Chapter 1

I brought a shaky hand to my mouth, muffling the scream that escaped.  I stared down at the figure down below me, eyes wide.  No.  This could not be happening.  I looked up at the girl in front of me.  Tanya being her name.  Her dark black hair was wrapped around her face like a mane, and her black eyes blazed like the flames of fire.  Her nightgown was dripping with blood that stank of iron.  A steak knife lay limp in her hands.
    “I had to do it,” Tanya whispered.  
    I didn’t answer.  I crept backwards slamming hard into my bedroom’s bookcase.  Books came tumbling down with a loud crash.  My whole body was trembling.  My legs felt like stone as I crept on backwards, hands outstretched.  
    Tanya remained motionless as I moved backwards.  I had a feeling she wasn’t going to come after me, but I ignored it.  Reflexes told me to keep moving.  I had to keep moving.
    “I’m not going to hurt you,” Tanya whispered again.
    “Yeah, right,” I spat in a terrified voice.  I gulped hoping she hadn’t heard the fear.
    “I will not.”
    “You said that to Alexis!” I screamed pointing down at my almost dead roommate on the floor. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt anyone.  You always say that and then someone always ends up dead.”  
    Tanya just stared at me with emotionless eyes.  I knew she wasn’t fully in the conversation.  She was certifiably insane.  Everyone knew it.  I had begged the teachers to move Alexis and I to a different dorm unite, but they hadn’t allowed it.  There was no reason, they had said.  There was no need to when we already had a perfectly good room.  They obviously didn’t know about Tanya.  No matter how hard everyone tried, no one was able to tell the horrible secret.  If you told, you were dead.  It was as simple as that.  She killed anyone who got in her way.  
    And now she was after me.  
    I looked around the room hoping that I could find a weapon strong enough to hold Tanya off.  My eyes scanned furiously.  Giving up, and turned my gaze back to Tanya.
    “I told you.  I’m not going to hurt you.”
    “And I told you that I don’t believe you,” I replied shortly looking furiously around the room again.  There had to be something.  Anything would do, really.
    I caught eye on Alexis’s lighter on the desk with a pack of cigarettes next to it.  I glanced at Tanya before running over to the lighter clicking it open.  A strip of light appeared.
    “Leave, Tanya,” I warned sounding braver than I actually was.  Tanya’s lip turned into a smirk.  I wondered if she had figured out that the fire lighter was probably no match for a knife.
    “Gladly,” she whispered turning to leave.  I felt a flash of anger as she stepped over Alexis and headed toward the door.  I screamed and shoved her out the door.  
    “Leave!” I screamed. “Leave and never come back!”  Tanya turned and looked blankly at me.  I fought the urge to cringe, and stared back.  
    “Go,” I spat after a while, beginning to lose the energy I had had a moment before.  
    Tanya turned and left the room without saying a word.  I crouched down next to Alexis touching her forehead lightly.
    “Alex,” I whispered.  Alexis opened her eyes staring up at me.
    “I-i-is she gone?” Alexis whispered weakly.  I nodded.
    “C’mon we have to get you to the infirmary.”  Alexis tried to nod, but failed.  I lifted her arms up laying them on top of my shoulders.  Alexis screamed out in pain beginning to cry.  I murmured an apology before standing up all the way, bringing her with me.
    “It’s going to be okay, Alex,” I said softly heading toward the door.  “It’s going to be okay.”
    Alexis didn’t answer.  Either she didn’t have the strength, she was unconscious, or she was dead.  I tried not consider the last option.  I wasn’t going to let one of my best friends die because of that monster.  I just couldn’t.
    I opened our dorm door and emerged out into the hall.  It was dark and quiet except the occasional candlelight on the wall.  I had gotten used to the school’s like for an old fashion set up.  The head officials insisted that it was a better work environment with ancient computers, candlelight instead of actual lighting, and have the school looking like a medieval castle.  Everyone thinks that it’s because the directors are too cheap to buy us decent equipment.  No one told the teachers that to their face though.
    A door opened at the end of the hall.  I froze for a second.  We weren’t supposed to be out after lights out.  If we were caught we would be severely punished.  I shook my head forcing myself to continue.  This was an emergency.
