Chapter One: You're Never Alone

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(Photo: Rose Amalia)

[Rose Amalia]

  "You cold hearted bitch!" Jamie curses at Renee while being held back by Cameron.

  "You're right, I am a cold hearted bitch, and you're a stuck up cheerleader. Are we done here?" Renee responds, her entire makeup calm and collected, even while Jamie harasses her. Her voice lacks any sort of emotion, her expression straight, yet her eyes seem to glow with a slight hint of amusement.

  Jamie, on the other hand, is now more frustrated and red than ever. "That does it!" she shrieks, trying to squirm her way free from Cameron's hold. "You might be able to talk but let's see how well you fight! Dammit, Cameron, let me go already!"

  "He's not going to let go," Renee turns around, beginning to walk away. "It's futile to keep struggling. It's better to save your energy for something much more useful, like sleeping with the physics teachers."

  "It's none of your goddamn business who I sleep with!" Jamie barks back, now grinding her teeth and digging her nails into Cameron's arm. But no matter how much she fights, it's as Renee said, futile. Renee continues to walk away, not giving any more attention to the bubble headed blonde.

  "Rose, Rose are you coming?" my friend Angela looks at me, her eyes confused.

  "Huh? Oh yeah, sorry." I shake my head out of my daze and begin to walk with her down the hall.

  "You okay?" she asks after a while of silence.

  "Huh? Umm... Yeah, of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" I respond, my mind still a bit detached from the present.

  "Because," she laughs "You're acting all weird."

  "I am not!" I protest, snapping my bewildered expression over to look at her, a beaming smile on my face, but I somehow knew what she was talking about.

  For the past few weeks I have been unconsciously stalking Renee. Where ever she walks, my eyes follow, like I'm the owl and she's the mouse.

  "That is total bull!" Angela teases.

  I just roll my eyes, smiling.

  We finally reach our destination; Room 206. Before walking past the threshold, Angela and I exchange hopeful glances.

  "You ready?" she asks, voice at a whisper almost.

  I nod, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's our first day. I know I'm ready to kick some reporter butt, what about you?"

  She giggles. "You said-"

  "I know what I said!" I playfully slap her.

  "Owwie!" she whines, though there's a smile wide on her face.

  I laugh. "Come on, let's go." I take her hand, dragging her past the threshold.

  Complete chaos lays on the other side of the door. Students are scurrying around the room like ants in an empty bakery. Half of them sit at computers, typing up their stories, while the rest skate across the room with journals in their hands. No matter where you may turn, there's a teenager there with this burning passion in their eyes. All of them, so focused on getting their story on the front page.

  Both of us look around the room in complete awe, our eyes as wide and curious as a kittens.

  "Angela?"

  "Yeah...?" Her voice has a special ring to it, singing like a child's.

  "Is this heaven?" I gawk, too overrun with delight to think clearly.

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