Crystal Snow

The Truth

"Um... Crystal, you never explained how you got a licence to carry silver glitter." I can feel bewilderment radiating off of Eric. "You know most families only are allowed one bottle for emergencies."
    "Well we're lucky I did have it." I'm dodging the question and he knows it. I cast a hopeful glance at Hazel, her disturbingly light green eyes just widen as she shakes her head. I'm on my own.
    "Crystal? What's up?" Eric seems concerned his chocolatey eyes shine with worry.
"You don't have to worry Eric." I say playfully though if he was to look into my ever color changing eyes he would know the truth. I have been nominated for early warrior training. This should make me happy, it is an honor. But it also means that I will have to leave home to go to The Young Leaders School of The Alliance. My bracelet flashes blue and to my horror it begins withto glow. Eric notices and his eyes scream as an obviously fake smile comes to his lips.
"Why didn't you want to tell me that you were one of the nominees." Eric's voice is happy but also twinged with betrayal.
"I'm sorry." I feel tears burning behind my eyes, I don't want Eric or Hazel to see the vivid emerald color my eyes were turning. I grab the blue magic from my bag and throw it at my feet. They start moving faster, and faster, soon I am moving so fast that my tears are left behind. I decide to just sit back and run until I get to school.
❅❆❅
    "CS4, your attention." My teacher pronounces sharply.
I hear Sam, the boy behind me begin to speak,"TSN4, I don't understand why you call us by our sector codes, it's not school protocol."
"SN9, it is not polite to talk back to your teacher, my room my protocol. I don't need some kid telling me how to do my job. Besides the upper warriors will address you by your codes when you go to work, so you might as well get used to them."
"But TSN3, we have 5 more years of school left including this year." Amelia whines. "AS6 because you seem so keen on talking out of turn today why don't you explain to the class the meaning of our sector codes." With a sigh that borders on a groan Amelia begins to recite half heartedly "The first letter in our sector code is the first letter of our names, the second letter is our sector, the number is the number of people in our sector that share our first letter. For example my sector code is AS6 because my first name is Amelia, I live in sector S and I am the sixth person that has a name starting with the letter A in my sector. In your case you have a T for teacher, SN for the sector you teach, and you are teacher number 4. Y is an addition given to Young Warriors, U to Upper Warriors, and L to Leaders" "Thank you AS6" My teacher spat, not happy to have been shown up by one of her students. I just sat back with my mouth clamped shut, I didn't want anyone to know that I was leaving next year, or that I am going to become an upper warrior. I see Eric's eyes move towards me, it is not an angry look, more of a sad one, though it too stabs through my chest. I turn down my eyes, not wanting to look him in the face.
"CS4, please give me your eyes!" Reluctantly I whimper a response,
"It's CSY4 now" My voice is barely a whisper, yet I feel all the faces in the room turn towards me. I can feel the cold hard stares of most of my classmates, stronger still is the heat radiating from the eyes of my classmates that had also eagerly awaited that letter. Rarely are two people from one school chosen. Though with my luck one other person will be selected. I think I know who, the one person that isn't looking at me, Rosalynn. Everyone calls her Rose for short, but that name is a plague on her reputation, she is brilliant as well as one of the most dedicated members of The Alliance I know of. It is just such a shame that her parents gave her such a terrible name. Roses are red and red is fire and fire is death. These are automatic associations in the Alliance.
"Excuse, RN1" My teacher notices her behavior as well, though her voice is calm and soothing, an obvious contrast to her usual sharp demeanor. "Are you feeling alright, or should I send you to the nurse."
"Actually... um... I'm feeling fine." Rosalynn's face flushes, her words are hurried.
"RN1! I demand that you visit the nurse, or the headmaster! Your choice." My teacher's words were commanding though her tone is worried. Rosalynn is usually a very confident person. Her presence never goes unnoticed, though today she has been transformed into a shy little girl.
"Yes ma'am" Rosalynn's head is bowed she slowly rises, then hurries out of the room. The whole class can hear her sobbing as she runs to the nurse's office.
"Everybody, back to work!" My teacher's voice is sharp once more. "Can anyone tell me the full title of the Alliance..."