Guarding the Colors

Chapter Two

Her schedule is the same each and every day.

Wake up

Eat breakfast

Go to school

Go to band

Sleep (if lucky)

Repeat.

She found herself often daydreaming in class, dozing off here and there. It was obvious that she still maintained a 4.0 regardless of her nap sessions. She was just that intelligent.

In August, she was thrilled about starting school, mainly for marching band practices to pick up and intensify. Two months in, though, she felt tired and bored of her schedule. It was so predictable.

1 - Pre-Calculus

2 - Advanced Physics

3 - Advanced English III

4 - Lunch

5 - Sociology

6 - Spanish III

7 - Homeroom

So, yes, her day was very uneventful and boring at times. Well, most of the time.

Walking in the hallways of Red Creek was the highlight of her day. Cheerfully, Clair would shine a perfect smile at all whom she walked past. Everyone respected Clair, mainly due to her strength and perseverance after the loss of her father ten years before. Nobody avoided this girl. Everyone was inspired by her motivation to succeed and strive for nothing but the best.

"Hi!" was spoken frequently. It was probably the most used word in Clair's vocab. She said it to anyone and everyone that passed along these beautiful halls of RCHS.

After the multiple greetings recited in the Junior hall, Clair swung by her locker to grab her Sociology binder and book. Being studious was a must, she believed, and school always came first.

14 - 33 - 08 and Click!

It was just a normal day in the life of Clair Rose. Just another day.

"Did you see Lex drop that toss!? I wish I could kick her off the guard already!" shouted Jade, who was always unnecessarily loud.

"Yeah, but can you blame her? She's just a freshman. It's not like she's been doing it for three years like us," Clair retorted, "and you dropped the same toss last year, so why are you complaining?"

Jade flipped her long blonde hair and gave Clair her typical smug smile. "Since when did you watch my every move, Miss Perfect?"

"Since we became best friends . . . So like eight years ago, duh. Thought that was obvious, Jade" Clair replied.

Clair and Jade were total opposites but completely alike. You'd only understand if you knew them.

Clair's medium-length brown hair was tied in her usual messy bun; whereas, Jade always had her hair curled. Clair never carried a purse, didn't bother with makeup regularly, and loved the idea of sappy love stories. Jade was never seen without the most expensive fashion bag, definitely not without her flawless makeup, and was absolutely a heart-breaker straight to the core.

Yet, here they were with identical school schedules and activities they both took pleasure being involved in.

Feeling full from lunch, Clair started getting sleepy. "Is it nap time yet?" she wondered allowed.

"Why are you always so tired? I don't get it. . ." Jade mumbled.

"You wouldn't" Clair replied. Of course she wouldn't get it. How could she understand?

***

Back at home, Bella is sitting on the green tattered and torn beat-up "couch" her mother claimed was "quite the find". While all of the other kids from school were probably sitting at home watching some hit reality show, Bella daydreamed about having things so easy.

What, she pondered in her mind, is it like to be a normal kid?

There was an old TV staring back at her. It was useless due to the fact that there was no cable connection or even electricity in the Rose house. It was there solely for looks. No matter how poor the Rose family was, it only mattered to Donna that they didn't look poor. For example, they had a decent looking refrigerator, but that didn't mean that any food was ever in it.

Bella sat and waited for Clair to get home. Clair was the only one who understood her. Clair was Bella's favorite person in the whole entire world. Clair inspired Bella to join band and be involved more at school. Clair was the sweetest person Bella had ever met. They always got along perfectly. Well, almost always. The only thing Bella didn't like about Clair was her obsession over Derek.

Derek was smarter than Clair. Derek was tall, blonde, and kinder than any other teenage boy Bella could think of. He was perfect. He was just the right mix between the-guy-next-door and the geek with the occasional bad-boy tendencies. So perfect that Bella could only dream . . .

"I'm home!" Clair shouted, twisting the rusty doorknob of the front entryway. We really need to get that fixed, Bella thought. We need a lot of things fixed, she mentally added.

"How was practice?" Bella asked enthusiastically.

"Not too bad. You know, sometimes I think you're more interested in marching band than I am, and that's really saying something" Clair stated. She sat down beside Bella on the disgusting excuse of a couch. Honestly, she thought, it's more of a blob than anything. Why did her mom bring this in the house? She knows that Clair hates the color green. Green is the worst color in the world. It brought back painful memories. It was as if every time she saw the color green a band-aid was pulled harshly off of her brain, leaving her with a stinging sensation bringing about a torturous feel.

Bella looked blankly at Clair. "Did you say something?" Clair requited nervously.

"Forget it. Why don't you just go hang out with Derek like you always do? It's not like I matter to you . . ." And off she trampled away.

First, she lost her father, now Clair feels as though she's losing her sister. Something has been wrong with Bella lately, and Clair is determined to find out what.

What Clair doesn't know might just hurt her.