A/N: I like BTS. Many references will be made.
"Skylar! You're going to be late for school!" (A/N: Cliche beginning, I know. 😂)
I groan, rolling over in bed. I have a massive headache, thanks to my recurring nightmare making me fall out of bed and hit my face on the hardwood floor. I pull the storm grey covers up higher over my face, burying my head in the navy blue pillows. My cat, Barry, looks at me indignantly, having been moved from the spot he was laying when I pulled the comforter up.
I suddenly feel a chill as my mom comes in, pulling the comforter off of me. Barry hisses angrily as it falls over him, rushing out of the room after shooting a glare at me, like it was my fault.
"Up," my mom says, before leaving the room again.
I sigh and sit up, my bare feet growing cold as I set them on the chilly floor. The grey pre-dawn light streams through my blind covered windows. I put my head in my hands and rub my eyes, then stand up and move towards the bathroom outside my room. I look up at the corner of my room before I go, where a small Daddy long-leg has made a web.
"Hey, Tom," I say, smiling at the spider as I walk out. So I name it because it's been there for so long. Judge me.
When I look in the mirror, my dirty blonde hair is in a frizzy, tangled mess, like I've been standing in a wind tunnel. My blue eyes are red and bloodshot, and a blue bruise is visible above my left eye. My scar, running over my right eye, looks like it always does, so that's a good sign.
I try to run a brush through my hair, but stop after a few moments, realising it is pointless. I just tie it back in a messy bun before walking down the stairs. My brother Mark is sitting at the table, a cane next to him and his service dog Jack resting on the tiled floor beside his chair. He wags his tail when he sees me, and I stroke the soft fur above his nose before sitting down and pouring a bowl of cereal for myself.
"Hi, Mark says, a small smile on his face. His milky green eyes stare unseeingly ahead.
"Morning," I reply sleepily. I run my hand over my face again, sighing.
"Bad night?"
"Yeah, that stupid nightmare again."
"Spooky," Mark says, smirking in that annoying way of his. "Like it's real."
"You know full well it was real," I say. "You felt my scar."
"Oh," Mark says, his smile fading. "I thought you meant the one about the 8th grade Halloween party."
"No, no," I laugh. "That was really stupid. This one is slightly less stupid."
Mark laughs too. "Still afraid of Cameron?"
"Oh shut up. He did a really good Pennywise impression."
"Still can't see him, still not scary."
I lean over and push him a bit, in a playful way. "You know, I'm glad you weren't able to see that. That was really embarrassing on my part."
"I bet it was." Mark smiles again. "So, you see anything weird recently?"
I know he's asking seriously. He's literally the only person in the world that gets that what I see is real, not just a figment of my imagination or a childish prank.
"Every day," I sigh. "Last night, it was that bat and the sea monster, and I've already seen a cow on the front lawn today."
That was true. I'd seen our front lawn as I passed the stairwell, and there was a big black and white dairy cow casually eating the grass. Mark laughs at this.
"Skylar!" My mom suddenly rushes in. "You're not even dressed yet! What are you doing?! You have ten minutes before we have to leave!"
Her loud voice makes my aching head pound, and I quickly rush up the stairs to get to the silence of my room. Once there, I get out a black Sword Art Online T-shirt, blue jeans, silver converse with blue laces, and a BTS baseball cap. I change quickly in my closet before rushing downstairs, throwing teal cactus patterned backpack on as I run.
"Ready to go?" My mom asks, swinging her car keys around her finger. I'm sixteen, but don't have my driver's licence yet, so my mom still has to drive me around when I don't walk.
I nod. "Bye, Mark!" I call as I walk outside. He waves as I shut the door behind me. It's a nice, warm day, and I'm glad I decided not to wear my sweatshirt.
"Alright, let's go," says my mom, getting into the driver's seat of her blue Corolla. I hop in beside her, and we back up down the cement drive before turning left and driving down Creekside Avenue towards my school. It's not far, so I would normally walk, but since I was running late driving was more appropriate. A few minutes later, I hop out of the car, saying a quick goodbye to my mom as I rush to my bio class.
I burst through the door and sit down next to my best friend Madison Wood just as the bell rings. My teacher, Mr. Raites, raises an eyebrow at me, but he can't technically mark me late now that I'm in my seat.
"What took you so long?" Madison whispers to me. Her blonde hair is wet from swim practice, falling in loose strands around her face.
"Got held up at home," I whisper back, careful not to let our teacher overhear. The class itself isn't too bad, but Mr. Raites is extremely strict. Talking out of context is one of the best ways to earn yourself an after school detention, which is not what you want when you have softball practice directly after school.
Madison nods, taking out her blue notebook. I take out my green one, as well as a black mechanical pencil and my iPad. I keep it closed, as per instructions, but I know I'm going to need it for something soon enough. Mr. Raites doesn't object.
He walks to the front of the class, coffee cup in hand. Flicking on his SmartBoard, he doesn't even say a word, going straight into a PowerPoint about DNA and the different types of RNA. Against my will, I think LALALALALA every time Mr. Raites says DNA. I guess it's a BTS thing. (A/N: This is me in actuality 😂)
After we finish taking our notes, we get a worksheet on our iPads. I take out my earbuds, as does most of the class, and hit the shuffle play button on my Spotify before heading to the worksheet our teacher has sent us. Of course, the song that comes on has to be DNA. Thanks, BTS. It will never leave my mind now. I suppress a laugh as I start my worksheet, copying down the types of RNA from my notes. tRNA, mRNA, rRNA, etcetera, etcetera.
