Chapter 2: First Day Of Senior Year
Today is my first day at East High School and I have to admit I am a little nervous. This is Nina's second year in that high school, so I assume she is used to it. She probably has friends there and maybe she is a little more sociable and friendly with them. We don't talk, except when it is necessary. Nina is a bit weird, more than me... and trust me, I've been called weird all my life.
I don't know what kind of life Nina has lived so far, but whatever she's been through might be the cause for her strange behavior. I know I guard myself from new people all the time, so I don't blame her for being so antisocial.
I stare at Nina while all these thoughts run through my mind and she pretends not to notice me. We both eat our bowls of cereal and drink our orange juice in silence while Mr. Flores drinks his coffee and reads the newspaper at the table with us. Mrs. Flores watches the news in the kitchen while making herself a veggie and fruit smoothie to start her day.
The Flores are both college professors. They always wanted kids, but they couldn't have any, so they have been foster parents for years. It seems like they have practice with teenagers. They give us our privacy, but they like to be involved in our lives and support us. I really hope I don't screw things up this time, because I really like it here.
"Drea, sweetie, were you having nightmares last night?" Mrs. Flores asks me and Nina shoots me a strange look. "I... I don't know. I talk a lot in my sleep, I have been told." Nina looks annoyed by my answer now.
"Well, I have heard you talk in your sleep, but it is all gibberish" Mr. Flores says with a soft smile. I smile back, a little embarrassed and Nina gets up from the table, abruptly. I can't help to think she is upset at me for some reason.
Nina dumps her dirty dishes in the sink and Mrs. Flores looks at her with a threatening look, making her go back to wash the dishes she just threw there.
What is her problem? She woke up with a nasty attitude today. So much for my hopes of Nina showing me around the school and maybe sticking with me at least until I get comfortable there.
When we get out of the house to catch the school bus, I walk quietly behind Nina until we reach the bus stop. I am thankful to see people already waiting for the bus, that way the silence between Nina and I can be less awkward. She stays in the corner of the sidewalk and I stand next to the group of teenagers who talk and joke while they wait for the bus. They laugh and take selfies with their cell phones, and I listen to their silly conversations.
I wish my life was as easy as their lives sound. I wish I could complain about the stupid things they are fussing about, and I wish I could laugh and joke with friends like they do so carelessly.
"Excuse me, we are taking pictures and you are kind of in the background" one of the girls says to me. I feel embarrassed and move out of their way. "Thank you" she says to me after I am no longer part of their dumb selfie. "Can you take a picture for us?" The same girl that asked me to move dares to ask me, handing me her cell phone. She smiles this time, while saying please.
I look at her seriously and simply shake my head no, leaving her with her hand extended, without taking the phone from her.
"What?" She says, shocked by my response. "Seriously?" Another girl says, and then I hear two guys laugh. Some of the girls laugh too, after the guys burst into laughter at my reaction.
"Jeez, it was only a picture, I wasn't asking for a kidney" the annoying girl says. I keep staring at them, seriously, and there are lots of things going through my head right now. I observe their interaction, their body language and how they express themselves. I bite my tongue, because I know I can make each and every one of them cry with a few simple comments, but it is my first day of school and I don't feel like making enemies this early in the morning. Besides, the bus is already here.
Nina gets inside the bus first, and I let the group of immature kids get in front of me. I go in last. Nina sits in the middle of the bus and those kids sit at the end, so typical of them. I pick a spot in the front and I pray for my many bad thoughts to go away. I have issues controlling my temper and I am not good with people. I usually say the first thing that pops into my head and that has caused me to make more enemies than friends.
My bad experiences have shown me what not to do in order to stay under the radar. So I have learned, slowly, how to control my emotions and tongue, and how to stay away from people over all. It is super easy to avoid unwanted attention by simply putting on headphones and listening to music. Also, having a book in hand at all times makes me almost invisible… Well, most people get the hint that I don't want to be bothered.
The bus takes off and I put on my headphones to listen to my music, ignoring all the background noise. The bus driver keeps stopping to pick up more students. They get in and sit down, occupying the seats at the end or in the middle of the bus. I look through the window, staring at all the beautiful houses in the neighborhoods we pass through and then, the bus stops again.
My attention is now focused on the two boys waiting for the bus. They are both tall, slim and pale. One of them has black hair, cut at a medium length, and big caramel eyes. The other one is blond, his hair cut short, and his eyes are big and dark brown. They stare at me as they enter the bus and sit right across from me. I turn to face them and their eyes search for my necklace, but they try to disguise the sudden interest in it, by looking at me and smiling.
I touch my necklace, reaching for the pearl, and I hold it in my fingers as I quickly hide it inside my blouse. The strange teenage boys look away once my necklace is secure underneath my clothes. I don't know why, but I'm getting such a weird vibe from those two.
The bus moves and I pay no more attention to the guys sitting across from me, until we arrive at school.
I speed through the parking lot and enter the high school, immediately looking for the Gym. My first class is P.E. so I head to the girl's locker's room and start changing into my sweat pants. A girl comes my way when I am taking my blouse off and she looks at me, smiling. I notice her staring at my necklace too. What is it with people's fascination with my necklace all of the sudden?
"Hi!" The girl says to me while I put on a t-shirt. "Hi" I say back, awkwardly. "I've never seen you around. Are you new?" I nod at her and quickly put on my tennis shoes. "Are you a senior?" Are you a freaking reporter, detective or are you just nosy? Is what I want to say to her, but instead, I nod again.
