BELOW ZERO

Chapter 1

*Cyra's POV*

"Cyra! Get down here now, we're leaving in five minutes to pick up Emmy!" Mom yelled.

"Okay okay I'm coming!" I screamed back, flustered as I rapidly searched for my beat up white converse. Why was I always looking for something five minutes before I had to leave?

I finally pulled my sneakers on and raced downstairs where mom was already waiting in the car. I grabbed a granola bar and shoved it in my mouth as I raced out the door... before walking back in. Being careless as usual, I had forgotten my backpack upstairs.

My mom and I pulled up to Emmy's house where she was already waiting for us outside.

"Let me guess, you slept through your five alarms again right Cyra?" Emmy asked as she got in the car.

"Uh... yeah well you see... sorry?" I replied sheepishly. Emmy rolled her eyes at me, but she should be used to this by now!

"Bye Mom, love you," I called as I stepped out of the car, Emmy following behind.

"Thanks for the ride Mrs.Thomas!" Emmy yelled as we rushed inside the school building, desperately trying to make it to class before the bell rang.

I opened my locker hastily, throwing my backpack inside and grabbing a pile of books before speeding off to class and nearly falling down two flights of stairs, as per usual.

The day seemed to drone on and on for hours, until it was finally time for lunch. This was the one time I could hang out with Emmy.

"Why is it so hot today? I swear I'm going to melt!" Emmy said as she sat down next to me with an ice cold drink.

"It's the middle of May, Emmy, what do you expect?" I told her, "and everyone's saying it's supposed to be really hot for the next week or so!" Emmy rolled her eyes.

"Ugh I really don't want to go math next period, and I bet you don't want to go to history Cyra," Emmy said with a smirk. "I think we should skip class."

"Emmy I really don't think that's the best idea... but I don't want to go to history either. I guess one class couldn't hurt," I told my best friend with a mischievous grin on my face.

By the time next period had started, Emmy and I were already in the hallway trying to avoid getting caught by a teacher.

"Where do you wanna go?" I asked, "The bathroom? The courtyard? The empty classroom?"

"Let's go to the courtyard!" Emmy said cheerfully, grabbing my hand and leading us outside. The two of us sat outside together, talking and planning our next adventure.

"Cyra Thomas and Emmy Ross! This is the fourth time this month you two have skipped fifth period!" Mr.Johnson scolded as he marched over to us.

"Skipping class? Oh no, we're not skipping class Mr. Johnson, we would never do that!" Emmy said innocently. "You see, we're just using our time for better things other than sitting in classes where we learn absolutely nothing from teachers who don't know how to teach!"

I was cracking up next to Emmy at her words and the look of utter shock and disgust on Mr. Johnson's face, I reached over and high fived Emmy for her clever comeback.

"That's it! I've had enough!" Mr. Johnson screamed, flecks of spit flying from his mouth. "You two are going to be in after school detention for the rest of the week! And yes, I will be taking away your cell phones until you leave the building today. Now get back to class before I decide to increase your punishment."

Emmy and I handed over our phones and looked at each other once more, before we parted our separate ways to our boring classes.

As the last bell rang and most people eagerly left the building, I dragged myself over to Emmy's locker so the two of us could head to detention together.

"Let's just get this over with," I snapped as we entered the classroom to see none other than Mr. Johnson.

"Hmm what shall it be today? Fifty lines? A hundred?" he said smugly.

"Whatever it takes to get us out of here as quick as possible and get our phones back," I muttered to Emmy.

One hundred lines later, Emmy and I had finally got our phones back and were heading outside where my mom would be waiting.

The two of us walked out the door and stopped dead in our tracks. A day that had started out with eighty degree weather was now completely snow covered. My mom wasn't there waiting for us... instead, the street was completely empty aside from at least three feet of snow that had piled up on the ground.

"Emmy, we'll have to walk home, we need to figure out what in the world is going on," I said to her. Emmy nodded and pulled her hoodie out from her backpack as I did the same. Then the two of us started off on our journey, first to Emmy's house, then to mine.