Beep. Beep. Beep.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0kIdV1SCT
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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgJlWHOt5k
At least, triumphant until Sunny decides I don’t deserve such a victory.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNupEwW4NSs
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” She screams with the energy of a six year old. Oh wait. She is exactly six years old.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05ciwSdtjP
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. 190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsKuhuEiKx
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?190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX0l5j5u4y
***190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4UwCmjyoD
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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmM7uB7llzl
“Psst. Cordelia.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdcEVOQLOD
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. 190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC59uh1yZwg
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. 190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xrUwleAld
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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFQCfxkr0h
“Uh…” I mutter, still recovering. “Yes?”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllokj5Z918
“Happy birthday! You’re sixteen, right?” She smiles a beautiful smile, showing off her perfect teeth.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnFZFvENX6
I blink, more than a little surprised. “Yes. How did you know?”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4S1w9iyp59
“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.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwv0cb7MYjo
“It’s your birthday?” I nod. “Happy birthday, then. Sorry for the trouble, Miss Harrington.” Mr Williams is no longer addressing me.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeovyMFfvnM
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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqDkx9uQFd
“Miss Ashford. You’re late. Again.” Mr Williams turns back to the board impatiently.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9xqxJ4klR
Ashford. Even her last name compliments her. She strides over to her desk, which happens to be right beside me, to my left.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5WsnMRFHi
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.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXTYb4xKYi
***190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5n2Casgrm9
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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ298IqTStmB
“Hi.” She leans against the locker beside me.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdMKo2KoEf
“Oh. Hi.” I stand there, unsure of what to say or do.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHvDb7Imuk
“Cordelia, right? Van says it’s your birthday too.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOQRLOYEhK
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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51gSd2wbxW
“Mhm. Happy birthday, by the way,” I mumble.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjDdxfuHBv
The girl grins. “Thanks.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnc3y86Pw9
Savannah sighs. “Emmy, you’re making her nervous. Just get to the point.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNAdsshuH4
The girl shrugs. “Jeez, ok. I’m Ember. You’ve already met Savannah. Have you noticed anything weird lately?”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ymeWa6plU
“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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHP9oPNFR8a
“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?”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXRILjm1Re
What? “I don’t understand.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0WE1SFwVE
“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.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzPzhXjc4G
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.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbDGq211kj
“It rained this morning.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP1mZBtxgQ
The two girls look at each other, confused. “So?” Ember asks.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcuefep5xN
“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.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqmG7I1ZSc
Ember rubs her forehead, suddenly looking very tired. “Damn. Liam was right, I guess. Now he won’t shut up.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Cyf3U7lew
I raise an eyebrow. “I should probably get going.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnABQWWWC5e
“Wait. We need to talk. Come with us,” Savannah pleads.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnMVnTq4ph
I sigh. I know they won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s with them. I guess I should just agree.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3j0albPHJh
“Fine.”190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FFZdZpvWM
As I walk with them, I can’t shake the feeling that this meeting is only the beginning of something big.190Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wLaPEeYFp
