Chapter One

Chapter One

A Chapter by Starrbitt

Chapter One 


Our school wasn't the best looking thing in the world, a bricked building with a large wire fence around it, and like every other school scattered around our area, it was filled with any kind of drug you can think of filled in every teens pocket. The famous line of Shallow High was, "Got any snuff?" and mama wasn't happy about that. 

    She hated that we had to go there and deal with kids who had parents who didn't care but I was careful and didn't go near them. I didn't want to be like them, red eyed vultures who pounce on their next victims with open claws. I've never gotten in too much trouble where mama or Dace would have to find out and I've always gotten straight A's and B's. Mama was proud whenever I brought my report card home. Dace brought home good grades too, mostly B's and mama would kiss us on the cheek and hug us to her tiny side whenever we brought them home. They brought a light to her eyes, making her appear younger and full of life, knowing her kids were smart and good.
 
    "Now if only every teenager were like you two," she'd say and would sign both of our report cards at the bottom, smiling. "Then we adults would have peace in our mind knowing the next generation was smart and filled with goodness. I love you, babies. I don't care how old you get, you're both my babies." She'd look over at Sally and laugh when she'd come up to her, saying in that tiny voice of hers, "Me baby?"
 
    Mama would pat her on the head and nod, "Yes Sally. You're all my beautiful babies."

    Dace usaully laughs with Mama whenever she called him that, her baby. "I'm seventeen mama. Don't you think I'm grown now?" And she always replies with, "When you're under my roof, you're my baby. When you're out there," she points to the living room window, gesturing to the real world. "You're my baby. Sorry Hun, if you don't want people knowing I suggest you hide when you're eighteen and out."

    "Sorry mama, but I don't think I'd be able to leave."

    "What if you fall in love? You're good lookin' and it'll happen to you soon I'm sure."

    "You're the only woman I've ever fallen in love with mama," then he'd glance at me, grab Sally and sit with her on the couch. The day he said that, mama had asked me, "What am I ever going to do with that boy? He never goes out to meet other girls. And I can't let him help me pay my own bills forever. That boy needs to get out more and be a teen." All I said was, "I know Mama, he will eventually. He's just stubborn."

    My thoughts linger on that memory for a second, filling myself with contentment so i didn't feel alone as I sat at a lunch table by myself, picking at the food on my plate. The morning classes had passed in a blur of lectures. 

    Here I didn't have many friends, only one that I always talked to and that was Carla. She had friends too of course but they never really talked to me whenever we all hung out so Carla just stopped inviting me to places when they were tagging along. She was in line now talking to them, glancing back at me with pity but giving me a huge smile when I'd meet her gaze.

    Carla was half African American, her skin the perfect creamy color looking like caramel on ice-cream, and she was more on the heavy side. She wasn't overweight, she was just big, always wearing clothes that never properly fit her. She liked clothing that was just a little too small, narrowing down her hips, pushing up all of her cleavage. Her eyes were full of loathing and hatred whenever she looked at other girls, especially the Perfects, the prissys in our school. Carla was always either getting in fights with them or making sure they got what they deserved when they threw a snide remark at her. Her hair was dark and curly, bouncing right below her ears, and her cheeks and lips were round, plump. She was the kind of girl you didn't mess with and I guess that's the main reason I befriended her.

    The Perfects, as Carla and I call them, are really named Harley and Carley. They're rich girls, twins, who were able to afford to have perfect things. They hated the fact they had to live with their Aunt and Uncle and go to this school for reasons we don't know about. They don't talk to anybody but to each other and the teachers, and have the principal so scared of them and the power their parents have that when they had demanded to have all their classes together, he gave it to them within seconds. 

    They were always picking on everyone, especially Carla, and Harley went too far one day, stirring up fury in Carla so much that she punched her straight in the perfect nose. Carla got ten days suspension, Harley stayed home for three days recovering her perfect face and came back spreading rumors. Then Carla came back and got jumped by Carley. The principal did nothing about it, of course, and Carla's mom was furious. She came in demanding punishment for the rich kids and the principal merely shrugged it off.

    The Perfects were at their table now, their light blue eyes skimming over people with disapproval, light brown hair perfectly styled on their heads. They ate like they were princesses, evil princesses, and we were their village people. They ate as if the things in there lunch bags were better then all of us combined, which probably was true. 

    Harley met my gaze, huffed, then turned to her sister, ignoring me as she spoke to her, manicured hands moving with emphasis to her words. I wondered what their lives were like but stopped quickly. I didn't want to be rich if I'd turn out as a perfect. They were crude and self-centered. 

    "Why do you have to stare at them like that," Carla asked, interrupting my thought with her bold voice. She was holding her tray, hovering it over my table as if she was still deciding to sit here. Her other friends were already shuffling into another table and Carla finally decides to shrug, waving at them and setting her tray down hard, almost loosing her milk, and sits across from me. "I know they act like they shine brighter then the sun, but they don't and you know that."

    My eyes tear away from them almost instantly and I glance up at her through my eyelashes as I start to pick at my food again. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, not realizing that I had been staring, feeling embarrassed.

     "I wasn't staring at them. I was thinking and just happened to be looking their way," I said, defending myself and finally stuffing a spoonful of whatever it was into my mouth. 

    Carla looked exceptionally pretty today in a soft white short sleeve shirt, tight enough to have her cleavage bulging, and light blue jeans. Her short curls had extra volume today and there was a flower clip in her hair, holding back her bangs. She normally didn't try to look so girly. She gave me a small smile and removed my hair from my face, "I'm sorry Star. Didn't mean to make you feel bad."

