Tick Tock

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it."
~Sai Baba

My life used be normal.

I used to be normal.

It's those not normal things that change us.

And then you're left wondering what normal even felt like.

That's what I was wondering as I slipped my plaid, uniform skirt on and buttoned my cardigan.

Life doesn't ask your permission for anything.

Life just happens. It doesn't care about the affect it will have on you at all.

We are just a chess piece moving for life's entertainment.

I sigh.

Yes, I have a grudge against life.

Life has no manners.

I pull my curls up in a bun and stare in the mirror.

Staring in the mirror is a rarity for me. I've always found it to be vain.

But today I couldn't help it.
Today the mirror taunted me.

Those eyes I'm staring at used to be so bright, so ready for the excitements of life, so full of hope.

Now they just seem drained, bitter even.

I look away and go downstairs to see the muffin Angeline left for me. I grab them on my way out the door.

The ride there my stomach started to hurt.

Something fishy's going on.

One of the perks of being Emma's best friend for fifteen years is that I know her.

And telling somebody anything in the midst of an audience means she's up to something.

Maybe if I can just stay out of her way today I'll be okay.

But then there's Ian.

My stomach knots up even worse.

I almost want to run into him again today.

Andrew escorts me out and staring at the magnificent prep school building I take a deep breath.

"I can do this." I whisper.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Nothing.

It was simple and utter nothingness.

There was no word from Emma or anybody in their crew.

No off glances or sly smiles.

There was nothing.

Nothing but normalcy.

It's like getting prepared for war but ending up fighting air.

I was surprised of my offsetting disappointment.

Maybe normalcy was getting out dated.

I snicker at my earlier assumptions of being not normal.

Of course I am.

Normal Noel Peters.

The girl in the background, too normal to even be recognized.

Nobody wants to be normal.

Maybe I was hoping today would be the exception.

Maybe I was hoping that under all this normalcy there was something extraordinary. And at last, it was finally starting to shine through.

I've tried to convince myself that the background is the safest place to be.

And perhaps it is.

I have craved safety ever since the incident.

But maybe safety is getting outdated too.

My grudge against life has stopped life from happening to me.

I remember Angeline's earlier words.

"You have to let go."

"Hi." A timid voice interrupts my annoying inner voice.

I turn to see mousy Meghan standing behind me.

Her circular glasses sit too straight on her tiny nose and her brown hair, always in a pony tail reaches past her rear. That, however, doesn't say much considering she's only 5 feet tall.

I smile at her, "Hi, Meghan."

Meghan is the closest thing I have to a companion here. We barley say more than ten words to each other everyday but our presence together makes us not completely alone.

It was more out of comfort than it was companionship.

Meghan packed her lunch in a little paper bag but always walked with me to get mine. Walter Prep School's lunch was exquisite and I was not going to pass it up.

I always see Meghan looking at the food wishfully and occasionally I would buy some for her.

Meghan is one of the twelve scholarships we have here so the lunch food, I would infer to be out of her price range.

"Oh..." She mumbles, eyes wide at the strawberry smoothies they had today, "I forgot it was Tuesday."

I smile at the lady serving, "A strawberry smoothie, please."

Mousy Meghan's thin lips curve into a smile, "You didn't have to."

I raise an eyebrow, "What do you mean? This is mine."

Meghan's face pales, "Oh."

I let out a chuckle, "I'm kidding," and purchase the smoothie, putting it on the table in front of her.

She pulls out her book and eats and I do what I normally do, observe.

The uniformed populace was scatters of cuddled sitting. Groups with their friends not letting any room for outsiders, they're so engrossed together, leaving little random empty spaces through out the massive cafeteria.

Me and Meghan are one of those empty spaces.

I look to see Emma and her soldiers.

They are definitely the Kings of the cafeteria.

She sits head held high, laughing at whatever joke some guy tried to tell her today.

Ty protectively puts an arm around her.

I roll my eyes and watch Ian.

The mysterious Ian James.

He sits, his eyes looking anywhere but in this room, a head phone in one ear and another occupied by a girl chatting it off.

His eyes meet mine.

My breath stops.

Those eyes...

He smirks at me and I quickly look away.

It's moments like these I wish Meghan was more of a conversationalist.

I didn't want Ian to think I was a complete loser.

I then scold myself for thinking such a thing.

Why should I care what he thinks of me?

I sigh and take a bite out o my food.

He probably thinks of me the way I am.

Normal.

Hope you all enjoyed! I would love feedback and voting would really make this girl feel special!
I'll be posting pictures of cast members every chapter or so, so make sure you check them out!
Thanks!
~Joy