The Seer Seekers

The Day I Became Different

The first time I saw through time, it was prom night… which is pretty ironic considering that I wasn’t even supposed to be there.

            The Middle East High School’s gym was dressed to the nines. Streamers were sprung across the ceiling, crystal lights casted shadows among the student’s faces, and paper confetti exploded every ten minutes from a machine that was hooked up to the stereo system.

            Girls in dresses far too short would giggle and laugh gleefully as the paper pieces would fall into their perfectly curled hair. They’d all throw their hands up higher and shake the confetti off with their dance moves I’m sure they learned off some pop song music video.

            Looking back on it now, I blame their provocative dance moves for why the school burnt down that fiery night. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

            You see, I was a freshman that year, someone who wasn’t even aloud to think about prom unless asked by a higher power; higher power meaning someone who was a year or two above me. Which was okay with me, because flashy dresses, heels far too high, and spiked punch didn’t interest me anyways.

            I only went to the shindig for one sole reason… that reason being my idiot of a brother.

            Garret had been grounded for weeks; why I didn’t know, but I’m sure it had something to do with a girl… it always had something to do with a girl.

            I was shoved aside by a random girl’s dancing hips as I caught their voice, “Garret, you rebel! Sneaking out to see me? You’re so sweet.” Layla Crawford drawled in her fake country accent as she trailed his arm with her dragon claws.

            My hand went to my side, shielding the forming bruise I’m sure I’d find later on tonight from the hips-don’t-lie girl, before I made my way to my brother and his conquest of the week.

            “Garret!” I yelled, waving my hands around and quickly gaining attention from my fellow classmates, “Garret! Hey!”

            I watched my brother look at me with narrowed eyes before he slung his head back and groaned. “What is Preschool doing here, Garret?” Layla squeaked, almost looking like an owl with her overdramatized large irises.

            I smiled at her and pushed up my glasses back to the brim of my nose, “Layla… always a pleasure.”

            She rolled her eyes at me as some of her and my brother’s friends gathered around us.

            “Mack, what are you doing here?” My brother demanded, grabbing my arm and looking from me to his scowling friends.

            Layla snorted and crossed her arms across her chest, her friends followed her lead and together they looked like they could conquer the world as they analyzed me under their gaze.

            My body jerked forward from my brother’s repeating question and I met his glare with one of my own before shoving his arm off of mine, “Lay off, Garret. I’m here to collect you because you skipped dish duty, and mom found out you came to prom against her better judgment.”

            My brother snorted a laugh and threw his hand at me, “And she sent you?”

            I only smirked at him as he and his buddies laughed.

            “Giggle all you want too, Princesses. Mom told me to have you back in twenty, or else she’s taking your truck for a month, and in case you haven’t noticed-.”