001

— not-so-ordinary —

SOMETIMES SHE WISHED SHE COULD FLY, SOAR THROUGH THE SKY LIKE A STAR AND GO TO A DIFFERENT PLANET. Hazel Lillis, a not-so-ordinary eighteen-year-old girl. Her father had left long ago but her mother Marina said she took after him, the thick dark curls, caramel skin, dark chocolate eyes and the lucky nature to get caught in every bad situation. But Hazel was still tall like her mother, with red rose lips and a heart as vast and generous as the open sky.

Hazel was a dedicated enough as a student, consistently earning decent grades and garnering medals and plaques for her exceptional contributions to the school's farm and senior garden. Her dedication to agriculture and the community was evident in her awards. However, alongside her accomplishments, her academic journey was marked by a contrasting aspect—a series of suspensions and involvement in school fights, which left a noticeable blemish on her otherwise promising record.

One of those fights had come nearly two years ago when Hazel slammed one of the senior boys into the lockers. The boy, Trent, a nasty kid, jumping between schools all over the state, thought he could push himself onto the younger girls. The unfortunate girl was Rachel Roth; a girl with black and blue hair, pale skin, blue eyes and usually kept to herself, quiet in the back of the classroom.

The girl just two years and four months younger than Hazel was collecting her books from her locker when Trent tried to force a kiss from Rachel. Hazel was quick to step in, warning him to back off but he laughed at her, and Hazel slammed him face-first into the blue lockers, splitting his lip open.

Hazel found herself in detention, sitting alone in the pale blue room, her earphones blocking the constant buzz of the light and ticking from the overhead fan. Hazel's eyes focussed on the book in her hands, and she didn't notice Rachel step into the room until she kicked Hazel's chair.

Hazel jumped up and Rachel smiled. Rachel slid into the seat next to Hazel as the older girl pulled her earphones out and closed her book. Hazel clicked the rock music off and smiled. "Hey."

"Hazel, isn't it?" Rachel asked and she nodded. "I wanted to say thanks."

Hazel chuckled, her fingers tapping against the pen-marked desk. "We'll, I'm more than happy to help. Trent's usually a dumbass."

"True." Rachel held her hand out, smiling, "I'm Rachel. By the way."

Hazel took Rachel's hand shaking it. A surge of power rushed over Hazel's skin, and she tore her hand back, her heart racing. Hazel stared at Rachel's face, her regularly pale skin and blue eyes, blackened, dark as shadows with the veins and nerves running down her face to match. Hazel's shocked expression matched Rachel's, who stared into Hazel's bright green eyes.

Hazel Lillis, the not-so-ordinary, eighteen-year-old girl who could manipulate plant life.

❁

March 1st, 2019

HAZEL STIRED HER TEA WITH ONE HAND, THE OTHER FLIPPING THROUGH THE PAGES OF THE BOOK. She had woken up that morning to grey skies, thick clouds and the threat of rain. Hazel tossed a handful of seeds out into the grass for the little robins and blue jays scattered across the garden before retreating to the kitchen to grow herbs for dinner that night.

The kitchen was very modern, with sleek white countertops, stainless steel appliances and matching utensils hanging from the cabinets. The large window floods the space with the grey colour from outside, thankfully the lush greenery on shelves and hanging planters at least gave the kitchen some colour. Hazel sat at the counter; the kettle still warm from when she made tea.

"Morning flower," Marina called with a smile. Hazel hummed, still keeping her eyes on the book. She walked to Hazel and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, avoiding the flowers Hazel had started to grow through her hair. She looked over the bench at all the herbs set up and squeezed her daughter's shoulder. "Already have dinner plans I see?"

Hazel closed her book and looked up. "I have music after school, so I won't be able to help cook," Hazel reasoned. "So, I was just thinking Stir Fry."

"We have to eat those prawns soon," Marina muttered. "Shall we toss them in and see how we fair?"

