Chapter Two

“Wake up!” I opened my eyes my sister swam to view. “What?” I grumble.

“School’s what.”

I shot straight up. I looked at my clock. It was six thirty.

“Sil, move!” she was sitting on my leg.

Sil moved out and I ran for the bath room.

“You get harder and harder to wake up these days.” Sil complained.

The school grounds were filled with people. Cheer leaders were exercising their cheer for this year’s game. The geeks were huddled in one table and discussing something’s that will make your nosebleed.

Sil and I sat on our usual spot. Under a tree facing the whole school grounds. I brought my pack in front and pulled out my biology book. I opened the cover and took my schedule out. “You keep your schedule in there?” and then I stuffed the book back. “Yeah.” I peered through my first class. Chemistry. With Mr. Roberts.

“What’s your first class?” I looked at Sil.

“Math.”

I laughed at her.

“Yeah, laugh.” She said leaning against the tree.

“Look at the bright side. Carpe Diem.” I told her.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. Sil leaned her head and closed her eyes.

“I wish one day will be different.” I was about to nod when a dark shadow blocked the light.

“Look girls it’s the siblings.” A girl with a high-pitched voice pitched in.

“Look Sil, it’s the girl with no siblings and fake friends.” I said smiling at her. Sil laughed.

“Very funny.” She said.

“Hey, Mandy, can you just take your two clones and leave us alone? If you are still bitter about the break up just go and look at the mirror to remind yourself why that happened.”

“I--- Hey! I broke up with you!”

“Yeah, right. Keep thinking that sweetheart.”

Mandy stomped her foot and walked away, a couple of people who saw were snickering at her reaction.

“I can’t believe you used to date her.” Sil says sleepily. “Yeah, I can’t believe that either.” I said barely above a whisper.

The corridors of the school were empty and it was just the way I liked it. I took the longest way to my class on purpose. Passing by as much rooms as I could, to see how people were spending their free time. Each classroom was different and it amazed me how most of the people I saw, I spent half of my life with. I passed by Mandy’s room; her pink bag was gleaming on her table. “God, I really hated that bag.” I finally reached my classroom and took a deep breath before heading in.

The room was filled with kids, laughing and talking up a storm. Some paper planes were flying and some were on the floor. A couple of people greeted me as I passed by the rows. And then I saw her, Polly Clark. My breathe was almost taken away. Her strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes was hurting me. She was immersed in a book as her jerk boyfriend, Jake Loone hovered over her, trying to get her attention away.

“Hey, why don’t you just leave her alone?” the words spilled out of my mouth. Fuck. Great, Ian. Now you have to fight this jerk all over again.

“What did you say to me punk?” His black dead eyes were piercing me.

“I think you want to have a round 2 of that ass whooping you had the year before.” he said with a croaking voice. 

There was no ass whooping, you stupid head. Polly broke the fight and went with you just so you won’t beat me up. I bite back my tongue when I saw Polly’s eyes fixed on me. Clearly telling me to stand down. “She just wants to read in peace man.” I moved aside and sat on my chair behind her. Feeling worse than ever. The door swung open and Mr. Roberts came into view.

“Alright, children. Settle down. We have a heavy topic today. Toxins.” The whole class whined as we took our seats and prepared for class. “Thank you.” Polly says under her breath. Jake was watching me from the other side of the room so I didn’t acknowledge her. But every inch of me pained at that.

The bell rang just as I was done writing all the notes on the board. Polly stood up immediately. She pushed her notebook in her bag and she smiled at me. Her smile took me by surprise and I almost choked up on the piece of gum I had. One by one, people went out heading for recess. It was ten thirty. I was on the last flight down when Sil bumped me.

“Ow.” She blurted but I hardly think it hurts her.

“What the…” she was holding tons of books on her hands. She adjusted them.

“I’ll explain later.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me to the cafeteria.

We sat down on our usual table. The canteen was full. Blue tables where a lined and the lunch ladies were ready with different fruits and veggies. I pulled one of the blue chairs on the round table dropping my bag beside me. I peered around if I could see Polly. It was useless. I couldn’t see her anywhere. Sil moaned loudly. I looked at her. Some of her books where on the floor. I helped her pick them up.

“You mind telling me why did you bring the library?” I placed some on the table. Sil straightened up and pulled the chair opposite of me. “Ok,” Sil said with a sigh.

“Mr. Ruminsky told me I have to read all of these.” She gestured to the books.

“You should be happy; you have some reading material this week.”

This made me think about the Sherlock Holmes in my bag.

“Sil, I’m not even done with my pile.” Just then Polly passed by our table. I stiffened. She smiled at me. I smiled back. “You like her.” It’s wasn’t a question. “Yeah.” And that was the most obvious answer.

“Give it up she’s out of your league.” Sil said hiding behind the stack of books she was arranging. “Oh, you don’t know that.” I waved her out. She sat in the popular table with Jake. Sil sighed. Jace once liked her too. I guess where on the same boat. I shook my head. “What?” she looked at me. “You like him.”

