Amy Flemming | After the Flames

3

My alarm clock goes off as I apply the mascara to my eyelashes. "Amy, can you please turn it off?" Valerie asks me before pulling the blanket over her head again. "Sure." I tell her. I woke up a little bit before the alarm. I look at myself in the mirror after stepping into my flats. I braid my hair into a fishtail. "Are you coming with me for breakfast?" I ask Valerie. "No, I am going to enjoy the last bit of sleep." Valerie mumbles. I laugh at her before leaving our bedroom. I go down the stairs and walk into the dining area. "Good morning." I greet the others who are sitting at the table. "Good morning, Amy." Ethan greets me before focusing back on his newspaper. "Someone is bright and happy." Elijah mutters as he applies the peanut butter to his sandwich. "I am just excited to go back to the school." I tell him as Kate walks in smiling at me. "I understand. Everything will be going back to normal." Kate says as she sits down in the chair beside Elijah.

I have a bowl of yogurt and some fruits before finish my tea. "Good morning." Chester says with a smile as he walks into the room. He gives me a kiss on the cheek before sitting down beside me. "Good morning." I say. Paige, Brooke, Valerie and Heather join us for breakfast. "Good morning." We greet them. "Excited to go back to school girls?" Kate asks them. "No not really." Valerie answers her with a frown. She sits down. "Someone who is on my team." Elijah replies to her. "Well, enjoy it for now because it will probably the first and last time." Valerie tells him with a sassy tone before pouring herself some tea. "Oh before I forget." Kate speaks up before walking to the kitchen. "Tonight we will be hosting a party at school to celebrate the school being opened again and to welcome all of you back." Kate announces. "I know that these parties are always held at the beginning of every school year after the summer but this is a special time too." Kate smiles at us.

I head up the stairs to brush my teeth and get my bag. I meet Chester downstairs. "You okay." He asks me. I nod and look around. "Just a little bit nervous." I tell him as he takes my hand before giving me a supportive smile. "Come on, I will be by your side." He tells me. We walk into the school. Chester and I head to the Theatre room and take out seats. Mr. Carter walks in and greets us. "Good morning." He says before Valerie, Paige, Brooke and Heather join us. "Take a seat." Mr. Carter tells them as they walk inside. "Welcome back to Hemmingway School." He says with a smile. "It is very nice to see you all back here. And to see that you are all okay." Mr. Carter says looking at me and Elijah. As far as I was informed Elijah and I were the only ones that really got injured. Luckily, all the other students were already escorted out of the building. I've heard that some firefighters got lightly injured while suppressing the fire.

"Today we are going to start a project." He announces. "This week you will be transforming these stories into modern stories." Mr. Carter tells us holding up a stack of books. "What are we? Five?" Elijah comments as Mr. Carter holds up a copy of a modern fairy tale. "This is a way to transform these famous stories into modern recreations." Mr. Carter explains the assignment as I note down the things that need to be done. "Good luck." We talk about the assignment before allowed to search the school library but I can't seem to find the story I want. I check the computer and see that the version I am looking for is in our library at home.

The bell rings announcing the next class. Valerie, Chester and I say goodbye to each other as Ethan and I head over to Latin. Somehow the things that Mr. Steward is explaining, about Latin history, is not coming through. My hands go through my hair as Ethan lays a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" Ethan asks me concerned. "Yes but for the first time I have a hard time with Latin." I tell him. "I will help you with this homework." Ethan tells me. "Thank you." I say with a small smile.

The class has ended so we make out way to the lounge. Ethan and I take a seat at one of the empty tables. "I know that it is hard but you are okay now." Ethan says. I sigh as I take a handful of M&M's out of the candy jar that is standing on the table. "I hope so." I tell him before a pair of arms wrap them self around my waist and a peck is placed on my cheek. I smile and turn around to see Chester and Valerie. "Hi, how was Spanish?" I ask them. "It was Facil." Valerie says with a smile before grabbing some M&M's as well before taking her seat.

Our next class was Physics. Just as Latin, Ethan sits next to me to help me with the work we get.

The last classes, English and Biology went pretty well so that is a good thing. We all head home.

After having a drink, I head into the library to make my homework. The teachers gave me some extra time to make the work or essays since a lot of tasks or work at once can give a lot of headache. That was caused by the concussion I have got.

My work is laid out the table. Latin. Since that is the hardest, I decide to do that first before moving on with the other subjects. After a few minutes of reading the chapters, I look around. The library has been renovated but surprisingly still looks like the library before the fire.

The books have been replaced by newer ones or were still intact somehow. Latin Dictionary. Just what I needed for my homework. The terms that I need are all in the book which made it a little easier. I will be asking Ethan if he can explain the Physics homework a bit better.

The Biology homework was a bit of what we had before our break so it wasn't that hard.

I take my textbooks before making my way out of the library and up the stairs to our bedroom. Valerie is curling her hair for the party tonight. "Which one?" Valerie asks as she walks over to the bed and picks up the dresses. "Blue or black?" She asks me as she holds each of them up for me to see. "Blue." I tell her. Valerie smiles at me as she nods. "How did it feel to be back at school?" She asks me as she continues with the hair. "It went okay, I guess." I answer her question. "If anybody tries to hurt you again. They will have to go through me." Valerie says as she sways with the curling iron in front of her, like it is a sword. "Be careful before you lit your history books on fire." I carefully say, having to ruin her rescue plans. She giggles.

The music on the background plays softly as we catch up about our school day. "Yes." Valerie replies when a knock interrupts our conversation. The door opens revealing Chester. A smile forms on my face as he walks in. "I came to see you." He tells me as he kisses my cheek. From the corner of my eye, I see Valerie rolling her eyes. "And to tell you that you have chores this week." Chester tells Valerie as he faces her. Valerie groans before exiting our bedroom to go and help downstairs.

"How are you?" Chester asks me as he sits next to me on the bed. "I feel fine. The classes were hard to focus on but I feel good." I answer him truthfully. A few minutes later, a knock is heard on our door. "I came to see you." Valerie says as she gives me a tight hug. "And to tell you that dinner is ready." Valerie tells us with a smile. Chester rolls his eyes at her before we decide to go downstairs.

A smile forms on my face when the Lasagne is placed on the table. "Mason!" Lucy yells when he walks into the dining room. Lucy gets up to hug her boyfriend as we gather around him to greet him too. "It is good to see you again." Mason tells Lucy as he kisses her. "I have missed you!" Lucy tells him which makes him smile. "I have missed you too." Mason says before turning his attention to Elijah. "How are you, buddy?" Mason asks him. "I am so happy to share the room with you again. My roommate on the camp was a nerdy guy who just read all day. Didn't share a word with me." Mason tells us. "Oh. A little bit like Ethan." Heather jokes sticking her tongue out to Ethan who just gives her a fake smile. "I am hungry." Mason says before walking towards the dinner table and sits down. "It is amazing to have you all back." Kate says as she smiles at us as we begin to eat dinner.

After dinner, we get ready for the party.

The dress I am wearing is simple. A simple green dress with a pair of tights and my wedges. The scar on my leg is covered by the tights. My hair is in a low ponytail as Valerie applies the last coat of mascara. "Ready?" I ask her as I straighten out my dress after getting up. Valerie smiles and nods as we walk out of our room to go downstairs.

We enter the school. "Did you know they were going to be playing?" Valerie asks us when we have arrived in the gym, where Lights & Dreams are getting ready, on the stage. "No." Chester and Ethan smile at us before the first notes of their song plays on their guitar. "This is so cool." Valerie says to me as they start singing.

"I am so happy to be here again."