Drowning

Chapter 4: Melted Chocolate

R A I N E

The sun and I never got along. Although the light it provides does look beautiful at times, the sun hates me, and I hate it. My friends refer to me as a vampire. Eighty percent of my closet is full of dark clothing-the other twenty percent has some sort of colour thanks to my mother-and I prefer gloomy weather and rainfall rather than the heat of the sun. What if I actually am a vampire? I mean, my teeth are kind of pointy, and I often faint when the humidity gets too much for me to handle.

Of course, that was exactly how I ended up having a massive crush on Aidan.

● Flashback ●

The field was packed with hundreds of students. I stood with the rest of the eighth graders, scanning the area for my friends. The whole school was gathered out here for some kind of assembly. I cursed whoever forced us to come out here while the sun was glaring down at me and wiped the sweat from my forehead. God, I hated this weather. Why the hell couldn't we just stay indoors?

"Good morning, students!" Mr. Browne-the principal-plastered a smile on his wrinkly face as his voice boomed over the huge speakers from his spot at the front of the field, but it was still left ignored. Students continued with their chattering, some complaining-just as I was-and others gossiping.

On the first day of every month we spent here in this hell hole, everyone was instructed to gather either in the crammed cafeteria or out on the field for first period. Typically in the warmer months, we're forced to endure the heat of the blazing sun and put up with the body odour coming off of every student-which was what we were doing now. It's anything but pleasant.

"May I please have your attention?" The principal's pathetic attempt to silence the students made me groan in frustration. I really just wanted everyone to shut up so that I didn't have to spend any more time squished in between my two classmates who were drenched in sweat. At least this time I didn't have to stand on my toes to see over a couple hundred heads. My class wasn't too far away from the front.

"Oh, just start the anthem, already." Mr. Browne sighed and nudged some guy beside him. I watched as the boy scrambled to plug a few wires into the speakers. He was barking orders to some members of the student council, and I soon realized he was probably the president.

I never paid attention to anyone in the student council-no one did. They were just a bunch of eighth-graders who decorated the ceiling of the gymnasium for our lame dances and sold soggy pita bread at their bake sales. The saddest part? None of the members even got any sort of credit for their contribution. It was just a waste of time.

Silence fell upon students as the national anthem played. No one dared move a muscle. Everyone knew all hell would break loose if anyone were to let out even a small, muffled cough. Mr. Browne had made it very clear to us all: not a sound was to be made during the anthem, as well as slight movement.

My vision began to blur as sweat trickled down the side of my face. The sun was stripping away every bit of energy that I had left. My heart clashed against my chest, shortening each breath I took. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the girl next to me watching with their face twisted in confusion, but I couldn't care less. harmonic sound of the anthem became distant as my head spun and my legs faltered.

Before my body came in contact with the ground, a pair of arms circled their way around my waist. I caught a blurry glimpse of the boy's face just as everything went black.