The Unseen

First Day

I roll over and groan. First day of my senior year. I should be excited, but instead, I'm filled with the dread of having to face another day in that prison. I turn towards the clock on my nightstand and immediately sit up. 6:45. School starts at 7:00, I'm running late!

Racing to the kitchen, I manage to slip out of my pajamas before I can even put bread into the toaster. I run back to my room and grab a dress out of my closet. It's blue with a slight floral print to it. I toss it over my head. There, now I'm dressed. Twisting my blonde hair into a French braid, I hear the toaster pop and run into the kitchen. I eat my breakfast as fast as I can and then go down the hall and knock on my mom's door.

"MOM! WAKE UP! YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE FOR WORK!" I yell at the door. I don't check to see if she woke up like usual, I'd be late for sure then. I run into the bathroom, brush my teeth, and run back out. Then, I put on my denim jacket, grab my backpack and keys, then go.

I speed just a bit but pull into the school's parking lot probably five minutes faster than I would've, had I have gone the speed limit. I speed-walk into the building following some of the straggling students running late. A few of the students that join me mirror my body language as they hurriedly make their way inside on their first day. The other students are the "rebels" who mosey up to the building without caring about the time. A young man stands with his head down, leaning against the brick wall of the school. Girls that walk in a small group, laughing pass him without notice. My mind must not have been processing things very well because then I realize he's pale and faded and the edges of his body are fuzzy. He doesn't look up to meet my eye so I don't acknowledge him. The man probably died from a car crash that happened in the parking lot a while ago. Rather sad really, but I don't have time to feel sorry for the life he never got to live. If I did that for every ghost I saw, I probably wouldn't ever get anything done.

I pull my phone out of my bag and check the time. 7:12, I have three minutes before class starts. Of course, today I could probably get away with being a little late. I push the glass doors of the school open and am met by a peppy looking brunette.

"Hi there! Welcome to Southland High! I'm Kelly! Would you like me to show you where your first hour is? I know your first day of freshmen year can be hard." She gives me a fake, sympathetic look. Honestly, this isn't the first time I've been judged to be younger than I actually am.

Fake smiling right back at her I say, "Thank you for the offer, but it's not my first day of freshmen year. It's my first day of senior year. I think I can figure out where to go."

"Really? Are you sure? Because I'm a senior and I've never seen you before, like ever." Kelly juts her hip to the side and raises an eyebrow. It's almost laughable. I've had classes with her since seventh grade and she didn't know I existed. Sure, most of the other popular kids like her don't know I exist either, but I have minimal amounts of classes with them.

"I'm positive. You're Kelly Francis, head cheerleader, member of Saving The Earth, and unofficial leader of the popular crew," I tell her, leaving out all of my mean favorites that she doesn't know about.

"Huh, I guess you know me. Umm, I'm gonna go now." Kelly turns from me and goes to meet another student at the door.

"Fine by me," I mutter under my breath. I pull my schedule out of my bag and check my first hour. Math with Mr. Hannagan, third floor, room 316. Dragging my feet, I make my way up the three flights of stairs to get to class.

I walk in just as the bell rings and an older man I assume to be Mr. Hannagan starts calling attendance.

He rolls off a few names before he gets to me. "Ryan Evans?"

"Rain Evans," I correct him. There's the usual giggles at my name but I ignore them. My mother thinks rain is beautiful. I was born on a rainy day. She said she looked out the window, saw the beautiful rain, and then saw me and thought I was more beautiful than anything she'd ever seen, including rain.