Night Drifters: The Knight

Chapter 1: Clementine

“Your semester grade is at it’s worst I have ever seen it. The only thing keeping you a float from drowning is midterms, “ she then set her pen down and looked up at me, “If you pass them, that is . . .” she took off her glasses, rubbing them with a thin cloth. “If not, I will have you taken out of this course and into a lower level thinking class, you understand me?”

I think my brain just exploded.

“Taken out of Honors English? But Miss Little, I need this class put on my college transcript.”

“I’m sorry Danielle, but this is out of my control. It is entirely up to you if you pass or not.”

I sighed. This is so not how I wanted to start out the afternoon.

“What I can do is give you some practice.” She pulled open one of her drawers. They held different colored folders all tucked together. She took out a stack of pink sheets of paper and gave them to me. “These are all worksheets from the beginning of the quarter I have made for extra credit. If you can finish them all by the end of midterms you will receive a C for the quarter.”

I grazed the top sheet of what looked like an unfinished dictionary with my fingertips, scowling. Little did she know I wouldn’t have time to do these very thin, long pieces of paper.

“Danielle, what’s wrong? Your grades have fell dramatically. Out of the blue, really. Is something going on at home?” Sympathy was in her voice, but her expression was, well, expressionless.

Something is always going on at home, I thought morbidly.

“I just don’t know how I will find the time to do these. My math homework alone takes three hours.”

Her lips formed a straight line as she breathed heavily out her nose. “I’ll tell you what,” She took back the stack of papers, “I don’t usually do this for anyone, but Danielle, I believe you are trying and your behavior has never ceased as one of the more quiet, respectful kids of the class, so I will not make you do these papers, however, I would like to have you as part of the school’s newspaper. Just an hour after school every Monday and Wednesday. Can you do that?”

I nodded. “Here then.” She pulled open one of her drawers. There were different colored folders all tucked together. She grabbed a blue flyer and held it to her chest. “Here is a list of open positions for you.”

I waited a few seconds then took it out of her hands. “I’ll be there.”

“I know you will.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Miss Little.”

She nodded and then went back to grading the heap of papers on her desk.

I walked through the empty hallways to lunch, stuffing the flyer into my binder. Newspaper staff? Well, I guess it could be worse. I could be doing those papers.

As I entered the same boring lunchroom, with the same white walls and same boring food, I felt relief wash over me like warm water. My friends sat at our usual spot, waving to me. It may be predictable, but it’s what I’m use to.

My friends are all pretty random. We’re not just one label, like the ‘in crowd’, or the ‘Goths’. Were just us.

There’s Alexandria Price or Alex, as I like to call her. Alex is the funny, obnoxious, brave one, who has a, doesn’t give a crap attitude. Then there’s her boyfriend/my best friend, Carson Walker, the laid-back surfer we all know and love.

Sitting next to them, is my bestie from kindergarten, Wendy Thompson. She’s the athletic one, besides Carson and his surfing. Wendy does track and is on the swim team, other than me, she’s just as busy. Lucky her it’s stuff she likes.