Solstice sisters

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Ivy's POV

So far American High school had been normal, my classes were interesting and every period I had to stand at the front of the classroom and "tell the class a bit about myself". But something strange happened in Physics.

I pushed the door open and walked into the classroom. A middle aged man with brown hair combed into a combover, in the harsh fluorescent lights it looked extremely greasy, I cringed slightly. I walked up to him and handed him a notice I'd been given with my timetable. He scanned the paper and smiled at me.
'This, class is Ivy Waters, she's just transferred here, she's skipped a grade so I expect you to welcome her even if you are a year older than her' he told the class 'would you like to tell the class a bit about yourself miss Waters?'
I groaned internally, Thanks a lot combover, it's not like I was alienated enough without you saying that! I thought to myself. I fought the urge to roll my eyes as well. When I heard someone snort with laughter I looked up in panic. Had I said that out loud? The girl from the car park sat at one of the desks, her hand over her mouth as she covered up her laughter. When no one else laughed she looked around in confusion, as if wondering why they hadn't heard me, why had she heard me? I opened my mouth to answer Mr Anders question
'My names Ivy Waters and I just transferred here from England' I was met with the bored expressions of twenty plus teenagers.
'Okay miss Waters please take a seat next to miss Strugg' Mr Anders gestured to an empty desk next to a girl with short gingery hair. She gave me a quick smile and went back to her book. I picked up my bag and scurried to my seat. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, I hated being the centre of attention, I wiped my sweating palms on my jeans and got out my textbooks. I have to work really hard this year because I should be a sophomore but they put me in the year above, junior, because I'm some kind of child prodigy, and I was homeschooled for a while when I was younger, I guess that helped me get ahead.

Physics went by pretty quickly after that, various people helped me get to my classes and I was beginning to get the hang of the layout of the school. I didn't see Leo, Zack or Summer again until lunch. Summer and Leo sat at the same table. Zack wasn't anywhere to be seen. I sat with the girl I met in physics, Emma Strugg, she was nice but not the most talkative. She let me sit with her and her friends during lunch. I sat in silence when a chorus of 'oohs' caught my attention. I looked up and saw a girl talking to Summer, she stormed off to her own table. I had a clear view of everyone but I focused on two tables. I recognised a few people from my classes so far.  The table next to the girl from the carpark's table (I really need to learn her name!) had only two people sat at it, two girls, one of them had just been talking to the car park girl. I watched as she threw something at the car park girl. She turned and said something, something else was thrown. Whatever they were doing, it was pissing carpark girl off, then an unopened bottle of coke exploded showering the two girls in sticky liquid. While everyone was watching one of the girls slipping and falling on her ass, I watched the carpark girl as she smiled mischievously as if she was responsible for the coke explosion.

After lunch ended I headed to the bathroom to freshen up. When I got in there only one stall was in use so other than that I was alone. Until, guess who, carpark girl walked in. We stood in an awkward silence but we knew we both recognised each other.
'Hi, I'm Ivy' I said deciding to suck up my shyness. The girl looked shocked that I'd talked to her, but replied,
'Summer Adams,' she gave me a slight smile 'you look familiar, I feel like I've seen you before, not counting this morning!' She added.
'Yeah, I know how you feel' I paused noticing her gold locket, she saw me looking and started stroking it.
'I like your locket' I said 'it's like mine' I held up my own gold locket for her to see. She took my locket and placed it side by side with hers. They were identical with the exception of the gold, shimmery stone in the centre of hers and the silvery, white stone in mine.
'Wow!' I said 'where did you get yours?'
'It was my moms' she said almost sadly 'what about you?'
'Yeah mine was my mums too, she died when I was born so I don't really remember her' I confided in her. She looked up at me, her eyes slightly wider.
'Funny you should say that, my parents died when I was young too,'
'It was a car crash' I said 'what about you? If you don't mind me asking'
'No, no it's fine. My parents died in a car crash as well' she said.
'That's kinda creepy, what date?' I asked
'December 21st 2000, you?'
'December 21st 2000, the day I was born..' I trailed off when I saw the panicked look on her face.
'Mine died exactly 6 months after I was born' she said the last part slowly.
'Your birthday is the summer solstice,' I noted
'And yours is the winter solstice' she replied 'we suit our birthdays' my laughter cut through the tense air as we looked each other and ourselves up and down. My pale skin and dark hair contrasting with her warm skin and pale sun bleached hair. We looked at each other and smiled. We looked at ourselves in the mirror, side by side. I suddenly began to realise why I recognised her, I'd been looking at a version of her in the mirror for years.
'Jesus' Summer breathed 'we look a lot alike'
'You don't suppose we're..' I trailed off.
'Sandra and Mike said nothing about me having a sibling' she said as she shook her head.
'Same, I think they would've told us if we did' I agreed.
'Maybe it's just a really creepy coincidence' she added, I nodded but I wasn't fully convinced.

