Aware II R.Dare

~ Part Two: The Search Begins ~

"Well? Robyn," Lori teased (sometimes she felt more like that one friend you kept around purely for the sake of having them around). "What are you waiting for?"

They were sat in Lori's car, one of a rather expensive brand Robyn would guess, in the school parking lot. The radio was playing some random, mind-numbing song that's lyrics repeated over and over and over. The kind that gave Robyn a headache.

With a deep breath in and a need to get away from the pressures of her not-so-modern Aunt, Robyn got out of the car and ducked into the hallway, finding her locker. Robyn's best friend, Mittie, stood next to Robyn's locker, bouncing with nervous energy with a small, green notebook pressed tightly to her chest.

Robyn smiled at her friend, who gave her a gracious grin back.

"Big day." Robyn mumbled, a bit scared, a bit bitter, and the tiniest bit excited.

Mittie sighed dreamily, twirling . "I hope I get to be a princess with a knight in shining armour."

Robyn playfully shoved Missy's shoulder before giggling like a little girl. "I just want a girl I can talk to...and maybe some dramatic romance."

"Oooh, kinky."

Robyn shook her head, opening her locker and pulling out an old item of tradition, known as The Gift For the Chosen. Every family had one. They gave the item to their story partner (if it was a group, they gave it to the one they knew best) as part of a tradition and, if the they had kids, their children gave it to theirs. Oh, the poor souls that have parents that are story partners - if they were an only child, they got both.

Some got given sticks or, like Mittie, notebooks signed by everyone that got given The Gift For the Chosen. Robyn wished her item had meaning like Mittie's notebook.

Robyn's item was a small, Victorian locket made of silver and shaped like a heart. It was covered in indents and swirling patterns and held a miniscule gem that looked as though it was built from ice. This originated from Robyn's father, who was put in a tragedy with Robyn's mother.

If I don't get a romance, Robyn thought, this is going to be the most awkward thing I've ever done. 

"Well," Mittie began. "We should get to homeroom, right? Get checked in before the spooky visions start."

"They're not going to be visions...I hope. The adults just don't want to tell us about it because...well, maybe they don't...understand."

Mittie grins. "Pretty surreal, huh? Knowing that you'll know everything you need to about your future."

"And, possibly, who you're destined to love." I add.

We make a quick trip to homeroom, telling our teacher that we're here so he can mark us in before sitting in the back of the class. Usually, he'd take role. However, today, he is just marking us in as we get here so that the attendance-taking isn't interrupted by someone getting their choice.

It's a while because the rest of our class get here. Noise fills the room. I hate noise, hate it, hate it, hate it. Can't handle it. So, naturally, I get the choosing  now.

"Genre:" My brain screams. "Fantasy!"

I tell my brain to be quiet but it refuses.

"Plot:" It continues. "Strangers to friends to lovers."

How inconsiderate.

"Your role is: Love interest. 

Your partner is: Rachel Elizabeth Dare

You are a hopelessly in-love with your unachievable best friend trope."

I let my head fall into my hands, shielding my ears from my classmate's noise.

"Oh. My. God." A chirpy girl next to me screeches. "Robyn got her choice!"

Another squeals like a pig, followed by. "Who's your chosen? What's your story?"

The teacher walks over and kneels in front of me, asking one simple question. "Are they a student here?"

"Yeah...Yes. Yes, she is."

He nods quietly. "Right, she should've gotten hers. Go on, find her."

I get up swiftly, my head telling me not to. Irony. I dash off to the hallway, my bookbag slung carelessly onto my shoulder.