"Taking her to your layer huh?" Kathy asked.
"Yep!" Ally replied as I headed after her.
"Watch out Kaya Baby, it’s freaky up there!" Kathy called out after me as we headed up the stairs. My eyebrows furrowed at the warning turning to Ally.
"What does she mean by its freaky up there? Is your room that messy?" I chuckled nearing the said room.
She paused in front of the door, as if debating something, "something like that," she replied with a sly grin as she opened the bedroom door.
I looked at her skeptically before walking into her bedroom.
"Oh my God," I gasped eyeing everything.
Pink walls, varnished floors, beautiful bed, large dressing mirror, bigger closet, all clean and tidy.  Which was actually very surprising but that wasn’t what made me go OMG.
It was the countless pictures covering her walls, notes, papers, flyers, any and everything.
I walked in, my jaw-dropping, eyes wide as I looked around at the art before.
Turning my head I came face to face with a huge poster of a giant beast. I winced, my heart almost jumping out if its cage in fright.
"What the hell-"
"It’s a Minotaur," Ally replied walking towards me, “A mythological creature that's most famous for its feature in most Greek maze mythology stories,” she informed straightening the poster with a satisfied sigh.
I glanced at her calm face before turning around to inspect the other odd pictures, taped to her wall.
"You do know most teenage girls have pictures of pop stars, or rock stars, but you..." I trailed off eyeing one picture.
 “I'm not most teenage girls," she replied with a soft grin.
"Obviously!” I scoffed spinning round to face her, “This is …wow, it’s amazing!" I exclaimed in total awe of the creation before me.
She grinned, "Come on," she said guiding me to a small desk at the corner of her room, where she had placed her Mac and a stack of books.
"Ever since I came to Torent and started school at Rodney High, I felt something. Something supernatural so speaking for lack of better terms. How sometimes I would catch eyes changing color, or how some people suck up to others almost as if they are their superiors. It worsened when the popular three came, they didn't seem just popular, they seemed untouchable, even some teachers just excuse them whenever they feel like it, not asking any questions," she paused turning to her desktop.
"So I did some research," she began standing up.
"Research? On what?" I asked my eyes following hers.
"Everything,” she replied, “sudden eye changes, superiority, some things I caught at the back of my eye, like a guy is here one second and down hall the next,"
"Super speed?" I could hardly believe.
"It’s almost like they make fun of humans, while we aren't watching,” she huffed, “One day I,"
"You what?" I asked quite intrigued making myself comfortable on the bed.
"I was finishing up some homework in the school library,” she began to tell the story “ it was pretty late and I was heading past the basketball court,"
"Yes," I responded willing her to go on.
"And I saw two boys, boys I recognized as Azian King and Nyle Philips,"
"Who’s Nyle Philips?" I asked.
"Oh that’s the Football captain, he was sort of the most sought after guy in school that was until Azian showed up.”
"Go on," I replied.
"They were bickering about something, I didn't quite catch,"
"And?"
"Nyle suddenly charged towards him at an inhumanly speed I swear it was faster than anything I have ever seen before,"
"What did he do?" I asked, eyes wide open.
"Azian?" she asked, immersed in her story.
"Yeah," I breathed out nervous for some reason
"Nothing, but his eyes, they turned green," she whispered lowly, eyes on me.
"Green?" the last color I saw, it was gold I remembered.
"Yes, and then Nyle dropped to his knees, Azian bent down and said something to him and the boy ran like he was crazy or something. To this day Nyle has never said a word to Azian, or even been found in the same space as him."
My eyes froze on her, she seemed sincere.
I had no reason to doubt her.
I myself had noticed and felt things that were hard to explain.
"So what do you think they are?" I asked.
Ally shrugged, "the three, I don't know, but I do know they are werewolves and witches living amongst us. Even Alessia.”
"Alessia?" We just met that chick today.
"Yes,"
"How-why- how can you-"
"I felt it," Ally replied, her tone solid and serious.
"You felt it," I repeated.
"I knew it,” she sighed, disappointment filling her eyes, “ you don't believe me, I should have never-"
"No it’s not that,” I huffed a little mad she was dismissing me like that, “believe me or not, half of what you said actually makes sense, but why can only you feel it?" I asked.
She raised an eyebrow, the paused, "well… my mom did mention us coming from a line of seers."
"There is that," I replied in deep thought, "but you've never had a vision,"
"True, I don't know. Like I really don't know how to explain this, but I just know,” she replied her mind traveling away from me seen by the distance in her eyes, “ the way she's always found amongst them, the way she looks, wise but young, it really adds up in my head."
Or she could just be a Genius.
"I guess we will just have to research more," I volunteered placing my bag on the bed.
"We?” Ally echoed her eyes following every action of mine, “Does that mean-"
"I don't know if all this is real tink, but I want to know why I feel the way I do amongst these people and your theory might be preposterous but at least it is something. It's clearly your passion and as your friend, I will support you. Who knows you may just be right. Plus I literally have no life as of now so this might keep me busy, I hope that's good enough?"
She laughed jumping on me.
"Ow!" I screeched feeling her full weight on me.
"Yes! Yes! It’s good enough for me! I can tots with that!” she said rolling to the side.
I grinned, my eyes following her excited self, “So, research?"
She nodded walking towards the wall, "here is a list of book titles I got from the internet that seemed to have extended info on Supernaturals," she ripped the piece of paper from the wall then tore it in half.
"I have six of them but lack the other four,"
I nodded as she handed me a half of the list, "maybe tomorrow we can head to the town library and look for them, since I now have an extra pair of hands," she grinned excitedly.
I glanced at the list,
Beasts of the Other realm
Creatures of the moon.
"I believe there is another world out there Kaya, and I'm going to find it," she replied confidently.