    I grew closer to the still figure at the end of the hall.  I recognized him as I got closer.  He definitely wasn’t a teacher.  He was one of the only rebel students.  He brought a hand through his blond hair, taking off his tie and throwing it into the room in front of him.
    “Renn!  That hit me in the head,” a voice I immediately recognized as a boy named Will hissed.  Renn grinned softly before turning to look at me.  His eyes widened in horror.
    “What happened?” he demanded coming toward me.  I didn’t answer at first.  Renn, the most popular boy in school, was talking to me.  Never happened much.
    “Tanya,” I whispered finally.  “I need to get her to the infirmary.”  
    Renn walked to the other side of me and put one of Alexis’s arms around his shoulder.  I stared at him, dumbfounded.  He rolled his eyes and urged me with his eyes to continue walking.  I shook my head and we began to head toward the door at the far end of the hall.
    “What did Tanya use this time?” Renn asked softly as we headed down the corridor that would lead to the infirmary.  I sighed a shaky sigh.
    “A steak knife.”  Renn shivered. “I have to tell someone.”
    Renn turned to look at me with shocked eyes.
    “You’ll get yourself killed.  Are you insane?”  
    I shook my head looking forward.  He didn’t know a thing about me.  He had no idea what I was capable of.  Everyone here was at this school because of a special talent.  For all he knew I was a girl who had the power of combat.  
    We reached the infirmary.  I struggled to twist the door handle.  I growled in agitation.  Renn made a sound that sounded something between a sigh and a grin, and a second later his hand appeared and opened the door smoothly.
    “Show off,” I muttered before heading into the room.  
    We walked slowly toward the waiting room beside the main office.  I looked around hastily.  Where were the doctors and nurses?  Even if it was late at night they were supposed to be on duty.  I practically ran to the office window, pounding on the glass feverishly.  
    “Hello?” I shouted. “Workers get your asses out here we have an emergency!”  
    A worker appeared from the back.  She glared at me, her gray hair falling into her face.  I glared back.  Serves her right for not being ready in her time of duty.  She wiped her hands on her apron before finally inquiring upon our arrival.  Well actually her exact words were, “What in tarnation are you doing here at eleven o’clock at night screaming cusses to the whole world when you are supposed to be in bed sleeping?”  I rolled my eyes.
    “We have an emergency.  My friend’s severely wounded.”
    I led her to where Renn was supporting Alexis on a chair.  I cocked my head to the side looking at the two of them.  Alexis’s red hair was matted with blood, along with her pale skin, and cute freckled face.  Her usually vibrant brown eyes were closed.  Her striped pajama tank top was soaked with blood along with her boston shorts that she had gotten when her family had taken her on a vacation to Boston, Massachusetts.  I sucked in my breath.  She was going to be pissed when she found out her favorite sleeping outfit was probably going to have to be trashed.
    “Miss?” the worker’s voice called bringing me out of my reverie.  I looked around at my surroundings.  When did we get to a patient room?  I peered throughout the room in confusion before shaking my head.  I hated it when I blanked off like that.
    “What?” I asked sourly.
    “What happened to the girl?”
    “The girl has a name.  Call her Alexis,” I grumbled.  The worker ignored my comment turning to Renn.
    “Do you know what happened?”  Renn shrugged.
    “Nah.”
    Silence.
    “Miss I need to know what happened so I can report it to the doctors.”  
    I hesitated.  I could tell.  I could tell them that Tanya had stabbed Alexis in multiple places after assaulting her.  I could describe in explicate detail about how Tanya had chased us both around the room, blocking us each time we tried to escape.  I could explain how every time I tried to protect Alexis, Tanya would push me out of the way.  But what would happen if I told them all this?  Tanya would surely kill us both.  I looked over at Renn who was staring at me with expectant eyes.  I fought the urge to mutter a “tch.” Some help he was.
    “I woke up to screaming and she was lying there on the floor covered in her own blood.  I don’t know what happened.  There was no weapon in sight.  I think she fell and injured herself on something.”  At least a part of it was true.  I had woken up to screaming.
    “So what you’re telling me is that she got this severely wounded by falling?”  The worker asked suspiciously.  I rolled my eyes.
    “I told you I woke up and saw her like this!  Geez.”  