“Yeah.” She answered me.

“Give it up he’s out of your league.” Sil threw a book at me. It hit me square on the chest.

“Ow.”

It hit the floor with a thud. I gave her a scrawl. She laughed. I laughed with her too. The canteen was so noisy to even hear us.

Sil and I walked to the curb, it was five o’ clock and people in our school came pouring out. The wind blew Sil’s hair and messed it all up. It blew on my hair too but nothing happened. The sun was almost down and silhouettes where staring to form. “Ian, there’s dad.” Sil pulled on my sleeve. In one of the silhouettes, I think I saw a lady shadow behind me.

“Ian!” Sil called me. I turned to see her head was poking outside the passenger’s seat. She was already in the car. I saw it was our driver on the driver’s seat. I raced to the open door. I placed my bag beside me. The car lurched forward. I heard Tom, our driver, mumble something under his breath. He changed gear and the car moved smoothly. Sil twisted in her seat looking at me. I was looking out the window but I knew she was watching me.

“I thought I saw something.” I told her. Even though we’re not twins I still know what question she has on her mind and how she feels. Sil just nodded and twisted to look outside too. I wondered who the girl was and why her shadow was facing us instead of behind her. Plus, I wanted to know why I felt eyes on the shadow and not on my back. I sighed heavily.

I dropped my bag on the floor. I rushed to my bed and hit it face first. I knew something was wrong. I jumped up. On the window a single silhouette stood. It was from a girl. My door shut with a bang. I turned to see it but nothing was there. I turned back to the window but nothing was there either. I felt a shiver run down my spine. I exhaled the breath I was holding. I grabbed my bag and opened it.

“You’re too tired and you are imagining things.” I whispered to myself. But I knew that that wasn’t something I could imagine.

I couldn’t sleep well. I tried to make myself sleep but I just couldn’t. I tossed and turned for what felt like hours when sleep finally found me.

The dream was weird. I was in a forest; I was standing on top of a garden bellow. I jumped down and landed on my feet. The walls were so high and the only way to go in and out was though two huge boulders and you’ll have to climb up the roots of the trees. A lake was near me and a huge tree was rooted near the wall. It was like a bowl. I turned to a figure in front of me. It was a woman. I staggered back. She had jet black hair that reached her shoulder blades and it was braided in a French braid. I think that is what they call it. She was wearing a white summer dress and her skin was white but her eyes were crimson blue. She was wearing red lipstick and a golden bracelet that had an eagle on it.

“Hello.” Her voice echoed around.

“Who are you?” I know it’s rude off me to ask that question but I didn’t know her at all. I have to admit she’s pretty. But not drop dead gorgeous.

“My name is Daylight.” She seemed to glow bright when she said her name. A slight wind bit my cheeks. I shivered. She turned around. I saw that she had a kopesh strapped to her back. My jaw dropped when I saw the size of the blade. She turned around and I immediately closed my mouth. She smiled.

“I saw that.” Her teeth where so white it’s almost blinding to look at. I looked down at her feet. She was wearing combat boots that were pure jet black. I don’t understand why girls now a day’s like combat boots and boys’ cargo pants as well as our polo t-shirts.

“Combat boots make it easier to walk and run in rain.” Daylight said as if hearing what I was thinking.

“How…” I was cut off.

“How did I know? I’m not a mind reader, Ian, but I can read expressions.” She said.

I looked at her. She was looking around. I wondered if she was waiting for something.

“Is it safe?” she asked me. “I don’t follow.”

“Is your dream safe?” She said facing me. Her face changed to a crystal mask making scaring the logic out of me.

“Yeah. I—I think.” I stuttered. I really didn’t know why she was asking me if my dream is safe. Daylight’s face went back to normal.

“Sorry.” She looked at the ground. I noticed she was clutching a “sakaba” sword. I don’t know those things actually exist.

“Oh, you notice this sword?” She raised it. I nodded. I felt afraid even though I know that the blade was on the other side.

“Where?” She looked interested.

“Rurouni Kenshin.” I said Daylight laughed. It was a nice sound and I felt strangely dreamy.

“The Samurai X?” she said laughingly. I nodded again. I looked at her hand but the sword was gone. It simply vanished. I held my breath. I wanted to wake up.

“Ian? What are you doing?” Daylight said. Her figure was getting fuzzy. The ground was shaking, tress were swaying out of view.

“Ian, NO!” Daylight tried to grab me but she was too far way. I started to feel my bed under me. I snapped wake.

My breathing was fast and I was sweating badly. I grabbed my t-shirt. My heart was pounding hard I almost thought my rib cage was going to break. I gulped air. My eye sight was fuzzy. I blinked three times before my room came to proper view. I was on the bed and a book was beside me. It was open. It was just a dream. I wanted to repeat it until it was true, but I knew I was just lying.