The Sheenite

Guardian goddess✓

I woke up on the floor. I was so weak. I stood up with my head throbbing in pain. I sat down on my bed and took a look at my wrist, it was shining purple. But last night, it shone red. What happened? I hissed as I rubbed my eyebrows with my fingers. I had a headache.

I took my bath and got dressed for school before I came downstairs. My dad was already having breakfast. I kissed the both of them and took my seat. I looked at them just to confirm my thoughts. They seemed normal, so normal. Which can only mean that they didn't hear the growl of the beast last night, but how?

"Hey darling." My dad cut my train of thought.

"Yes dad?"

"How was your night?"

Horrible.

"Fine!"

"What's with the wristband? I mean you never wear them."

"It's pretty dad, I like it."

He nodded, ending our conversation.

Edville High.

After classes I sat down in the field holding the bedtime story The Sheenite.

I had read that story several times but it was all about how a prince fell in love with a Sheenite which was against the law of the land, but still got married to her because she was pregnant with his child. I needed more answers, something more than that.

Jeffrey sat in his class thinking about his guardian. He had a pencil and a drawing book. He shut his eyes and the image of yesterday flashed back to his head. He drew.

He was shading his sketch when Aiden walked in.

"Dude, what are you doing?" He asked and sat on the table besides Jeffrey.

"What's that?" He added.

"This?" Jeffrey repeated as he looked at Aiden and back at his drawing.

"My guardian, my guardian goddess."

"You mean the girl you believed to have saved you three times now?"

"I didn't just believe it, it's real?" He answered.

"Okay.. okay! Is this the part of her you said you saw yesterday?" He asked and took the sheet from Jeffrey.

"Yes."

Aiden handed the sheet back to him and heaved a sigh.

"I learnt you are attending a therapy session today?"

"Who told you that? I'm not attending any therapy nor am I seeing any therapist."

"But mom called and told me."

"What's wrong with you all? I'm fine! Why do I need to see a therapist?!"

"Well mom thinks you are seeing things, having illusions, she's worried."

"Why do I feel that you are also indirectly advising me to attend the therapy? You think something is also wrong with me?"

Aiden opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

"Come on! Really?!" Jeffrey yelled getting up from his chair.

"Dude please, if you don't wanna do this for me, then do it for your mom!"

"Aiden is right." A voice came from the door. They both turned to see it was the rest of the band.

"Stacy you too?"

"Babe, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you are abnormal, I'm just... I'm.. just saying you should attend the therapy session, it won't hurt."

"Stacy is right. It's just for today. Then if they confirm that you are okay, you might just stop attending." Tatiana added.

"You too Tatiana! Come on who else is left?!" He shouted a little bit annoyed.

"Your mom informed your elder brother about your situation." Evan stepped forward with his arms across his chest. He took a seat.

"What? s**t! Why did she do that?!"

"You were stubborn." He added.

Devin, Jeffrey's older brother was first a foster child before he was adopted. Jeffrey's parents thought they were not going to have a baby because of their fertility status. When Jeffrey came by, he became Devin's pet, he ensured that Jeffrey was save no matter what. He even used extreme measures that made Jeffrey sometimes doubt if he really loved him.

"According to mom, he assured that he was going to make you see the therapist whether you like it or not. Am sure he'll bring security to ensure that." Evan added.

"I don't know why you all are doing this to me. I am not seeing things, someone is saving me, a girl is saving me." He said picking his words.

"But we don't see what you see Jeff!" Zoey said

"Because, you all are the blind ones not me! And I think you all should be the ones seeing a therapist not me! You know what, I'm outta here." He said and picked up his backpack leaving.

"Come on Jeff."

"We are just worried about you."

"It's just for today, not a life time?"

"At least for mom."

"It's therapy, not death sentence." They all kept talking until he left the door.

Stacy heaved a sigh.

"I should go talk to him." She said and left the door.

"This is not good." Tatiana said.

"Everyone has been acting weird lately." Zoey added with her eyes on Evan. He knew she was referring to him.

"Jeffrey come on listen to me!" Stacy yelled as she followed him. They were both walking into the woods at the outskirts of the school.

"Just go away Stacy, I wanna be alone."

"But I can't leave you!"

"I said I wanna be alone!" He replied entering more into the woods.

"Jeffrey please stop. You know here is a boundary, students aren't allowed here, it's dangerous!"

She said as she looked at the sign that was boldly written 'Danger.' She stopped.

