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 Copyright © 2011 Dora

All my works are copyrighted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. This includes all chapters, prologues/epilogues and associated content (i.e fanfics, teasers and content within blogs, social networks and eReaders). Any unauthorised copying, broadcasting, manipulation, distribution or selling of this work constitutes as an infringement of copyright. Any infringement of this copyright is punishable by law.

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Chapter 1

I slowly eased myself off the dirty ground shaking. I couldn’t feel any part of my body. All my limbs kept spiking abnormally and I was as freaked out as any person can get. My face was as pale as the wall; my eyes unconsciously shut themselves, willing my body to go to sleep, but the pounding in my head wouldn’t let that happen. A little sound kept urging me to crawl downstairs, to talk to my parents.

Finally next to the pounding and pain, I was able to make it down the stairs. I probably looked like some loony, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The pain was too much. It was unbearable, uncontrollable. I didn’t think I would ever be able to survive.

“Come on Ash. You have to get to school now.” My dad fussed with me, sending a glance sideways towards my mom. They exchanged a look that I couldn’t place any words to. As well as I knew them, there were times when I couldn’t piece what they were saying together. It was as if there were unsaid things going on at the same time that I didn’t know about. After a while it easily got annoying.

“After that?” I panicked. Who knew when I would decide to repeat the horror of this morning... What if I did or said something suspicious and people realized I was some maniac? School couldn’t be safe for me today!

“Yes, after that. Now run along. Go with your dad,” My mother rushed me out, her face plastered with worry and happiness. The worry had a reason but I didn’t understand what she was so happy about. Having some freak kid?

“Can’t I just stay at home today?” I asked them confused. Hadn’t they seen what happened? Couldn’t they tell I was sick? Were they blind?

“No, today’s the first day of school, and you already missed your first class,” My mom shook her head. Only she would be able to think about something that didn’t matter at a time like this.

“We’ll be doing the same thing in class tomorrow too. Today we’ll just be talking in every period,” I told them, hoping they would give in. I would do anything but go to school. What happened in those first 45 minutes of my day was enough to scare me away from everything I had wanted to do the day before. Now I just wanted to curl up in a ball and stay like that.

“If you don’t go then you won’t be able to meet your classmates or new teachers,” My mom pointed out.

“Those never change. They’ve been the same for the past two years.” Our classes were always with the same teachers and students. The school just didn’t make the effort to change them. It helped though because we were able to easily memorize anyone’s schedules, and plan out our days.

“Well, maybe they’ll change this year.”

“They never do.”

“But, you want to see your friend’s right?” I could tell she was running out of ways to convince me.

“I can always see them when I’m better, or text them, and there is this thing called a computer. A day without them won’t kill me.”

“Oh, you’re going to school and that’s final!” My dad cut in. He probably realized I was winning.

“Please? Please let me stay home. I don’t feel well at all.” I begged them, right when I felt my stomach start turning again.

“I’m sorry, but no. You can get through this. Everyone catches a bug every now and then. This is no different. You can survive.” My dad told me, while hiding all his emotions. I never knew how he could do that.

“You call this a bug?” I questioned him shocked. What happened this morning was definitely not a bug.

“No, we’ll discuss what happened some other time.” He replied casually, like this happens every day.

“And when do you plan on telling me what happened?” I asked them. That was one of the most important things at the moment… finding out what had happened to me. “Are you planning on just letting me try to figure this out on my own?”

“No we’ll tell you,” He objected.

“When?” I asked them knowing not to believe what they said. They would try to put this off as late as possible.

“Soon,” My mother replied and I groaned, while my father just looked at her and then back down at me before saying “Tonight.” I stood there gaping at them in shock, letting my guard down giving my mom the chance to hurry me and my dad out the door. Now I had to survive a whole day without knowing anything.

The car ride with my dad was longer then it has ever been, filled with uncomfortable annoying silence. He wouldn’t even look at me and was struggling with keeping a hard expression. I tired breaking the silence, but couldn’t force words out of my mouth. This was the reason why I hated getting in awkward situations.

“Bye Dad,” I whispered before opening my door and jumping out.

As I hopped out of my silver BMW I looked around the parking lot. It was already filled with cars, just not a single soul. It was depressing getting here and not being attacked by my friends immediately. I don’t know why it surprised me though, as I knew I was late for my first day of school. If only it hadn’t been for what I had gone through just that morning. I would have happily skipped out on that.

I quickly grabbed my bag and tossed it over my shoulder not even sparing our giant, red brick school a glance. I had seen it too many times before to pay any attention to it. I knew the whole layout by heart, and the giant Sampson sign that the boys enjoyed using as a dart board never changed besides the addition of a few more dents.

When I arrived at the door I pushed it open, causing the fliers on it to fly up from the force. They were probably new and interesting, like they always are in the beginning of the school year, but today I didn’t stop to read them. I was too busy rushing into the main office so I could receive my unchanging schedule, when the warning bell rang. Great so now I would be late for second period too.