    The woman scowled at me.  I dodged her eyes gazing upon her facial features. You could tell that she was in her late forties, but with all her wrinkles, I would pass her as sixty-five.  She had a mole right next to her lip that seemed to twitch every time she spoke.  She reminded me of one of the halloween witches in fairytales.  
    “You know what Miss?” the woman asked.  My eyes narrowed.
    “Yes?” I asked innocently.
    “I don’t believe this story one bit.”
    “Well it doesn’t matter what you believe now does it?  All that matters is the truth and it’s quite obvious that I’m telling it.  Now get my friend treatment for her wounds or you’ll have something coming for you,” I replied venomously trying to shield the anxiousness pulsing throughout me.  If someone found out I was lying I could be expelled.
    “I have already called in doctors.  Now you’re going to tell me the truth or-”
    “Look Miss.  You have no right to interrogate me.  You’re not a detective or part of the CIA, so why don’t you just leave me the hell alone?”  
    “Umm well thank you for your help with Alexis,” Renn cut in nervously, “but we really need to get some shut eye.  We have classes tomorrow and such.”  I turned and stared at Renn with narrowed eyes.  He shook his head slightly.
    “I will be sure to inform the doctors of your part in this, Miss,” the woman said ignoring Renn completely.
    “Yeah, okay.  Whatever.”  I turned to Renn and practically pulled him out of the room.
    I leaned on the back of the door closing my eyes.  
    “I’m not even going to ask about what happened in there,” Renn commented softly from beside me.  I opened my eyes turning to him.
    “Good.”  He sighed.
    “You know from class I never would have guessed you had that sort of mouth or temper.”  I grinned.
    “Oh you actually notice me?” I asked.
    “Who wouldn’t notice the quiet brunette sitting in the farthest side of class each day?  You know you should really hang out with people.”  
    I pushed myself off the door and began to head down the hall.  Renn walked swiftly to catch up with me.  I ignored his presence entirely.
    “Natalie come on,” he called.  I stopped and turned.  
    “How did you know my name?” I asked.  Renn put a hand through his hair.  
    “Well we’ve been going to the same school for over two years.”  
    I sighed.  That was true.  I guess I never gave it a second thought for someone like Renn not to be completely oblivious to my existence.  I knew his type.  The popular kid who thought they could get away with anything.  The type of guy who fed off of attention, and wasn’t satisfied until he had everyone’s.  He was like one of the head jocks in an idiotic chick flick.  He acted all sweet on the outside, but on the inside he was nothing but a fraud.  A fool.  
    I shook my head and turned in the opposite direction.  I felt a hand on my shoulder.  I stopped, not turning.
    “Look, Natalie. . . .”
    “No you look Renn.  I don’t even know you.”  I shrugged his hand off walking faster.  
    He knew nothing about me.  Whatever he thought he knew was going to be wrong.  I was the complete opposite of how I was in class.  I was the complete opposite of him.  I didn’t have an overblowing ego, I didn’t have the perfect face or body, I didn’t have blonde hair and brown eyes-the perfect combination- I didn’t get straight A’s, I didn’t have a whole school body for friends.  He had no idea about me or my past.  
    “I know that.  Why can’t I get to know you?”
    “I come out of my room with my almost dead friend and now you want to know me?  You’ve had two years to come up to me and talk to me.  Why choose now?”
    “Why not choose now?”  
    I ignored his question.
    “I don’t see what the big deal is,” Renn called.  I ignored him.  Of course he didn’t see.  No one ever did.  
    I peered behind me to get a peek at him.  He was hurrying to catch up.  I fought the urge to laugh.  He was so pathetic.  
    I veered to the right and into the next hall.  I wanted nothing more than to reverse the entire night.  I wanted to begin again, fixing the mistake of not locking the door.  A tear rolled down my cheek.  It was all my fault.  Alexis almost died because of me.
    I could have stopped the whole attack from happening.  If I had listened to Alexis and locked the door, then she would have been saved.  She wouldn’t be lying in the infirmary completely alone.  Images of fire appeared before my eyes.  My little brother Philipe calling out my name.  Calling for me to save him.
    
    “Natalie!” Philipe shrieked in a shrilly voice.  I tried to shout back but the smoke was too thick.  I began to cough uncontrollably.
    “Natalie!  Save me!”  I ran through the smoke and flames searching helplessly for my brother.  Part of the roof came crashing down.  I screamed jumping out of the way.  Ash flew into my face causing me to cry out in agony.  
