Understanding

Chapter One: Traditions.

Today was a day I expected to be completely normal. To wake up, go to school, come home, and sleep. The tradition that I celebrated five days a week. Today was not the day I expected, and i'm sufficed to say that I could possibly be... Happy about it.

I hated the bus and I had much rather walked the five miles to school than be embarrassed that yet again... I totaled my car. This time my parents were making me spend the five-hundred dollars to get it repaired. Resulting in me sitting at the bus stop like the sophomore I was last year. I sighed exhaling as hard as possible in the wet weather that surrounded me. It was hot and humid in Crystal, NewYork today. Something we scarcely saw. I rolled up my maroon jeans as I saw the bright yellow school bus approach. The doors flung open and I stepped up inhaling the smell of bus-driver smoke and old leather from the seats. I assumed I would sit alone and I was right. Only a few freshman with braces and skin problems inhabited the bus. The ride into the city was short- five miles. I tapped my foot to the beat of the old song that was playing on the radio. Once we pulled into the chain-link fences that surrounded my school I grinned. The sun began to show through the clouds. I thanked the driver for the ride and jumped out. I immediately saw my best-friend laughing as I stepped out.
"Shhhhh! Don't attract to much attention, Grace." She was wearing the shortest shorts i'd ever seen and a very revealing tank-top, but that was Grace.
"Did you seriously wreck your car again, Leia?" She sighed,
"Yeah... unfortunately." I hissed.
"Well. Your bus ran late. Let's get to class so we can get to lunch and I can tell you all about Jason!" She exclaimed.
"Jason? What happened to Brad?"
"Brad? He's a douche." She spat.
"Ohh gotcha." I chuckled

Biology was my first class and it went by slowly. Pre-calculus was next again, very slow. Lunch was now and I could tell Grace was about to explode with the information she needed to tell me.
We sat at our usual table. It was Grace, Brad, Jason, Nadya, Bridget, and I.
I was chatting with Nadya when Grace yanked on my arm directing everyone's attention to her.
"I need to converse with ASAP!" She exclaimed hinting towards the salad bar. I smiled enthusiastically as we got up and walked over.
"Well, what is it?" I sighed.
"It's over with Jason. He was totally all over Emily. It's ridiculous that she has to flirt with any person who's taken. It's like she's not interested unless you have a boyfriend." She pouted. I always loved giving Grace advice.
"That's exactly my point. Hey you're classy... Why do you never have a boyfriend?" She asked. I scoffed,
"I guess... I've never really thought about it."
"You should start talking to guys." She smiled,
"Enough about that. What did you and Jason do?" I nudged her.
"We just kissed- once." She said.
That was so like Grace. Every guy she talks about is something as small as a kiss and she blows it out of proportion.
"Ohhh. Scandalous!" I winked.
"Whatever." She spat.
"I'm starving. I'm going to actually get a salad." She nodded and went to sit back down while I filled my plate with vegetables. I looked up and saw them. The people that everyone stays away from. The ones that made Jessica Cranks' parents pull her out of school in the eighth grade. The people that wore black everyday and were covered in tattoos. The ones that barely showed up to class. The school "gang" as we nicknamed it. All tall, muscular guys tagged along by Mackenzie Thompson and Stephanie Brown. Both short, tiny girls with teased black hair. My gaze was fixed upon them as I actually felt fear. They were walking towards the salad bar. Should I walk away? Avoid any contact with them. No that's not who you are, I told myself. That's when he looked up, Kenneth Wolfe. The head of his group. He met my eyes and smiled. I was frozen in fear. There he was on the other side of the salad bar.
"Hello." His raspy, deep, but smooth voice spoke.
"H-Hi." I replied still frozen.
"I don't believe we've ever met. I'm Kenneth Wolfe." He grinned a cheesy grin.
"I'm Leia Éclair." I replied.
"Nice to meet you Leia." I nodded,
"You too."
"What grade are you in?" He asked,
"Junior." I answered.
"I'm a senior. I can't believe i've never talked to you before. You must be quiet." He chuckled.
"Sometimes." I said,
"Well I hope to talk to you more." He winked, grabbed an apple, and walked off. His friends following him.
My stomach was in knots. There was no way I would be able to eat this salad. Ring ring. Saved by the bell. I walked to my Spanish class, mind preoccupied by his dark blue eyes. Was I attracted to him? There's no way I could be attracted to somebody who's been rumored to kill people. The rest of school went by so fast. So fast I missed my bus. I would need to walk home.
The sky was dark. The clouds now covered the sun. I walked to the path in the trees. It was getting even darker when I heard a loud pop like a gunshot from a movie. I turned to where I heard the sound and saw a group of people. One lying on the ground in a pool of red. I gasped. No no no... They all turned faces dark. "I-I-I'm S-Sorry." I stuttered and my vision went black.