The Red X (on hold)

Chapter 1- The Red X

I have always told my friends to follow their hearts when my help is asked. I tell them what I think is happening so they get a better point of view of the problem, I tell them what I think is the right thing to do next, and then I finish off telling them they should always follow their heart. Because following their heart is the only way they will actually be happy.

I have made peace with my feelings, doing whatever seems right at the moment and ignoring reason. It has worked well for me. Since the accident it has been this way, I suffered panic attacks every day and this was the best solution. My parents, or at least my mother, take my too relaxed attitude as a good sign. She is happy that I haven’t suffered anymore, she already feels guilty enough.

Since the accident I have changed. I remember how my notes mattered to me, but also how scared I always was. The accident took years out of my life, I was ten when it all stopped. After that, let's just say, I've gained a reputation.

I have been able to get friend, all of them from sixth grade onto this point, twelfth. My friends and I used to be the bullied, the good girls, and the teacher’s favorite. But we always kept apart even if we were the same. Until I had enough, and I did some things I am not proud of but wouldn’t question in doing again.

Nobody harms us, mostly because of me, and we were the best delinquents in school. But nobody knew that, which is why we are the best. We are never caught.

We started in eighth grade, the year in which they finally listened to my ideas. It was legendary, but simple. Some lost papers, a break in, and hacking in the system to turn off every camera and put an automatic message on the speakers at a certain time. The break in consisted in manipulation of power, the rest just needed organization. The next day, well, the red X we had left on the wall of the principal’s office wasn’t ignored. Neither was the automatic voice from the speaker that kept repeating “you may leave to class now” every five minutes into a class.

This lead the students into questioning each other who could the “red X” and the school kept calling on the troublemakers, jocks and even geeks for interviews. But the good girls from eighth grade were never even looked at. That had been the greatest achievement. It had been so good that people even created rumors of how they had done it, or that it had to be some kind of terrorist practice. The rumors were easily discarded when we made and unhackable and untraceable website to answer simple yes no questions and gain ideas.

The group has four members. The first one is Clarisse, aka Reeses, the power filled. Her family is powerful and rich. And it is this way that we gain connections for our complex plans. But Clarisse has a special personal power, manipulating. May it be with money or by looks she was capable of bending people at her will. Of course she has never used it with us. Her wavy blonde hair, small nose, big hazel eyes and petite frame made you feel as if you had killed the world’s cutest puppy. With her, the guards or companies we needed were under our feet. Plus, she was one of the best friends in fashion tips and languages.

Second member, the sarcastic hacker, Sophie. Also called Pip. Sophie was a master in technology and memorizing codes, hacking into the school system at the age of 13 wasn’t easy. She grew up living as an only child with a single father, her mother left them months after she was born but she doesn’t remember so she doesn’t care. But her trick was not only learning about the computer but also about the person, and she gained the trust of every single school worker with her charming smile and blue eyes. How can someone not trust a confident girl that has only A’s in class? Besides, her image never screamed untrust worthy, short black hair and Chinese complexion could have been in the definition of safe vault. The best part? She is trust worthy, the information she knows has never been said to us, leaving her secrets and others, secrets. Though she looks serious, she is the goofiest of us all. Her sarcasm when talking about a situation never ceases to make us laugh. We have all been marked by her way of speaking.