"Jeffrey please." She said. The place was dark already despite the fact that it was day time. She couldn't afford to go further. Jeffrey stopped and turned around.

"Stacy please, just go."

"How do you expect me to leave you here, it's dangerous, let's go! Let's leave here."

Jeffrey took a few steps shaking his head. Suddenly he fell. Stacy ran and looked down to see it was a deep well. It was so dark that she couldn't see a thing all she heard was his scream.

"Jeffrey!!!!!"

••••••

I stood from the field still pondering on what I should do. Night will come, and I was scared. Scared of everything. If it wasn't nightmares, it was a beast.

I had that feeling again. It was Jeffrey. I hurried to go get my hood and maybe go to an isolated place to run, but the force, the pull was too much, I moved. All I hoped in my head was that nobody saw me.

Stacy stood there shouting Jeffrey's name crying. She didn't know if she should hurry out to call for help or do anything to help him. But how could she, he was still falling like it was some bottomless pit.

Suddenly she felt something pass her, she didn't know if it was a human being because it was so fast. The creature went deep into the pit and suddenly, a bright light shone from the pit, it was so blinding that she covered her eyes with her hands. The light went off. She removed her hands and opened her eyes, she heard a step besides her, she looked to see it was Jeffrey standing besides her, How?!

"Jeffrey..." She said and ran to him placing her hands on him scrutinizing him. "Are you okay? How did you..." Suddenly, they heard a rustling sound, they turned around to see someone who ran into the woods, she was wearing a white hood.

Jeffrey wanted to run after her, but as much as he wanted, he couldn't, she was too fast and he would never be able to catch up. He wished she could slow down, he needed to know who his guardian was. Suddenly he noticed her movements in the woods she was still close by, How? Why? Maybe she heard my thoughts? My Wish!

I ran away. But suddenly I noticed I didn't run fast, I wasn't as fast as I should, running in seconds. I was running like a normal human. What's happening? What's wrong with me? What's it because of my encounter with the beast, if it was, I wouldn't have been able to run fast to come save him in the first place. Except maybe... maybe... maybe he wished me! He wished me to slow down. Oh no! This isn't good.

"Stacy..." He said and placed his arm on her shoulders with his eyes still in the woods. "You need to leave now , and if you can, call the others." He said he was determined to catch her. "No, I must come with you." She said.

" No, I don't want you to get hurt please." He replied leaving.

I ran as fast as I could, but he was pretty fast, I could feel he was catching up. Well, for someone who always won the Olympics, I wasn't surprised. I ran out of the woods, I was in the school premises.

"Stop. Please stop." He begged.

I stopped, his voice was soothing, pleading, yet powerful.

"Who are you? What are you? Why are you saving me? Why are you everywhere I need help?"

He asked a question that I myself didn't know the answer. I continued running and he chased after me. I hid by a pillar and he passed, I took another route. When I knew he was out of my tail, I removed the hood and held it in my hand, trying to act normal but walked fast. I needed to hide the hood before someone would see me with it and recognize me in the future. I bumped into someone.

"Sorry." I apologized quickly. Before I looked away, I noticed something weird about this person. She was wearing a white apparel that had slits by the side and stopped below her knee, revealing the pants underneath. A white ribbon was tied around her waist. Her hair was long stoping by her hips. Her blue eyes captured me, it was like I was drowning in them. She was more than beautiful. She was like a goddess. But she didn't look like a being from this planet. Or should I say she didn't look like a person of this era. She looked like she came from the past. The 15th century or maybe way back. Otherwise what would she be doing in that outfit. Except she was a strayed actress, someone who lost her way. But there was something attached to all this, she didn't feel normal even when I tried to paint her to be. She had a strange and powerful aura around her. But I didn't care, I was on the run, from Jeffrey. I turned around, in a few seconds, this thoughts ran through my head.

Jeffrey stopped, panting. He lost her. He cursed himself inside for loosing such an opportunity.

The strange woman stopped and stood by a tree. She watched Sapphire walk away swiftly.

"Halyn." She said and tears dropped from her eyes. Immediately, she disappeared into mist.

Stacy came back to their palace class to meet her friends all waiting.

"How did it go?" Zoey asked placing her hand on Stacy's shoulders. "Stacy, you're trembling." She added.

"What happened." Evan asked and stood up while the others followed.

"Jeffrey... Jeffrey fell into a well."

"What? where?" Aiden asked with fear.

"He's fine... he's out.."

"How? Did you bring him out? Where is he now then?" Tatiana asked.

"No, I didn't bring him out."

