Beep. Beep. Beep.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KElAK1GkC
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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Od6y9ivR9
At least, triumphant until Sunny decides I don’t deserve such a victory.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kiGzilvTM
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” She screams with the energy of a six year old. Oh wait. She is exactly six years old.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaOiCmhWmA
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. 196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgA9f7aP0V
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?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3yxKyLn4e
***196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOUv5UxwS8
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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnv90kFRHt
“Psst. Cordelia.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74qrxIkvoo
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. 196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKBsV8CAVx
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. 196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7iNhurnOK
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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNN9EaYDNBL
“Uh…” I mutter, still recovering. “Yes?”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WoNDtkWlW
“Happy birthday! You’re sixteen, right?” She smiles a beautiful smile, showing off her perfect teeth.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrg3hmo8osh
I blink, more than a little surprised. “Yes. How did you know?”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofBKoNkeb0
“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.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJx3HFpWw6
“It’s your birthday?” I nod. “Happy birthday, then. Sorry for the trouble, Miss Harrington.” Mr Williams is no longer addressing me.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CZl63Jcqn
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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq8y1KSfYb
“Miss Ashford. You’re late. Again.” Mr Williams turns back to the board impatiently.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYlYGpSPkO
Ashford. Even her last name compliments her. She strides over to her desk, which happens to be right beside me, to my left.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCJPsDpe36
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.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbQXrpunN9
***196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9NNAP6qqR
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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQeWeKMFYe
“Hi.” She leans against the locker beside me.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtohZ9r4BuV
“Oh. Hi.” I stand there, unsure of what to say or do.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghYFkuh9sP
“Cordelia, right? Van says it’s your birthday too.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWPNVzeJhL
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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7Bee1HNEb
“Mhm. Happy birthday, by the way,” I mumble.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp4TG4w7PA
The girl grins. “Thanks.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtZ2d9bLS3
Savannah sighs. “Emmy, you’re making her nervous. Just get to the point.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFgWpmXvXs
The girl shrugs. “Jeez, ok. I’m Ember. You’ve already met Savannah. Have you noticed anything weird lately?”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdI8gTsDO15
“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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEjb05nAgL
“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?”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaHfuO9WH1
What? “I don’t understand.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OcTfBZVy1
“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.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18hgKBsJlU
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.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwONXIWNN9
“It rained this morning.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK1910gGoc
The two girls look at each other, confused. “So?” Ember asks.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4mtJw6C3Y
“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.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2YHoQIwKG
Ember rubs her forehead, suddenly looking very tired. “Damn. Liam was right, I guess. Now he won’t shut up.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3VtUsorjg
I raise an eyebrow. “I should probably get going.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeabvVTozq
“Wait. We need to talk. Come with us,” Savannah pleads.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSpqMEXy3i
I sigh. I know they won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s with them. I guess I should just agree.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcn1B0wkcj0
“Fine.”196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9WZ60PPlR
As I walk with them, I can’t shake the feeling that this meeting is only the beginning of something big.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfi5fD5zAaS
