Basil and the Slumbering Emerald

Senior Year Starts

The morning sun peeked through the gaps in the thick deep emerald green curtains that framed the window. The morning air was crisp with the beginnings of fall and Basil Vipera was still tucked into bed, left foot dangling off the bed and dried drool on the corner of his mouth and cheek. The sharp chirping of his alarm clock broke the soft atmosphere and Basil slapped his hand at the nightstand until he found the alarm clock and silenced it's wailing. Basil peeked his eyes open and stared at the ceiling briefly summoning all his energy to get out of bed. With a heavy sigh, he sat up and snatched his phone from the charger before heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

Basil turned his morning playlist on his phone on and stripped out of his old raggedy pajamas. As the music, some alternative rock started playing he turned the shower on and looked in the mirror, admiring himself slightly. Basil had a lean runner build, because he ran track, naturally platinum blonde messy hair, and piercing grey eyes. While he was, by all means, attractive he wasn't anything special. The faint bags under his eyes attributed to tossing and turning all night with bizarre nightmares he couldn't entirely remember when he woke from them. Most of them felt as if someone or better yet, something was calling out to him. Shaking his thoughts of his strange dreams, He slipped into the hot spray and let his mind drift to the plans for the day.

It was the first day back of his senior year of high school. The amount of pressure was immense already. All the Vipera's before Basil had attended some private college and earned top honors. It was expected that Basil would follow those who came before him but honestly, he was far more undecided. What good would it do him? His eighteenth birthday was coming up and his parents were putting their foot down insisting that they celebrate his birthday privately, no friend, just family. His parents would endlessly talk about his potential in abstract terms, committed to their own ideas of what Basil should become. Honestly, he just wanted to survive his last year and not be at the center of any drama. He was so over it all already. Something deep inside him was ready for something more, something he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he wanted it, to be something more than plain old Basil.

Daydreaming aside, Basil rushed the rest of his shower and stepped out into the steamy bathroom as his phone rang. He checked the number and groaned of course it was Trisha, Basil's questionable best friend. She was the epitome of a basic white bitch, but she embraced that about herself. He answered the call, put it on speaker, and set about drying off and putting on some clean clothes. "Hey, Basil-babe! Are you pumped for today? I got up early to get coffee per usual and guess what?! It's pumpkin spice season! I got us all skinny lattes. So come pick me up. Becky is still doing her makeup as we speak but should be done soon." Trisha's nasal shrill voice chirped cheerfully. Basil couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

"I'll be right there Trish hold your bra on," Basil replied before hanging up. He didn't wear anything to special, just comfy name brand casual in his usual earth tones. He slipped on an emerald green beanie with a black snake embroidered on it before grabbing his keys, backpack, and wallet before heading downstairs. Strangely both his parents were nowhere to be found. Not wanting to waste time to question it he headed out to his silver car he got for his sixteenth birthday. He immediately plugged in the phone to the aux and started his music back up as he backed up and set off down the street.

It was a couple of blocks past suburbia to find the coffee shop Trisha and Becky always waited at. Basil pulled up and both girls got in the back, Trisha handing him his latte. Becky scrunched her nose up at the music, stole the aux, and started playing the new flavor of the month. Usually, some hot white guys who sang about love. Basil was beyond over it but didn't complain knowing it wouldn't earn him his Aux cord back. As they started to leave the café, Trisha smacked the back of Basil's head pointing out the window and making noises that only meant one thing. Hot guy. Basil rolled his eyes but actually stopped when he saw who it was. It wasn't just any hot guy. It was Gram, Basil's crush since middle school. "Pull over you idiot. Offer him a ride!" Following her instructions, Basil pulled up beside Gram.

"Hey Gram... want a ride?" Basil asked charmingly flashing his best smile. Gram stopped and smiled back. Gram was a tall jock type, hockey player and macho type, but was really a sweet guy under it all. He had honey brown hair, sparkling amber eyes, and the perfect strong body. He was complete eye candy on the outside and almost impossibly sweet on the inside.

"Hey, Basil! Sure. I didn't really feel like walking today. I went hard on leg day yesterday and my legs are killing me." Gram circled the car and slipped into the passenger seat.

Both Trisha and Becky grinned in unison, "Hi Gram." They both said at once. Gram gave them a smile and a wave before looking back at Basil.

"You should come to the game this Sunday. It's the first of the season. My treat?" Gram asked hopefully as Basil started driving again. He spared a glance at Gram who was waiting patiently like an excited golden retriever.

"Sure. I'd love to." Basil replied with a smile and Gram seemed overjoyed. With no more stops, they drove to Granite Bay High, Becky's music playing, Trisha babbling excitedly about the new school year, Gram stealing happy glances at Basil, and Basil trying to contain himself. They pulled into a parking spot and all got out. Basil locked the car with the button on his keys while Trisha pulled Becky away leaving Gram alone with Basil to walk into the school together.

Just as they got halfway across the parking lot a young man about their age, that neither had seen before tackled Basil to the ground seeming to have popped out of nowhere. Immediately Basil started pushing him off, but he kept clinging harder and harder till it hurt. Basil grabbed his jacket and shoved hard, "Get off of me!" Gram tried to pull him off, but he wouldn't let go. Finally, Basil's silver eyes snapped sharply onto the young man's face as the grey iris shown with scarlet, his voice strong, powerful. "I said let go!" With one hard shove, flames erupted from Basil's hands setting the jacket on fire. The guy scrambled away and threw his jacket off before sprinting off, letting his jacket smolder. Basil sat up shaking, feeling faint. The world spun around him before everything faded to black.