It's currently 7:43 am here in Arcadia oaks, a sunny bright day without a cloud in the sky! I personally wasn't enjoying it, but my cousin on the other hand...
"Did you know that Clouds form when the invisible water vapor in the air condenses into visible water droplets or ice crystals? For this to happen, the parcel of air must be saturated, and if I'm correct, there should be a 67.850971% chance that exactly 27 clouds should appear today. 31 if you count small, stray clouds that you could hardly notice." My smart ass cousin, Olivia stated.
"Well, I certainly did not. Are you sure? I don't think even the smartest scientists could calculate how many clouds would appear." A black haired teen responded with a thick Irish accent.
"I'm positive, my teachers say I could be in college if I wanted to, but I refuse. I am only 9 3/4." Olivia proclaimed, pushing up her glasses.
"Right. Anyways here's your order Phoenix." The Irish boy handed me a bag of pastries.
"Thank you, Douxie." I smiled as I handed him my card.
"...say, aren't you still saving up for that costume, love?" He asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"Should you be spending so much then?" He asked handing my card back to me.
"By the time you save up enough you'll be out of school." He chuckled.
Olivia turned around," he's right you know, it'd take you roughly 2 1/2 years to save." She said, before going back to her smoothie.
"Well I can't just not pay you."
"Well then it's on the house, think of it as one of those favors I owe you for."
"Are you sure? I-i mean I have enough-"
"Don't worry about it, enjoy your treat. I'll pay for it." Douxie smiled.
I thought for a moment. I never liked when he insisted that something was on the house. But I didn't want to argue about it either.
"Fine... Thank you Doux."
"You're welcome. You two should be heading off to school now."
"Right, thanks Douxie, see you later!" I called as I rushed my cousin and I out the door.
He chuckled hearing the chime of the door. "Those girls are something else." He told himself.
"You really have to stop doing that Doux." A man said as he entered the cafe from the kitchen.
"I can't help it, sure I owe her a few favors, but she's my sister."
"One of these days you'll have to tell her." The man shrugged.
~~
"What are the odds there'll be 5 chocolate chips on that cookie?" Olivia asked, clipping her helmet on.
"Well see for yourself." I handed her the bag, and placed my helmet on my head.
She took the cookie out and looked at the top. "Huh, guess I was off this time. By one!"
"Sometimes even geniuses make mistakes." I shrugged, hopping on my skateboard and rolling down the crosswalk.
"Hey I am no genius!" She called, starting up her electric scooter and catching up to me. "By the way, here's your cheesecake."
I took the bag from her, taking out my strawberry cheesecake from inside and getting the most delicious first bite.
Every Tuesday my cousin and I go to the cafe to get a treat before school, Olivia's go to is a strawberry smoothie and a chocolate chip cookie. I usually just get a strawberry cheesecake bar.
Douxie, the one who insisted our treat was on the house, was sort of a friend, probably my only friend if anything. We don't know each other that well but we always seem to be paying each other back with favors.
You'll meet more of my 'acquaintances' once I get to school. You might be surprised to know who they are.
~~
"Alright, see you after school, Phoenix."
"Stay safe."
We turned separate ways down the road which means I was already in front of my school, Olivia's was just a few blocks down the road.
I hopped off my board, picking it up in the process. I made sure my stitch's harness was secure and made my way into the school with everyone else who had arrived.
I carried a plush stitch everywhere I went as an emotional support anchor. He hung onto the loop of my pants in a dog harness so that he wasn't always in the way. No one ever mentioned it so I had no reason to be embarrassed about carrying him around.
"Hey Phoenix!" I look to my right to see Claire and Toby entering the school.
I waved before heading left over to my locker. My locker was covered in stickers, so you knew it was mine. I open it up taking the books I need and stuffing them into my backpack, then sliding my skateboard inside. Before closing it, I glance in the mini mirror, quickly turning my focus upwards to a picture above it. I give a small smile and shut the door.
"Oh-! Steve geez, you scared me." I sighed.
"Where's that nerd Eli?" He growled in my face.
I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, now leave me alone please." I said as I pushed him aside.
