Beep. Beep. Beep.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudmF72EKOm
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVYTvO8Yo8
At least, triumphant until Sunny decides I don’t deserve such a victory.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FbMNEQqsB
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” She screams with the energy of a six year old. Oh wait. She is exactly six years old.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMJSENOIb0
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. 329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPwUiQWFhQ
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?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMFeMDskWl
***329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN8kXOhz74
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIcYf9SGex
“Psst. Cordelia.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDpovXfguj
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. 329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEV65OtEUHZ
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. 329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqmEhLybAH
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhw0p1IxmAv
“Uh…” I mutter, still recovering. “Yes?”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS89pzaEPjv
“Happy birthday! You’re sixteen, right?” She smiles a beautiful smile, showing off her perfect teeth.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsJDaPmJpP
I blink, more than a little surprised. “Yes. How did you know?”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGe2RCPLWp
“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.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWqLvF5WRo
“It’s your birthday?” I nod. “Happy birthday, then. Sorry for the trouble, Miss Harrington.” Mr Williams is no longer addressing me.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvkC6lF5VT
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSQ4MD5VBE
“Miss Ashford. You’re late. Again.” Mr Williams turns back to the board impatiently.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOW736Kj7k
Ashford. Even her last name compliments her. She strides over to her desk, which happens to be right beside me, to my left.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoa4B0hy6H
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.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYikmJyZUp7
***329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLSnMQ0D9p
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIkDtsjleZ
“Hi.” She leans against the locker beside me.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtchpCB40M
“Oh. Hi.” I stand there, unsure of what to say or do.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaWLqhExsj
“Cordelia, right? Van says it’s your birthday too.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTZewTkZWf
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrff3WqGHuB
“Mhm. Happy birthday, by the way,” I mumble.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddg0yG1ENW
The girl grins. “Thanks.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAW2LhimhI
Savannah sighs. “Emmy, you’re making her nervous. Just get to the point.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYJ4y09jyZ
The girl shrugs. “Jeez, ok. I’m Ember. You’ve already met Savannah. Have you noticed anything weird lately?”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdbs7wN01k
“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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAD3RsTa38
“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?”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWvY44MxZX
What? “I don’t understand.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymsWShU7CQ
“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.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rlXEmoMgY
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOuLwPHwXr
“It rained this morning.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhjuGMVw7X
The two girls look at each other, confused. “So?” Ember asks.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLjXBeas7X
“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.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxR2QiMLy7
Ember rubs her forehead, suddenly looking very tired. “Damn. Liam was right, I guess. Now he won’t shut up.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpR0dfT3RvC
I raise an eyebrow. “I should probably get going.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdN9ES0ECH
“Wait. We need to talk. Come with us,” Savannah pleads.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShBBFYd7p8
I sigh. I know they won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s with them. I guess I should just agree.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEYvasOYIK
“Fine.”329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v9sJHjVfS
As I walk with them, I can’t shake the feeling that this meeting is only the beginning of something big.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYm7DURHzQ8
