Golden

Chapter Five

I stormed on my way into school early the next morning hoping that the fresh air will help me clear my mind. It was frosty out, and my breaths curled into puffs of smoke around my face. The dream still hovered in my thoughts, a dense fog clouding everything else.

 ... I can help you...

I shook my head as I pushed open the heavy wooden doors. The cracked black paint splintered under my palms and fingers. I was welcomed by a rush of warm air and the buzz of excited students talking to one another. I shimmied my way through the crowded halls, blending in with the other students.

It was an act, being normal. It was one I perfected in my eleven years in Cambridge, then my six and counting in London. Go to school, blend in, go home, blend in. I even got my blue contacts on my own when I was nine, when I got tired of wearing sunglasses in school.

As I was heading towards my homeroom, Alice’s harmonious voice surpassed every other.

“Kitten! Kitten!” I could hear her footsteps quicken as I slowly turned around. “Kody! For the love of God, slow down!” She was out of breath when she reached me, and leaned her hands on her knees. “It’s way too early to have me exercising like this, Kitten.”

“If I don’t do it, then who will?” We began walking again, trying to avoid walking into shoulders and tripping over feet.

“I hear there are two new guys in school. More specifically in your homeroom. Cousins.”

“Cuteness?”

“I’ve heard a range from about 7.8 to a full on 10.”

“Ooh, nice.” I shifted my books from my right arm to my left, a small smile playing along my lips for Alice’s sake. I couldn’t care less about random guys I never met before, but being Alice’s best fiend, at least pretending to care is required.

“I know right? And get this- they’re from Cambridge. Total rich guys. You think we could snag ’em up?”

“I hardly think they’ll be able to ignore you,” I replied in a monotone, knowing how Alice was with guys. I didn’t mean it as a compliment, but Alice squealed in delight anyway.

We were outside my homeroom now, and parted ways with Alice. I wove my way around the cluster of girls that were glued to two desks, giggling and their flirt-mode turned up all the way. Absolute airheads.

I took my seat in the back of the classroom, next to the window. I looked out at the huge towering buildings while thinking back again to my dream.

“So it seems that my two new students have better punctuality than I do!” The old teacher bustled in with arms full of folders and boxes- like usual. “Well,” he breathed as he let down his luggage, “I’m Mr. McMurphy, and I’ll be your astrology professor. Welcome to my class.” The small man smiled broadly in the direction of the two desks that were overflowing with slutty girls. “Now, if you could please come to the front of the classroom and introduce yourselves, that would be perfect.” Mr. McMurphy plopped down with a huff on his swiveling chair and laced his fingers together over his stomach, waiting politely.

I turned away, not interested in looking at what Alice would refer to as “hunky hunks” and continued daydreaming on about being normal. Until, that is, I heard the first guys’ name.

“We’re from Cambridge,” one began, his voice seeming uncharacteristically familiar. “And my name is Kiethe Xanders.” That was when I snapped my head in his direction, my mouth hanging opening. I couldn’t bringing myself from tearing my eyes away from his crystal blue ones, the anger and disbelief beginning to reach its boiling point.