My Personal Hell, D. Richardson [ebook reader browser txt] 📗

moment, staring at the ground.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t think too long. I need your answer by tonight’s practice,” I replied and turned to head to class, knowing I would get a lecture for being so late.

By the end of seventh hour I was getting nervous. She hadn’t so much as looked at me throughout the entire day. Let alone given me her answer. It was odd enough that she wasn’t throwing jokes my way. Odd enough that Jake commented on it at the end of choir.

But as we were stretching and getting ready to warm up, the entire squad walked into the gym. Led, of course, by Christine. Stacey gave me a look and I followed her over to meet them.

“Okay, how are we going to do this?” Christine asked, and Stacey, being such the wonderful person she is, gestured to me.

“Ask her, she’s the mastermind.” I had known that it would be difficult to get them to work together. But the tension in the room was so thick I could almost see it.

“We start at the beginning,” I answered and spun on my heel knowing they would follow.

Three hours and five fights later we were finally getting somewhere. The problem was that neither team trusted the other. Which was a huge problem, because we had to trust each other to catch us if we fall. And the dance team weren’t used to their feet being off the floor. The squad had to trust the dance team to teach them how to dance with their entire body and not look ridiculous.

Predictably, three of the five fights were between Stacey and Christine themselves. Both wanted to take control and neither was willing to give that control up. Until I finally had to metaphorically slap them both.

“What is wrong with you?!” I snapped as they were facing off. “This is in the best interest of both of you, and you can’t swallow your prides long enough for any of this to do any good! Pull your heads out of your asses and act like the captains you are!”

After that they agreed that Stacey would coach the squad, since we were teaching them the moves. And Christine would coach us, since they were teaching us how to fly through the air without injury.

By the end of the day, we were all about to fall over. Every last one of us was drenched in sweat. Which is what ultimately led us to quitting for the day. Turned out you needed a pretty firm hold to do what they do. But even though we were exhausted, the majority of us felt actually pretty satisfied with the day’s work.

Well, I was satisfied until I realized that I was an hour late to my combat lesson. Bastion was not happy with me. And brought the guys in to make sure I regretted it. By the end of those couple of hours I was limping, and still had to work for the next six hours. I was an hour late for that too. Though Rob was more forgiving.

Christine went far beyond my expectations over the following week and half. She had always come across as a tyrant. But in actuality she was a very good captain. Always making sure to take all of our safety into account. After practicing during and after school during the week, we finally felt ready for our performance.

So the day of the assembly all thirty six of us were grouped together in the locker rooms. Everyone was wringing their hands, glancing this way and that. The tension coming from the humans was starting to make me nauseous.

“Guys,” I snapped after I couldn’t take it anymore. “relax, we’ve got this.” Several of them actually started repeating my words under their breath. But the onslaught of nerves subsided slightly so I counted my blessings.

We still had another five minutes before all of the students were supposed to be settled down, and the principal was going to announce us. So I spent my time looking around the room. Mostly at the people in the room. We were all in our individual uniforms. The cheerleaders in the midriff showing stereotypical uniform with the skirts that look suspiciously like school girl skirts. Both pieces decked out in royal purple and black, the school colors. And then there was us.

Our tops were made to look like more of our torso was exposed than the cheerleaders, but we had flesh colored spandex that actually covered us completely. Our skirts ended at mid thigh as well, but we wore spandex shorts that covered us as far down as the skirts themselves. The sleeves went down to the backs of our hands, and I’ve never seen so much glitter in my life.

When we heard our teams come out of the speakers the cheerleaders exited first, as we had planned. I was second in line on the dance team and I watched as they ran out all pumped up and excited. Waiving their arms and jumping with every step. As the last of them got to their spots we glided out. At least that was the effect we tried to have.

The atmosphere was that of an ordinary assembly. No one cared, and no one was paying any attention. I was told that most assembly performances pretty much just consisted of the cheerleaders and dance team trying to outdo each other. So when we took our positions, scattered among the cheerleaders, people started to take notice.

For the first half of the routine the squad went high and we went low. But then halfway through we switched, throwing ourselves into the air while the they took the floor. And for the finale we joined forces. Letting the squad toss those of us who were small enough up into the air. While several of them fell into step with those of us with our feet on the floor.

By the time we were done we were all breathing heavy and sweat coated our bodies. And the audience just stared for a moment. Before they finally started applauding. But once they got started it took a few minutes for them to calm down. The principal had to tap the microphone a few times before they would stop. Christine shot me a conspiratorial look as we took our seats, and turned to the podium.