Just then the toilet stall door opened and out walked Kerri. She glared at Summer and I. Summer glared right back but I just looked away. 
'Summer, fancy seeing you here, oh wait it's your natural habitat' She said with a hint of venom
'Your insults just keep getting worse, it's like you've had your brains shagged out' Summer retorted.
'Wow funny!' She gave us a fake smile, then her eyes took on an evil glint 'So Summer how come no one knows your an orphan?'
Summer was shaking with anger, fists clenched now. Kerri laughed when she noticed.
'Ooh did that strike a nerve?' She carried on, circling Summer like a shark circles it's next victim.
'And I can't believe your mother would leave you..' she fingered Summer's locket 'such a piece of ugly crap in her will...'

That was it. Summer had snapped.

She launched herself at Kerri, punching her across the face. Kerri flew back against the stalls.
'You bitch!' She screamed and grabbed Summer by the hair. They grappled with each other towards the door.
'Summer!' I yelled 'stop!'
I tried to pull them off each other but Kerri kicked me in the stomach. In doing so I was propelled across the toilets and they fell out the door into the corridor. As quickly as I went down I got up and ran out after them. People were already crowding round them chanting
'Fight! Fight! Fight!' I shoved past and for the second time tried to pull them apart. I grabbed Kerri by the hair and pulled her off Summer. I placed her on one side of the corridor and put Summer on the other.
'Stop it!' I yelled 'Summer she's not worth it! And you!'
I rounded on Kerri 'next time don't be so insensitive, I might not pull her off you again' I threatened her taking in her bloody nose and ruined hair.
'Now, both of you part ways and we can pretend this never happened!'  I looked between them expectantly.
'Okay?!' I demanded when neither of them answered.
'Yes!'
'Okay! Jeez!'
I took Summers arm and led her back into the bathroom to clean her up. As I did so Kerri's spiteful voice rang out through the silent corridor
'Stupid unwanted bitch!'
Summer was on top of Kerri punching her before I even had chance to stop her. Once again the corridor was filled with the old din of chanting and screams.
'HEY! Stop this right now!' A male voice boomed across the hallway and everyone froze, including Summer and Kerri.
'You three! My office now!' He gestured to Summer, Kerri and me. I started to protest but could see the other students still stood frozen with fear. Ashamed the three of us followed him to his office.

'Mr Keeling can I-' Summer started
'Shut up' he cut her off, she looked shocked and fell silent 'fighting in school?! Miss Adams I don't care what you have to say I know what I saw and that was you attacking Miss Harper here' he gestured to Kerri who sniffled and nodded
'She just started hitting me in the toilets, I tried to get away but she kept coming. Ivy then joined in. They ganged up on me sir'
'I did not!' I defended but shut my mouth when Mr Keelings harsh gaze fell across me.
'Thank you Miss Harper you are free to go' Kerri smiled at us and strutted out the room. 'As for you two' he started 'usually we would suspend you' my heart sank 'but seeing as this is your first offence both of you will be spending every night this week in detention, with me'
'But I have cheer practice!' Protested Summer
'Well you should have thought of that before you attacked a fellow student, shouldn't you?'
'Yes sir' Summer grumbled.
'Well then now that's sorted, get to class and I expect to see you in my classroom after school this evening' we stayed frozen in our seats
'OUT!' He screamed and we jumped into action, grabbing our bags and ran out of the room.

We stood together in the silent corridor. I sneaked a glance at Summer. Her hair was a mess, she had a bust lip, bloody nose, a black eye forming, her clothes were ripped and ruffled in places from where Kerri had grabbed hold, her mascara was smudged around her eyes giving her a grungy look.
'I can't believe that bitch got off with nothing!' I supplied to break the silence 'she started it' I peered at Summer.
'Im sorry about what she said..'
'No,' she said 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let her get to me! I was stupid, I had this coming I'm just sorry you got caught up in it too!'
'Its not your fault, and hey it's only detention!' We laughed as I led her to the bathroom to get cleaned up before we went to Mythology.