"Then who did? Speak up Stacy!" Evan added tensed.

"She... she saved him."

"She?" Zoey asked.

Stacy nodded.

"She. The girl he always says saves him. The girl in the white hood. She is not imaginary, she is real. I saw her too. She ran into the well, she was so fast that the next thing, there was a great light. It was so bright and blinding that I shut my eyes and still covered them with my hands. When I opened my eyes, I saw Jeffrey by my side." Stacy answered and swallowed hard. "I didn't see her face as he always said, I just saw her back and she ran away."

"So where is Jeffrey." Aiden asked picking his words trying to quench the tension.

"He went after her. In the woods."

Immediately they were all leaving, leaving Stacy standing there. Evan stopped by the door.

"Zoey, Tiana, stay here. Stay with Stacy. It's dangerous to go into that place."

"But what about you?" Zoey asked.

"Yeah, I wanna come along." Tiana added.

"Stay here. That's an order." Aiden spoke.

"And in case we don't come back, we don't know how dangerous she could be, you know who to call for help." Evan said and he and Aiden left.

•••••

Sapphire sat at the rooftop. Catching her breath, releasing the tension. That was close. She recalled the woman she bumped into. She dressed like the woman in her dreams. The only difference was that she wasn't putting on a mask. That woman, she wasn't a stray actress. She had a strange aura around her. She could be the only answers to her questions. I rushed downstairs. I looked everywhere, but I didn't find her, she was gone.

The rocking wave sat in their palace class, they were all silent.

"All the while, you all thought I was going mental, I saw things that didn't exist. At least you believe me now."

"What does she want? How sure she's not saving you to hurt you later." Evan asked.

"I don't know about the future and I don't really care about it." Jeffrey said and stood up.

"What I care about is now. And by the way, you should inform Mom and Devin that I'm okay and I was never mental."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know. But wherever I'm going, I'm going to find out what my guardian is and what she looks like."

He said and got to the door.

"I won't sleep home tonight. You should tell mom, she shouldn't wait for me."

He said and left the door.

•••••••

I wrote Jeffrey's note. I left the lights on. I didn't want any beast to visit me. The mark on my wrist shone darker. It got me worried. I mean living a life when you don't even know what you are was already confusing.I thought of paying a visit to the writer of the bedtime story Sheenite, she might know something more about us than a Sheenite getting married to a crown prince. But I was also scared of finding the truth, the truth about myself. What if I was some evil creature. I decided to stay ignorant. It was way better than facing my bitter truth.

********

Edville High.

7:00am.

I shut my locker after taking my books. When I heard my name. I turned to see Vanessa. She waved to me grinning widely. She looked very healthy.

"Vanessa!" I screamed like my neighbors kids. We locked in an embrace.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better than okay!" She replied happily.

"Yah! I see that." We both laughed.

There was silence between the both of us. It was as though it dawned on us that we weren't supposed to be friends.

"Sapphire." Vanessa said and took my hands in hers.

"Let's stop this. Let's stop the pretence, let's stop hurting ourselves. My dad can say whatever he wants, but you know we can't stay away from each other. We are best friends... and will always. I don't know if you haven't noticed that whenever we stay away from each other, bad things always happen to us."

"Yeah. Really bad things." I agreed.

"So what do you say?"

"Well, I think that's a good idea, best friend forever. So Vanessa, will you be my best friend forever?"

"I will gladly oblige." She replied and we both embraced.

"Thank you." Vanessa said and I smiled.

"Hang on?" She said and brought out her phone and went to Sapphire's side.

"Look here. Jeffrey posted something on the students platform."

There was a side picture of me! At first. Oh gosh! He must have seen that side of me the day I saved him from that bus. But still I was glad, no one would ever be able to recognize a human who just a part of her cheek and her eyes showed while the other part of the face was covered with her hair wearing a hoodie. It was impossible. But still I couldn't doubt, Jeffrey was a good artist, this photo of me was perfect!

"Saved me from death four times, yet never got to say thank you nor see your face. A mysterious being who has taken both my mind and my heart. I'll forever wait to see your face, my guardian goddess."

Jeffrey Logan.

Vanessa read out.

"This has caused an uproar in the students page. Everyone keeps asking how she has saved him from death four times!"

"Wow!... that's... pretty interesting." I answered feigning a smile.

"Guardian goddess. That sounds more powerful and cooler than guardian angel don't you think?"

"Exactly!" I nodded.

We noticed students gathered by the stairs.

