Dawn of Heroes: The Greats

Chapter One: When Bad Goes To Worse

 I hate living in Wyoming. It’s the absolute worse. I live in a town called Jasper Hills. And let me tell ya, Jasper Hills sucks. I was born in San Francisco but my dad is scared of earthquakes. JH’s a decent sized town, not like a small town or something lame. My hatred for JH didn’t come from its size or even state. It was Jasper Hills High School that was the bane of my existence. I know what you’re thinking. “Oh this is a typical coming of age angst story!” Well you’re wrong. It was Winnie Garcia-Hernández in particular about JHHS that I hated.
Winnie Garcia-Hernández is the type of girl who would make Regina George cry. Winnie is so mean it’s rumored that her parents cry at night. But that’s just a BS story, I think. Winnie’s not only mean but she’s well accomplished, and pretty. She’s 5’ 6 with auburn hair, big brown eyes that give the illusion of innocence and a honey/olive complexion. She’s on the volleyball team, runs track, cheers during basketball season, captain of the drill team and she drives perfect silver Volkswagen Jetta. I drive a black Ford F1-50 but those are minor details. I don’t want anything Winnie has, except one thing. Mason Alexander.  That boy is dark brown hair, turquoise eyed perfection. But that’s not why I detested Winnie.
        Ever since I won the stupid Student Council election in 7th grade she’s had a vicious vendetta against me.  I never understood why and I will never try to understand that girl. I got dressed in the clothes that my best friend Rylie Sutton picked for me.  I had 4 colors in my closet; black, blue, red and purple. I just wasn’t big on being colorful. Rylie’s closet was neutrals and pastels mostly, she has her moments but they’re not often. I found myself wearing acid wash jeans, white All Stars and a loose pale pink button up. I felt stupid. I put my hair in a French braid and put on a thin layer of clear mascara and Cake Batter Chap Stick. I looked in the mirror and sighed. I was a pale hot mess. I had the misfortune of being born with “Snow White” complex as my dad joked.

        Ivory skin and ebony hair sans red lips it seems like a sweet deal. (Note my sarcasm) My eyes were greenish-hazel and my favorite trait. I looked at my arms and grabbed my sunscreen. My paleness is due to my maternal grandmother being albino; I love Granny Higgins I really do but I sometimes wish she had pigments so I could be saved from my life time of SPF 150. I lathered up and left the bathroom which was adjacent to my room and grabbed my school stuff. I walked into the kitchen and walked past my dad. “Bye daddy.” “Whoa honey, you look like a girl today!” I rolled my eyes. “I love you.” I said before walking out of the door.
I got into my car and drove to Rylie’s place. I texted her to hurry up and she walked out of the door. She wore a dark blue top with a floral skirt and denim vest and I fell in love with her dark blue strappy wedges. Her strawberry blonde hair was in a neat side bun and I wondered how long it took her to get ready.  “Good morning Illiana!” “It’s 7:30 in the morning how are you so full of energy?”  She smiled. “I’ve sworn to secrecy.” She put a finger to her lip and tried to hold the pose but she laughed.

        I rolled my eyes. “You’re a dork Sutton.” “You are too Rodgers.” I drove to JHHS in less than 10 minutes. Rylie could have walked to school but her parents didn’t want her to. Jasper Hills High School, home of the Canaries was a horse-shoe shaped school. Most of the windows were a foot or two from the ceiling to the floor. The school it’s self was a blue-grey steel color. The American flag waved from the flag pole outside. On the opposite side was the flag of Wyoming. There was a gargantuan purple and gold banner that read “Canary Country” in the front of the building.

        The architects who built JHHS were going for “futuristic” their execution was awful. The school was a piece of abstract art. Rylie held a small hand mirror to her face. “Ugh! My wings are uneven!” She stared into her own pale green eyes. “Does it look okay?” She looked at me with a pleading look. “You look fine. Calm down.” She put the mirror in one of her vest pockets. “Junior Year, Day One after Spring Break. It’s March 23rd in Jasper Hills, Wyoming. The stunning Ms. Rylie Sutton walks arm in arm with her partner in crime Ms. Illiana Rodgers who had better return the shirt Ms. Sutton was kind enough to lend her.”