    “Philipe!” I shouted.  Philipe had to be okay.  He had to be.  
    There came a weak call from across the room.  I jumped up and down trying to find at least part of my five year old brother.  I couldn’t see anything but flames, smoke, and ashes.  It devoured everything.  The furniture, the walls, the exits.  Everything.  I couldn’t even see my hand in front of me.
    “Philipe cover your mouth and nose with your shirt.  Try to breathe in clean air.”
    “O-o-okay.”  
    His voice was so weak it made me want to cry.  I pushed through the smoke hacking up a lung while I emerged.  I cast worried glances around at anything visible.  Where was he?
    “Philipe say something!”  I began to cry in frustration and fright.  There was a good chance Philipe was dead.
    There was no answer.
    “Philipe!” I screamed louder. “Philipe, please answer me!”
    I screamed so loud my voice became hoarse.  I ran through flames aimlessly wanting nothing more than to find my brother.  That was all that mattered.
    “Philipe!” I cried.  
    Tears rolled down my cheeks.  I had lost him.  I had lost my brother.  I fell to the ground becoming weak and dizzy.  The smoke was intoxicating.  I could feel it invading my body seeking nothing more than to kill me.  I fought it, trying to get as much clean air as possible.  It was kind of hard to do when a whole house was coming down into flames.
    Darkness set in.  I found it harder and harder not to close my eyes.  Harder to breathe.  My eyes slid shut, but I quickly pried them open.  I would not give in.  I would fight this.  I had to find Philipe.  Philipe. . . .
    “Philipe,” I whispered before letting my eyes shut.  Darkness overcame me, and I was brought into a world of utter nothingness.

    I sat on my bed staring out the window that showed the grounds.  There wasn’t much to see.  There was a lake behind the Main building.  The Main building was basically just a small building where everyone signed in.  It was what elementary schools would call a Main Office.  For some reason our school felt they needed a whole building.  Yet, they were too cheap to give the kids what they actually want.
    Beyond that was what students called Central Park.  It was a small grassy area in the middle of the walkways that led to each building of the Academy.  There were a few trees here and there, and there were benches where students could sit on their free period.  There was a garden in the middle of the park nicely kept and tidy.  They had their own gardener for that little garden.  I wondered about what the gardener did around the school besides keep that garden in good shape.  Did he mow all the school’s lawns?  Did he water and keep all the bushes at bay?  Probably.
    On the right side of the Main building there was the First Year building.  I found it completely idiotic that the Academy made it so that every year had their own building.  Why didn’t we all combine into one?  Wouldn’t it have saved the school money?
    I pulled the covers up over my legs and turned off my light.  I curled into a ball hugging my legs tightly.  I looked around my room suspiciously.  It felt so wrong without Alexis here to chat with me until I fell asleep.  Tanya had taken care of that.  I had taken care of that.
    I had killed my brother and now possibly Alexis.  I fought tears that threatened to spill.  I hadn’t meant to drop the facecloth onto the burner.  I was wiping my hands and my brother called my name.  I threw the facecloth not looking to see where it fell and went into the other room.  Why had I done that?  I knew that I was oblivious to many things, but to throw a facecloth near a lit burner?  Why had I taken that chance?
    “Philipe. . . .” I moaned crying harder.  “I’m so sorry.”
    My parents hadn’t been relieved when I had regained consciousness.  They had been angry, accusing me of murdering Philipe.  My father yelled at me while my mother cried into his shoulder.  He said that I was a burden on our family and that they would have been better off without me.  I tried to think that it was they were mourning the loss of their son, but I knew it wasn’t it.  I had always been getting into trouble.  They hated me.  Who could blame them?  I hated myself too.  I still hated myself for killing my brother.  I thought about it every day, cursing myself for being oblivious and stupid.  Cursing myself for being me.  Cursing myself for being alive while he was dead.  Alexis had eased the pain, but it had never escaped fully.  I knew it never would, and I was glad.  I deserved the pain I was feeling.  Every ounce of it.
    Now I would have to carry the weight of guilt of Alexis’s assault.  I deserved that too.  Careless mistakes that I had thought wouldn’t cause a problem.  They always did.  Always.  It was like I was bad luck and shouldn’t be near anyone living.  I was like a black cat.  Maybe I was a black cat and didn’t know it.  
