Origins- something from which anything arises or is derived; source; fountainhead.
We don't get to choose where we come from. Where were born, who our parents are, where we live. That's all pre-decided for us. Who its decided by, though, whether it he our parents, God, an extraterrestrial force...that's something some of us may never know.
But not me. Not us.
Until I was found, I thought I was just like everyone else. Or, rather, I hoped I'd be. I'd stay quiet, try to blend as much as possible. Which, in a town as small as mine, is slightly hard to do. Not impossible, but slightly hard. Especially if you dress like I do. Which, admittedly, isn't exactly normal, but I like it. And people got used to it.
Of course, though, the act of blending is completely impossible if your best friend is flirting with the apparently hot 24 year old history teacher.
Brianna Lakes lives up to her hair: A spontaneous redhead who will go out of her way for any form of adventure. But, as well, completely trusting in the world and the people in it. She and I became friends a few days after I moved into the tiny town of hell. I'd been settling into the town's graveyard-my normal reading spot- when she ran her bike into the gate of the place on accident.
"Shit, are you okay?" I scrambled from my spot where I was sitting on the ground, quickly wiping the dirt off my butt from the ground. I threw my book to the ground and opened the rickety gate she'd run into to try and help her up.
"Fine, fine." The red head chuckled, grunting as she swiftly stood and removed herself from underneath her bicycle. I raised an eyebrow as she began to check her nails and clothes, patthing them down and subtly fixing her hair.
"Any damage?" I asked sarcastically.
She glanced up at me, hearing my condescending tone. "Well, I mean, your hair has sticks and leaves in it and there are grass stains all over your pants, but I'm perfectly okay."
I scowled at her as she smiled innocently at me, pretending she hadn't meant what she said as condescendingly as I had.
And then I laughed.
"Good one." I appraised, giving her a nod of approval. I held out my hand to shake hers in greeting and she shook it suspiciously. "Nice to meet you. You sure you okay?" I asked sincerely this time. The girl finally broke into a grin and nodded, swiping her hair behind her ear in one final attempt of fixing it.
"Yeah, I'm good. Tis but a scratch and all that jazz, right? My name's Brianna, by the way. You new here?"
I picked up her bike for her and set it against the gate, nodding.
"Yeah, I am. Town that small?" I asked, scoffing. I quickly walked back into the tiny graveyard to pick up my stuff, expecting her to follow me
"Kinda." She said uneasily, not really giving me an answer
I scooped up my books and phone, not looking up at her until I had it all organized.
"Oh? What else?" I asked.
"Well..." she said, her voice farther away than I expected. I looked up to see her standing at the gate still, far away from me and watching me wide eyed.
"For one, no one in this town would have the gumption-or stupidity- to go into that graveyard."
I laughed, snorting. "Dude, it's a graveyard. What, the ghosties gonna come out and getchya?"
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief of my seeming stupidity. "You'll see one day."
I laughed again, joining her at the gate again and closing it with a rickety snap.
"If you say so."
We'd been friends since, and to this day I never got what she meant, but to this day she also never came into the graveyard with me.
Our freshamn year came and went. That summer even faster. Sophomore year came, a year for some reason a lot of girls were excited for.
"Dude, what's up with all the excitement for English class? Damn, bro. No teenagers have ever loved Shakespeare so much as these, I see." I marveled, watching the high school girls chatter and giggle as they made their merry way to class.
Brianna shook her head at me, rolling her smoky blue eyes as she does when I do something idiotic.
"Edwards is the teacher." She said, a hint of excitement even in her voice.
And that was the beginning of the end for my best friend.
We'd walked into class the first day, and I kept my head down the entire time. Greetings were followed by the ringing of the bell from the teacher and some all too excited students , and roll call came soon afterword.
"He seems so charming, and he's incredibly handsome, isn't he?" Brianna whispered to me, kneeing my chair as I ignored the man she was talking about. I scowled out of the side of my mouth tiredly.
"I really don't care enough to-"
"Young lady!" A voice snapped angrily.
Aw, crap.
I looked up finally, sighing. A young man towered over my desk, his eyes dangerous, his demeanor dark. Something in my brain screamed to run, but I was frozen-staring at him as he gave me a hallow smile.
"You didn't answer to a name in roll call. Was somebody too busy talking?" He asked tauntingly. I rolled my eyes.
"No, you just didn't call me."
He raised an eyebrow curiously, smirking and stealing back to his desk.
"Last name, then, please?" He asked, the pleasantry in his voice obviously fake. I scowled, but Brianna put her hand on my shoulder holding me back.
"Nightingale." I hissed. His eyes seemed to barely skim down the paper before he looked at me, his face ash for some unknown reason.
"Full name? " he prompted. I sighed again. There was no other Nightingale even in the town, so that was pointless.
"Artemis. Artemis Nightingale."
He didnt even look at his paper as a frown showed on his face.
"Ah." He whispered, his eyes trained on me. "There you are."
