SHARDS

Chapter One

I've always been a bit different from the rest of the world.

Fuzzy memories of strange lights and a view of the stars with nothing in the way, of a delicate necklace and a dark staff, of a sword with a peculiar gem, of an abandoned child with multicolored eyes. None of it could've been real, but my heart still pounds with warmth when I see these blurry pictures, over and over in my dreams. It's almost like a warning, a plea. Come back, Asha. The same words every time.

My name is Asha. It means 'Life.' My older sister Cassiopeia calls me the 'Alien Girl' of the family. It's meant to be a joke, but it kind of hurts because I don't look much like them. I have short, dark hair like my father, but my eyes... one is like a black hole, and one is pale blue. People always ask if I'm adopted.

Lune, my other sis, is hard to explain. She's chaotic, and somehow super peaceful in her own way. I still don't fully understand my little sister after all of her seven years, but that's probably because I go to a boarding school and she doesn't. She can change her whole demeanor in the blink of an eye– the perfect actress.

In three days my family and I are flying to England from our home in Diamond Hall, British Columbia, Canada to Cassie's college, Oxford. For SOME reason, we're going to stay in the UK for the whole summer. It'll be nice to see my sister and maybe our grandparents, and British stuff is awesome, but I had a whole summer planned here at home. I always go to band camp, which I'll miss, and of course, there's my best friend Avalyn's birthday... Lyn said it was fine, but I still feel bad.

"Asha Jaye Larsen! Downstairs, please! I've received word from the headmistress of your school!" My mum shouted.

I snapped my sketchbook shut. What did ol' Gracie want now? The moment I entered Diamond Hall Preparatory School I somehow got in trouble, and since then I've been more in her office than out for the last year. I don't want to fail, but it's hard not to with a woman like Grace Anders. I was almost kicked out last year for something I didn't do. I wish Mum would let me go to public school, but then I would have to leave Lyn.

"ASHA!" Mum yelled again.

Oh, right. I hurried down.

"There you are! Read this, and explain."

To the parents of Asha J. Larsen,

I am sorry to inform you that due to the grades of your daughter, she will have to complete an exam to make it to the next grade. This, combined with her track record this year, makes it impossible for her to keep a normal schedule. Asha's new schedule has eliminated all Study Halls. She now has Double Math and Double Science. We will also be putting her in a special remedial class for kids who need to keep up with certain subjects. Thank you, and the math packet enclosed ought to be completed by a week before the first day of school, the day of the exam.

Grace Anders

Headmistress, Diamond Hall Prep

"Erm... I'm just glad I don't have to redo the sixth grade." I honestly didn't know what to say. Anders just wanted to ruin my summer, as well as the next school year.

She did not look happy. "You'll have to study at home during the school year, two hours a day after homework. Skjerp deg, Asha."

I groaned. Extra work from Mum was not what I needed.

But she wasn't done. "And you're in a SPECIAL class for kids who 'can't keep up!' You're smart, darling. Start acting like it."

"Uh, one thing?" I asked. "When do I do the math packet, since we're going on vacation in—like—half a week?"

"Well, I thought you could figure that out! In England, of course! On vacation!"

I grinned like a mad scientist. Nice. I could just put it into the Homework Machine.

"And no using your sister's homework invention! You know it's a prototype—and very delicate." Mum said, as if she knew what I was thinking. "Now please go to your room and start that packet, since you're finished packing, eh? Oh, and get Pollux some more milk from the fridge."

"Uh... ok." I gulped. The packing thing may or may not have been a lie to go on my computer. Booping Polly's poke-a-nose and filling his bottle, I headed upstairs and surveyed the mess tucked away in my closet. Luckily, I had at least made a list. I took it out and faced the monster.

« ❖❖❖ »

"Of course you have extra summer homework," Cassie said over the call. "I'm surprised you don't have to stay back in Canada for summer school!"

"Not helping," I grumbled. "Can we get to the reason for calling you, please? Mum still hasn't told me."

"And that's not getting you suspicious that it's something you might not like? Wow, Alien Girl! Big brain!" She snorted.

"Girls, girls. Let's get to the point. Cassie, you will be..." Mum paused for effect,"...tutoring Asha this summer."

We both started arguing with her.

"KEEP IN MIND that the alternative is online classes, and being inside all the time. Not spending time with your sister, even if it is for lessons."

"Mum, I have a better idea, because there is no way I'm going to get Asha to figure out math, or whatever she's failing. We've all seen that I'm not good at teaching, and she isn't the perfect student. Not to mention, that's not the best way to spend a summer off from college. What if she goes to the World School?" Cassie looked as if it was the best idea in the world,

"Cassie, I would rather study for a few hours a week than go to voluntary SUMMER SCHOOL on our vacation!" I cut in.

But Mum was nodding. "Asha, the World School is not a summer school, but rather a year-round international boarding school program. It starts just a day after we arrive! Remember last summer when Cassie stayed in England, her second year? Well, she went there! It's an amazing place, and you can meet people from everywhere!"

I pretended to think. "Hmm, I wonder... no, thank you." I knew I sounded bratty, but seriously? I was NOT going to summer school when there were other options.

"Well, Asha, it's funny–" Mum started. "You don't have a choice. We'll go buy the supplies when I'm done with my work."

"It has a REALLY good library!" Cassie tried. "And there's this magnificent ice cream place around the corner, and the observatory close by is the most beautiful place at night if you rent a bike! Ugh, I wish I was going! You're so lucky!"

I knew she was trying to make me feel better, but I was NOT in a feel-better-y mood. Though, to be honest, the place sounded pretty cool. But summer was the ONLY time I could spend with my parents, except for breaks! And now it was ruined! I took a deep breath. We'd leave for the airport tomorrow. Everything was fine. I was not sad and disappointed. Besides, who knew, maybe the school would be pretty awesome! I yawned. "Bye, Cass. See you tomorrow."

« ❖❖❖ »

We're going to be late, we're going to be late. I panicked in my head as we rushed through the airport. Lune and little Polly, her new partner in crime, had made a mess of my suitcase because I had left it open, and it had delayed us by a while. Also, the international airport was two hours away from our home, and it had felt like forever. I had gotten some sleep in the car, and Dad had driven us the whole way there. We were all starving, but we would have to wait, because our plane was due to close to passengers in ten minutes, and we were on the opposite end of the airport.

Finally, we made it, and the last people boarded right after us. When we got to our seats, I opened the snack bag I had packed for us kids, snagging the chocolate-covered pretzels before Lune could get to them. I put on my headphones and my siblings drifted off to sleep, while we soared for hours across clear blue skies and deep blue water blurring together.

-----------------------------

*Skerp deg- stop being an idiot/sharpen yourself up/do better (in Norwegian)

-reyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

p.s. (the font for the letter and the signature went away waaa)