Annalise Springster's a High School Dropout

Chapter 4

September 1, 2202

Cassie's POV

Annalise Springster is digging the heels of her hand-painted shoes into the ground.

"Come, ON."

I tug at her arm while she forces me to drag all her weight. "This isn't cute Annie."

The students around us stare for a moment then continue to head in the same direction Annie and I are headed, hustling all the way. I drag her a few more feet before she manages to escape from my grip. Falling flat on her back, she sprawls in the grass with her limbs stretched about her.

"I think I'll just stay here," she says squinting against the sun's brilliant rays.

The students continue to stare but many of their paces have slowed down.

"It's a beautiful day," she says with a bit of sarcastic melodrama. "It's a shame we'll have to be in school for half of it." Supporting herself with her elbows and forearms, she sits up halfway. "You know you're one of the only reasons why I'm still giving this place a chance right?"

"Oh, shut up," I tease offering her my hand. "You know that's not true. You were born to be here."

The Springster family is one of the founding families of Greensboro. They were making a life for themselves here before Greensboro was even Greensboro. Their names sat in our history books next to the Proctors, the Murphys, and the Woods. Every Springster finishes high school at Greensboro High. Every Springster goes to college at one of the three top universities in the country. Every last one.

Taking my hand in hers, Annie pulls herself up. Once standing she brushes the green blades off her clothes, and I help by pulling her loose-fitting sweatshirt down to hide stains of the same color on her butt.

When we near the front door of Greensboro High, the all too familiar metallic smell reaches my nose and lingers there. The doors slide sideways allowing us entrance, and we approach the security check. I quickly swing off my backpack and give it to the robot next to the scanning room. Before walking away, a cold hard hand on my shoulder restricts me further.

"Phone, please."

Oh, right I forgot.

The robot the hand belongs to is supposed to be one of the humanlike models but she has none of the warmth that even Karla possesses. Looking into those frosty glass eyes, I can see no light or spark, though everything else looked real and alive.

I'd love to see the day scientists manage to make the eyes look human.

I tug my phone from the back pocket of my jeans and promptly tuck it into the side pocket of my bag.

"Thank you," she says indicating I was free to go, but she doesn't let go. A slight uneasiness creeps over me while her icy orbs burn a hole through mine.

"Alright, Sandy. That's enough." The command comes from my right. Sandy lets go. "Sorry, Cassie. She's new."

Jerry the security guard.

Jerry lays a grisly hand on my shoulder and scooches me gently to the scanner room. "She's just trying to get used to new faces is all."

"Oh, ok well­—" The door slams behind me and I'm in an all-black...pitch-black room. The drop in temperature and lack of light is jarring.

"Alright Cassie, you know the deal. Hands down. Stand still." His voice echoes from somewhere in the darkness.

"Got it!" I know he can see and hear me from his office on the other side of the room. Bright green light emerges from every direction targeted at me. It does a quick sweep from the top of my head to my shoes, the light bending to match every curve on me, from my hips to the wrinkles on my shirt.