Hazel furrowed her eyebrows and tossed her book down the counter, "Can you put prawns in Stir Fry?" Her mother shrugged and Hazel stood, checking her bag once more. "Oh! I have Vietnamese lessons tonight!" Hazel remembered, rushing back to the living room to collect the extra books.

"I still don't understand why you dropped Spanish to learn Vietnamese," Marina called, taking Hazel's empty teacup.

"Because I already know Spanish Mama," Hazel called, her Spanish rolling off her tongue just as easily as English. "I already told you this." She rushed back to the kitchen, sliding her book in her satchel.

"I'm sure that would have been a very good insult if I could understand it," Marina muttered.

"Yeah, sure," Hazel huffed. "I gotta go, love you, Mom!" Hazel called running for the front door.

"Be safe flower!" Marina called after her.

Hazel pulled her coloured crochet jacket tighter around her, shielding her from the wind. Hazel raced over the street, stopping at the two-story brick house two houses down from Hazel's modern duplex. The taller, blond girl, Emily ran from the brick house just as the old yellow bus rolled down the street, squeaking as it stopped in front of the brick house.

Both girls smiled as they passed the bus driver, Emily sitting with her boyfriend and Hazel continuing on to sit next to Rachel. "Hey Rache," Hazel greeted, setting her bag on her knees. The bus rolled off and Hazel's brown furrowed at Rachel who still stared out the scratched windows. "Rachel."

Hazel shook Rachel's shoulder and she turned quickly, smiling softly at Hazel. "Morning Haze," Rachel murmured, her tone wavering slightly as her eyes dared around.

Hazel's eyebrows furrowed, "You all right Rache?"

Before Rachel could answer Hazel, a boy in Rachel's year jumped forward, sticking his head between Hazel and Rachel. They jumped apart and the boy cackled. "Come on..." The boy cooed. "What are you hiding from? You don't have to be shy with me." He leant close, almost sniffing Rachel's hair. "I like freaks."

Rachel turned away, trying to shield her face in her jacket. "Hey," Hazel snapped. "Leave her alone."

The boy laughed and leaned closer, his nose almost touching Hazels. "Hey, hey, hey, I like the pretty ones too," The boy went on.

Hazel clenched her jaw, ready to snap at the boy but Rachel grabbed her arm, tugging her back. "Just leave it," Rachel insisted, her eyes slightly widened. Hazel huffed, grabbed Rachel's hand and moved them down a few rows.

❁

Hazel bounced the basketball, bouncing it between each hand. She tossed it up, throwing it through the hoop with ease. The practice team cheered, and Hazel shook her arm out, her eyes watching the cheer team warm up in preparation for the big game in less than a week.

Hazel tried to focus on the swelling nervousness that usually came before the school matches but all she could focus on was the cheer team. "If you keep staring, you'll burn a hole through her head, Lillis," Stephanie called out, still lacing her gym shoes.

Hazel looked away from the team and to her blond friend. "And if you keep being an ass, I'm going to slap you, Brown." Hazel sighed and sat down, fluffing her singlet out in an attempt to cool down.

"It's been a week," Stephanie said, slapping Hazel's shoulder.

Hazel groaned, her eyes focusing back on the cheer captain Jessie Lee. A tall girl, with waved long gold hair, and eyes darker than Hazel's. The cheer uniform was white, blue and grey, the blue highlights matching the ends of Jessie's hair.

"You're daydreaming again," Stephanie teased, kicking Hazel's leg. "You know it was your fault."

Hazel sighed, "I'm very fucking aware of that."

Jessie and Hazel had been together for almost three months and Rachel was very happy to point out how similar the cheer captain and star basketball player felt like a ninety's teen movie. They were head over heels, Jessie taking Hazel shopping and Hazel taking Jessie for weekend cruises on her bike. They were absolutely enamoured with each other, never letting the other out of their sight for very long.

Then they went to Emily Bronwin's eighteenth birthday. Hazel had far too many drinks to think straight, and still, she never used it as an excuse. Never excused that she hooked up with her ex-boyfriend Ryder. They left on a somewhat comfortable note, both agreeing to be civil but never anything more than that.

