Strangers In Heaven

Angel, California, 2011

Ashley looked at Mr. Turner, their chemistry teacher with bored eyes.  Her golden curls fell on her face effortlessly. She turned to Emma, who was intently listening to Mr. Turner go on about molecular formulas.

‘How much more time?’

‘You asked me the same question a minute ago. It is not going to change the answer.’ Emma looked at Ashley with an unenthusiastic expression.

‘Ugh. God, Mr. Turner needs to relax. We have four submissions on Monday and a party to go to. I haven’t even started one! And its already Friday!’ Ashley complained loud enough for the first benchers to hear.

‘Maybe, if you had started working on these projects a month ago, when they were given to us, you wouldn’t have this much trouble.’ Emma sighed and began taking notes furiously.

Ashley sighed and slumped back into her chair.

‘Ash, do you mind? Your strawberry infused hair is all over my book.’ Natalie whined and gently pushed Ashley’s curls away from her desk.

‘Is it just me or is anyone interested in Chemistry? That reminds me, Nat, you are up for Saturdays party at Rachel’s place right?’ Ashley looked back with a sparkle in her eye, for the first time since the class had started.

‘I don’t know. I have tennis practice. I am not sure if i can make it.’ Natalie frowned.

Mary and Byron Mitchell were proud of their little girl, Natalie who was the sports star of the school. Part of her tennis team , Natalie was popular throughout Angel High School. Natalie like everyone in this small town called Angel had deep dark secrets that she kept hidden inside. Inside that tough and strong exterior, Natalie was dying a little inside.

 ‘No! No! No! You have to be there! Its THE party of the year!’ Ashley enthusiastically yelled.

‘Miss Mercer! Is there a reason for this scream?’Mr. Turner looked at Ashley and Natalie with wide eyes.

‘We were just discussing chemical formulas.’ Ashley stammered.

‘Oh, really? Well in that case,  can you tell me what sort of reaction is this?’

Mr. Turner wrote an equation on the board. Ashley shifted her weight from one leg to another.  Her palms began to sweat and she unconsciously wiped them on her silk dress. An action that she would normally refrain from.

It was no surprise that Ashley didn’t know the answer to  the question.  Ashley spent most of her time at parties and beauty salons. From a 150 pound ugly girl, she had definitely worked hard to a size zero. On the way she had lost alot and gained nothing. Her mother, Holly Mercer, who was once Miss Angel in her day had big plans of becoming a runway model. But soon enough, she fell in love and married Alex Mercer, a successful businessman in Philadelphia. Now, she wanted to pass on the legacy of Miss Angel to her beautiful daughter.

‘So, Miss Turner, what type of equation is this?’

‘I guess, a chemical equation?’ Ashley took a wild guess and smiled.

The whole class burst out laughing and Mr. Turner frowned.

‘Ms Mercer. Cute becomes dumb.’ Mr Turner said.

‘Im sorry...’Ashley looked at her purple Prada and frowned.

She sat down in her seat and watched Emma effortlessly give the answer to the question.

How did emma manage to do this? Patricia and Allen would be so proud! Both of their daughters, Emma and Emily, both straight A student. Emily had already applied to Harvard and Stanford, and Angel had already begun celebrating the acceptance of a Angel-ite to a prestigious university. The only disappointment to their perfect family was their son Jason, a rebel by birth, Jason Fields hardly turned up at school. Being Emma’s twin, one would expect him to be just like her. But, instead he was the exact opposite. His parents hardly even remember what he looked like.

Ashley looked at Natalie and groaned. ‘Its blueberry.’

‘What?’ Natalie looked more confused than ever before.

‘My shampoo. Duh. So, i don’t care whether you have some practice with sweaty people, you are coming.’

‘Ash, you know how i feel about Rachel! Please, cut me some slack.’

‘I don’t care if she killed your cat. You are coming!’Ashley yelled, inviting sniggers from the rest of the class. Mr. Turner looked at her and sighed.

‘Fine, but i am leaving the moment she makes a sarcastic comment about my clothes.’ Natalie sighed and the bell rung, announcing the end of school.