Sing a Healing Song, Chapter 15

After driving for a few minutes, we rounded a corner and I saw J. Percy Page for the first time. I was not truly prepared for how big the school was compared to the small school for the disabled I had attended before, and I think my jaw dropped so low it was a wonder we didn’t run over it with the car.

“Woah... I hope I don’t get lost in there.” I said.

“Don’t worry. Soon you’ll know your way around.” Andrew said, and I rewarded him with a kiss.

Once we parked, we were directed by signs to go to either the new students group or the returning students group. As Andrew and Simon were both returning students, that left Jaci and I to go to the new students group, and so we parted from the boys with a promise to catch up at lunch time.

The next hour was a strange mix of the very interesting and the very boring. We were given a tour of the school, introduced to a number of teachers, and shown some of the options available to students.

Being me, I was drawn toward the athletic end of things, while Jaci was drawn towards the school’s TV channel. Then we were given our schedules, and split up to go to our first classes, which was kind of a new experience for me. All my life I had to have someone with me - my dad, an aide, someone to help look after me. And even after my transformation I really had never been alone - except to sleep, of course.

Regardless, I took a deep breath, and went into my first class as a senior, which was English 30. Despite having jumped ahead a couple grades, I found I could keep up pretty well, mostly because I had been such a voracious reader.

As the day progressed, I got introduced to each of my teachers and classmates, and I was lucky in that English 30 turned out to be the only class I had without one of my friends in the same class. I shared Biology 30 with Simon, Math 30 with both Simon and Andrew, Social Studies 30 with Jaci, and my one elective - P.E., with Andrew. Plus, at lunch Jaci, Simon, Andrew, and I compared notes on how things are going in the classes we didn’t share so it wasn’t too bad.

I found the welcome I got from other students to be mixed. For some, me being tall and pretty represented a threat (surprisingly, not all of these were girls), but I also got a lot of support because of who my dad is. Edmonton doesn’t have a lot of celebrities, so the daughter of a sport star who decided to stay in town after their career was as good enough - for some people anyway.

During lunch, we kept the conversation away from my transformation and my powers, but Andrew kept his hand on my back or held my hand throughout the meal, which spoke all the volumes I needed to hear - he was still my boyfriend, no matter what. I really appreciated that we kept the conversation about school, as that felt like enough trouble for me to handle for one day.

After lunch, I ran into one of those troubles I just mentioned. I went to the aforementioned P.E class, and it was a little difficult. I had not been exposed (no pun intended) to many girls wearing little or nothing before, so I found it rather ... distracting ...

I honestly breathed a sigh of relief when it was over ...

Finally, we made it to the end of our first day, and Simon took us to a local park so we could talk without anybody noticing us, and then we went back and forth about what happened to me, mostly focusing on my healing powers.

I was firmly of the opinion that I had no interest in being any kind of costumed superhero, but beyond that we really didn’t reach any conclusions about what the future held for me beyond being a female high school student.

After a while, we parted, and I went home, and shared with my folks about my day, including what had happened to Andrew and my secret now being shared by my friends.

My mom and dad hugged me hard, and then I went to my room to get my homework done for school. (I know, homework on day one? That’s just mean ...)

Finally, I finished my homework, we had sloppy joes for supper, and I went and watched TV on my laptop in my room until it was time for me to go to bed.

Then, in the middle of the night, I had a dream ...

I was back in the beautiful park I had said goodbye to the goddess, but instead of her, there was an old woman sitting on a bench.

“Hello, Fiona.” She said.

“Who are you?”

“I am called many things on many planes, but I would really like it if you just called me Grandmother.”

“Grand ... mother?”

“Well, it was my daughter who healed you, and she called you daughter.”

“Your daughter? I thought she was a goddess?”

“Some would have called her one. But perhaps there will be a day when some call you one too.”

I sat there and let that sink in, and finally I said, “Okay, what am I doing here, Grandmother?”

“You were wondering about your gifts, and as the goddess who gave them to you is ... unavailable, I thought I would step in and give you some advice.”

I can’t really explain why I trusted her, but I sat beside her on the bench, and said, “Okay. I’m listening.”

“I must tell you it it rare for me to interfere directly in events on any plane. In fact, to date, I’ve only done it one other time. That world needed a defender of the innocent, an ... advocate for victims of those who abuse power. But the needs of this world are different. What this world needs is a healer.”

“Me.”

“Yes.”

“I really don’t know how.”

“You will, when the time comes.”

“Will I have to out myself every time?”

“Not unless you choose to.”

“So ... what happens now?”

“Just continue to be the compassionate girl you’ve shown yourself to be, and you’ll be fine. In the meantime, go to school, learn, be friends with Jaci and Simon, and love Andrew. That’s enough for you to deal with at the moment anyway.

“So learn to be a normal girl?”

“By no means. Be an extraordinary girl, always. But without using your gifts until you must.”

“I guess I can try. But Grandma? Will you ... tell me about her? Your daughter?”

She hugged me. “I will, granddaughter. When the time is right. Now go, and remember Grandmother will be watching.”

The dream faded. I thought about what she had said, and decided being a healthy teen girl was going to be enough for now. But I believed her when she said I’d be much more when the time came, and I smiled to myself.

“Its gonna be a trip, I can see it now.” I said to myself, and went back to sleep. I figured the future would wait a little longer ...

End

Author’s note. This is the end of Book 1. Will there be a book 2? Only time will tell ...