Alpha Academy: Misfit's Rise

Chapter One: The Interrogation

Despite what everyone said, I didn't mean to blow up Tanya Mason's presents. The cake, yes, but the presents? That would've been overkill. But since Officer Davenport—the towering man with the deep voice and bulging muscles sitting across from me in the interrogation room—was supposed to think this whole thing was an accident and I was just an innocent bystander, I probably shouldn't mention that.

"So, Billie," he said, stumbling over my name. A girl named Billie was a lot for the people of Sandy Brooks.

"Why don't you tell me," he lowered my report, "in your own words, what happened."

I could start by telling him the only true part of the report was my name. Oh wait. I even lied a little about my last name. But unless I wanted to get myself sent to Juvie, I probably shouldn't mention that either.

"I already told you everything," I said.

He stared at me for a second, not blinking. Even though he wasn't moving, I leaned back in my chair, trying to get some distance from his eyes.

"How long have you known Tanya Mason?" he said finally.

"Since birth." Just like everyone else in this town.

"Are you close?"

About as close as Superman and kryptonite, but as much as I would love to make a superhero reference in an interrogation, I doubt it would go well.

"No," I said, biting my lip.

My mother kicked my leg from under the table. She'd been so quiet I forgot she was in the room. You would think a mother would be proud of her daughter for telling the truth, but not mine. I didn't care though. It was not going on record that I was friends with Sandy Brook's little princess.

"Then why were you at her party?" Mr. Davenport asked.

That question would be better directed at my mother, and based on the way she shifted uncomfortably in her chair, she knew it too.

"I'm not leaving until you get out of this car," my mom said as we sat outside Tanya Mason's house.

Honestly, I didn't doubt her, but it only made me more determined to sit there. We were similar in that way, at least.

"You want to be seen sitting in your mother's car all night long? I'm sure that will impress your friends."

"They're not my friends." She had a point though. Being seen with my mom like this would not help my social standing at school. Except, I had no social standing to lose, so it was okay.

"They could be, if you would let them."

"I don't want to be friends with them."

She sighed. "Billie, why can't you just ..."

She couldn't even finish the sentence, and I felt a twinge of guilt. I guess I could understand her concern. She hoped things would be different when I started High School, since there'd be a new group of kids and everything. But it didn't matter. They all knew where I came from.

"Look, I already promised Tanya's mother you would be coming." I shouldn't be surprised that was a concern. Tanya's mother was on the hospital board where my mother was a nurse. That, by the way, was the answer to Officer Davenport's question. I got invited to the party because my mother wanted to impress her boss. At least I could say it backfired.

"Why don't you go to Tanya's party then?" I shot back. Feeling guilty wasn't enough to get me out of the car.

She sighed again, and the guilt grew. I could always tell when she reached her limit because she wouldn't look at me, but rather stared off in the distance. I'd never told her this, but I always thought she looked so pretty in profile. With her dark hair, robin's egg blue eyes, and translucent skin, she was like an angel carved in stone. I must have taken after my father because my green eyes, freckles, limp brown hair, and round cheeks looked nothing like her.