Splinters: Part One

Part One | 3

Chapter 3

Constance High School: Private Charter Academy

Giggles and stomping were the sounds that had woken me. Underneath my door, a small bright light was shining through, shadows casted every moment someone passed my door.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes and stared at the strip of light coming through for maybe two minutes. I had forgotten all about clothes shopping and going to the high school so when the thought had registered, my stomach dropped. I slowly lifted myself from the bed and opened the door.

Isabeau and Edaline were running around, completely dressed and ready to go. Edaline's hair was held up in two curly pig tails. Isabeau's hair fell down her shoulders to her waist in small loose waves.

"Brayden! You're up!" Edaline announced.

I squinted my eyes at the girls, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah."

"C'mon, let's go eat!"

Isabeau grasped my left hand and tugged me toward the stairs. I could hear the familiar sound of Melissa and Greg's silverware clanking loudly. They were preparing breakfast. 

"Hey, Ursanne, go get Brayden and wake him up, please?" I heard Melissa ask.

At that moment, Isabeau, Edaline and I entered the kitchen. Melissa smiled.

"Never mind. Cereal, Brayden?" she asked. "Odera, show him what kind of cereal we have."

Odera stood up from her spot at the island and ushered me towards the pantry. Again, we went through the whole process of naming every cereal brand known to humanity. Before she could continue about the many flavors of Krisps, I accepted some Lucky Charms.

When we all finished eating, Melissa had set out an outfit for me and I quickly changed. I brushed my hair, brushed my teeth, and put on some new shoes. Melissa told Ursanne to feed Potey, who seemed nonexistent at the moment, and everyone scrambled to get into the car.

Somehow, everyone did manage to fit into the SUV. Odera and Isabeau sat in the very back while Edaline and Annetta sat in the middle and lastly, Ursanne and I sat in the front.

We dropped off Edaline, Annetta, and Isabeau first at a nearby elementary school. Not far from there, we dropped off Odera at the junior high and lastly, we drove to Ursanne's high school which happened to be the one I'd be going to.

"Alright, let's go!" Melissa said, parking the car and then turning it off.

Ursanne and I hopped out of the right side of the car while Melissa exited through her left.

I peered at the tall letters above the school as we approached the entrance. Constance Private Charter Academy. Kids of all types of races walking around, carrying books or bags or nothing at all. I'd never seen anything like it. Some of them gave me weird looks while others didn't even acknowledge me. The thing I was most shocked about were how many pretty girls there were. I noticed a brunette not far away from me who was bound never to look my way. She was chatting with another girl and then she laughed. Her straight white teeth glistened. A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Brayden!" I heard someone yell.

I turned, jerking my head towards Ursanne's voice. She was already ten feet away from me, walking down a hall. I rushed towards them.

Unlike outside, I was a bit more obvious inside the school. Walking down the hall, some girls nudged their friends and pointed at me as guys glanced in my direction irritably. I suddenly felt a lot uncomfortable than I did outside.