Sparks

Chapter 1

*Beep-beep* *Beep-beep* *Beep-beep*

Damn it...

I probably would hate the sound of my alarm if it hadn't been the same one that I had been listening to for years. I had been given it as a gift for Christmas years ago; an electronic machine that could play CD's, could connect to the radio AND had an alarm clock. The fact that it played only CD's and had no iPod connection should only give you an idea of how old it was. I had originally set a prerecorded alarm the day after getting it and hadn't changed it since. It's a sound I despise and dread, but I couldn't imagine waking up to anything else.

Correction actually, the thing I truly DREAD was that it was the first day back at Stone Ridge High School. My freshman year had been so long and tedious, and there was absolutely no reason to believe that this year would be any different. Not only that, but this was my second year. Only my SECOND YEAR. I wasn't even halfway through yet! Oh man, this was going to be a slog.

The fact that summer had zipped on by, with so little time and not enough memories had allowed for me to get frazzled. I had spent the majority of my summer staying up late, playing video games, with the occasional "family vacation" to the lake. I hated those. Being stuck with my family for two weeks straight and no outside contact was enough to drive any 16 year old kid insane.

Anyways, it was a losing battle against the alarm clock. I got up out of bed, but not before hammering down on the "snooze" button on the top of the machine, as petty revenge. I guess I should give that machine some well deserved credit. It can take quite the beating. After years of this school stuff, it still refuses to throw in the towel and give in to the power of my angry fist. Zombified with exhaustion and dread, I sludged to the bathroom, jeans and a t-shirt in hand. I really didn't care about what I wore, if it didn't have any holes in it, it got selected.

The shower woke me up a little bit more, one of more eyebrow-raising oddities is that I will take a shower at the least excuse. It also has to be hot. VERY hot, with no exceptions. Even if I'm coming in from mowing the lawn on a 100-plus degree day, that bathroom is going to look and feel like a volcanic crater. It even managed to help with my mood somewhat. Was I looking forward to school, absolutely not. But at least now it actually felt like school, and not the bloody electric chair.

All too soon, the shower had to end, my body shivering in the cold air as I towelled myself off. The mirror was fogged up but my hair, with it's odd shape, was evident even through the steam. I'd have loved to say that it belonged to male models, with its current length and fluffiness, but the thickness kept it from being anything of that stature. Thin it out a bit and yeah, I could be a model. Not like I couldn't pass for it in other areas. On those occasions where I was forced to go outside, it was always for yard work. Mowing the lawn, pulling roots,  fixing the fence, raking leaves... yep. That'll give you muscle. No, I wasn't any Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I could definitely sling my heaviest friend over my shoulder with no problem, so why complain?

I dressed and thumped down the stairs, wishing I could make the clock stop, or the calendar go back a few weeks. I could know how to get through the video game I had just beat quicker and move onto another one. I don't know how I was going to find the time for that with the mountains of homework looming on the horizon.

"Is that an elephant coming down the stairs or is Michael finally awake?"

That made me smile a bit. My dad always knew how to put a smirk on my face with his less-than-subtle form of humour. I was solid and stocky, and moved like it I guess.

"If the elephant would like to eat before school, he better get his gray rear in here and get breakfast!"

My smile grew bigger. Mom was able to tease as good as dad, and between the two of them, they created the ultimate smartass. Normally, I would contest them for the title but today wasn't the day.