    I closed my eyes willing myself to sleep.  Renn appeared behind my eyelids, his worried face staring at me.  I opened my eyes blinking a few times before closing my eyes again.  I breathed slowly and deliberately trying to make my mind foggy.  I had to fall asleep now if I had any hopes of passing my math test tomorrow.
    Images of Tanya chasing Alexis and I around the room appeared.  I forced my eyes to stay shut letting the images carry on.  I deserved the horror of this.  I watched as Alexis smashed a mirror on Tanya’s head.  I remembered the horror I felt as the knife pierced Alexis’s skin.  I remembered Alexis screaming out in pain and agony, looking to me for help.  I had tried.  Oh how hard I had tried.  In the end I hadn’t been strong enough.  Alexis had probably lost too much blood to live.  I would be alone again.  No you wouldn’t, my mind argued.  Renn wants to get to know you.  You won’t be alone.  
    Tch yeah, right.  He was probably just pulling an act.  That’s what guys who got all the girls did.  They played with you like a toy, and when they were done with you they threw you out like garbage.  True he hadn’t shown many signs of being that type of guy, but I could feel that he was.  Everything inside of me was warning to stay away from him.  He wasn’t good for me, and I . . . well I would most likely only bring a dreadful end to him.  Maybe that was my talent.  Bringing near death experiences to people.  That was what I did.  I killed people.  
    I didn’t truly know what my special talent was.  No one knew that of course, besides Alexis.  If they did then I would be looked down upon.  People would see me as an outcast.  They would question the head of directors demanding me to be taken away.  I had witnessed this with a boy named Hendrik Fillmore.  He had been so nice too. . . .
    I don’t know how I had gotten accepted into the Academy with not knowing my talent.  Maybe my father lied and made up a talent to get rid of me.  He did seem exasperated on the phone when speaking with the Academy.  Knowing him, he had tried each and every far away academy, and Renwall had been the only one left.  He had probably been really desperate.  Desperate to get the murderer out of the house.
    My eyes became heavy, and when I tried, I could not pry them open.  I smiled knowing that within a few minutes I would be asleep.

    “Lock the door,” Alexis begged.  
    I grinned shaking my head.  Alexis was always so paranoid.  Nothing was going to happen, what was there to worry about?  I stuck my tongue out at her smiling.
    “You are so paranoid, Alex,” I teased picking at a hang nail on my right thumb.
    “Remember what happened to a girl down the hall?  Tanya came!  Please, I’m worried.”  I smiled.
    “It’s okay Alex.  Chill, just go to sleep.”  
    She nodded pulling her polka dotted covers around her.  I watched as she got herself comfy and closed her eyes.  I too got under my covers turning off the bedroom light.  I curled myself into a ball and looked at the door.  Light shown under the small crack under the door.  
    I closed my eyes sighing.  Why hadn’t Alexis just locked the door herself?  If she had been freaked out then couldn’t she use her own two legs to get up and lock the little bolt lock?  It’s not like it was hard.  I knew I could have locked the door, but truth be told, I didn’t want to.  I was as Alexis liked to call me, lazy.  I moved when I wanted to move and that was pretty much it.
    Footsteps in the hall.  I opened my eyes and sat up in bed.  No one was supposed to be out roaming at this time of night.  Did they not understand they would be severely punished if they were caught?  The footsteps seceded.  I sighed and laid back down.  Closing my eyes, I willed my mind to go blank to fall asleep.

    The next thing I knew Alexis was screaming.  I pried my eyes open and sat swiftly up.  I looked around worriedly for Alexis.  I looked toward the doorway.
    The door was open.
    I looked down to see Alexis in a small pool of blood.  She was trying hard to get up.  I got out of bed and helped her up.  She clung to me, crying heavily.
    “I-i-it’s. . . .”
    “It’s what Alex?” I whispered.
    “Tanya.”
    My head snapped up to look forward.  Tanya stood there, knife in hand.  She moved closer, and I backed Alexis and I away.  Tanya’s face remained a mask as she grew closer.  Alexis cried out in fear.
    “Please just go away!” she shrieked.  
    “I’m sorry but I cannot do that,” Tanya replied simply.
