Phoenix

Chapter 2: word of a party

I ride the bus home from school as usual with Katy and Jaryd. We talk as normal, but I am a little bit more reserved. I keep running my hand over the strange gem in my pocket. Katy braids my hair over and over again during our 20 minute trip by my house, with Katy and Jaryd's apartment complex about 10 minutes down the road. I just keep running y hand over the gem, and feel something flake off. Scared that I had broken my steal, when Katy and Jaryd look away, I pull the gem out of my pocket just a little bit and look at the end of the gem. My eyes widen a little as I see that the reddish material that I had seen was blood on the gem's pointed edge. This gem being covered in a strange winding material, it couldn't be used as a proper weapon, but I could think of another use someone could have of it. Although I couldn't picture Ryker in a depression.

The bus finally stops and I get out with Tanya, Katy waving at me and yelling through the window not to mess up my hair. On purpose, I shake out my recent braid and turn back to the window of the retreating bus, Katy with a fake look of hurt on her face and hands on her cheeks. Jaryd is laughing and pointing at her face. Some people just have no shame.

Me and Tanya proceed towards the house, without saying anything as usual. Tanya has never been much of a talker. We don't really have much in common. Tanya is short while I am tall, and her and Aron both has a mouse brown hair color, while my red hair could make a stylist jealous, and maybe even a clown. I have green eyes while Tanya has blue eyes, and Aron has a strange gray color. Once a lady asked my mother if I had a different father or something. Mom's face went red, so I left the room before mom blew up at her about her dignity and whatever. Aron is in the grade above me while Tanya is starting her freshman year. I am a sophomore, but sometimes with my friends I feel like we are still in second grade.

Me and Tanya reach the front steps and I look over at Aron's shed and see his little jeep all nestled up in it's makeshift garage. At least Aron is home on time. I open the front door for Tanya and head inside after her. I grab a green apple out of the fruit bowl and toss my bag onto the side of the dining room chair that It sits on every night. I just quickly grab my health textbook and homework study page and begin up the stairs to my room.

I place my hand on the brass doorknob, ready to open the door, but I feel something that's off. I'm not sure what it is, but I know that something isn't right. But what choice do I have? I have to go back into my room, all my stuff is in there, and I need to find out what's in there, if anything really is wrong. I suck in my breath and slowly turn the knob.

I step into the cold room and turn on the lights. Everything looks to be in place. looks like I was paranoid for nothing. I let out a shaky breath and relax my muscles. Then I hear a voice.

"Hello Johanna." I literally jump, and turn in the direction that the voice came from. There, on the lip of my window seat, sits Ryker Collins, slouched against the side of the protruding wall, smiling.

I try making a run for the door that's only about a foot away from me. Just as I turn around I feel a rush of air next to my ear, and in the blink of an eye, Ryker is suddenly there, closing the door. How did he get here so fast? I don't really have time to ask myself the question, for I back away from Ryker.
Ryker takes his hand away from the door and crosses his arms on his chest. As I back away, he matches me step for step, not allowing me to get away from him anymore than a couple of feet. His smile fades and hardens his face into a stony expression of seriousness.

"I believe that you have something of mine." He looks directly into my eyes and keeps advancing until I am pressed up against the opposite wall, nest to my dresser and closet. He keeps coming closer. I don't want him to get in my personal space anymore than he already is, so when he gets close enough, I quickly grab the handles to the door of my closet, and slam the door into Ryker, knocking him over. I make a run for the door, but again, Ryker comes out of nowhere, this time grabbing my waist and tackling me. I try to alert Aron, but Ryker knows what my next move is and cuts off my scream with his hand over my mouth. He pulls me to my feet, but keeps his hand firmly clamped around my mouth.