Beep. Beep. Beep.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrQznC0twH
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5xClWiLIE
At least, triumphant until Sunny decides I don’t deserve such a victory.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3D0O6ozoR
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” She screams with the energy of a six year old. Oh wait. She is exactly six years old.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxN5pAkyXV
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. 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyATl1BY6I
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?357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpe90uSq5G
***357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9c8Uch0Sy7
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPb15mlqut
“Psst. Cordelia.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIcUaGDoHO
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. 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGh7SgM8N8E
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. 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00Aw6y02KO
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmHsHOioaA
“Uh…” I mutter, still recovering. “Yes?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7MRviaHGc
“Happy birthday! You’re sixteen, right?” She smiles a beautiful smile, showing off her perfect teeth.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe83eMed6KI
I blink, more than a little surprised. “Yes. How did you know?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2S17MjLSMQ
“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.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHBgpxQSy2
“It’s your birthday?” I nod. “Happy birthday, then. Sorry for the trouble, Miss Harrington.” Mr Williams is no longer addressing me.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrCAQxhesQ
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1jF1B1MI0
“Miss Ashford. You’re late. Again.” Mr Williams turns back to the board impatiently.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV7vCSj8f9
Ashford. Even her last name compliments her. She strides over to her desk, which happens to be right beside me, to my left.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpekpwQ65Y2
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.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpc35iimZh
***357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqYeKXgfEW
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaEFwvCTwu
“Hi.” She leans against the locker beside me.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHjWiOa9iZ
“Oh. Hi.” I stand there, unsure of what to say or do.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVEvs7OOl6
“Cordelia, right? Van says it’s your birthday too.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WxDYCIWOd
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46Znwyo5x6
“Mhm. Happy birthday, by the way,” I mumble.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgs30d6zQIA
The girl grins. “Thanks.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoh0uZoUlw
Savannah sighs. “Emmy, you’re making her nervous. Just get to the point.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcojGetyGu
The girl shrugs. “Jeez, ok. I’m Ember. You’ve already met Savannah. Have you noticed anything weird lately?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhQnelrFjC
“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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYSWUigRou
“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?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCO0VsL9DwB
What? “I don’t understand.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0hVb4sYpM
“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.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WCGF2f3it
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lAwstHuWq
“It rained this morning.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08EWzsWTEu
The two girls look at each other, confused. “So?” Ember asks.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEDgZ2j9Hr
“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.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9JmSaZsTH
Ember rubs her forehead, suddenly looking very tired. “Damn. Liam was right, I guess. Now he won’t shut up.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkJrmi4BhW
I raise an eyebrow. “I should probably get going.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lIZrkhCpH
“Wait. We need to talk. Come with us,” Savannah pleads.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMNG3LNgh9
I sigh. I know they won’t let me go anywhere unless it’s with them. I guess I should just agree.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCDvJlJRH1
“Fine.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkeG7tCRo5
As I walk with them, I can’t shake the feeling that this meeting is only the beginning of something big.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiQ1NIQ2vc
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