“That was a very impressive performance, congratulations. Unfortunately, I believe my news will end all of your good moods. I’ve been informed that we will not be getting any funding next year.” At his words several students started murmuring to each other, wondering what that meant.

“So, as much as I hate to say it. This will be our last year here at Rarefied High. We’ll be closing at the end of the school year. Depending on which side of town you live on will dictate which school you will be transferred to. Those of you who are allowed to drive will have your own transportation, those of you who do not will be bused to other nearby schools.” There was a complete uproar. Most of the students were complaining, while others were trying to yell out questions.

“I know you all are upset. But believe me there’s nothing that can be done for it. We’ve exhausted every avenue possible. There just isn’t anything remarkable about this school, so they don’t see any point in keeping it open any longer. I’m sorry, you’re all dismissed.” He walked away, but it looked like the students weren’t going anywhere. They were just milling around, talking animatedly with anyone willing to listen.

I stood leaning against the wall, watching, listening, seething. I had just gotten to come back to school. And this one may not be perfect, but it had every opportunity that I had always wanted. I didn’t want to have to start all over at a new school, with new people and new teachers. I’m sure that there will be people I know, but it wasn’t the same. It wouldn’t be the same halls, the same class rooms, the same teachers.

I liked most of my teachers. They actually cared about whether or not we learned anything. There was no minority here, not to the faculty anyway. No one went without the attention they needed.

I was staring at the floor, lost in my own miseries when someone snapped right in front of my face. I’ve never had to resist biting someone’s hand before, but I did then. Instead looking up into Christine’s, Stacey’s, Jake’s, Vicky’s, Seth’s, and Jane’s faces.

“It’s about time! We’ve been trying to get your attention for hours now,” Christine huffed and I looked around the room. Everyone was still there, milling around, arguing loudly. It took me a second to realize that she was exaggerating. I really needed to work on my habit of taking everything literally.

“What?” I asked, eyeing them all. All of them had their eyes glued to me like I was supposed to do something.

“Well?” Stacey asked.

“Well what?”

“What do you think about all of this?” Jake asked, almost gently, like he was probing for something.

“I think it blows. It doesn’t make any sense. Nothing remarkable? This place is so much better than other schools I’ve been to! The teachers actually care, the students get decent grade averages. There’s just so much going for everyone here! So much untapped potential…,” I cut myself off. The beginnings of an idea forming in the back of my mind.

“Finally!” Christine huffed, her shoulders dropping slightly.

“What’s the plan?” Stacey asked, her excitement bubbling out.

“I don’t know yet,” I answered slowly, doing my best to hold onto the idea that had just begun to take shape. Disappointment leaked out of every one of them, until I spoke again. “I need you guys to go get everyone. Every captain of every team, every president of every club, everyone who has a lot of influence, student council, everyone. Tell them to meet in the music room after school tomorrow. But tell them to keep it quiet and make sure none of the teachers see them.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do yet, and we have a lot of our own avenue’s to exhaust first.” They all split as soon as I stopped talking but I called Jake back. “Make sure you get Jen too.” He gave me an odd look but nodded at my request. I didn’t know why I wanted her there, but I had the feeling that I would need her and Camilla with me.

Jen met up with me after school, worry clouding her features. She could barely get a word out. And eventually I pulled her into my room and closed the door for the first time in almost two months. The effect was kind of ruined when I opened the sliding glass door that led to my balcony.

“What? What’s wrong?” I asked, standing as close as I could and it still be socially acceptable.

“Jake told me that you’re planning something to keep the school open.” I nodded, but she wasn’t done. “And that you want me and Camilla to help,”

“Yeah, what’s the problem?” I asked, not entirely sure why she was so upset with the idea.

“Dad’s on the school board.” That took a second to sink in. It just caught me off guard. Imagining the big, bad, alpha werewolf on the school board. I couldn’t imagine when he found the time.

“Why is that bad?”

“The school board votes on everything. Something like this had to be unanimous. I mean to completely disband the school board and close down the school? The state wouldn’t do it because our tests scores are above average. So it had to be an inside decision.”

“How do you know all of this?.” She shrugged as though she were uncomfortable.

“Mom made me learn it for when I’m older.”

“Why would that be considered necessary life information?”

“Well, you know,” she answered, her eyes never rising above my knees.

“No, I don’t.” She huffed out a sigh and reached up to straighten her immaculate bun.

“For when I marry or mate,