Chapter 2 YOU GOT THE WRONG PERSON.

REBELLE 

“Excuse me?” I push his hand away, taking an instinctive step back. 

He hasn’t done anything to me so I wonder why my survival instincts immediately spring to life. It’s almost as if my body recognizes him as some sort of enemy. 

He adjusts his coat and tilts his head towards Principal Martins. “You don’t mind if I talk with Miss Larson outside, do you principal?” 

“No, no!” The principal shakes his head and gives me an encouraging nod. “ You should talk with the gentleman, Miss Larson. Hear what he has to say.” 

I roll my eyes, wondering how much the dude must have pumped into the school’s finances for the principal to be eating out of his hand. Deciding that is no concern of mine, I turn around and walk out of the principal’s office. I can’t tell if the man is following behind me until I hear his voice.

“Let’s talk outside in the yard, shall we?” 

I step aside and let him lead the way, not really comfortable about letting him walk behind me anymore. He looked like the kind of man that would kiss you, only to stab you in the back next minute. 

“What do you want?” I ask the moment we got to the school yard. 

He smiles and shakes his head. “Tut , tut, tut. Always so patient, Amirykal.” 

For some reason, the name riles me up, even though I clearly have no idea what it means. But what pisses me off the most is the fact that the fucker is acting like he knows me. “Stop talking like you know me!” 

He chuckles darkly and turns to me. “Oh but I do know you, Amirykal.” 

“Don’t call me that!” I snap, seconds away from slapping him. “Are you gonna talk or should I get back to my classes?

He stares at me for a whole five minutes. Not just stare , but assess me. His gaze rakes throughout my body, lingering on certain places, a dark look clouding his eyes. My skin tingles under the intensity of his stare and for some reason, heat pools in my abdomen. 

“Five long centuries,” he murmurs, his voice low and filled with – nostalgia? “Five long centuries I’ve waited for your return, Amirykal. You have no idea what I have been through just to find you.” 

“What are you talking about?” I ask , damn sure that the man standing in front of me must be losing his mind – if he hasn’t already. 

He fishes out something from his pocket – a locket – and hands it to me. I take it and flip it open, a scream escaping my lips when I come across a picture of me. Or rather, a picture of someone who looks exactly like me. She looks like the woman from my nightmares. 

The fuck? 

“What is this?” I ask, needing further clarifications. “Who is this woman that looks exactly like me and why are you showing me this?” 

“Five hundred years ago, the queen of the underworld was killed by rival gods, " he says. “I waited for five long centuries for her return and here you are.” 

I arch a brow. “So you are trying to tell me that I am the reincarnation of some powerful queen of the underworld? And that you have been waiting for five centuries for me to be reborn?” The entire story sounds so funny even to my ears that I cannot help but laugh. “Can you hear yourself, dude? And mama says I’m the crazy one.” 

He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me like I’m a child with a temper tantrum. I shake my head and hold out my hand, trying to put an end to whatever bullshit this is. “Look, I don’t know if you’re soft in the head, but I am not the woman you are looking for. I’d be grateful if you could stop whatever bullshit this is and leave me alone. 

“Listen…”

“I said leave me the fuck alone!” I snap and something in his expression shifts instantly. 

He takes a step back and gives me a small bow. “As you wish, my lady.” 

What the fuck! Before I can comment on his action, he gives a short glance around us and then poof, disappears into thin air. Just like that. 

I shake my head and pinch to make sure I’m not dreaming. One moment I’m talking with a weird man and the next, he’s gone. Just like that. 

Maybe mama is right. Maybe I am losing my mind and need to see Emily. Fuck me sideways. 

I turn around and head back into campus and to class. I ignore Rosa’s countless questions and try my best to focus on the lessons. But even that is a chore. My mind is basically a whirlpool of thoughts I can’t get rid of. 

“Okay, what the fuck is going on with you?” Rosa asks as we walk out of the school building after classes . “You’ve been aloof and all kinds of off ever since you returned from the principal’s office.” 

I shake my head, not knowing how to tell her that the man who came to see me, disappeared right before my eyes. That sounds insane even to me. 

“Do you believe in reincarnation?” I ask instead, not entirely sure why the hell I am entertaining such thoughts. 

Rosa stares at me like I just told her the sky is pink. She looks like she’s about to say something but shuts her mouth and shakes her head. “I believe a lot of things, Rebelle, but why the sudden interest?” 

I open my mouth to answer but the ringing of my phone interrupts me. I fish it out of my bag, surprised to see mama calling. She’d never call while I’m at school unless truly important.

“Mama? Everything okay?” I say the moment I pick up the call. 

“Rebelle!” She screams at the other end of the line. “Honey…stay out…d…don’t come home. They’re here to take ....” 

The line goes dead.