Like California Wildfire

Chapter 1: Freak

* twelve years later, Sapphire is seventeen  

Quote: "The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen before." ~ Albert Einstein

Wildfires, most of them are caused by people, some are caused by lightning and some are caused by machinery, but can we prevent them from happening? Is the real question.

I enter the school building, today is the start of my senior year. I smile at the thought. I've made it this far, I never thought id make it this far. I find a seat at the back of the auditorium for the beginning of the year presentation, which is mainly for the freshman, but everyone has to attend to know the location in which we get our schedules. I pull out my book that I just recently borrowed from the library, Paper Towns by: John Green , and I dive in. 

I make it  through the prologue before I am interrupted. "Watcha readin?" An unfamiliar voice ask. I look up confused as to whom this person may be talking to. I scan the room but I do not see anyone else with a book.

I look next to me and I see a guy raising his eyebrow at me, "Are you talking to me?" I ask confused. The guy nods. "Why?" I ask.

"Because I want to.  " He responds like its the simplest question ever.

"But you don't know me.. And I don't know you." I respond, raising my own eyebrow.

He shakes his head in response and laughs, which offends me. "Are you serious? Come on red, I'm asking for the title of the book your reading, not your social security number." he mocks, making my face turn completely red, which makes his face turn even redder.

"Its paper towns." I respond shortly, and open up the book to the page where I left off. Just as I begin to read the first word of the first chapter my book is slammed shut right in front of my face. I quickly look up. "What the hell?" I ask now angry. I'm not a fun person when I'm angry. 

"Why are you so short with me, little red riding hood." He ruffles my hair. He must be crazy, ruffling a strangers hair, ruffling the laughing stock of the schools hair. "I was just trying to be nice." He frowned with a flash of something swiveling across his yellow eyes. Yellow eyes, those look familiar. I thought to myself.   

"Are you new here?" I ask and he nods his head. "oh." I sigh in relief, the animals haven't corrupted him yet. "Well let me introduce myself..." I hold out my hand for him to shake, "I'm Sapphire Br-- Jefferson, and I'm the laughing stock of this school. My peers refer to me as 'freak' and 'devil worshiper' and you can't forget the best of them all 'crazy bitch', these are all nicknames you will come to know and love through this year. So be careful, if anyone sees you talking to me it will probably ruin your reputation, so I suggest you stay away before you get yourself hurt." I warn him and he shakes his head.

"I'm Shiloh, Shiloh Vain. I'm not as easily corrupted as you may think miss Sapphire, but I'll have you know I can come up with better nicknames than that. And if someone has something ignorant to say, let them say it, they are irrelevant to your life and my life." He says, and we shake hands.