AJ's POV:
I sat in Greek Mythology class, bored as hell. Oh, who am I? Alexander Jones, a normal person... or at least I thought I was. I looked across the classroom at my best friend, Eme Avoc, taking notes on some weird god of water or something. I felt my hand moving, and I looked at my paper. Written out in my neat print was AJ + Emmy = Love.
I quickly noticed my mistake, and corrected it to Eme. She always got offended whenever people misspelled or mispronounced her name. I started dozing off, being the slacker I am. I finally fell asleep, my blue tinted bangs falling into my eyes.
I got out of my mom's car, and attempted to read the sign above the door. tAnala orBaing loShco, I think it said. Then I realized my dyslexia was acting up, and my mom tried to lighten the mood.
"Atlanta Boarding School," my mom said, "The place I first discovered who I really wa-" She stopped herself suddenly, as if she had said too much.
"What is it?" I asked her, flipping my bangs out of my eyes.
"Nothing," she mumbled. "Well, I love you, Alexander. I hope you make good friends, and stay out of trouble." She hugged me and got in the car. She drove off, and I headed off to find the principal.
On my way across the courtyard, I saw a bunch of people crowded around a corner of a building, laughing loudly. I looked over to try to see what was so funny. Sitting with her back up against the wall was a little blonde girl, who looked about 12, like me, but still short. Her blue eyes were stained red, and had small tears coming out. Another thing that struck me was how small she was. She couldn't have weighed more that 70 pounds. Not wanting to butt in, I went to find my room.
I went into the main building, and found the principal.
"Dorm Number 409," he said, putting the key in my hand. "Good day, young man."
I went to my dorm, put my suitcase on my bed, and started putting my clothes in the closet. The door opened.
"Hey, I'm Gavin Williams, but you can call me Will," Gavin said, putting his stuff down on the other bed. "What's your name?"
"Um, Alexander Jones, but I prefer to be called AJ," I said, flipping my bangs out of my eyes. He was well built, and had messy brown hair like mine, except mine is black.
We spent the rest of the day unpacking, putting up pictures and posters on the walls, and we found out our curfew is 9:30 PM... that stinks.
NEXT DAY
I sat in Mrs. Jackson's homeroom, as she called out roll.
"Alexander Jones?" she called out. I raised my hand.
"I go by AJ." I said, putting my hand down.
"Emerald Avoc?" she called. A girl with bleach blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, but her weight put a damper on things. I realized she was the person I had seen being made fun of yesterday.
"I prefer to go by Eme," she said.
So that's her name... I thought.
ONE WEEK LATER:
I sat down in math class, and Eme was late.
"Sorry I'm late!" she shouted to the teacher, and took her seat next to me.
"Hey," I said.
"Hi." she said, pulling out her math book.
LUNCH TIME:
I put an apple on my tray, and went to my seat with Gavin. I saw Eme sitting with her only friend, Mackenzie Dreson.
I nudged Will. "Hey, I'll see you later." I said, getting up. I walked over to Eme and Mackenzie's table. I saw she didn't have a tray. I pulled an apple off my tray, and sat it in front of her.
"Um, hello?" she asked, shoving the apple away.
"Eat it." I demanded, shoving the apple towards her again. Reluctantly, she took a bite, and nodded in agreement. She took another bite. She clutched her stomach, and ran across the cafeteria, into the woman's restroom. I got up and started to follow. Mackenzie put her hand on my shoulder.
"Don't follow," she said, "Just don't."
THAT NIGHT:
I waited until Will went to sleep. I threw off the covers, and snuck out of the dorm. I was quietly sneaking around campus. I quietly made my way to the girls dorms. I went to the door and tried to open it. Locked. I felt like a creeper doing this, but I HAD to talk to Eme. I ran the perimeter of the building until I found her dorm. I knocked on the window, and she woke up. Her room mate, who I think was Mackenzie, was still sound asleep. I looked over at her clock and saw the time. 1:38 am. I knocked on the window again. Eme got up and looked out.
She was wearing blue shorts with a blue top that I barely made out saying "One Day, Alto's will Rule the World... Until Then, we are Stuck Singing Harmony!"
"AJ, what are you doing? It's 1:40!" she shouted at me.
"I need to talk to you," I said.
She shrugged and stuck her legs out the window. I grabbed her waist and helped her on to the grass.
"Okay, tell me. What happened at lunch?" I asked her.
"Nothing," she replied "I have the stomach flu."
"Eme, how much do you weigh?"
"I don't know, 95?" she lied.
"Emerald Avoc! You don't eat anything! You can't weigh more that 70! Why are you doing this to yourself!" I demanded.
"I'm fine!" she yelled back
"Eme!"
"Fine!" she screamed "when I was growing up, my mom did shows at a bar. One night she came home pregnant and blamed me. She started to throw knifes and I ran. They took me to foster homes all over the place. I didn't speak for a month. They ran out of places to put me so they sent me here last year. They made fun of me and called me fat. I stopped eating for a while, and now every time I try, I throw it back up. So go ahead. Call me a freak who's going to die. Just like everybody else." she was sobbing at this point.
"Eme, I would never do that. You have to start eating again. Please?"
"Okay." she chocked out.
"Now get some sleep."
She nodded and started for her window. I cupped my hands and she put her foot in the middle of it. She stepped back up.
"Oh, and Eme?"
"Yeah?" she responded.
"What's an alto?"
She rolled her eyes.
"So much to learn." she said, and I went back to my dorm.
END OF DREAM
I woke up, my mouth covered in drool.
"Eme, may I see you out in the hallway for a minute?" our teacher, Mr. Narcissus, says, waving his head toward the door.
She had a confused look on her face, but she followed him out anyway. I couldn't help but follow, Will and Mackenzie also coming to see what was wrong. We walked out in time to see her being pushed back against the lockers... by Mr. Narcissus.