    “Why not?” I demanded.
    “Someone told her,” Tanya whispered.  Alexis groaned as she cried.  I hugged her tight.  No.  I wouldn’t let her die.
    All of a sudden Tanya was in my face, her black eyes like endless pools.  She grabbed my arm and threw me to the ground.  I hollered Alexis’s name as Tanya grabbed her knife at the ready.  Alexis tried to pull away, but she wasn’t strong enough.  I looked around hurriedly trying to find something to throw.  I caught eyes on my high heeled shoe that I had been planning to wear to the dance.  I picked up the shoe and chucked it as hard as I could at Tanya’s head.
    “Leave her the hell alone!” I  bellowed.  Tanya turned to me, saying nothing.  After a second of staring at me, she turned back to Alexis.
    Alexis grabbed hold of her favorite mirror and smashed it upon Tanya’s head.  Glass rained over the sides of Tanya’s head.  I could just imagine how much that would hurt.  Tanya growled in contempt.  Alexis ducked under Tanya’s reaching arms and ran toward me.  
    “Natalie,” she breathed. “Natalie are you okay?”  I nodded standing up.
    “Are you?” I asked worriedly.
    “I-”
    Tanya grabbed Alexis by her shoulders and threw her down.  I cringed as she hit the top of her head on the edge of her bed and slid motionless to the ground.
    “Damn you!” I screamed at Tanya.  I wanted nothing more than to see her in ultimate pain.  I wanted her to feel the agony and pain she had  caused so many others.
    “Why are you doing this?” I wailed.  “Why?”  
    Tanya ignored me.  She itched her head and then positioned her knife at Alexis’s neck.  I screamed out of a mixture of dismay and petulance.  I clutched Tanya’s back and thrust her away.  Tanya landed with a hard thud a few feet away.  I helped Alexis up and tried to lead her toward the door.  Tanya pulled me away whispering,
    “I wouldn’t try and protect her.  She’s dead where she stands.”
    I punched Tanya in the face and watched with satisfaction as Tanya screamed out.  Tanya punched my back and I fell to the ground.
    “Alexis!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.  Tanya grabbed Alexis by the neck and began to squeeze.  Oh s**t.  “No!”
    I ran over to where the two of them stood motionless.  I tackled Tanya and we both crashed the the ground.  I scratched at her skin and kicked anywhere I could.  Tanya tried to hit back, but every time she tried I would punch her face and she would groan in pain, her hand falling back.  I elbowed her as hard as I possibly could into her ribs.  The impact must of at least broken something.  
    “Ah d****t!” Tanya gasped closing her eyes.  She brought her hands up and pushed my head back with such force I thought I was going to scream.
    “Ow!” I screamed kicking her randomly.  She roared in pain.  I struggled up and picked her up from her hair.  Before she had time to react, I brought my foot up and shoved her in the back making her topple forward.  She screamed as she fell.  I thought that it was enough to at least weaken her.
    I guess I was wrong.
    As quick as lightening Tanya was across the room and standing over Alexis.  I headed over, and Tanya threw a lamp at me, successfully hitting me in the arm. I screeched as I fell the to the ground.  I held onto my now sore arm, and tried to stand up.  I slipped on a shirt and fell back down.  I groaned in agony.  Alexis’s screams could be heard.  I got up from the ground, and hurried toward the two figures on the ground.  
    I was too late.
    I watched as Tanya stood up, and remained there, motionless.
    
I shot up in bed giving a small scream.  I looked myself over and sighed.  My tank top was soaked with cold sweat.  Talk about ew.  I pulled the covers off of me and grabbed a towel from the small closet Alexis and I both shared.  I grabbed a pair of clothes and then headed toward the door.  The shower room was downstairs on the first floor.  Luckily it wasn’t co-ed bathrooms.  There was a rumor that some academies in the area actually did that.  I am so glad I didn’t go to any of those schools.  I mean it may not be as gross as it sounds, but the thought of showering while a guy is in the next stall isn’t a comforting thought.
    I practically ran down the flight of the stairs that separated me from the shower room.  I felt sweaty and disgusting like I just got out of gym class.  I just hoped no one asked why I was sweating.  I shrugged dismissing the idea immediately.  No one talked to me here.  I was a nobody.  Someone who roamed the halls invisible to those around me--well I guess not as invisible as I thought.  I sighed and pushed open the shower room door.  