A little bit later, I submit the worksheet, then head over in my notebook to the drawing I am working on. It's a drawing of a dragon, which I want to give to one of the exchange students in my next class. I'm almost done, so I want to get it done before the bell rings... oh. Too late. There it is.
Madison taps me on the shoulder, and I look at her. Under the desk she silently flips off the bell. (A/N: I know you get this, BellaKitty ;P) I snort, packing my notebook back into my bag. Together, we stand and put our backpacks on, stepping out of the classroom before beginning to talk.
"Soooo, how's life?" Madison asks.
"Normal, I guess," I say, shrugging. "Ow," I cringe. Shrugging with sore shoulders and a fifteen pound book-bag is not the best idea in the world.
"See why I'm in theatre and not sports?" Madison says. "You don't get sore standing on a stage."
"Oh, shut up. Don't pretend that that didn't hurt when your chair flipped over on you."
"Ok, yes, but that's not the point. Join the theatre side, Skylar."
"How 'bout no."
We continue this conversation as we walk to our next class, that being English. I'm not so hyped about this class because I wanted to give the new kid in class the dragon drawing I was doing, as a kind of 'token of friendship' kind of thing. Alas, it isn't finished, so I guess it will have to wait.
When I sit down next to Madison at our trapezoid-shaped table, I pull out my notebook again and continue the drawing. I feel a pang of excitement as I work, seeing that I'm almost done. A few more lines, and... there! A class-A dragon, complete with bat-like wings and sharp talons. I guess I will get to give the new kid his gift today.
Just in time, too. The new kid, Rylan, hurries in the door, sitting down alone in the back corner just as the bell rings. I know how you feel, bro, I think, looking over at him, sweating and out of breath. I guess I'll give him the drawing after class.
Our teacher, Mr. Books (no joke, his actual name is Mr. Books, the English teacher), sits there at his desk, reading something on his computer as the students in the class talk. I guess I can give Rylan the drawing now, Mr. Books isn't going to notice if I walk across the room. We're probably not going to start class for another twenty minutes anyway.
"Be right back," I say to Madison. She nods absently, earphones in and busy watching some Markiplier video. I get up, rolling my eyes a bit as I smile, and walk over to the back corner where Rylan sits alone.
"Hey," I say. Rylan looks up, wide eyed. "Mind if I sit down?"
He shakes his head, seemingly surprised. I sit in the chair next to him, sliding the drawing over to him. "I'm Skylar. I just wanted to say, welcome to Mr. Books' class, and welcome to Beachside High. 'Where school's too cool for you.'" Oh boy, our school is peppy, isn't it? I think at this last part.
Rylan still looks a bit surprised, even as he chuckles a bit. "Hi," he says nervously, hazel eyes flicking down to the drawing before meeting mine. "Thanks, I mean- wow, this is an amazing drawing and all, but- why are you talking to me? Not that I mind," he adds quickly, "it's just that no one ever talks to me."
"Well, you looked kind of lonely back here in the back. I just thought I'd try and make you feel a bit more welcome. You can come sit over with my friend Madison and I, if you want," I add, wanting to make a good impression.
Rylan looks shocked, but in a good way this time. "Seriously?" He asks, smiling. I nod. At that moment, Mr. Books finishes whatever he's doing, and gets up.
"Ok everyone, back to your regular seats, please," he says, a book in hand.
"So, you coming, Rylan? I ask, as I get up to move back to my table. The rest of the class is shuffling around, heading back to their tables reluctantly. He hesitates for just a moment, then gets up and follows me over, grinning.
Madison is red faced and dying of laughter as I sit down next to her, Rylan taking the seat opposite me. We both look at her, concerned. I pull out her red earbud, and she sits up, laughter subsiding just a bit.
"What the heck are you watching?" I ask, looking over at her iPad screen. The video is by Markiplier, titled The Whisper Challenge #5. Madison is dying as she relays what Mark had misheard, that being Let's make some gingerbread men. My eyes widen and I start laughing hysterically when I hear what Mark had repeated. (A/N: Certain fans will get this. This video made me laugh harder than any other one I have seen by Markiplier. I will not repeat what was actually said for the sake of innocence. 😂)
"How do you get that from that?" I whisper, crying from laughter. Madison shakes her head, and Rylan laughs too, apparently not hearing what Madison had said but amused by our reactions. Mr. Books looks at us, concern etched on his face, and the three of us try to stop laughing.
I don't know where this friendship will lead up, or if Rylan is aware of what he has gotten himself into, but I get the strong feeling it is gonna be a good one.
Of course, though, the good day couldn't last.
.....
Hello!
How's it going, fellow humans? Hope you're having a fantastic day!
Now I know I posted on my message board that I was going to update Computerized soon, and I still am, but I decided to update this book first because it looked lonely.
Hope you enjoyed this new chapter, leave your thoughts and requests down below. and have a great day!
MineCat out.
No mic for you today, BellaKitty.