SCINTILLA

CHAPTER 1

I could feel the suns rays shining straight through the window and onto my face, groaning I squeezed my eyes and snuggled into my pillow.

"Vee, wake up! You're going to be late!"

Hoping that Dianne would just leave me to sleep and possibly miss the day, I pulled the covers over my head.

"Vanessa!"

Well, there goes my wishing, I sighed before throwing my covers off of me and shouting out. "I'm awake, Dianne!"

"I'm leaving now then, and you better not ditch today!" I heard the front door slam shut and the car being turned on, but I didn't get up until the car pulled out of the driveway and I was sure I couldn't hear it anymore.

Standing up in nothing but a loose t-shirt and my underwear I went and grabbed some clothes from my dresser. Shoving my legs into a pair of faded out distressed jeans, and looking through my dresser for an oversized knitted sweater while opting out on wearing a bra. Once my socks and combat boots were on, I ran my fingers through my bed hair. "Mm, I'll skip brushing it today..."

Jamming my phone into my back pocket I walked out of my room to brush my teeth in the downstairs bathroom. Grabbing a water bottle from the fridge and my book bag from its place by the house door. I locked up the house and made my way to hell.

The walk to campus wasn't much of a hassle since this town was small everything was very much in just walking distance. I pulled open the door to my first class. "Miss Brooks, so nice of you to finally join us."

Glancing up from my phone I waved off Mr. Mason and continued skimming my text messages. I heard him sigh before he continued his lecture.

Making my way to my seat at the back of the class, I barely paid much attention to my partner as I sat.

"Nessa." Shutting off my phone I looked up to see green eyes with speckles of blue framed by loosely curled blonde hair.

"Lauren." Shoving my phone into my back pocket, I grabbed my notebook and pen from my book bag before dropping it on the floor without much care.

"You okay?" I hummed and heard her sigh, knowing that that's as much as she was going to get from me, at the moment.

Halfway through the class, I decided on writing down most of what Mr. Mason was talking about, even so, I retained nothing.

I must have dozed off because soon all I heard was the chiming of the bell and Mr. Mason yelling out about the assignment that he'd want to be turned in, next class. I grabbed my bag and didn't bother placing my things away hoping I could just shove my stuff in my locker.

"Nessa!"

Wincing at hearing my name for the millionth time, I quickly debated just rushing out and pretending I didn't hear them yelling out my name, but the fact that I was the only person with the exception of them in the hallway made it a bit difficult to twist things.

Forcing a smile onto my face, I turned around and came face-to-face with, "Lauren and Jessica..."

"Come on, we're going to be late for lunch." I let Jessica grab a hold of my elbow and lead me back down the hall towards the lunch room. "There's something I have to share with everyone, I just heard from my mom who heard from Lauren's mom who heard from—"

"Does this have anything to do with Chief Swan's daughter?"

Jessica froze and stared at me before she screeched out, "You already know!?"

"Of course she does, she lives right across Chief Swan, Jess." I threw a smile at Lauren before pulling Jessica through the lunch doors and towards our group table.

"It's not that hard to guess or find out really since he seems to be getting things finished up before her arrival next week."

"Next week!?"

"Oh... you didn't know that much?" I suddenly felt bad for giving her information that she hadn't known yet.

"Hey, guys!"

I smiled softly towards our group table and settled down next to Angela, greeting her before sipping some of my water. Jessica began telling everyone the new news that she'd heard. I wondered if she knew that even though we all seemed very attentive of what she was saying, we really didn't care much.

My thoughts must have taken me elsewhere because out of nowhere I felt a poke at my side and suppressed the urge to squeal while turning to playfully glare at, "Lauren."

"What'd he send you?" Her eyes flickered over to me, but she kept her stance forward towards the others so they wouldn't suspect a thing.

I sighed and stared at the empty table across the lunch room, I wondered where the occupants of the said table could've been, "Signed copy of The Glass Castle."

"Oh, that's good."

"Seriously?" I scoffed. Lauren patted my thigh before I saw her hand from my peripheral vision snatch Mike's apple and bite into it, Mike playfully whined about how he was saving that for later.

"Oh... That's so bad. How dare he get you a signed copy of one of your favorite books."

I could practically hear her smiling clearly amused by how annoyed I was, "That's not—"

"It's not the point. Yeah, I know Ness, but I'd still milk him out of everything if—"

"He's not going to be around, I know you say it all the time." Lauren Mallory, everybody. She'd become my best friend since my first day here and seemed to be the only one to know about my non-existent relationship with my dad.

Watching as Tyler, Mike, and Eric began to tell the rest of us about some game they'd discovered. I couldn't help, but smile when Eric kept making shooting sounds while Tyler and Mike explained why it was important that we try it out sometime with them. We all laughed when Jessica immediately shut that idea down saying that there was no way that was happening.

"Has he called yet?"

Course not. I sighed while running a hand loosely through my bed hair, "There's no point since sending something might as well be his call."

Dad had a habit of sending me something when he knew he wouldn't be able to come and visit me. I learned a long time ago to just expect nothing from him and shove his sorry gifts into the back corner of my closet. It's not like I wanted anything to do with them. I didn't want gifts... I just want him to come home.

"I heard her name's Isabella."

Right. The new girl is coming next week. If I was being honest I felt for the girl. The moment she got here she was going to be given so much attention she'll wish she'd stayed in Phoenix. "That's so formal."

I blinked before smirking at Lauren, "I don't know if you should talk, Lauren Mae—" I felt her hand shove my face to the side before I could finish causing me to laugh with the others who were watching us.

"Listen here Vuh-ness-uh." I playfully shoved her back before I threatened her with my water bottle.

Everyone laughed at our exchange and we continued talking and eating for the remainder of our lunch break.