"Sorry, I guess I'm just anxious. I have a test today and he hasn't given me my homework yet."
"You're still making him do your homework?" I stopped in my tracks and turned around to him."
"Yeah? What's so wrong with that? I have a life to live! A reputation to pursue!" He smirked.
I looked him up and down in dissatisfaction, before spotting Eli hiding behind a pole.
"If you really must know he went to the boys room."
"Thank you!" He said before running off.
That's Steve. The 'jock' of the school. The nerds are afraid of him and he's a jerk to almost everyone.
I turned on my heal and continued heading to my class. I heard small footsteps rush up beside me, I knew those steps from anywhere.
"Thank you Phoenix." Eli whimpered.
"It's nothing, but nerd to nerd, just ignore him."
"O-okay! Thank you- a-again!" He stuttered, stopping at his locker.
Pretty sure you can guess who Eli is. Yep, the nervous nerd.
"Phoenix, Phoenix, Phoenix!" a pitchy voice caught my attention.
I sighed in annoyance. 'Please leave me alone...' I thought.
"Can you please tell me where you got those earrings!? They're so pretty!" Mary exclaimed, putting her hand on my shoulder.
I brushed her hand off my shoulder, "I've been wearing them since last week, and I got them at Jacey's™️." I tersed.
"Ooo thank you!" She squealed and stopped following me to play on her phone.
That's Mary, the "popular girl", or at least she says she is. But we all know she isn't. I don't know why she bothers me but I absolutely hate her guts and she knows it. She has no respect for me or any other student except her "girlfriends". How I haven't lashed out at her for a year now, I don't know.
The bell rang as I just entered the halls. Luckily my first class was the first door so I wasn't going to be late.
I walked in after everyone else had entered and took a seat near the windows. My first class was math, I wouldn't say it's my worst subject but I definitely struggle sometimes. Thankfully it was the first class so I could just get it out of the way.
The bell rang again soon after and the teacher walked in with two kids who I've never seen before.
"Class, I'd like you to meet Aja Tarron and Krel Tarron. They are foreign exchange students and they will be joining us this semester." Ms Janeth announced.
"Hi Aja and Krel." The class said all together in a very unamused manner.
The principal, Senor Uhl, stood outside the room and caught my attention by waving me over. Full of embarrassment, I got up and walked past the new kids to outside the room.
"Yes?"
"I'd like you to show Aja and Krel around the school."
"Okay. But may I ask, why me?" I looked up at him.
He sighed softly and kept his voice down, "look, they're new so they need someone trustworthy to show them around and you need friends. I trust you'll do as I ask?" He handed me a small paper.
I nodded and he dismissed me back inside.
All the teachers knew my issue when it came to friends, they all cared in their own way, some more subtle then others. Like Ms Janeth for example: she leaves me notes on my homework when I'm struggling, she's strict but she cares.
Sitting back at my seat I saw I was next to the new kids. I admired their features, Aja, a girl with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. Krel, a boy with chin length, dark, wavy hair, a bit darker skinned... Maybe latino? Amazing to see siblings with such different characteristics.
"Now before we start on any work, I'd like us all to introduce ourselves. Seamus, could you start us off?" Ms janeth gestured.
A boy in a black t stood up in the front row. "Hello, my name is Seamus, and I get all the A's in the class."
I rolled my eyes as he boasted. I didn't know Seamus, I just knew he was one of those jerks.
Everyone took turns introducing themselves, going row to row. I was the second to last person to introduce myself.
When it was time, everyone's eyes fell onto me making an anxious wreck.
Staying in my seat I look at the new kids next to me and take a deep breath. "H-hi, my name is Phoenix, and I like to draw."
The next person introduced themselves and I sighed in relief, picking up my stitch and holding him close. I cringed at my introduction but it was the only thing I could think of on the spot.
"So you're the Phoenix that nice man told us about? You're very sparkly unlike these other humans." The blonde girl smiled.
I look at her confused, "thank you?"
Humans? That sounds like something my cousin would say, heh.
"My, you humans are strange, you seem to obtain knowledge by being talked to rather than thermogenic osmosis." The dark haired boy turned to face me.
