Blazing Fire

Chapter One

I walk in to school like I do every morning, not able to see three feet ahead of me. The sea of sweaty teenagers engulfs me until I am one of them. I have never felt like one of them, but I guess this is where I belong sense my parents make me go.

"Yooooo it's Mustard Seed!" One of the jockies call out. I can't even tell who, but this happens a lot. What have they called me? Well, it's a lot to count, but there have been things like "Mango" or "Half Pike" or "Rotten Fruit" or even things like "Dying Cat" or "The Sick Clown." It's not exactly bullying, trust me. Everyone knows these guys are too stupid to function. They call me what they call me either because of my shortness, or my hair color, which I've lived with all my life.

I am 5 foot 2(finally) and my hair color is what my mother calls pretty, but everyone else calls strange: it's a mix of pale orange colors, yes, indeed natural. It's not like I'm proud of it, and it's not like I hate it. I'm the neutral type.

"At least I don't release mustard GAS like someone does every time they eat," I yell across the hallway, all my books in one hand. All the guys are slapping each other on the back now, while letting out giant "OOOOOHHH's" and "AAAAAHH's" at the major burn.

"Dude, that's the best one you've had all week," a familiar voice chuckles behind me. "You could definitely do better, Hallie."

I turn around and smile, because it's none other than Tess Ladson. She's your not so typical-blonde friend-that-every-girl-should-have. It's just because I'm sure your blonde friend doesn't crash weddings for fun, pulls EXTREME pranks all the time, and has stuck a plastic fork (that's right- PLASTIC) in someone's shoulder because they called her a possessed demon. (That idea was probably not the best.)

Tess has actually gone to court several times,... okay, maybe three. Once she should've been in Juvie, another time she WAS for two hours until she decided she couldn't take the bathroom conditions and begged her older brother to bust her out.

You'd expect her to be fairly good at comebacks. I'm nothing compared to her.

"You're back," I sigh, relieved. She had been out for a week due to a sudden need of vacation due to all the "peasants" around her (Tess's way of saying classmates).

"Yeahhh, never taking a vacation again! Food's terrible." She examines her nails, painted black and red stripes. A girly girl yet a rebel. My type of best friend. "That sucks," I murmur.

"Yup, how's your dad?" She asks. "I heard there was another fire. A fire in a trash can that spread in the park or something."

"Yeah," I shake my head. "Crazy stuff." My dad's always been a firefighter, though. He's always been safe. He's professional at it by now anyways, sense he started the job when I was only a toddler. Seems like an eternity ago.

"He's fine," I finally say.

Some Senior gives a friendly punch to Tessa, and Tessa gives a not-so-friendly punch right back, then turns back to me. She smiles and shakes her head, her curls bobbing. "I actually missed this place."

I wink. "You really shouldn't be saying that."

She's looking past me now, and I'm scared to turn around. "I didn't know we got a new student while I was gone!" She starts to exclaim. Her surprise turns to flirtation as she raises an eyebrow. "Wow, Hallie, seems like you would've texted me about this one."

In confusion I turn around, and start to explain how there must've been a new kid that came today-- and there sure as heck was. A really attractive new kid for that matter.

My eyes widen.