    The next thing I knew I was on the ground rubbing my head.
    “Ow,” I murmured looking up.  
    “Watch it, moron,” came a recognizable voice.  Oh gosh.  I had just done something incredibly stupid.  Really?  Did life completely hate me or something?  Above me stood the most popular, most spoiled, most wretched girl in the whole academy. Keeyah Johnson.
    Keeyah glared at me, her black eyes blazing.  She tossed her blond hair back and cracked her pale knuckles.  I looked her up and down.  She was wearing the school uniform, though she was kind of hitting the line of acceptable.  We were allowed to wear any skirt as long as it close to our knee, and we had to wear a white or black shirt and tie.  Keeyah was wearing a skirt that went down about an inch past her butt, and she wore a bow instead of a tie.  Apparently the teachers didn’t care about that.  
    “You have something to say to me,” Keeyah said angrily.  I slid my gaze to hers slowly.
    “Sorry,” I muttered.
    “Yeah you better be sorry.”  I got up from my spot on the ground.  I tried to side-step her, but she blocked my way.
    “Hey freak I’m not finished.”  I clenched my teeth, trying not to fight back.  My retorts were coming way too easily lately.
    “Why are you looking at me like a friggin’ idiot?”
    “Well you said you weren’t finished, so I’m waiting for you to finish.”  I mentally smacked myself on the head.  That had come out way more snotty than I had meant for it to.
    “You think you’re tough?” She began to walk forward.  I backed away slowly. “You think you can stand up to me and look cool?  Look important?  You think if you are seen standing up to me you’ll finally be noticed?”  I fought the urge to glare.  Ignore her, ignore her.
    “Answer me!” she screamed.      
    “Keeyah what the hell are you doing?”  I looked behind Keeyah and spotted Renn glaring with furious eyes.
    “R-Renn sweetie!  I was just explaining to her that she left her towel in the shower room.”
    “My towel’s right here,” I said holding up my towel before I could stop myself.  She glared at me.
    “And for the record,” I said finally giving in to temptation, “it’s you who owes me the apology.”  Keeyah’s eyes flashed.
    “You weren’t watching where you were going-”
    “Yeah, but the proper thing to do is apologize to each other.  You’ve heard of a thing called manners right?  Well they’re quite easy.  You open a door abruptly and bang into someone knocking them on the ground, you say, ‘I’m sorry!’ and help them up.  Then when everyone’s situated you ask if they’re okay.  It’s not rocket science.”  Renn smirked as Keeyah licked her chapping lips and placed her hands on her hips.
    “You think you’re a know-it-all don’t you?”
    “And you don’t?”  I gave her a wry smile.
    “You little-”
    “Ah ah ah language, darling.”
     She screamed in agitation and stormed toward Renn.  She grabbed his arm and began hauling him down the hall.  He broke away from her and walked toward me.  She growled and grabbed him again, practically dragging him down the hall.  I watched as they disappeared.
    I rolled my eyes and walked into the shower room.  Great.  Now I was going to have to take a five minute shower instead of ten.  Thank you so much Keeyah.  
    There were two other girls in the shower room.  One of them I immediately recognized as Libby McClellen from my social studies and science class.  She was a nice enough girl with dusty blond hair and piercing brown eyes.  She seemed to be almost the complete opposite of the people she hung out with.  She didn’t mock people like Keeyah did.  She didn’t act like she was the queen on the school.  Libby acted like she was Libby.  She acted as though she was a normal student like the rest of us.  
    The other girl I had seen a few times around the school.  I didn’t know her name.  She had bright red hair as though it had been dyed.  She had a piercing on her bottom lip, and she wore probably the most gothic clothes you could get out of our uniforms.  Hm, it didn’t look too bad either.  Her tie was black and white striped.  She wore a black mini skirt with a black long sleeved shirt.  With those she wore black high heels that went up to her thigh just below the skirt.  
    “What are you looking at?” the girl muttered.  I almost laughed.  She seemed embarrassed.
    “I love the outfit,” I said smiling.  Hopefully she wouldn’t think I was making fun of her.
