Whispers followed her everywhere, but she took almost no notice. She just didn't seam to hear the biting comments:
"Have you seen that new girl? She is so shy, never says anything."
"Shy? Oh no girl, you mean stuck up."
"She doesn't seam to like people. Probably thinks she's better than us, I'd like to take her down a peg."
"I hear she just moved into that big mansion at the end of town."
"That gigantic place? Whoa, her folks must be super rich!"
"See? It's just like I told you, she's a stuck up rich girl who thinks she's too good for society."
"But she just seams shy to me. And she has the most beautiful name..."
"Selene. After the goddess of the moon, I know, I know! The way the boys talk, you'd think she was the moon goddess!"
"Why bother trying to make friends? All she'll do is blow you off."
Selene walked home alone. The limo could have picked her up, but she hated a lot of attention. In all due truth, she neither liked nor trusted people any more.
She walked in through the grand entrance of her gigantic house. Before she could even take her shoes off, she was surrounded by servants yes-missing her and no-missing her and pushing her around here and there. Annoyed, she shoved several of them away and began to head for the stairs. A line of butlers blocked her way and an old maid soon had her by the ear.
"Young Miss!" she scolded, "Your mother gave us special instructions to get you ready for tonight's ball."
Selene broke free and locked her icy stare on the old woman. "I am fifteen years old." she almost shouted, "I don't need a baby sitter."
The maid pulled Selene's jacket off. "We have orders from you mother." she repeated.
Seeing a break, Selene shoved one of the butlers over, leapt over him and raced up the stairs. With maids, butlers and other assorted servants at her heals, Selene flew into her room and locked the door.
Her room was large, the size of the grand hall, and every inch of it was covered in books. She loved to read, and it showed. The darkness of the room reflected her own mysterious nature, lit often by candles and dressed in black and deep shades of purple. There was a small latter in one corner that led to a cozy little tower room.
As she walked away from the shouts and banging at her door, she shed the stuffy coat and hat she had been wearing. Taking her latest read off the bed side table, she climbed up the latter and into the room.
Even though it was only a tiny room with a window and a wooden bench dotted with purple pillows, this was her favorite room in the house. She'd come up here to escape the facts of her life.
Thinking of the facts just reminded her of why she didn't like people. Her mother was a Paris runway model and very rich but rarely home. Her father had been a successful business tycoon, but he had disappeared years ago. Never the less, she had tons of money.
Selene hated the money. She was always being dressed up like a life-size Barbie doll and dragged to one stuffy party or another. "You have to uphold the family name." some one always told her, "It is your duty."
She sighed and opened the book. She read for about fifteen minutes, then something tapped on the glass. It was a bird, a raven to be exact. Selene smiled and opened the window. The bird would probably fly away, but she wanted to give it an opportunity.
To her surprise, the raven fluttered in and landed on her knee. The two studied each other for a moment. "Well I'll be." said Selene, "I've never seen a bird that looked more like me."
And so it was. The raven was unusually large, at least half a size bigger than your usual raven. It(or rather he, for it was a male raven) had magnificent, violet eyes that glowed with a serious light.He cawed, as if in response to Selene's comment, flew up and landed on her shoulder. She wasn't fazed. She'd always like ravens, and this one seemed to like her. She reached up and stroked the glossy black feathers. "Do you want to stay with me?"
"Miss Selene!" a voice called from below, "Come out, now!"
Selene rolled her eyes. "Looks like Winston remembered where he put the keys." she muttered as she climbed down the ladder, "You'll wait for me, won't you boy?"
The raven cawed and soared over to a perch on her bed. As Selene left the room, she could have sworn the bird winked at her.