Signs of a Storm

Chapter One

Chapter 1: My "Parents" Argue About Seaweed And Glitter

"No." One voice said.

"Yes." Another replied.

I shook my head at my math teacher, "I don't know the answer." The students laughed at me and snickered in hushed voices.

"Well, Tara, it helps if you try harder." She responded with.

Those stupid voices have been in my head for a long time. I've gone in to see specialists but they don't find anything wrong. I have been diagnosed with ADHD and a tad bit of dyslexia. But what can I say? It's been with me for longer than I can remember.

"Hey, Tara, can you pass this to Kelsey?" A boy to my right asked me.

"Sure, why not." I rolled my eyes but took the note. Before I could pass it to the girl on my right, who I assumed to be Kelsey, Miss Bridges, my math teacher caught me in the act.

"Tara Hullinger. Is that a note I see? Go to the principal's office. Immediately." She waved me out and continued her long boring speech on Pi. I rolled my eyes when she turned away and packed up my stuff. This is the third time this month that I've been sent to the office. And it's only the tenth of November.

"You dumb, irresponsible little girl." One of the two voices said.

"Hey! Getting into a little trouble sometimes isn't bad at all!" The other voice retorted. I liked the second one better. But it doesn't matter. All of them are annoying. Most of the time I couldn't sleep because they wouldn't shut up. I swear that they've even played a game of Go Fish in my head. (Side note: the first voice won) As I trudged to the office, I caught a group of teens wondering around. Probably up to no good. But, being in my second year of high school, I learned that nobody is up to any good. And being one of the youngest looking ones here didn't help.

My full name is Tara Thera Hullinger. I live in Cleveland, Ohio. My middle name means "wild, untamed seas" But, people still made fun of it because it rhymed. And yet many people said I was stunning. I'm currently 16, one of the older ones in my grade. I have long blonde locks and regular hazel eyes. But my eyes changed color depending on my mood. Sometimes they are a bright blue when I am very excited or energetic. Other times they were a dull green, like now, when I was serious or pissed off and angry. When I reached the front office, I opened the door and took a seat. The office assistant, Ms. Opal, looked up at me and sighed.

"Again, miss Hullinger?" I nodded and fiddled my thumbs. I had been here so many times, she basically knew everything about my life. It's so wonderful to have an old lady be your best friend. "Go ahead inside." She waved me in.

"No! Not this guy again, he doesn't smell good." I laughed at what one of the voices said. The other voice didn't argue or respond, so I guess she agreed. At least I think it belonged to a she. The other voice sounded male. No wonder they argued so much.

"Tara, did you hear what I just said?" My principal Mr. Guy asked me. Yup, Mr. Guy. He was loud, old, fat, and annoying.

"No. Sorry, what?" I tilted my head at him.

"See, this is the problem. You can't listen to someone. I said that you've been sent to my office by your math teacher alone over 12 times this year. In three months. That's a record. Not a good one either." He placed his hands on his desk. I sighed.

"I'm sorry that I have ADHD and dyslexia, I can't help I'm a retarded child. So, too bad." I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't appreciate your attitude. But we have made exceptions for you because of your conditions. I'm afraid I'll have to expel you if you get sent here one more time." He sighed.