“Hello sweetie. How can I help you today?” A new teacher asked from behind the main office’s desk. She had brown hair that was pulled up into a bun and was dressed too formally, in something that people would wear if they worked in the office. Her black skirt probably reached the ground if she stood up. It didn’t fit into our school, where even the teachers and the principal wore jeans.

“Well, I was late today and am supposed to pick my schedule up from here,” I answered her, trying to muffle my laughter. She looked so ridiculous.

“Alright! I’ll see if I can find it,” She smiled at me, while pulling out a large stack of folders. “What’s your name honey?” She asked

“Ashley Benson,” I replied while looking for the folder or binder she was trying to find myself. I could already tell she would need the help.

 I spotted the binder she was supposed to be looking in immediately, but she had started to search through folders, boxes, and stacks of paper. I even saw her shoot the computer a wary look, probably thinking about raking the files on it for my schedule.

“Actually, I don’t think you’ll find it there. I’m not a new student and unreceived schedules are supposed to be in there, I think.” I told her as politely as I could, pointing at a binder labeled ‘Schedules A-D’. Realizing it was right under her nose the teacher numbly nodded and gave me the binder. It was obvious she was ashamed of her helplessness.

“Thanks! Go ahead and look for your schedule. I think it’ll be quicker if you look for it.” She added shaking her head. She was probably ashamed that a student had found the binder sooner than she had. It was a situation nobody wanted to be caught in, especially not a new teacher at this school. She would be labeled one of the easier people to influence immediately.

“No problem. By the way, are you a new teacher here? I’ve never seen you around here before,” I asked her kindly. Getting on the good side of the teacher who was in charge of our schedules and the attendance could be nice in the future. She could end up very helpful... It’s not like I cut class or anything, but getting schedule changes whenever I wanted was definitely a good thing to have within reach.

“Yes, and as you can see I haven’t gotten settled in yet,” She said indicating at the large pile of folders and boxes that are usually neatly stowed away on the shelves and in the drawers. I was about to reply when she glanced at the clock. “Now run along or you’ll be late for class.” She told me, oblivious to the fact that I had already missed a class.

“But, wait. Why didn’t you get your schedule before first period?” She asked me realizing the time.

“Family issues,” I replied shortly. I didn’t want to have her questioning me. My friends would do that job.         

“Oh, well I won’t mark you late this time, since you helped me out, but pay more attention next time,” She told me, already letting me get away with missing a period. “Now get to class.”

 I slowly started heading to the door praying the bell would ring before I left so that she would have to give me a note and my tardy would be excused. I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it to class in less than a minute. I was already reaching for the door when the bell rang on me. Staging a sigh I turned back to the teacher.

 “Can I please, please have a late pass? My teacher is going to kill me if he see’s I’ve been late for no reason.”  I asked her in an acted urgent voice. She didn’t need to know that I wasn’t that worried about being late. That was a piece of information I could harmlessly keep to myself.

“Alright, but just this once.” She told me while scribbling a note.

“Thank you.” I called behind me and with that I charged out of the room as fast as I could. Adding extra minutes to my tardiness wasn’t doing me good.

Heading through the silent hallways I began to ponder about what had happened that morning. Why had my parents been so happy and worried at the same time? They had been proud that I had done something that was only supposed to happen in stories. They told me during the rush that this would mean a few changes but they would be for my good. They told me they would explain everything tonight. I didn’t believe them though. No normal human would stand there and happily watch their child morph. A normal person would probably be calling the mad house or something, but not my parents. They actually called my brothers away at collage to tell them the ‘good news’!

I came to a halt when I realized I was standing in front of the class room door. Sighing I pulled it open grinning sheepishly, while the unknown teacher scowled at me.  I didn’t know the teacher and I realized my mom might have been right about this one thing. The class had been changed.

I was expecting my classmates from last year all to burst out laughing but none did. If the teacher didn’t know about our routine from last year, I at least expected my classmates to realize it. Instead all of the new, unknown students were staring at me and I saw no familiar faces. There were also only about 20 people in here compared to the usual 30-40. How could have I ended up in this homeroom? I was always with Hannah, my best friend since our last names both started with B.

My smile quickly dropped and I stood there, my whole body frozen into this spot. The teacher was a young, petite woman with brown hair and blue eyes. It was obvious from the way she looked at us that she was one of the nicer teachers in the school that I didn’t yet know. She also couldn’t be above the age of 25. To top that I had probably already gotten on her wrong side because I thought I would be in my normal class from last year with Mr. Henson. 

Slowly she raised her eyes to mine and tapped her fingers on the desk, while the whole room stared in silence. Not one of them made an effort to say anything to anyone. I could only begin to ponder what was wrong with this class, and what was wrong with me.