Sea Dweller (Birthstone Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

always known I was odd looking by island standards, but
Haji’s words warmed me to my toes.
    “Do you think she’ll come to
the festival?” another girl asked.
    “I hope not but I’m preparing
myself in case she does. I doubt she’ll stay away while Sai is escorting me. If
she does make a showing, I’ll give her a night she won’t forget.” Several of
Faema’s friends giggled and just like that, I was back to feeling unsure of
myself. I didn’t doubt her pledge.
    From their group came a loud
splash followed by the sound of dispersed voices. Cautiously, I peered around
the woman and saw that Faema and her friends had moved away. Most were
underwater while the rest had their backs toward me with the exception of one
girl. Only a few paces away, Haji stared at me, her expression unreadable.
Slowly, I dipped my head underwater. Beneath the surface, I turned toward the
shore, too shaken to think about costumes any longer.
    I didn’t bother to dry
myself. Instead, I wrapped my dress around my body, tying it at the shoulder.
Once I’d packed my belongings, I retreated into the forest and picked my way
through the trees. I chewed my bottom lip as I walked. I wondered if Haji would
mention my presence to Faema. If she did, would it give Faema even more reason
to keep an eye out for me at the festival? At this point, I wanted to be unrecognizable
if I still decided to attend. So far that didn’t seem a likely scenario. 
Cursing silently, I had to admit it was never likely in the first place. Not
when Chief Frin’s poor, motherless, only child despised me so deeply.
    “I deserve it,” I muttered to
myself, “I never should have let her distract me. I should have known her
conversation would be nothing I’d want to hear.”
    I continued on, my thoughts
racing with my adrenaline until I heard footsteps a short distance behind me. I
pretended to ignore them, sure it was only a few other villagers coming back
from the river. When someone called my name, I whipped around, positive Faema
had followed me for a confrontation. Instead, I was surprised to see Haji
hurrying to catch up.
    “Sorry you heard that back
there,” she said when she reached my side, a little breathless from the run.
    “Eavesdroppers never hear
anything good about themselves.” I shrugged and turned to keep going. Haji
matched my pace. “I’d be fooling myself if I thought Faema would ever say
anything nice about me.”
    “I’ve never seen you at the
river right before the festival. Are you going this year?”
    “Are you asking for Faema or
yourself?” I watched her warily from the corners of my eyes.
    “Myself. I thought maybe you
would try to come since Sai is escorting her.”
    “I don’t care if he escorts
her. I’m not going to babysit them.” I tried to appear nonchalant as the lie
left my lips.
    Haji watched me closely.
“Well, that’s good then, I guess. But are you going?”
    I stopped walking. “Would it
matter?”
    “To me it would.”
     I couldn’t keep the surprise
from my tone as I turned to look at her. “Why?”
    Haji cleared her throat. “I
think it would be good for you to understand Vairda better. Besides, I know a
little what it’s like to be an outsider.”
    I scrutinized her perfect
features and blond hair and nearly snorted. “When have you ever been an
outsider?”
    “My great-great grandfather
came from the mainland. He wasn’t accepted by anyone other than the woman who
married him and he never told anyone how he arrived. He was always considered
an outsider. My mother was the first person in the family who began to look
more like a Vairdan than a mainlander.”
    “I had no idea,” I said.
    “You’re one of the few who
didn’t. Faema teases me about it. You’re just a more obvious target so she and
her friends usually set out to make you more miserable than me.”
     “But, aren’t you sort of
friends with her?”
    “We really just tolerate each
other. So, are you going or not?” Haji put