The Illegals

Chapter 1 - More Than Normal

🌸 Serenity 🌸

I swiftly turned the dial on the front of my locker, no longer requiring a single thought to get it open. I swung the thin metal door to the side, thinking only about how school was dragging on, that it felt like it should've ended twenty years ago. But I couldn't do a thing about it, so I let it go.

I emptied the contents of my backpack into the grey locker, leaving only a folder of homework and a calculator inside. Before I slammed the locker shut, I took a look at my reflection in the small mirror in the back of my locker.

You could say I had it all—my soft auburn hair cascaded down my back in soft waves, and my sparkling green eyes could make any girl scoff in jealousy. My soft features were finely drawn, each accenting the others. My pleasant build and confident walk had boys falling all over me. I didn't just have looks, though. I was terribly smart (even if I absolutely dreaded school), and I could make anyone smile. It wasn't just that my smile was contagious—it was—but something about smiling at someone could let them know they aren't alone. So, I guess you could say I was kind and compassionate and thoughtful.

But I had it all.

I had more than everyone else, and I'm not talking about looks, or personality. I had something special, something that made me Illegal. My very existence was against the law, and there was nothing I could do about it.

One wrong move, and everyone could find out. One wrong move, and everyone would know. One wrong move, and I was done for. One wrong move—

"Whatcha thinking about?"

I slammed my locker door closed, a smile on my face. "Hey, Micah!"

If there was any boy that could make my heart flutter, that could make me want to sing, that could make me feel like no worry in the world could touch me, it would be Micah. Micah made me feel like a princess, no matter how hard the government tried to bring me down.

"How's about we go get some ice cream?"

I smiled, but the grin faded quickly. "I've got cheerleading today."

I could tell Micah's heart sank, but he quickly bounced back to his jovial self. "What game?"

"Volleyball."

A couple of guys walked past us and down the halls, and I only caught bits and pieces of what they were saying. "...crazy...how could that...illegal."

The last word made me shiver, the grim possibility of my future twisting my stomach into a million knots. I could only hope they didn't know. I'd had close calls before—I'd been suspected of being an Illegal multiple times, and luckily, every time, I'd been able to persuade them otherwise.

Micah squeezed my hand. "They don't know," he whispered. "They were talking about something else."

I breathed a sigh of relief, and I was able to relax for a moment. "Micah, they get closer to finding us every day. It's only a matter of time before they find us, or someone rats us out."

"Serenity." Micah looked into my eyes with a reassuring stare. "I will always be there to protect you."

I nodded and took a deep breath. "Yeah, you're right. I should stop worrying."

The expression on Micah's face suddenly turned serious, and my heart skipped a beat. "No, don't stop worrying. Fear is what's saving us right now. Just... don't let the anxiety overwhelm you." There was a long pause, as we were both thinking and digesting what had been exchanged. Micah was the first to speak. "I'll go to the game, and we can get ice cream afterwards, alright?"

"But I'm not even on the team. You probably have something better to do with your time."

"You're not on the volleyball team, but you're on the cheerleading team. I'll go cheer on the cheerleaders."

I smiled. "Thanks, Micah."

"Meet back here in a couple hours?"

"No, the school will be closed. How about on the far side of the school, just past the portables?"

"Sounds good. Good luck, Ren."

I waved and headed toward the gym. It wasn't a long walk from where my locker was, so I didn't need to rush. My backpack, now lighter from emptying its contents, was on my back, and my cheerleading backpack was swung onto one shoulder, over the other.

Not long before the game was supposed to start, I looked out at the audience. I saw Micah on one end of the bleachers, and on the other side, I saw... the very man who was hunting down the Illegals.

My heart started to race, shivers ran down my spine, but I couldn't show any of it. I had to get out, but I couldn't just leave, and I couldn't tell my coach that I was an Illegal. But I couldn't just stand there and let myself be caught. So, I ran over to my coach.

"I've gotta leave. It's an emergency—" I started.

My coach shook her head. "You have to stay, or you might be kicked off the squad."

"At least let me refill my water bottle before the game."

"Ugh," she groaned. "Alright, Serenity. Be quick."

I nodded and ran with my water bottle to the drinking fountain in the hallway. I knew what I had to do—I just didn't want to do it. I mean, if I'd run away, I'd get kicked off the team, and people would start to suspect me. So, I looked both ways to make sure the hall was empty and picked up one of the heavy weights that had been left out. I threw it onto my foot and clapped a hand over my mouth to muffle the screams of pain. It was definitely broken. Every pounding ache, every sharp, shooting pain in my foot and ankle testified that it was, indeed, broken.

I limped back into the gym, towards my coach. "I can't cheer—one of the weights in the hall fell on my foot." I wasn't exactly lying. It was truth, just not the whole of it.

"Alright. Go get your foot looked at."

I made quick eye contact with Micah, and mouthed, "We need to go."

Author's note

Hello folks! It's me, southerngentlemen. I'm so excited to be cowriting this story with renegade_reader! I hope you enjoy the story, and thanks for all your support! We couldn't do this without you!