    "It's okay."

    Carla glanced down at her tray, stabbing the food with her fork probably expecting it to move, and she screws her lips to the side in disgust. "I can't tell if this is supposed to be spaghetti or lasagna." 

    I hold back a smile, looking up when Dace walks into the lunch line talking to some of his guy friends. He was a grade ahead of me of course but we had the same lunch period. He looked back at us then forward, ignoring one of the girls ahead of him as she tried stirring up a conversation.

    Dace has never liked Carla much either but with him it wasn't about looks. He told mama about her reputation; she was always throwing wild parties, always getting with guys but not actually having a relationship with them. "She's a bad influence mama," but all mama said was, "Stars a good girl. She knows what's bad and what's not." Which was true, Most of the stuff Carla did, I didn't do with her cause I knew the effects of it, for example; smoking.

    "What were you and your friends talking about?" I opened up my milk jug and tilted it back at my lips, letting the cheap creaminess push past my mouth and down my throat. It tasted like someone mixed water and chocolate syrup together poorly.

    Carla shrugged, one Of her sleeves sliding down her shoulder. "Nothing too important. They invited me to a party. One of them actually asked me if you wanted to come."

    "oh." I wiped the back of my hand across my lips. 

    "You know, it wouldn't kill you to have just a little fun. I really want you to bond with them so we can all hang out. Plus," she winked at me and forgot about the mystery food, leaving the fork on her tray, "there's going to be some really cute guys there. Some college boys."

    When somebody invited you to a party where we lived, it meant there was going to be heavy alcohol, smoking, drugs, the rest. They were places where people got together to rebel against the law and I didn't think i wanted that. Besides, mama knew all of this and I knew she wouldn't let me go even if I wanted to, and I didn't. "I don't know. Mama wouldn't let me go and neither would Dace. And I've got tons of homework."

    Carla looked behind her as if sensing Dace and watched him carry his tray over to his table, few scattered guys sitting with him. "I don't understand your brother. He doesn't open up to any girls. Do you think he's gay?" The question was a quick one, awkwardness stretching into the air between us for a moment, but I didn't dwell on it. I knew he wasn't. I opened my mouth to say so but she tore her eyes from him and leaned towards me. "They don't have to know. Tell them you're staying the night over my house and we'll be studying. You can spend the night."

    I shook my head and glanced down, pushing my tray away. I wasn't the type to lie to mama. Carla rolled her eyes, grabbing her tray quickly and dumping it, setting it on the counter where a lunch lady cleans the trays, and she doesn't come back to my table. Instead she scoots herself in with her other friends, not baring me any more attention. I took that as a, either try to be friends with my friends now or come to the party.

    I sighed in defeat, feeling deserted and lonely again. I go to dump my tray and walk over to Daces table with small steps, determined yet feeling horrible for what was about to slip between my lips; a spew of lies. Dace quickly looks up and so do his friends, one I recall named Mason. He was in my chemistry class.

     He was on Daces left, his blonde hair curling over his forehead and his green eyes sparkling with interest, a smirk on his lips. I've seen guys look at me that way before. It's flattering but I've never gotten close enough with one to want a relationship with them. "So," he began in a low voice, his lips pulling up even higher at the corners. He kind of reminded me of a tiger eyeing his prey but instead of licking his teeth, he grinned tauntingly. "Decided that were finally good enough for you?"

    I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to be braver then I felt, and brushed one of my golden curls off my shoulder. "Sorry but not today, or ever. I just need to tell Dace something."

    Mason narrowed his own eyes and Dace punched him on the shoulder, lightly, that look i can never figure out glazing over his eyes. "That's my sister. Leave her alone." He glanced at me then looked off, so I could know he was directing the question he was about to ask at me. "What do you need?"

    Pain encircled my heart, making it squeeze again, making me want to dive into the past and get my brother back, the one who would laugh and smile with me. I made sure it didn't show in my eyes though. 
 
    "Carla wants me to study with her tonight at her house, and she asked me if I could stay over. Mama trusts you with everything, so maybe you could talk to her when you get home?"

    As soon as I said Carla, he winced like her name had pinched him, and gazed at me, skeptical. "So you'll be walking with her?"

    I gave a quick nod, trying my absolute hardest not to look away from him, not to shake even the slightest cause then he'd know I was lying. "Just explain that it was important, okay?"

    Dace sits for a moment, still looking skeptical. Mason is quiet, hating how I fractured his ego. Guess he wasn't use to the simple no. Dace finally nods, slowly though as if he still wasn't sure, but I swiftly walked away before he could change his mind.

    My heart finally had time to freak out and I began wondering if this was such a good idea. Before I knew it though, I was at Carla's table, her friends all eyeing me, and I swallowed hard before saying, "Meet me after school. I'm going," and walking out the cafeteria doors right when the bell rang.


© 2014 Starrbitt


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Added on January 14, 2014
Last Updated on January 14, 2014


Author

Starrbitt
Starrbitt

Oakhill, WV



About
I love anime if you couldn't tell, vampires, writing, and evil faeries! My favorite color is purple, I like to read about creatures and zombies, and I love making my own videos. more..

Writing
Prologue Prologue

A Chapter by Starrbitt


Chapter Two Chapter Two

A Chapter by Starrbitt