The Girl With the Orange Eyes

Chapter 2

I sat on the hard floor of the locker room for a long time. I slowly stood up and looked in the mirror above the sink. The same reflection faced me that had for sixteen years. I stared at my disheveled bright auburn hair. It was sopping wet from the sweat that always came with the pain. My eyes traveled down to my most shocking feature, my eyes. They were a rare color, a beautiful bright orange. They stood out from my face and shone beautifully. 

Honestly, I'm not that bad looking. There have been many new boys who move in who show interest in me, but then the rumor mill reaches them and they avoid me, seeing me as a freak. Most people do. I couldn't tell the principal, when I first moved here, that I could control fire. How would he react to that? So my grandma helped me come up with a disease, in which I get so sick that every hour I have to go puke in the bathroom. I thought it sounded a bit unbelievable but the principal took to it immediately. He then  warned all the teachers, who love to gossip as much as the students, so they told all the students. So now most people avoid me, because they think that my disease is contagious. It isn't. They still avoid me. I would currently have no friends if it wasn't for Jane. When she heard about my disease, she didn't believe it for a second. You see there aren't just people who can control fire. There are also those who can control water, wind, earth, electricity, and many other elements. Jane can control wind or air, so she understood what I really was, and was glad to not be the only magical person in the school. We have become best friends since. She is the only person who doesn't consider me a complete freak or avoids me at all costs.

I let out a sigh, and stepped away from the mirror. I realized I was covered in sweat. It always came with the pain. Luckily, I was in the girl's locker room, so I just took a quick shower, braided my hair, and hurried to class.

By now the bell had rang, so when I walked into my history class I was met with stares. I hurried over to my desk and was dismayed to see the most popular boy in the high school sitting in it. I looked around for the teacher. Just my luck, he wasn't in here.

"Great," I thought, "another chance to publicly humiliate one of the non cool kids. That's probably what he is thinking. What will it be today? The old trip the victim as they walk by? Or maybe take the victims belongings and throw it in the boys bathroom? What is it going to be this time?"

My second guess was pretty close. He had stuffed my book bag in the garbage can and one of his cronies was standing guard over it. I bravely walked up to him. 

"Excuse me, but do you mind moving so I can get my personal belongings from that place that you so rudely put them?" The boy stared straight over my head, pretending he didn't see me. I tried to slide past him. He moved in my way. I glared at him. He didn't budge. I could hear the other kids in the room laughing at me. I clenched my fists and looked him straight in the eye.

"Could you please move?"

"No, I don't think I will. Your 'personal belongings' can rot in that garbage can for all I care. In fact you can go ahead and join them, it's not like anyone in this entire school would care."

"Hey knock it off, Talon. Let her have her stuff back." The voice that came from behind me was so shocking that I nearly had a heart attack and from the look on Talon's face it must have given him the same reaction. No one besides Jane had ever stood up for me. I slowly turned around, not sure who I would see. In front of me stood Thomas. I did not know him very well, I had never talked to him before. He was tall, easily stretching over my five foot eight. He had flaming red hair but his eyes were a deep beautiful brown. He smiled at me as he walked past both me and the still paralyzed Talon. He bent down and retrieved my book bag from the garbage can. He handed it to me. I only stared at him.

"You should probably get to class now," he said with a grin. I blushed.

"Yea I probably should." His smile widened. I grabbed my book bag and walked across the room to the door. I looked back as I passed through it, my last view of the room was him smiling at me with Talon still frozen behind him.