Wulven [A Different Wolf Novel]

Chapter 5 | Bleak

The entire orphanage is gloomy as the skies cast a grayish dim. Liez takes a deep breath, mustering inner strength as she walks her way downstairs from the attic. She has been called to report at Miss Ruth's office. Her despair is now replaced with anxiety, mounting by the minute. She knows this won't be good. Miss Ruth would never forgive her for beating Ginny up. But somehow, she thought it felt great.

Liez smirks a bit.

Ginny and her bunch of brats have been relentlessly making fun of her since they were kids. She feels exhilarated to finally fight back after years of being bullied. She knows she's in the right. However, there's that sense of guilt in her that won't go away. Maybe because she knows that she's not the kind of person who beat people up. Until this afternoon, that is.

She takes another deep breath and knocks at the door to Miss Ruth's office. Seeing that it's unlocked, she slowly opens it and enters the room. To her relief, nobody else is there yet. Liez rubs her clammy hands on her pants as she finds herself on the couch just across the o.

Floor to ceiling bookshelves occupies two walls of the large room. The sweet, musky smell of old books lingers in the air. The large glass window behind the mahogany desk overlooks the whole front yard and the orphanage gate. The sight has somehow calmed her down when suddenly, the door opens.

Joanne and Leah enter the room first as Miss Ruth follows closely behind them. The two girls take a seat on the couch where Liez is. Joanne sits in between and lowers her head while fidgeting with her hands, as though she's as nervous to be there as Liez is.

Leah, sitting on the opposite end, stares at Liez with so much loathing. If looks could kill, she'd be dead by now. But as Liez turns and looks back at her, Leah immediately looks away. Maybe the scuffle in the dining area earlier left a whole new impression on her.

Miss Ruth sits down on her office chair, leaning forward. Her poise still regal despite her dim expression

"Okay, let's start from the beginning..."

"She attacked us.", Leah blurts out.

"I can explain Miss Ruth--", says Liez.

"She pushed Ginny to the wall without warning!"

"Well, you started it!"

"No Liez! You did!"

"I did not!"

Their voices overlap as they try to outdo each other in getting their conflicting explanations across. Muddled with their mixed-up talk, Miss Ruth shakes her head and clears her throat.

Silence follows. That's all it takes to make both girls shut up. She looks at them sternly.

"Okay, let's start all over again. Joanne, let's hear it."

"Well Miss Ruth, we were just doing our chores... um... we were um..."

"She attacked us for no reason at all!", interjects Leah, as she points at Liez accusingly.

"That's a lie!", replies Liez.

Ms. Ruth suddenly stands up and slams both hands on the table.

"We either do this in a civilized manner, or we don't do this at all. Or better yet, I will just think of an easier way to stop your bickering for good."

The girls slowly shrink back to their seats. Miss Ruth nods and sits back calmly.

"Very well, go ahead Joanne?"

"Uhm...you see Miss Ruth, the rumors circulating about Liez... well, let's just say her reputation precedes her.", she says with such a low voice, as if trying to keep Liez from hearing it.