"Come on let's go check out what's going on there." Vanessa said and pulled me.

"...the fourth time she saved me was when I went into the woods by our school, the part that was out of bounds. I fell into a pit. It was more like a pit without ends because I never landed. She ran dip into the pit and got me out." Noise arose everyone admired this girl.

"This time, she didnt run as fast as she always used to, she ran like a normal person. I chased after her but lost her." Jeffrey said on the stairs while the crowd stood down.

"Ugghh!" Everyone echoed.

"Your guardian goddess is a super hero." One said.

"Or maybe she could be an alien, something from another planet?"

"Yeah, she is the guardian goddess in the hood."

"All hail the guardian goddess!" One chanted.

"All hail!" The crowd chorused.

And everyone clapped cheering.

I could see anger and hatred all over Stacy's face, this guardian goddess was taking her popularity. I was pleased to see that reaction on her face. For the first time in my scary Sheenite life, I was happy I was a Sheenite. Gosh! I was so popular. Even if no one knew who I was, I was satisfied. At least making Stacy feel this way was satisfying. Everyone dispersed at the sound of the bell.

As I and Vanessa walked to our class, I saw my posters. My side face was everywhere on the wall. I was pleased. That boy was right, all hail this Sheenite.

After class, everyone hurried to the notice board. The result of the audition was out. The rocking waves name was the first on the list followed by four more names, Ancient tunes, starlight, The Nightingales, Blissful. V.S Galaxy wasn't there. And asides that, there were supposed to be six names on list.

Six people from Kreisten high vs six from Edville High, thats how it's been every year, but now there were only five names on the list representing Edville. The bell rang, everyone returned to the class but I and Vanessa just stood there. She was sad. V.S Galaxy was more important to her than it was to me.

"I don't want to go to class."

"I know." I said rubbing her back.

"Take me somewhere else."

"Sure. Come-on."

I took her to our music class. We just sat down silent.

"Come on Vanessa, stop hurting yourself like this."

"Why won't I? I wanted to win this badly for you. You made the Justice department and it gave me fame. I wanted to do this for you."

I realized why she pained so much, it wasn't all about her, but me too. I had to make this human happy. I had to find a way. After all in my Sheenite life, I haven't done anything relevant for her. I had to help her now I can.

"Sing."

"What? I can't sing, I just lost an audition and you're telling me to sing? I can't." She said and crossed her hand across her chest frowning.

"Please? For me?" I asked creasing my forehead.

"Okay! You got me there. She said and stood up walking towards the stage.

she just wants to be beautiful she

goes, unnoticed she knows, no limits

She craves,

attention she praises an image she

prays

to be, sculpted by the sculptor

"Why do I feel that you are referring those lines to me." I said.

"Uhhuhh!" She nodded.

I chuckled.

"How about you go to the stage take the microphone."

"It's not working."

"I know just do it. You never know, you might get chosen by doing that."

"If you say so, I'll do anything to get back to the competition." She said and ran to the stage holding the microphone.

...Oh, she don't see the lights that's

shining

Deeper than the eyes can find it

Maybe we made her blind so

she tries to cover up her pain

and cut her woes away

Cause cover girls don't cry after

their face is made

I smiled and looked at the speakers, her voice began singing from them. I sunk my soul into the drums and it gave me a beat through the speakers. I did the same thing to the keyboard and then there was a marvelous melody.

Students sat in their classes hearing the beats and the voice of someone singing. Everyone subconsciously nodded their head to the beat. The teachers stopped too to listen. The students began talking to themselves wondering who was doing this amazing stuff. They weren't hearing clearly from their classes, they wanted to all go out to go see for themselves, but the teachers in all the classes stopped them and they sat back. They could hear because I removed the sound proof of our music class, with my powers of course! I wasn't getting enough impact I wanted, I wanted the music class to be crowded, I wanted to shame Stacy, one for crossing my best friend when she was attacked like she was some dead body and two showing her her place when she is around me. I shut my eyes and concentrated. Immediately Vanessa's song began singing in each class through the announcement speakers.

In Sapphire's arm all the students including the teacher who was teaching turned around to check if Stacy was in class, but she was there! Who would have that amazing voice then if it wasn't Stacy? The students couldn't hold themselves anymore, they all stood and ran out of the class, their teachers couldn't stop them this time, even the teachers were curious. All the students came out to see other students coming out of their classes too. They all stared at themselves in surprise like. 'You also heard the song? Where is it coming from? So it's not Stacy singing? Then who has such wonderful voice than her?' Stacy was so annoyed. She was ready to kill whoever was taking her place.

