Aether

Chapter One

I stride confidently through the school yard, smiling brilliantly at several of the boys as I pass them. As usual, many of them begin to drool.

Let me introduce myself.

My name is Angelina Moore, but everyone calls me Angel because, well... I look like one. I have hair the colour of gold, golden tanned skin and a face that is all angles and smooth, clear skin. My eyes are a heavenly blue, bluer even than the sky, and framed by naturally long, dark lashes. My eyebrows are perfectly shaped and arched, and my lips are red and lusciously full. I am the most popular and beautiful girl at Hayfield High, and I'm not afraid to admit it.

I gaze ahead and meet the eye of the only boy I truly care about: Joseph. He has light brown hair, green eyes, well-defined muscles and is a head taller than me. He's the captain of the football and soccer teams, the smartest in our year, and the hottest in the school.

He's my boyfriend, of course.

"Hey, Angel," he murmurs, embracing me and kissing me on the lips.

"Hey, Joe," I reply, pulling away and taking his hand.

"You're early today," he notes.

I'm usually late, but today I made it half an hour early.

"My crazy aunt is coming over today," I explain.

"And?" he asks, clearly not understanding my point.

"I didn't want to bump into her," I elaborate.

"Right. Well, I should probably get back to training. I've got a game tonight."

Every day that the guys have a game, they get the first two classes to train.

"Do your girls need to practice?" Joe asks, referring to the cheerleading squad.

I know, I know. The captain of the football team and the head cheerleader dating? Yeah, sure it's cliche, but it's high school. Social status is everything.

"All they ever do is watch you boys train," I sigh. "It's a wonder we ever have a routine."

"Then you should use first period to polish up your moves," he points out.

Unlike the boys, we only get one class for training (which is totally sexist, by the way).

"I'll run some drills, then," I mutter.

Together we walk towards the oval, and we part ways once we arrive, Joseph jogging over to his team and I to mine.

"Girls!" I call as I approach the group. All of them are gazing longingly at the boys who are warming up. As I stop before them, ten girls turn to face me, and one ignores my voice.

"Hey, Angel," a few of them say with a smile.

"Britney!" I shout at the one girl who never listens. To be perfectly honest, she's a shit cheerleader and I only let her onto the team because she has a bikini-ready body.

Britney slowly turns to glare at me.

"What's your problem, bitch?" she hisses.

"I called the team to attention and you ignored me," I say simply, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Well, maybe I don't give a fuck."

"I am over your shit," I snap at her. "Get off my team."

"You can't do that," she challenges.

"Yes, I can."

"You're such a stupid cunt," she says, spitting at my feet. "Oh, and I'm fucking your boyfriend."