The Ridge

Chapter 2

My sister walked into my room. "Mel? Are you alright?" She asked, looking worried. "Yeah. I-I'm fine." I smiled, but I was still shaking. Madison didn't looked convinced, but she just nodded. "Well, we have school. It's Monday, and unfortunately our weekend is over. So, get ready." She said before she walked out.

I got up, and threw on some clothes. I ended up in a plain white T-Shirt, faded blue jeans, and my old tennis shoes. I brushed my teeth and hair, and then made my way downstairs.

I saw my mother sitting at the dining room table, and walked over to her. "Mother?" I said, lowering myself into the chair. She looked up at me with tired eyes. "Yes, Melonie?" She practically whispered. "I just... Wanted to say sorry for last night. It was uncalled for." I mumbled. Mother shook her head. "I understand why you were upset. But I don't want you hurt." She said softly. I nodded. "I know, Mother." She placed her hand on mine. "I love you. Everything I do is to benefit you and your sister. I want you to know that." She smiled softly at me. I didn't deserve a mother like her. I loved her, but she didn't understand me. Not like my father did. "Go get something to eat." Mom got up, kissed me on the forehead, and then went into the living room.

I quickly ate breakfast, and went outside. Madison followed me out. "It was nice of you to apologize." She smiled at me. "Yeah, well... I'm sorry for yelling at mom, but not for what I said. It's ridiculous." I shook my head, and looked away. Madison would, and could, never understand. "Well, keep your opinions to yourself, or you'll get moved back a Point." She said sternly.

That's what happens. If you commit a crime, your punishment is to be moved back a point or multiple Points. It depends on the crime. But you can also move up Points, if you do something good. But that rarely happens. If I spoke my mind all the time, I'd be in Point Ten. We live in Point Three.

"How about we walk today?" Madison suggested. "Sure. Why not?" I shrugged.

We started down the road towards school. "Madison, do you ever feel like something big is about to happen?" She looked at me weirdly. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Just... Do you ever get the feeling that something important is about to go down?" I looked at her with my eyebrows scrunched together. "Not really. At least-" Whatever she was about to say got cut off by a boy running in front of us. He bumped into me. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" I yelled at him. He turned around. He had messy brown hair, and jade green eyes. He was pretty tall, and looked around our age. He had a worried look on his face. "Sorry. I'm just a little rushed." He mumbled. I stared at him. He was one of those boys you couldn't help but look at. I was so entranced that I didn't notice the girl that was with him. "Nash, we need to go." She whispered urgently. He looked at her. "I know, just... Give me a minute." He said, and walked closer to us. "Could you do me a favor?" He gave us a pearly white grin. I was about to say yes, but Madison spoke first. "A favor for a perfect stranger? I think not." She scowled at him. I wondered why she was being so rude, when I noticed his clothes. They were disgusting. That was the nicest way to put it. They were filthy, and smelled terrible. I guess I was so caught up in his face that I didn't notice or care.

"Please," he pleaded, "Just don't tell anyone that you saw us. It's not even doing something, it's not doing something." Something wasn't right. And I guess Madison thought that too. "Why?" She asked. She seemed to examine him for a while, and then a sudden realization crossed her face. "Y-you're from a different Point!" She gasped.

The boy's eyes grew wide, and the girl behind him looked like she was going to pass out.

"Aurora. Run." Then he turned to run away.