• The sun shone through the large window. I had managed to drift off to sleep, and as expected, the dream returned. I yawned. First day of school, I thought. First day of school! I’ve go to get going or I’m going to be late for breakfast!
    I jumped up, knocking the covers off the bed. I quickly ran into the bathroom and took a shower, my mind cluttered with anticipation for the hours that lied ahead. I quickly dressed in my uniform, and dried my hair. I glanced at the clock; 6:30 am. Classes started at 7:30, I had time to spare. I started being more careful about my appearance. Straightening the collar, smoothing out the deep blue blazer. I carefully placed a lacy black bow in my hair. I stared back at myself in the mirror, mostly at the black choker with the tear drop shaped bloodstone. I removed it from my neck, it gave off a strange exterior.
    I grabbed my book bag and dashed out of the room, stuffing the key to my room in my pocket. I tumbled down the stairs, falling in front of Cana.
    “Hey,” I said pushing myself of the ground, giving an abashed smile. She rolled her eyes and walked away. I stared out the door, but frivolously crashed into Drea.
    “Hi, Hai!” she smiled cheerfully. I knew that I positively like her. Her attitude was like a ray of sunlight.
    I replied calmly, “Hey.”
    “Are you ready?”
    “Barely,” I laughed, “I really didn’t have much faith that I would survive the first part of the morning.”
    “Well have a little faith; come on you can sit with me.”
    “Won’t that make the rest of your friends a little, well, angry?”
    “Maybe. But they can’t stop me, plus you shouldn’t be alone on the first day.” She flicked her wrist and tugged me forward.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I took a bite of my apple. “So where are you from?”
    “O’ I’m from McHenry, most of us are, except for Luna I think she is from Los Angeles. Where are you from?”
    “Crystal Lake. We’re pretty close aren’t we?”
    “Guess we are.”
    “So what was it like there? Your family and what not.” I took another bite.
    “Basic stuff, I live with my mom, dad, and sister. It’s same old stuff. My dad is weird and other fun stuff. What about you?”
    “I live with my dad and my two brothers, one of which is now in college. And my mom, well she was great.”
    “Was?” she chuckled.
    “O’, yeah, well, uhm, she passed away in March.” I shifted my eyes away. Drea’s eyes were soon filled with melancholy.
    “P-passed away?”
    “Yes, but it’s nothing to worry about.”
    “I see. Well I know how you feel, uhm, our friend died in June. That’s why Cana was a little snappy and irritable, if only she knew that you knew how she felt.”
    The bell gave a long ring.
    “I’ll see you at lunch,” Drea called being pulled away by a very stern Cana. Drea gave a joking smile, Cana a very irritated look.
    “Yeah, see you at lunch,” I whispered. But still, Drea was like a small light in my darkened day.