I blinked a few times while I was making sure I heard him correctly.
"Through thermo-what?"
"Thermogenic osmosis. I have a question!" He exclaimed, turning to Ms janeth.
"Then raise your hand." Ms Janeth said, turning away from the board.
"Which one?"
"Either will do."
He raised both his arms and let out a chuckle, "back home I have four of them."
I looked at him full of confusion.
"Do you have a question Mr. Tarron?" Ms Janeth asked.
"Do you have a daxial aray?"
"We are talking about triangles."
He scoffed, "Hardly, you forgot to account for the triangles area when applied to the fourth dimension."
He quickly got up and took the marker from Ms Janeth. He began mumbling to himself and drawing on the board.
I couldn't identify any of the symbols he was writing, it wasn't English or Nordic... It looked curious.
He then stepped back to reveal a perfectly drawn triangle in the forth dimension. He's like, Olivia smart!
I glance around to see everyone in awe. I sneak my phone out of my pocket and take a picture before swiftly putting my phone back.
"Now, strange woman, will you lead us to a daxial array?" He asked.
I was nonplussed by his sudden name call. He's definitely strange, I just can't tell if it's a good strange.
~~
The bell rings and we all get up from our seats.
"Nerd" a kid in the back yelled, throwing a crumbled piece of paper at Krel.
"Hey, that was not very nice." Krel frowned at the boy.
I rolled my eyes as I stood up, "just ignore him, a bunch of kids will do that at first. B-but I should probably give you a proper introduction." I held onto the harness of my stitch.
"I'm Phoenix Overland, it's Krel and Aja right?"
They nod.
"Well I'm happy to meet you both. I'll be your guide for today, if you have any questions about the school feel free to ask me." Although my heart was racing from nervousness I put on a smile.
"Thank you Phoenix of the over lands!" Aja giggled
I quirked at the statement.
I lead them out of the class room into the hall.
"Down this hall are the two math classes, one of which you know as Ms Janeths class. There's also the cafeteria and restrooms down that hall." I spoke, pointing out the directions.
I opened the double doors that lead outside to the courtyard, walking out I looked down at the paper senor Uhl had given me.
"So your lockers are actually right next to mine, there's no codes or anything you just have to remember them." I explained, stopping in front of them.
"Fascinating, how come your "locker" is different than others?" Krel asked as he tilted his head.
"I just wanted to decorate it with stickers, besides it helps me remember." I snickered.
"If you two ever want to decorate yours I'm happy to give ideas."
"Thank you!" Aja giggled.
I turned back around to lead them to our next class- science.
"Now I'll be taking you to our next class with Mr. Toll. He's a science teacher and I can promise you he's the best!" I turned my head back to look at them and realized they were gone.
"Oh no..."
The bell rang and everyone started heading inside once again.
I'll just go tell Mr. Toll that I'll be late, then I could go tell senor Uhl. I thought it over once more before rushing inside, being sure not to run in the halls.
~~
I entered the classroom semi- out of breath. I was the last one inside, as usual but for a different reason this time.
"Mr. Troll, I wanted to let you know I'll be a bit late to class."
"Oh, is there any reason?"
"Just something senor Uhl needs." I placed my backpack down by his desk and left the classroom.
I knew how much trouble Aja and Krel could get into from senor Uhl even just from being new kids, so maybe I could make it easier somehow.
~~
I made my way to Senor Uhls office in a swiftly manner then hesitantly knocked on the door. In a few seconds he opened the door.
"Phoenix what- where are Aja and Krel?" He peeked his out to the hall.
"Um, they- well I kind of-" I sighed. "They ran off, Sir."
"Wie ist das passiert?" He exclaimed, swiftly making his way down the hall.
"Come with me."
I think he asked how this happened in German, I'm not entirely sure though, I've only ever payed attention so much.
I followed him, trying to keep up with his pace. I held my stitch by his harness so he wouldn't jingle as I briskly walked behind Senor Uhl.
I was dreading that I made a poor impression on the new kids. Senor Uhl hardly puts me in charge of things, so when he does it's for a reason that only he knows.
I hardly noticed how many halls we passed until we were nearing the tech class rooms.
