Well this is chapter one of my new story that I felt inspired to make this easter break. It is around one-thousand words, so hopefully it isn't to short. Please rip it apart because I really want to work on correcting all of my grammatical mistakes in future written works.
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Dark clouds formed over Lakeview High that could only be a bad omen, but nothing could damper my mood today. Not bothering to chain my bike up anywhere I tossed it in the grass. I doubted anyone would steal the thing old and busted as it is. The electronic sign in front of the school read 7:12am which meant I only had three minutes to get to PE. Conscious of the time I rushed inside and down the main hallway. A few seniors and stragglers gave me strange glances as I darted down the hall. Ignoring them I kept focused on getting to the gym. I figure if I get another write up my mom is actually gonna freak. Eh, she’ll get over it, but I really didn’t want to push her. Luckily the bell rang just as I entered the gym. It took me a moment then I realized that I had forgotten to wear my gym clothes. Everyone was already doing the starting warm-up of walking around the gym.
The next hour and half seemed to breeze by without any of the excitement as jocks called it registering. Walking into Mr. Breezewood’s History of Specials class I eagerly sat down in my desk chair. Now this was a class I loved. Ann walked in and sat down in the desk adjacent to mine. As she set down her bag her light brown hair fell over her eyes, and she had to push it to the side before addressing me ecstatically.
“Hey Logan!” she excitedly said, “Tomorrow is the big day.”
A wave of relief passed through me. I was so glad she had remembered my birthday was tomorrow. Why had I doubted her? “Yep, I can’t wait.” Her mouth was half open when the bell rung.
“We can talk after class,” she whispered before turning to the board. As usual jumbles of barely legible notes were sprawled across the board. From what I could tell today’s lesson had something to do with water breathing. Ugh, what a boring subject, looks like it is time for me to sleep. Putting my head down on the table and closing my eyes made me nearly instantly fall asleep.
Someone was poking me. Bolting out of my sleep I gazed around and saw Ann looking at me mischievously. “Do you have the Answer or not Mr. Swift?” called Mr. Breezewood from the front of the classroom. I wouldn’t give Ann the satisfaction of seeing me caught of guard in my best class.
“Could you repeat the question sir?” I asked with as much politeness as I could muster.
“Do you know how most people get water breathing?” he replied. The gears in my brain were still starting up, but after a minute I thought I had the answer.
“People usually get the water breather thing when they live in the south near the hot climate and swim a lot.” I said with undeterred confidence.
“Ah, quite right Mr. Swift, but if you had been paying attention for the past hour instead sleeping you might have learned that it can also be classified as a trait inherited from a parent.” I was sure he was wrong, but I held my tongue. After he finished staring at me deciding he had made his point or whatever; he turned toward the board and began scribbling down more notes. I heard a noise to my right and turned to see Ann covering the side of her face so that I could not see what I knew were her stifled giggles. Slumping down into my chair I let my mind wander to tomorrow. What would it be like? It was different for everyone. Would I get some lame power or something worth while? Soon my life would change, tomorrow I turn sixteen.
A knock on the classroom door made me come back to reality. Flustered Breezewood strode over to the door and opened it. Mr. Sanders, the guy who took students from class for whatever reason, walked passed Breezewood and while looking at his clipboard called “Is an Elizabeth Emerald present?” I quickly looked over at Ann wondering if she knew what why she was being called. She looked just as shocked as I did. I watched her gather her books, put them in her bag and walk to the door. Before walking out the door she glanced back at me with a worried expression then she disappeared along with Mr. Sanders through the threshold.
The rest of class passed in a blur, all I could think about was Ann and Mr. Sanders. When the bell rang again I was done with school. I stopped to wait for Ann at the soda machine which I knew was on the way from Mr. Sanders office to our next class. Four and a half minutes had passed and the late bell would ring soon, so I just booked it. Darting out the nearest exit I ran a few yards then slowed to a walk.
Ah well could anyone expect me to concentrate on school with my birthday tomorrow. My mom would get all pissed again, so I couldn’t go home. Josh was still in school, so that left me with the park. The uneventful five minute walk to the park gave my mind time to wander back to tomorrow. All I could think about was what kind of gift I would get. I sure to god hope my parents didn’t have some lame gift that had a chance of being an inherited trait like water breathing. Heck if I was a girl, and I asked a guy his power, and he said water breathing I would just laugh. Multicolored leaves littered the ground everywhere. I hadn’t noticed, but I had walked right up to the foot of the old tree house. Might as well go up and hang around until school is over. Making up my mind I climbed the rickety ancient ladder into the tree house some ten feet above.
Sometimes I wonder how we were all small enough to fit in here back then. While crouching I walked over and plopped down into the red worn couch my father had given to us when we had gotten the new one. Was that really eight years ago tomorrow? Closing my eyes I drifted off.
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