Beep. Beep. Beep.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8nBLaqaCO
An annoying sound pierces my ear, repeating itself in a desperate bid to wake me up. However, I have more power than the sound. I lift my hand, feeling around for the pestilent object. Once I find it, I hit snooze and pull the covers over my head, triumphant.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeUt0mmVNW
At least, triumphant until Sunny decides I don’t deserve such a victory.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡej6hbNFkba
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” She screams with the energy of a six year old. Oh wait. She is exactly six years old.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmN2GrwOuJC
Fully awake now, I roll off my bed and brush through my morning routine. I check the time. Eight thirty. Wait. Eight thirty? I must have overslept! I’ll be late! As I struggle to put my shoes on, I hop down the stairs. I look around. No one here, no food waiting for me. Dang it. Guess I’m going hungry. I pull up a bus schedule. The next bus arrives in thirty minutes. That won’t work. Walking it is. 242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5Bliw3OCh
The very second I think that, it starts to rain. Seriously? I have to walk in the rain, hungry and cold? This day is a disaster already. Why'd it have to be my sixteenth birthday?242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiJEU8xEGL
***242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRYeSaxROz
I manage to get to school right on time, albeit soaking wet. I slip into my seat at the back of the class and open my notebook.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NVqddk4q7
“Psst. Cordelia.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEvV9Nzvba
I turn to my right, my attention immediately caught by the girl speaking to me. Her beauty is striking, rivalled by very few. Beautiful brown locks flow down her back, a path delicately brushing her waist. Her pale skin has an otherworldly glow, but her freckles are a reminder that she’s still a human being. 242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgFZFuOdUu
My gaze shifts to her eyes, and I forget all about her imperfections. They’re kaleidoscopes, dancing and shifting from one vibrant colour to another. At the moment, they appear to be both green and blue, combining to create a stunning pigment that reminds me of nature. 242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7A5HsURXD
Her clothes are simple and classic, a white t-shirt and blue jeans to accentuate her beauty. Her sneakers are a painting depicting intricate designs of the forest, connecting her to nature. As if begging the trees to take her, her hair is adorned with flowers and dried leaves, depicting her as nature’s friend, a mythical creature from the woods. In fact, a mythical creature does her no justice. She could be Mother Nature herself, one of the few girls who need no makeup. Her name floats around in my mind. Savannah. A natural name to describe a natural person. It’s a wonder that such a being even knows my name.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3K61mfs3E
“Uh…” I mutter, still recovering. “Yes?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yOiVxrr9p
“Happy birthday! You’re sixteen, right?” She smiles a beautiful smile, showing off her perfect teeth.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIvDhJG1Z2
I blink, more than a little surprised. “Yes. How did you know?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyACqNWckG
“Excuse me! Miss Kingsly, is there something you’d like to share with the class?” The teacher says, glaring at me.
“Oh, it was my fault, Mr Williams.” Savannah comes to my aid immediately. She winks at me. “I was wishing her a happy birthday.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYYktpv6pM
“It’s your birthday?” I nod. “Happy birthday, then. Sorry for the trouble, Miss Harrington.” Mr Williams is no longer addressing me.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7AqH63xe9
Just as Mr Williams turns back to the board, a girl saunters in, her very presence demanding the attention of all who dare to throw a glance her way. Flaming red locks flow in wild braids, announcing that she is a spirited person who refuses to bow down to the concept of normalcy. Her eyes are a luminous green, shining with a fiery intensity and mirroring her personality. Her skin is glowing, though unlike Savannah’s, it’s flawless, free of imperfections. While Savannah wears simple clothes, spares no expense to wear clothes of verdant hues. A green sleeveless shirt graces her form, with green cargo pants to tell tales of her adventurous spirit. Even her shoes are a vibrant shade of green, worn as if it’s a thousand years old. This girl is a pure force of nature, nothing could possibly hope to get in her way.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAG0CkivvC
“Miss Ashford. You’re late. Again.” Mr Williams turns back to the board impatiently.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDv1jxNcA7
Ashford. Even her last name compliments her. She strides over to her desk, which happens to be right beside me, to my left.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05j64Phbv2
She sits and props her feet up on the desk. “Yes, yes, I know.” She smiles. “But it’s my birthday. Cut me some slack.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MroDcUqAS
***242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkcwa88q51
The rest of the day flies by, uneventful and boring. That is, until the girl in green strides towards me with Savannah a few paces behind.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpHoh2dWmC
“Hi.” She leans against the locker beside me.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAWvFl6T2K
“Oh. Hi.” I stand there, unsure of what to say or do.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡei2jcIOhby
“Cordelia, right? Van says it’s your birthday too.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkgqotaT9c
These two are clearly familiar enough to have nicknames. I, on the other hand, don’t really have friends. It’s surprising anyone knows my name.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ6EH94k3F
“Mhm. Happy birthday, by the way,” I mumble.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfruUpI8UbI
The girl grins. “Thanks.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4J25ljm1Fd
Savannah sighs. “Emmy, you’re making her nervous. Just get to the point.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6RaeYfe1f
The girl shrugs. “Jeez, ok. I’m Ember. You’ve already met Savannah. Have you noticed anything weird lately?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq12wW1ZZEY
“Yeah, the fact that you guys are talking to me,” I say, staring stonily ahead. For some reason, I want nothing to do with the two of them.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPJTMC4YbM
“I know, but I mean something weird like, I dunno…” Ember lowers her voice to a whisper. “Anything glowy? Or like, a random blast of water or something?”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi6lo8D7G1
What? “I don’t understand.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt5clORfVO
“I told you to stop beating around the bush, Emmy.” Savannah turns to me. “You’re sixteen today. What Emmy is trying to ask is, have you seen anything out of the ordinary today? Anything at all? Aside from us, of course.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylOrSWw37t
Maybe if I answer them, they’ll leave me alone. I think back, trying hard to remember anything weird happening. Then it hits me as suddenly as a brick falling on my head.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPV2eDKTfme
“It rained this morning.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEkLA75dC0
The two girls look at each other, confused. “So?” Ember asks.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3q3cVQbLmz
“So, I overslept today. I skipped breakfast and missed my bus. I was thinking about how much of a disaster the day was, and then it rained. I thought it was just chance at first. A cruel prank fate decided to pull on my sixteenth. But now,” I look at Ember and Savannah. “Maybe not.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhbbsUQhn3
Ember rubs her forehead, suddenly looking very tired. “Damn. Liam was right, I guess. Now he won’t shut up.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9J8KetTowm
I raise an eyebrow. “I should probably get going.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUo6JS185W4
“Wait. We need to talk. Come with us,” Savannah pleads.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYWJUPxECD
I sigh. I know they won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s with them. I guess I should just agree.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcmuE3qzmF
“Fine.”242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCql5WPIZfq
As I walk with them, I can’t shake the feeling that this meeting is only the beginning of something big.242Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURdObaU9K5
