In My Possession

Chapter 1- Life before

Edited version as of 2/16/13

I sat at the breakfast table, miserably playing with my cheerios, waiting for the inevitable moment when I had to leave for school. My Foster mom, Nancy, was busying around the kitchen singing to herself. Her happy mood annoyed me. I hooked my ankles around the chair legs and leaned back. I let out an exaggerated sigh to get her attention. 

"You can't stay home from school Cammie" She said not bothering to look back at me. Nancy was a no nonsense women with a compassion towards children. She was tall with soft edges, her knowing blue eyes as quick to glare as they were to wink, her smooth, long hands made perfectly for smoothing back hair and smacking a backside. She was the embodiment of tough love. She and her Husband, Dave, were unable to have children so they went into foster care and I’d lived with them for six years.

I groaned "But I'm sooo tired; I kept having bad dreams last night and waking up." Nancy turned around bracing herself against the island. I worked to keep my face worn and grimy, I was only stretching the truth a little, I did have a nightmare, just not last night.

"Are you having night terrors?" Nancy was obsessed with psychology and thought I must be having some sort of issue because of my being abandoned, but I honestly had no problems. I loved my life the way it was, with the exception of going to math class. I had a big test in there today that I hadn’t exactly studied for.

"No." I grumbled, stabbing at the cheerios with my spoon and letting my face relax.  She seemed a little disappointed that she couldn't play therapist and turned back to scrubbing some dishes.

"Then I don't see any problem with going to school."

"On second thought I think I did, and also I'm developing OCD and I might be bipolar" I said dramatically flinging my hand across my forehead, my lips working up into a smile. Nancy knew I didn’t think much of her diagnoses and psych classes though she consistently asked me if I wanted a therapist.

"Very funny, clean out your bowl and get your butt to school."

I frowned but did as she said, rinsing it out and grabbing my bag.  I quickly slipped on some shoes, gave Nancy a side hug and headed out of our humble abode into an even humbler car.  I love my car, it's old and has quite the dent over the bumper but runs great and I installed a good stereo system. I threw my stuff in the passenger seat, heading out to Sherwood High.

I live about five minutes away from campus in a little suburban neighborhood. Sherwood would be a small town if wasn't for the selection, instead new apartments were always being built, the city growing with each year.

 I pulled into the parking lot tying up my laces and checking my hair one last time in the mirror.  I walked over to the "courtyard" and sat on my regular bench waiting for my friend, Jean. I pulled my legs up in Indian style and got out my math so I could do some last minute cramming. I managed about two minutes of that before I got bored and got out a book instead. I was just about to learn what happened after the charming fairy prince Eric got wounded when Jean plopped herself beside me.

I snapped my book shut, turning to face my prettier best friend.

"Hey" I said putting my stuff back in my bag.  My feet scraping against the stone bench as I wiggled around.

"Hey, did you do the vocab." She asked as she fumbled with some papers. Jean was a very clean, organized person. Her hair was always sleek and shiny, there was never a smudge in her makeup and she would never dare walk around with chipped nails.  I always teased her that she was OCD whenever we hung out in her spotless bedroom, or ducked into the bathroom to brush her dark hair back into perfection.

"Oh crap, no." She laughed and neatly placed her papers back into a folder. See what I mean? Who actually puts their papers away?

"Me neither. Oh well, we can do it during lunch." She said tossing wavy hair over one shoulder as a rare boy walked by who winked appreciatively as she crossed her legs.

"Flirt." I said snorting. She just gave me a mocking wink.

"You have to be just to get their attention. There's too much competition."  I shrugged and jumped off the bench, ducting off my jeans and headed for our homeroom. She grudgingly followed me, throwing on a pink sweater as we walked.

"What do you think of Hamsters?" She asked randomly. Jean wasn’t ADD or anything, but she was always trying to surprise me, catch me off guard, which is of course impossible. I am Miss Calm, Cool and collected. Okay I’m stretching on the cool part, I’m not exactly popular but I have friends.

"Poop a lot, die quickly and stink." I respond. Like Jean could ever live with an animal so messy and unhygienic.

"They're noisy." I argued and took a seat in the back. She huffed and sat next to me, taking her time to rearrange her bag across the seat, before she continued.

"Fine. What about a bird.?"

"Same problems."

The bell rang and I pulled out my notebook and doodled on the cover as the teacher went through the morning announcements. I was really paying attention until he said something that made me freeze.

"Now we all know how important our school is, how honored we are to be the pool that the Sons of Adamar select from. And in two days we wil again be honored, when the Son’s come to visit us.” He smiled as though he had personally arranged us not seeming to notice that everyone was talking. Some girls looked ecstatic others stared in horror. The few boys were putting protective arms around their girlfriends, silently praying they wouldn't get chosen. I was shocked. I hadn't thought it would happen in my time here at Sherwood. Jean on the other hand was saying that she had had a premonition about this happening and was advising the girls on what they should do to capture the Son's attention. 

I studied the girl’s in the classroom, trying to guess who would be selected. I mused with the idea of taking bets on who would be chosen, whether that was a bit callous or not. I would be able to make quite a profit…

“Cammie!” I looked up, startled.

“Yeah?”

“Umm can you believe this?” Jean asked in startled wonder, laughing at my apathetic reaction. I ran my fingers through my hair, a nervous habit.

“It’s crazy I feel like there’s so much to do.”

“I know! I need to go get a new dress, get a facial, figure out my hair….” I was thinking more along the lines of the school building’s preparation but she had a point.