Twelve Hours Till Dark: Chapter 3


I walk into the modern day version of the Roman Coliseum, Anoka High School. I Shoulder past teenage gladiators in a futile attempt to worm through the crowd. Finally, I find a gap in the masses of teens and dive for it to get to my locker. Bobbing and weaving, I finally make it to my destination. The loud ding of the morning bell cuts through the crowd to let the students know it’s time for school to begin.
​            I sit down at my desk in the most heinous class of all time, algebra. My teacher drones on and on about this and that, formulas and the junk, when I notice something peculiar; there’s a girl with flaming red hair standing outside, fixing her icy eyes on mine. A shiver runs through my back as I experience a strange feeling
​            “Weird,” I mutter to myself.
​            “First day dreaming in class and now talking to yourself? Get a grip, Mr. Alark,” the teacher says to me. Thankfully, the bell rings just then. I rush out of class, face turning red at the sounds of scattered laughter coming from behind me.
​            The rest of the school day goes by in a blur. Girls giggle as I walk past, teachers picking on me for daydreaming in class, same old same old. I step out of my last class of the day, looking left and right for the red headed girl. Seeing that she’s no where in sight, I move along. Then, I cringe as I hear a familiar, shrill voice yelling, “Alark! Wait up!”
​            I inwardly cringe again as I place the voice. Jinny Rolls, a transfer student who has been attached to me for a while. She bounces up to me with her little happy step, blond hair curling around her shoulders. She has jade green eyes and high cheek bones. She’s actually super cute, but her personality is a bit too peppy. Despite that, for some reason I feel a strange connection to her. When I’m with her I feel safer. “Alark. Where’s your coat? You’ll catch a cold”, she pouts.
​            “Why does it matter to you?” I ask in a haughty tone. “You’re not my mother, don’t fuss over me.”
​            She looks at me open mouthed as her eyes glaze over a bit, and I think I’ve gone too far this time. Maybe she’ll leave me alone now. Of course, that was too much to expect. In an instant she recovers herself and has a wide smile on her face. “There’s a school dance coming up, you want to go with me?”
​I don’t believe the nerve of this woman. She’s been in town for a month, and she’s asking me like we’re best friends. “Sorry, I don’t dance.” I turn around and walk off, silently fuming.
​            I guess giving her the cold shoulder was the right move, seeing as she doesn’t come after me. I silently rejoice.

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