Senor Uhl suddenly slipped and said something in German before catching himself on the doorframe to one of the rooms.
I gawked at what I saw inside the room.
"Que pasa? What's going on here?" Senor Uhl asked, very annoyed about the whole situation.
"That one is interrogating us." Aja lied.
"And I am trying to locate a daxial array! Which is not a band of any kind." Krel clipped.
Was he dismantling a microwave?
"You're not supposed to be in here unsupervised. Students are not supposed to-" he cut himself off with a sigh, rubbing his fingers at the bridge of his nose.
"I want to speak with your parents tonight, 6 o'clock sharp. I want to meet them- both parents! No excuses!" He finished.
"Yes sir, sorry sir." Eli apologized
"Now, Eli get to your class. You two will stay with Phoenix." He then turned on his heal and headed back down the halls.
Eli ran out of the classroom to rush back to class while Krel and Aja waltzed over to me. I crossed my arms and stared at them before turning around to lead them.
"Boy, these teachers are strict." Krel announced.
"Almost stricter than Zadra, little brother?" Aja giggled.
"You know you got out of this one easy? If you weren't new students he would've been a lot harsher." I mustered up.
"But we didn't know we were doing anything wrong until now." Aja explained.
I turned back around and stopped walking.
"I understand that, everyone makes mistakes, but I thought that was a natural known rule."
"Well then maybe we should ask you what these rules are, since you're the all knowing of this math prison." Krel crossed his arms.
"I'm not all knowing. But look, if you don't want to get into trouble, don't go into an empty classroom unless told to, listen to the adults here, and absolutely no fighting."
"But what if we were told to listen to you?" Aja asked.
"Then you do, it's not that hard. And I don't know why you're referring to people as "humans" and talking about " thermo-hypnosis" or something but it's totally suspicious." I confronted.
"Were we not inconspicuous enough?" Aja whispered to Krel.
"You should probably know I have good hearing too."
Aja smiled nervously.
"I don't know where you two came from but I'd love to find out." I smiled slightly, changing the subject.
I turned back around and continued walking, listening to their footsteps behind me.
"Hey she might be trustworthy." Krel whispered.
"Have you heard of a daxial array, Phoenix? No one seems to know what it is." Krel hopped next to me.
"I don't think so, but it sounds familiar. I could do some research about it if you'd like?"
"Yes of course! That'd be great!" He smiled.
"Out of curiosity... What would happen if we had no parents?" Aja asked, leaping forward to us.
"I don't know, I guess just explain that to Senor Uhl? Why? Do you not have any?" I ask worriedly.
"Not exactly, our parents are in stasis, which means they are unable to arrive to the building of math." Krel explained.
"I'm not sure what 'stasis' is but I'm sure Senor Uhl wouldn't mind if you explain it. You could now but he's not exactly in the best mood." I snickered.
"You could figure something out little brother!" Aja cheered.
"May I ask, what is that thing you carry with you?" Krel asked.
"Oh, it's my emotional support toy. I can't go anywhere without him." I shrugged.
"Why?" Aja joined on the questions.
"I uh- I have major social anxiety."
"That sounds tough."
"It can be. But don't worry about it, were at our next class anyways." I opened the first door down the hall.
"Ah. Good, I was just telling the class we'd have some new students." Mr. Toll announced.
We walked in and I grabbed my backpack off the ground where I left it.
"You two can sit in the back with Phoenix. She's been a bit lonely back there" he winked.
"I have not." I objected.
"Besides, she's the straight A student in here. She could help you if you ever need it. And don't worry about getting caught up, we'll do that gradually." He explained.
"Mr... Troll?" Aja read his name on the board.
"Oh, it's actually Mr. Toll, but the class likes to ad an R." He chuckled.
"He seems nice." Krel whispered to me. I smiled.
"Go on, have a seat. Class was about to officially start."
I walked down the aisle to the back of the room. I sat at the back table with Krel and Aja sitting beside me.
'I guess now this group table will get some use,' I thought. May be a new beginning for me too.
3393 words!
I'm so happy to have this first chapter out! More will come in the future!