The Infinity Trilogy

Chapter 1

 Chapter 1

The first thing that I saw when I got to school on the morning of my eighteenth birthday was the big ‘happy birthday, Lola’ banner hanging on the side of the school facing the parking lot.  I smiled as I pulled my car into my parking spot and wasn’t even able to turn off the engine before my door flew open and my boyfriend Caleb was leaning down to give me a kiss.

“Happy eighteenth birthday, babe!” he said when he pulled back. 

I started laughing before he even broke the kiss.  “Thank you!” I said, finally getting to turn off the engine.  After I unbuckled and got my bag with my stuff from the passenger side, I slid out of the car and he shut the door.  I looked pointedly over at the huge banner on the side of the school.  “Did you do that?”

A look of fake shock appeared on his face.  “What?  Me?” he asked.  “No, I didn’t do it…”

“Without our help!” Ally and Michelle squealed from behind him.  They both rushed up to me and wrapped me in a hug.  “Happy birthday!”

“Thanks,” I said, smiling as I squeezed them tight.

“So,” Ally said once they pulled away from me.  “Does being eighteen feel any different to you?”

I shrugged, but then the pain that had started in my back this morning started again.  When I’d woken up, it was like that.  My mom said I must have just slept on it wrong when I went downstairs for my birthday breakfast.  My brother Alex didn’t make it any better when he smacked me right where it was hurting.

“I think I’m getting sick or something,” I said, rubbing a hand over my forehead.  I could feel a headache coming on.  I’d been getting them for the past few days also. 

Caleb pulled me to his side and wrapped an arm around my waist.  Reaching up, he put his hand to my forehead.  “You are hot,” he said, and then grinned.  “But then again, you always are.”

I rolled my eyes and smacked his chest with my hand.  “Shut it, Hanson,” I said, laughing. 

He chuckled as we made our way toward the back doors of the school. 

As we were walking, I saw a black Escalade pull into the parking lot.  No one else watched, but I did.  Every day. 

I had to say it was quite a sight to see every day as it pulled into a parking spot near the back of the parking lot, just like they did every day.

Everyone in school called them ‘the freaks’.  I never called them that.  They were just…different. 

It wasn’t just because they all lived in the same house with Dr. Hill, who was the doctor at the mental hospital a few counties over, and his wife Sarah.  And no, we were sure they weren’t vampires either.  I mean, we would know if they sparkled in the sunlight…

There were rumors that they were his patients.  Everyone asked why – if they were his patients – would he let them live in his house with him.  Even though they had enough space and more in the mansion they lived in on the outskirts of town, why would he want ‘crazy’ people living with him?

As I watched, all four of the doors opened. 

The first of them that I saw were Arin Hunter and Variel Arkwright.  You could tell they were best friends because they were pretty much attached at the hip. 

They were complete opposites, though, that’s for sure.  Arin had the same color hair I did – golden blond – and was a little shorter than my five-foot-six.  She seemed nice and normal enough just from me watching her, but everyone still stayed away.