Beep. Beep. Beep.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeJLkccjDy
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLpwQHjr31
At least, triumphant until Sunny decides I don’t deserve such a victory.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxRjhfsvIe
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” She screams with the energy of a six year old. Oh wait. She is exactly six years old.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdWNElWMLe
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. 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIdmhFlicL
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?308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeonomL9WF
***308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsluKhQbE9T
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmRVCtnEla
“Psst. Cordelia.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9p45m68n9
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. 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUx5NHl35hm
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. 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmQJV0ck5c
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPwjmljmts
“Uh…” I mutter, still recovering. “Yes?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4whARRAvGO
“Happy birthday! You’re sixteen, right?” She smiles a beautiful smile, showing off her perfect teeth.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZxpoeHJtA
I blink, more than a little surprised. “Yes. How did you know?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKeWFw4FBp
“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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSObpC2oyn2
“It’s your birthday?” I nod. “Happy birthday, then. Sorry for the trouble, Miss Harrington.” Mr Williams is no longer addressing me.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaoNv2HgiV
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82gP35dpJ9
“Miss Ashford. You’re late. Again.” Mr Williams turns back to the board impatiently.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNVi0pZWTM
Ashford. Even her last name compliments her. She strides over to her desk, which happens to be right beside me, to my left.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaY0tELPuHE
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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDe8fXORAOf
***308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaCZrnWhKg
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0u5jSZ16u
“Hi.” She leans against the locker beside me.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21wDLD5CmE
“Oh. Hi.” I stand there, unsure of what to say or do.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbB1B23ohm
“Cordelia, right? Van says it’s your birthday too.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq38db9UH5
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeCV3IRcpr
“Mhm. Happy birthday, by the way,” I mumble.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvkwSmlWup
The girl grins. “Thanks.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbpp4DgI1n
Savannah sighs. “Emmy, you’re making her nervous. Just get to the point.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCkDInyx3I
The girl shrugs. “Jeez, ok. I’m Ember. You’ve already met Savannah. Have you noticed anything weird lately?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMm6BpFL2UJ
“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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5yvft3tOD
“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?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYVWSiRObj
What? “I don’t understand.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6kw5d0gvQ
“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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9yZcky2Qw
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJID5bVYIE
“It rained this morning.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuWNeIBDlG
The two girls look at each other, confused. “So?” Ember asks.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXciAos23at
“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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIHwH45jv5
Ember rubs her forehead, suddenly looking very tired. “Damn. Liam was right, I guess. Now he won’t shut up.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzA6Bkez3cJ
I raise an eyebrow. “I should probably get going.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3bDeRfmds
“Wait. We need to talk. Come with us,” Savannah pleads.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsN7SsH8zR
I sigh. I know they won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s with them. I guess I should just agree.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡew9HW8Ubd2
“Fine.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQRtLoxdSB
As I walk with them, I can’t shake the feeling that this meeting is only the beginning of something big.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbeJuEsI6A