    “Oh . . . thanks.”  I nodded and walked toward the back of the room where the showers were.  Setting my towel on a nearby hook, I hurried into a stall.  I shed my clothes and stuffed them in a bag on the wall.  I secretly thanked the workers for that idea.  Now we didn’t have to undress in front of each other.  
    I turned on the water so that it burned my skin.  I closed my eyes trying not to think.  If I had the choice of staying in the shower forever and never come out I think I would take the deal.  I was never more comfortable as I was in the shower.  It always helped me relax.  
    I grabbed the vanilla shampoo in the corner and squirt some into my hand.  Mmm it smelt so good!  I brought it to my hair, scrubbing as hard as I could without hurting myself.  The whole shower was filled with the wondrous odor.  I breathed it in sighing.  
    After rinsing, I grabbed the vanilla conditioner.  That’s what I loved about this stall.  It always had vanilla.  All the other stalls had strawberry and other stuff like that.  Fruity.  I’m not a big fan of fruits.
    I finished what I had to do in the shower and then turned the water off.  I probably went passed the five minutes that I had of spare time.  Now I would have to rush to get ready so I wouldn’t be late.  If I didn’t have a reputation of being quiet and shy and class to uphold then I would so kick Keeyah’s a*s.
    I grabbed my clothes out of the bag and emerged from the shower.  It was empty when I stepped outside.  Thank gosh, I thought to myself.  Now I could just change in here.
    I hurried to pull on my bra and my long sleeved white shirt.  I put on the rest of my outfit and moved to put on my tie.  It was a purple plaid one that seemed to go with the outfit just fine.  I put on my black sneakers and walked over to the wall of sinks near the door.  
    I reached for my brush realizing that I left it in the bedroom.  Crap.  I brought a hand through it hastily.  The only thing I was going to have time to do in the dorm was grab my bag and run.  I was so late.  I cursed under my breath as I remembered that I had also forgotten my toothbrush.  I guess I would have to grab a piece of gum or something and chew secretly in class.
    No gum allowed.  That was probably one of the most strict rules in this academy.  Almost nobody broke it excluding a few people.  I guess I would be joining the list today.  Hopefully the teachers wouldn’t catch me.  If they did I would get lines.  Their lines weren’t like lines at other schools.  We would have to sit in a large room with all the other students writing lines from the end of classes until lights out.  If we didn’t have the right amount by the time lines ended we would have to start over until we got the right amount.  I remembered this one kid had to keep redoing lines for like a month because he couldn’t get the right amount.  He was talking about being one line off one time.  Poor guy.
    I wondered how many lines they made us do.  If you didn’t have enough after seven hours of writing, I bet it was a lot.  Over a thousand at least.  That’s probably what it was.  A thousand.  But would that take seven hours to complete?  I don’t think so.  Maybe the guy was writing wicked slow.
    I practically ran back to my room and grabbed my bag.  I stuffed a piece of gum into my mouth and headed down the hall.  I would just have to master the ‘keeping the gum on the roof of your mouth’ trick.  Hopefully the trick was as easy as it looked.  I was never one to stick a piece of gum at the roof of my mouth.  I found it disgusting and unnecessary.  Well you’re going to try now, I thought to myself.  I gave a sarcastic fist pump mentally.
    I watched as Renn walked out of his bedroom trying to fix the tie he was wearing.  I began to walk slowly, hoping he wouldn’t hear me coming.
    I guessed I hoped in vain.
    “Hey Natalie,” Renn said smiling a beaming smile.  I glared at him.
    “I thought we agreed that I didn’t want to get to know you.”
    “I didn’t agree to anything.”
    “I’m getting a restraining order against you.”
    “I haven’t even done anything!”  Renn was smiling amusedly.  It made me want to punch him.
    “Listen Renn.  I have worked hard for people not to notice me okay?  I don’t need you to screw it up now.”
    “Why?”
    “It’s none of your business why.”  I side-stepped him and headed down the hall.  
    I shifted my bag on my shoulder.  What was Renn’s issue?  He sees me carrying my almost dead friend and now he’s obsessed with getting to know me?  He’s such a creep.  He didn’t know what he was getting into.  He didn’t know at all.  
    And I wasn’t going to let him find out.  

Author's Note

Content barely edited. I had to reput in the italics, so some of the sentences may have had italicsized (or however you spell the word) and now they're not. Sorry.