Wild Flowers

Chapter 4

On my third day at American high school I decide to build on my plan. I have art first period and head straight there to wait for Ember. 

"I need to be prepared." I say the instant she sits down next to me.

"For what?" She says as she pulls out her sketch pad.

"Tryouts."

"School field and track are open till late every night."

"How late?"

"However late you want, just sneak in." She shrugs.

"I'll get to it, and the Johnson's have a trampoline so I'll do some on there as well."

"I used to be a cheerleader you know, some thought I was better than Chelsea." She says suddenly.

"What happened?" I ask. But Ember just shrugs, a woeful expression settling on her face.

"I'll update you with my progress."

"You just got to be better than her," She says and turns back to her work.

"Like that'll be easy." I mutter loud enough for her to here.

At  6:30pm, after I've finished dinner, I pull on some leggings and a tank top, along with a hoodie and some trainers. I tell Kayleigh to warn her parents that I've gone out and will be back for 9. I take the backstreets to the school and scale the fence to get onto the practice grounds. As you know my powers give me seemingly limitless abilities. This however is not without work. I have to learn my skills, and when learning human skills I tend to pick it up quicker than normal people and my progress is a lot faster. Using my mind's eye is the most advanced skill I have and it took many decades to perfect. I have never needed to run, or balance or be as agile as a cheerleader before. I must learn these things and I have to start somewhere. I put in my earphones and begin with a slow jog. After one lap I am quite breathless but after my second it has become easier. I quicken my pace to a fast jog. This time after one lag I have to stop for a drink of water and a rest. I then push myself and do two laps of the fast jog. I find this slightly easier. Within an hour I can sprint a lap and come out with almost normal breathing. I then try gymnastics. It takes me 5 attempt to perfect a forward roll and another try to land it. I then stand and the railings of the stands and spend half an hour finding enough balance to run along it. When I arrive home Mrs Johnson asks to speak to me.

"I understand things may be different here Ashleigh, and that things may have been hard the past few days, but you must give us more information before going out."

"I'm sorry Mrs Johnson." She nods back at me. I tell her I'm going to bed before scoffing 6 chocolate bars in my room. I jump in the shower and change, then go to sleep.

The next day at school Ember asks me to her house. She only lives a few streets away from school in a big detached house. Ember's room is big with black and white pin stripe wall paper. She has a big 4-poster bed and band posters cover one of her massive walls. She switches on her stereo and a band I've never heard before comes on. "Pretty Reckless." She answers my unspoken question. She pulls out a drawer in her wall filled with DVDs. "Pick one, I honestly don't mind which." She says and she goes and lies on her bed which has a large flat-screen TV  at the end. I pick the modern re-make of Carrie because although its a horror, its really not that scary. "Lets go and get snacks." Em says and leads the way to the kitchen.

Mrs Williams stands by the sink, peeling carrots. "Hello girls."

"Hey Mrs Williams," I greet her. 

"Sweet or Salted?" Ember asks me.

"Sweet please." I reply and watch as she stacks two glasses on top of a soda bottle, grabbing a bag of salted popcorn for herself. She tosses my bag to me.