Persephone Incarnate [Wattpad Prize 2014] | ✔️

{1} Sophie

The Day has come! Yes, that's dramatic. And I know not that many of you were waiting on the edge of your seats.

But I did promise you this would be released on February 14th, aka Valentine's Day (how was that for you guys, by the way?) and so it will be. And so it is, I guess I mean.

I did try to cut this chapter back, because I wrote this originally for Nanowrimo, not Wattpad, but I just couldn't cut anything out, because everything was essential, and I thought it would be tacky to split a chapter in half. So, please bear with me. ^-^ 

I'm sorry if you get tired of reading. But please don't leave me hanging - if you don't like something, feel free to say so in the comments. I appreciate any and all feedback!

And if you really liked this chapter, or are looking forward to the next one, I hope you'll vote!

UPDATE 5/8/14: My friend, @jmbuttons, made that fantastic trailer over the yonder side ----> for this story, and I love it! Don't you? >.^

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The bell clattered and rung as my first hour dismissed. We had five minutes to get to second hour, my History class, and I, for one, was not excited to push through the throng.

I bit my bottom lip as I grasped the strap of my backpack tightly, squinting ahead as the harsh sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves above me. The branches would be even barer in two weeks – the coldest temperatures of winter were quickly arriving, and even in blazing hot Arizona, mornings and nights could get unpleasant. Unpleasant with an capital U.

I stopped walking at the intersection at the courtyard – a throng of freshman shoved into each other as they streamed past, eager to get to their next class before the seniors came and took over the path. I watched them idly, feeling impatient – they were like a herd of cattle, and though they could be…less than intelligent…and smelly…they were like that stampede in The Lion King – dangerous in large amounts. And even more dangerous when they were hurrying to their next class. It didn’t matter that I was a junior, if I even stepped in, I would be swept along with the herd.

When they finally passed, I took a cautious step forward, and looked both ways. It was ridiculous, since I wasn’t even crossing a road, but I didn’t exactly want to be the stopping point that some freshman rammed into.

“Were you waiting for me?" I didn’t need to turn to know who it was, but I did anyway, if not just to give him a small glare. 

“No, I wasn’t. I was just waiting for them to finish stampeding.”

Morgan looked at me, green-grey eyes laughing and lips twisted up in a slight smirk. “That’s why you wait for a few minutes inside the building.”

“Uh, no. I’m not spending anymore time in Math then I need to. Mrs. Blaze positively hates me.”

“Not more than she can hate me. She walked by today and I swear she just shot flames out of her eyes at me.”

I laughed. I wouldn’t say it was true, but knowing Mrs. Blaze, it probably was. She only liked the ‘genius’ kids in the class – those who were most likely to get into the Ivy Leagues – if they ever got a social life. “Well, I hate her too. And I hate her subject. I wish Mr. O came back. I mean, seriously, he gave out Pop-tarts. And I actually understood his notes.”

We had been walking as we talked, and now we had arrived at History, where our teacher, Mr. Murphy stood at the door, greeting us with a half wave from the hand that was holding his green coffee cup. He was easily taller than 6 feet, and I craned my neck back a little to give him a small wave back.