Lights Out

Chapter III : The Scholars

The first practice of scholars bowl. Jacob walked into the classroom, only to see a few kids. Maybe 5 at most. Among those kids, Charley sat at a desk, glaring at him with hate. What did she have against him?

Among Charley was three girls Jacob had not met before, and an old friend.

"Hiya, Honey!" The tall, smiling dude who sat closest to the door waved. He wasn't actually gay, but he was amusing a long running joke. Jacob and Peter's friendship was always just a friendship, but many humored the possibility of it being more. They now joke about it all the time. His teeth, white as snow, lit up the room. His blue eyes shone like sapphires. His hair, the color of whiskey shining in the sunlight. Jacob grinned at his best friend. His eyes full of pure happiness and belonging. Peter has that effect on everyone. He had a smile brighter than a biscuit.

"Peter! You came!" Charley rolled her eyes and started muttering to the other girls.

"Of course I came! I wouldn't miss something like this!" Peter explained. Everything about him showed kindness. He even dipped his head as a sort of bow when they entered the room. Jacob looked around, as if to change the subject.

"So... who are all these people?"

Peter laughed, and pushed a lock of hair out of his face. "Well, there's Jenna, the redhead with the tall socks. Kalia's the short blonde. Dulce is the one sitting in the back. And then there's the one in the trench coat..."

"Charley. I know." Jacob sighed. Peter, intrigued, sat up a bit. His eyes narrowed.

"How do you know Charley?"

Jacob's ears turned red. "Ummm, well... she hates me. I think she plays clarinet or flute or something." He looked at the ground.

"Hmm... makes sense. A saxophone wouldn't know a clarinet or flute. Too weird, those clarinets." He laughed, and looked at the ground. Why was Jacob so flustered over it?

They looked over to the girls, who were murmuring and laughing among themselves. Jenna was tall, slender, and had hair the color of a ripened strawberry. Kalia was short, smoking a cigarette, had long, blonde hair, and looked like if you were on her bad side, she'd stab you in an instant. Dulce's mocha skin complimented her dark, wavy hair that fell around her shoulders.

She smiled and waved at the two outsiders. "Stop staring like creeps, and come join us!" Dulce laughed. Peter and Jacob walked over and sat with them.

"So... what brings you to scholars bowl?" Jenna asked with a smile. Peter bit his lip, deep in thought.

"I guess I just wanted to. You know? Plus, I want to earn credit so I can be valedictorian. I have always wanted to do something like that." Peter messed with the two dog tags that hind around his neck. Jenna nodded. Charley shrugged. "I guess I want to be like my grandpa. He was valedictorian in high school, and went on to be a marine, like my brother."

"You have a brother?" Jenna asked.

"Had. He... he ummm... he passed away last year," Peter muttered, fidgeting in his seat.

"What... was his name?" Charley asked.

"His name was Cal..." Jacob said, as he shifted his weight a bit, and looked at Peter, sympathetically, who's face began to flush.

Peter looked over to Jacob and mouthed, "thank you." Jacob shrugged and nodded.

"Can... can we change the subject? Please?" Peter pleaded, ears red, eyes tearing up.

"Oh yeah, sure..." Charley whispered.

"We've got 2 minutes until practice," Peter started, checking his watch. "You're going down, Jacob." He faked a smile.

"You're so on."

Practice was competitive, and tension built in the room, as answers were answered, buzzers were buzzed, and glares were glared. It zipped by, and in a flash, it was time to leave.

"Let's go hang out on the elementary playground, since none of us have rides yet," Kalia suggested. She blew a puff of smoke with a smirk.

Walking through the courtyard was the fastest way to the playground. Especially since, one could avoid the other people, as many clubs met after school.

They stepped into the courtyard. "It's so empty," Jenna whispered.

"Yeah, and dead. The grass is almost brown, it's so dead. It's a wonder they don't take care of it, anymore," Charley added.

Kalia blew a puff of smoke and retorted, "Well, the school hardly takes care of us. Why should it take care of the grass?" She tripped on a crack in the sidewalk, dropping her cigarette. The grass began to smoke. "It'll be a cold day in hell before they care about us, or anything other than their income."

Kalia got back on her feet, and they continued to walk, oblivious to the flames that began to consume the ground behind them, and walked into the other building, that lead to the playground.

Within a minute, alarms rang through the hallways, screeching like death. The flames filled the courtyard, and up through the doors. The teenagers froze, in shock. Dulce screamed.