All the students began running upstairs. The stairs couldn't contain the whole crowd of students at Edville, but they all squeezed their way upstairs, they wanted go check if it was coming from the music class.

I could hear the stampede. I opened my eyes and it glowed gold. Our music class was made of translucent glass. People from outside couldn't see the inside, but people from inside could. I knew with the crowd coming, they might break down the class even when they said it was likely unbreakable. I made the glass transparent. Everyone that was gathered outside could see the inside, my eyes turned normal.

Everyone was shocked to the bones.

"It's Vanessa?"

"Isn't that the crown princess?"

"This is good!"

"Did Stacy say she was Edville's best singer? She should go put her head into the toilet seat for what is coming out of Vanessa's throat.".

"The charisma, the beat, Vanessa is great! She is a rock star!"

"She should be Edville's top representative in the competition."

"Rocking wave should consider her their lead singer."

Jeffrey and his team stood with shock, Vanessa was good. The teachers nodded smiling.

I wanted to destroy Stacy the more, so I stood up and began clapping.

When everyone saw me clapping, they all joined me. I knew Vanessa was oblivious that she was surrounded, her eyes were closed. She was sunk in the melody. If her eyes were open, maybe she wouldn't have been as cool as she was.

...no better you than you that you are "no better you than the you that you are"

The crowd chorused after her.

no better life than the life we're living.

"no better life than the life we're living."

no better time for your shine you're a star

"no better time for your shine you're a

star"

Oh your beautiful Oh your beautiful.

so there's a hope that waiting for you in

the dark

You should know your beautiful just the

way you are

you don't have to change a thing the

world could change its heart

no scars to your beautiful, we're stars

and we're beautiful.

oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh

And you don't have to change a thing the world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful

we're stars and we're beautiful

Everyone applauded and cheered for Vanessa including the teachers when she was done. She just stood there with her lips agape in surprise of the crowd that surrounded her. Tears dropped from her eyes. She didn't know she could make such an impact. I ran and embraced her.

"How did they..."

"That's not what matters, what matters is that you are pretty amazing best friend."

"Yah I am." She answered and nodded her head severally smiling in satisfaction.

We both turned around facing the crowd.

"Look at Stacy's face." I said.

"I love that face! It's like she was fed with some dog poo." Vanessa said and we both laughed.

Our music teacher entered the class bringing silence. Everyone wanted to listen to what she had to say.

"With this, I'm sure we are gonna win the music competition again!" She said and everyone clapped.

"But how are we gonna win the competition if we are not in it?" I asked.

"Your name? Isn't that V.S Galaxy? That was the second name on the list!"

The students muttered to themselves shocked by her words.

"Our name wasn't there." Vanessa said and everyone nodded concurring.

"How could that be, I wrote the list and gave Stacy to put it on the notice board."

Stacy? That explains why our name was missing.

"Stacy? Did you tamper with the list?" She asked turning to her.

"Um... I thought there was a mistake, we always have 5 contestants every year."

"Six!!!" Everyone chorused looking at her with disgust. It wasn't something new, it was a tradition that there must be six contestants. Everybody knew she did whatever she did to wicked Vanessa and Sapphire.

"Let's forget about whatever that has occurred." She said and turned to face me and Vanessa.

"I hereby decree that you both are up for the music competition."

Everybody applauded.

"Thanks Mrs Walter." Vanessa said.

"Don't thank me, you deserve it."

Immediately silence fell. Someone was passing through the crowd. He entered the class, it was our principal Mr Raymond.

"Good day sir." Mrs Walter intervened.

"What's going on?"

"Um.. I'm sorry sir, my students didn't know that the microphone was on, I was having a special class with them regarding the competition. I apologise."

She said.

He nodded and turned to the crowd.

"Everyone return to your class. Teachers, I apologise, please retrieve with your students while I look for a due punishment for those who broke the school rules, disrupting our learning procedures." He said and everyone dispersed slowly to their classes until they were all gone. He turned to us.

"The only punishment for your students is to bring me the crown. Edville must win this music competition." He said.

"I'm sure they will." She replied.

"But, this must not repeat itself."

"It won't sir." Mrs Walter said.

He nodded and left.

"Thanks Mrs Walter." We said and came down from the raise.

"Don't mention. You heard what he said, Edville must win."

"I'm sure we will." I replied.

She smiled and gave us a thumbs up leaving. After she left, We gave ourselves a high five.

******