"You know you're an asshole? Right?" Stephanie teased and Hazel nodded.

"I have to shower," Hazel groaned, pushing herself up. Stephanie stammered. "You were an hour late, and I have to get to music."

"It's nearly four!" Stephanie shouted.

Hazel waved Stephanie off, grabbing her bag and pushing open the gym doors. She pulled out her, quickly scrolling to Rachel who had left her a dozen unread messages.

New messages | March 1st

RaeRae

2:33 Hazel

2:33 Hazel

2:33 Haze

2:33 Haz

2:34 HAZEL

2:36 Youre practicing, sorry

2:37 Art was cancelled headed home early

2:38 see you tomorrow :)

3:40 Hazel

3:40 Hazel

3:41 You should come over after your French lessons

3:43 Vietnamese lessons I forgot

Hazel laughed, using her side to push open the doors to the girl's changing room. She dumped her bag on the benches and plopped next to it.

Haze Maze

3:59 Depends when my dumbass tutor lets me leave

3:59 I'll mssg

RaeRae

4:00 cool beans

❁

March 4th, 2019

FOR TWO DAYS HAZEL WAS LEFT TO SWELL IN HER OWN MIND. Hazel's messages and calls to Rachel had gone answered and when she questioned some of the younger kids if they had seen her the answer was a resounding no. Hazel caught the night bus home, the orange streetlamps blurring in the bus windows. Once she got to Rachel's street, she hopped off the bus, thanking the man.

Rachel's brick house was tapped off with yellow police tape, the door wide open and all the lights off. Hazel pulled her earphones out and cautiously stepped over the wet grass, rushing quickly across the road. She glanced at the grey car parked half on the road, and half on the grass before continuing up the concrete steps. She looked through the open door, only seeing up the stairs and through the hallway to the window at the end.

Hazel took a nervous breath, "Rachel?" There was a sudden thud and groan of pain and Hazel jumped, turning and sprinting down the streets. She raced up her driveway and threw the door open calling out. "Mom!" Hazel yelled. "Mom! There're police at-"

Hazel's sentence was cut short when she stepped into the living room, her mother splayed out on the floor. Hazel's breath hitched and her bag slipped from her shoulder. Her mother's hair covered most of her face, but she could see the blood smeared "Mom..." She dropped to her knees, taking her mother's shoulders and shaking her. "Mom, can you hear me?"

"She's alive..." A man cooed. Hazel spun around, looking up at the man leaning against the door frame to the kitchen. He was tall, had a tattoo on the side of his neck and wore a suit that didn't fit him properly and spun a silencer to the barrel of the gun. "But she won't be if you make a wrong choice." He stretched his arm out, pointing the gun at Hazel's forehead. He motioned toward her softly and Hazel cautiously stood.

"What do want?" she questioned, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Flower," The man repeated, stepping closer, his shoe squishing a monstera. "That's what she calls you. Pretty sunflower." Hazel seethed through her teeth and her eyes shone bright green.

The monstera grew winding around the man it pulled him to the floor. Hazel tried to pull the gun from his hands, but he pushed Hazel back and shot at her. Hazel dropped down, the bullet lodging in the painting on the living room wall.

Before the man could shoot again the door was kicked open and a tall woman stanched through. He turned to gun on her, but she kicked his head backwards before grabbing his collar and slammed him against the wall.

Hazel looked up at the woman, tightly coiled pink hair, dark skin, green eyes and a reflective purple dress. "Are you hurt?" She asked, but her voice was demanding. Hazel shook her head. "Get up, we have to go."

"Who- Who are you?" Hazel stammered.

"Someone who's going to keep you safe, you can't stay here," She snapped.

"My mom-"

"Will be fine. And you won't be if you stay and wait for the police." Hazel looked at the man and the woman held her hand out. "Let's go." Hazel took her hand, and the woman pulled her to her feet, rushing them outside.

— gods —