Raven Saga 01 - Raven

and I continued, “After my parents vanished, I felt like I didn't belong anywhere, you know? Actually, come to think of it, I guess I've never felt like I belonged. But coming here... and meeting all of you guys, it's just incredible. I can't describe it, really. Well, it's like, like I've finally come home, you know?”
    She nodded sadly.
    “But I feel guilty about it. How can I feel like that when my parents are gone?” Tears threatened to erupt down my cheeks.
    “You have nothing to feel guilty about, Lilly. You have come home. You clearly belong here. It's not your fault your parents disappeared. We will find them. I'm sure they're okay. Why don't you tell me all about your life in England. I'd love to know more!” she said in an attempt to cheer me up. I knew she would be horrified when she learnt the truth, but she insisted on hearing about it.
    So I told her how I had grown up. In a strange and lonely world, trapped in a home with no love, no joy.
    “Lilly, that is so sad. All of this proves that you really have nothing to feel guilty about. You deserve some happiness now. I wish you had grown up here with us though. We would probably have been the best of friends from the day you were born. You know, for someone that never had a loving family, you're very grounded. If I had to guess, I would have said that you grew up happy and loved, judging by your personality.”
    Jo's upbringing couldn't have been more different from my own. She had always been surrounded by the most loving family, the Tulugaqs, and it showed. She was happy and delightful to be around.
    “If you had grown up in Powell River, you'd know that it is wonderful here. Of course there's always going to be your typical neighbourhood gossip but everyone always rallies round and makes it the most wonderful place to be. But at least you're here now. We can enjoy it together from now on.”
    I was so touched that I hugged her before she asked me a little more about England.
    After telling her of the little I knew of the country that had been my home, I expressed how upset I was to be kept in the dark about something within the family, about something that I believed I had a right to know.
    “I do understand, Lilly, but Gabriel never does anything without giving it a lot of thought first. He must have a very good reason not to tell you... yet, anyway. I'm sure he will tell you soon enough.”
    “Don't you know anything, Jo? Is there something you can tell me?” I asked, hoping that she would at least be able to give me just a hint of something... anything to put my mind at ease.
    She looked away then and sighed and I knew I was wrong to ask her. She was obviously torn between her love for her family and her newfound friendship with me.
    I decided not to push it. It wouldn't be fair. So as she looked back at me, I smiled and changed the subject.
    “Tell me about school, Jo... I guess I'll be attending the same school as you. Can you give me an idea of what to expect?”
    Relieved to have a change of subject, she smiled at me with thanks and told me all about the local high school, how it was like any other American or Canadian high school – with popular kids and geeks and football and cheerleading. She told me I shouldn't worry though. She knew I would fit in well. I certainly hoped so. I just hoped that I was at the same level as the other kids in my class; it would be so embarrassing to be behind them. Jo just had one school year left, whereas I still had a few to go. I wished we were the same age so I would have at least one person to go to class with. But she reassured me that I would get on with everyone. There weren't really any awful kids there, she'd said.
    Didn't every school have their fair share of awful kids?
    “Come on, Lilly. We ought to make a move and get back to the party. Everyone will be wondering where we are. We don't want them to worry. Plus, Oliver was asking after you.”
    Jo could tell I was mortified, so I explained about my reaction to him and she smiled. “Well, he seemed interested to know more about you so I wouldn't worry if I were you.”
    I told her that I'd rather give the party a miss altogether and she suggested we at least go back and show our faces. We could always sneak off somewhere else if we felt like it.
    Reluctantly, I joined her and she led the way back through the forest, until we reached the footpath I had walked on earlier.
    It was then that I realised I could have so easily become lost