The Unmasked (Book One)

Chapter 1- Strange Colors

I believe Ferndale High is just like any other high school in California. It doesn't matter if we're small town folks situated in the suburbs. The students are still basically grouped into three categories--- the Somebodies, the Nobodies, and the In-Betweens.

Ordinary brown-eyed brunette moi, with my average grades and not-so-special talents, obviously belongs to the In-Betweens. This has been my place from freshman to senior year, and it's where I want to be.

I've never liked being in the spotlight. Even when I had been winning a few painting contests in school, which my Art teachers have actually forced me to enter, I preferred to brush off the recognitions and simply blend in with the rest of the crowd as much as I could.

Well, I'm not much of a weirdo or a loner, either. I'm no deviant too. So basically, these make me disqualified for Nobody status.

Today, I'm sitting once again on the front lawn of the school in the shade of my favorite oak tree, eating my chicken sandwich for lunch as I gazed at the students milling about.

I enjoy spending my lunch break in the outdoors. It's relaxing because I'm a nature lover, and I get to avoid the chaos and drama in the cafeteria.

It was a particularly beautiful cloudy day. The soft breeze blew strands of my long and straight dark brown hair onto my face, yet I barely noticed. My mind was brimming with thoughts of a boy whom I'm not even supposed to be caring for in this manner. Sigh.

"Hey, Lex," a familiar voice cut through my thoughts. "You seem preoccupied again. Rather deep in thought, I must say."

I almost jumped, feeling like I'd been caught red-handed. I looked up with a friendly smile to the voice of Troy, my best friend of nine years now, my childhood "partner in crime", and my secret crush for like a few months already---- due to some unexplainable reason I can't quite put my finger to (It can't be just his looks or my teenage hormones, right?).

"Hey, yourself," I answered casually, silently cursing my heart for going off like crazy.

"Are you doing some kind of nature meditation or something?" he joked as he dropped to the grass beside me.

"Shut up, Adams," I retorted, calling him by his last name. I made a face at him, which made him chuckle.

"Alexa Miller, you are just too cute!" he said in a teasing tone. But the way he was looking at me made my heart skip a beat.

Why did he have to make such comments, anyway? And what the hell's with the look?

Aloud I replied, "And you, Troy Adams, are just too annoying!"

Troy laughed then. And as I watched him in his usual easy-go-lucky mode, I couldn't help noticing how handsome he seemed to have become overnight. I don't really recall when this transformation started.

From that scrawny, skinny kid next door who used to climb trees with me, he had somehow developed into this well-built, good-looking young man which I'd only begun to be aware of recently. This is probably the reason why at the start of our senior year, he'd suddenly become a Somebody.

Yes, he is now one of our school's resident heartthrobs. With his natural wit, charm, sense of humor, and athletic abilities, it was just a matter of time before everyone took notice of him--- including me.

As we shared the usual easy banter, he leaned back against the tree trunk comfortably. He was talking about having played basketball with his two younger brothers and how he'd taught them some new techniques. His blue-green eyes were ablaze with passion and a look of concentration was evident on his face.

As I listened, my eyes slightly shifted from his lips to the top of his head where a glowing yellow light was flashing. It was a bit blinding at first, making me squint. Then it steadied, fainted for a while, and then expanded again, seemingly growing like a halo around his head. He was so "in the zone" talking about his two favorite topics, basketball and his family, that he hardly noticed the alternating surprised and fascinated expressions on my face.

"Troy..." a female voice called in an exaggerated drawl.

We both looked up. Why was I not surprised to find the legendary Somebody Cheena Moore standing in front of us with her arms folded across her chest?

As usual, she was dressed to kill. Beside her, I looked like a nerdy 14-year-old with an underdeveloped body and an unglamorous sense of fashion. With her billowing wavy blonde hair, perfectly tanned complexion, and voluptuous body, some guys in school literally drool over her.

A year ago, I would've been shocked to have this celebrity-looking, filthy rich spoiled brat give us even the slightest time of day. Not only does she detest all Nobodies, but she makes sure never to mingle with the In-Betweens unless absolutely necessary.

Things are different now, though. Not long after she and her jock boyfriend Drake broke up, she began to pursue Troy. Surprisingly, after all the mean things we used to say about her, he still gave in. He said we had simply misjudged her. I doubt it very much.

I glanced at Troy now. The yellow light was gone. Maybe I had imagined it? Or perhaps my tired eyes are playing tricks on me.

"Troy, honey, didn't I tell you to meet me at the football field where we're having our emergency meeting for the cheerleading squad?" she said with a pretty pout.

Yes, she is also the captain of the cheerleaders. Classic, right? But what really gets to me is how the heck Troy got attracted to her in the first place... and actually stuck with her for a whole month (still counting too)! Aside from her gorgeous looks, there's absolutely nothing else there.

"Hi, Cheena," Troy greeted cheerfully, as if he hadn't done anything wrong. That's my best friend, always calm, cool, and level-headed.

"I waited for you," Cheena whined. She looked a bit pissed, obviously not used to having to wait.

Uh-oh. Didn't I go out here to avoid the usual high school drama? Softly I groaned, rolling my eyes as I braced myself.

"Sorry, I was just about to head there," Troy said. He stood up and gave her a peck on the cheek, which made the scowl on her face disappear but which put a frown on my face.

"Didn't look like it," she replied with a pointed look in my direction.

"Lex and I were just catching up," he explained. A flash of irritation passed through his face.

If Cheena wasn't used to not being prioritized by boys, Troy's not used to explaining himself to girls. He's only had one previous girlfriend--- an old classmate of ours. She was certainly nothing like this bitchy drama queen. 

The annoyed expression on Troy's face was fast, but years of close friendship had made me observant about these things. Cheena, on the other hand, hardly noticed.

We've been friends for nine years, stupid girl, I thought. He won't just drop me for a booty call like you.

I honestly think Troy's just going through this normal phase wherein teenage boys are in search of beautiful, sexy girls who can boost their egos and fulfill their sexual desires. It's just a matter of raging hormones, nothing more. It will pass--- soon, I hope.

And as he said goodbye to me and walked off with an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, I could have sworn I saw a bright red glimmer radiating from his entire body! It was filled with so much energy and desire it seemed as if there was a fire burning right in front of me. I could sense the intense heat.

At that moment, I wondered if they, you know... did it already. Gosh, did I really want to go there?

I saw the radiant red glow reaching out toward Cheena.

Crazy, crazy. I shook my head and the red light vanished, along with the heat. Tsk-tsk. I really should have my eyes checked. And while I'm at it, maybe I should have my mind and heart treated too.