"Oh, nice! Me too!" She says, almost squealing. The look on my face must have made her realize how much she is freaking me out with her cheery attitude, because then, she apologizes. "Sorry" she says, almost giggling. "I'm Laura."
She extends her hand to me and I'm not sure what to do other than look at her hand and think she should not be allowed to have caffeine. Laura retrieves her hand and discreetly rubs her pants to disguise the embarrassment of my rejection. Of course that makes me feel bad instantly, so I try to make her feel better by telling her my name.
"I'm Drea. Don't take it personally, I don't have any friends. I move a lot, so... you would think I would be better at introductions, huh?" I say, half smiling and Laura laughs at my comment like if it was the funniest thing she has heard this morning.
"Well, we have to fix that. I'll be your friend if you hang on and wait for me to get changed." I shrug and smile at her. Laura changes her clothes and I wait for her until she puts her stuff in the locker next to mine.
I do need a friend in this high school, and honestly, I have never made one this easily, so I just go with it.
Laura and I head to P.E. class and she makes a million questions on our way there, making me regret this friendship already. When I don't answer, she moves on to a different question until she gets any answers. The class ends and I am exhausted, but not by the class… Laura is just too much!
She notices how much she is annoying me, so she gives me some space when we get back to the locker room.
"What's your next class?" I ask her, after changing clothes, and I can tell she wasn't expecting me to talk to her so soon. "World History. Yours?" I check my schedule and she looks at it with me. "It looks like we have more classes together, but not the next one." "Oh" I say disappointed. As much as she annoys me it would be nice to have a familiar face in my Chemistry class.
I look at her feeling a little bit sad and say "see you around Laura", and she waves bye with a sympathetic smile.
In my Chemistry class, I see the blond guy who was staring at my necklace in the bus entering the classroom. He locks eyes with me and I stare at him. He smiles and I stay serious while he takes a seat next to mine. Then, I pay no more attention to him. The class starts and the teacher makes us partner up with someone. So of course Blondie partners up with me. Unlike Laura, he doesn't talk much, which I appreciate, but he stares at me a great deal.
"I'm Jake" he tells me, after we are both working on our assignment. "I'm Drea." "Nice meeting you, Drea," Jake says with a smile, and I nod at him, smiling shyly.
So far he is polite, quiet and very smart, but I stay guarded. I don't trust people just because they seem nice. I know better than that. Jake is also handsome, and I think he is aware of it. In my previous experiences with boys, that has turned out to be a bad combination.
He might think of himself as all that. Well, you got the wrong girl, cause I'm not looking to waste my time dating or messing with anyone. I have no time for distractions. I just want to survive this year.
Jake and Laura are in more classes with me throughout the day. Then, in my last period, I see the guy who was sitting with Jake on the bus. He doesn't introduce himself. In fact, he barely looks at me. I find myself being the curious one about him.
He sits at the end of the row and I turn my head to look at him sitting in the back. He notices me watching him and he smirks at me. I get embarrassed and stop looking at him, quickly turning to face the board. It is weird, but I can sense him looking at me. During class, I can feel his energy and I find his mysterious behavior interesting.
When the class ends, most of the students rush to the door. I figure, why rush, to only get smashed in the hallway's traffic? So I take my time collecting my stuff.
Unexpectedly, the strange guy passes next to me and sets a book on my desk, then he keeps walking. "Excuse me. Hey! You left your book here!" I yell at him before he gets out of the classroom. He turns around, grinning, and says "that's your book. Don't let anyone take it from you. Don't tell anyone about it and most importantly, read it."
He keeps walking and disappears in the crowd. I'm so confused right now. I stare at the book for a few seconds and notice it has a unique foreign language on the cover, but somehow I am able to understand what it says.
He keeps walking and disappears in the crowd. I'm so confused right now. I stare at the book for a few seconds and notice it has a unique foreign language on the cover, but somehow I am able to understand what it says, The History of Crándactar. I touch the book and this one sends electric shocks through my skin. I drop the book immediately, afraid of what just happened. Then, I see a note sticking out of the book.
Now the book is on the floor and I am terrified to pick it up, because I'm afraid to feel the electric shock again. I decide to touch it first, with my index. After doing so, it seems safe for me to hold the book, so I pick it up and get the note out to read it.
When I unfold the piece of paper, I notice the message has been written in the same foreign language from the book's cover. My heart is racing and my hands shake as I understand clearly what the message says. I read, Sister, when you are ready for the truth, find me. Find me in your dreams, Andreamaba.
"Drea? Are you okay?" The teacher asks, looking concerned. "Yes" I answer, shoving the book in my backpack quickly and getting out of his classroom.
I walk out of the school and get on the bus. Jake is sitting with the mysterious guy again, and I take the seat next to them. I look at the boy who gave me the book, nervously, and he doesn't even make eye contact with me. Is this a secret? Is he keeping this from his brother? Is Jake even his brother? What is that guy's name, anyway?
My mind is going one hundred miles per minute and I am trying to contain my emotions. The bus driver starts dropping off the students and I can't wait to get off already.
I feel different since I touched the book!
The bus stops, and it is finally time for Jake and his companion to get off the bus. Jake waves bye at me while he leaves and the other boy shoots me an intense look. When they are finally off the bus, I watch them through the window as they walk home together. Suddenly, the strange boy turns to look at me and we lock eyes. His eyes are alarming, perhaps he is warning me.
I want to get home so I can finally read the book!
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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