Young Writers Society

Alright, so I'm not going ot give much away about the story because all will be revealed soon, but I will say this:

It's about two ordinary girls who have basically known each other their entire lives but hardly spoken. One day they're thrown together to protect the innocent. A bond is formed between them, but will love break this bond. Will they stick together long enough, not only to save themselves, but all the other innocent people as well?

I walked to my seat. An average day. As always. What did I expect? Here, in my small little town, nothing ever happened. Ever.

"Hey Crystalline," Damion said, smiling. Damion was my best freind in the entire world. I loved him to death.

"Haven't I told you not to call me by my first name?" I asked. He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, and has that stopped me before?" He questioned. He sat beside me and started tapping his pencil on the desk. A girl walked in the room and sat a couple desks away.

"Nice," Damion grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh grow up," I replied. "Layla's been here since like first grade and now you're interested in her?"

"I'm just saying," Damion responded. "That's a nice little pair of jeans." I couldn't help but laugh. That was Damion through and through.

"Excuse me, Ms. Mitchel. Is there something you'd like to share with us? Do I need to load you with work today or can you handle a movie?" Mr. Phipps asked, cocking an eyebrow. I sighed. I really hated him.

"No sir," I said, ignoring the glares of the people around me. Sometimes I could be a loud mouth and sometimes people hated me for that.

My first post like this. Wish me luck!

I sat down at my desk and took out my geometry book. I didn't care that this was actually Civics class and I was supposed to be paying attention to the movie. I really needed to get my homework finished.

Mr. Phipps was asking Crystalline to stop talking and was on his way back to his office when he noticed the open book on my desk.

"Layla, you're going to have to put that away," he said softly. All the teachers knew about my conditions at home, but Mr Phipps was always the most sympathetic. My father had left years ago and since then my mother had been a drunk. After cleaning up the scattered beer cans and cooking dinner every night, there was no time for my homework.

I sighed and put away the book. I couldn't seem to focus on the movie. I was too distracted by the poor sound and black and white picture.

A few seats away I noticed some guy watching me. I remembered his face from back in elementary school but I couldn't recall his name.

"Damion," I whispered, snapping my fingers in front of his face. "Eyes on the movie. Not on Layla." He smiled.

"She keeps glancing over here. She knows I'm looking, and I'm betting she likes what she sees," he laughed. He ran a hand through his unruly, curly brown hair. I rolled my eyes.

"Feeling cocky today?" I asked. Damion grinned.

"With a face like this, I can be cocky." I knew he wasn't really this egotistical, but he wasn't that hard on the eyes. He just prefered to sit in the back and let the others take the lead.

"Whatever, Damion," I said, pinching his cheeks. "You'll always be a little cutie to me. I mean look how fat those little cheeks are." He patted away me hand and elbowed me playfully in the ribs. Damion wasn't fat at all, and he certainly didn't look like a baby, but I knew he hated it when I did that, so of course, I couldn't resist.

I looked out of the window. It was starting to get a little cloudy. Please don't rain, I thought. Please, please don't rain. I loved the sun and I knew when it rained, I wouldn't be able to go skateboarding with Damion.

I looked down at my hands folded in my lap and smiled to myself. This guy was cute but nothing extraordinary. He probably wasn't really interested in me anyway. I wasn't interesting or popular and certainly not good-looking. I was just the quiet, short redhead with no friends.

I looked back up and glanced in his direction. Crystalline was squeezing his cheeks as if he were a child. I laughed a little too loud at the sight and a few people near me shot angry glares at me. I ignored them and thought about how different my life would be if I had a friendship like theirs. They always seemed so at-ease with each other.

I gave my head a little shake to get out of the mopey mood. I'd never had a lot of friends. No need to start complaining now.

I was very tempted to lay my head down on the desk and catch a quick nap when I heard thunder in the distance.

I yawned. Now was not the time to nod off, I thought. Knowing my luck, Phipps would walk in ranting about sleeping during a movie or how he could hear our whispered conversations from his office. I sighed. No sleeping today.

"Would you look at that," Damion said. I looked at him, smirking, but my expression vanished. Instead of him looking a Layla he was looking out the window. Outside it looked horrible. The clouds were a sickly gray and they looking like they were spinning. Like the beginning of a...tornado. My eyes widened. Just then the intercom came on.

Ladies and gentlemen, we're having a tornado warning. It seems that the news was mistaken. We had two hot and cold fronts hit at the same time suddenly without warning. If everyone would get to a secure location immediately! This is not a drill.

Everywhere around me desks were being moved, and kids were taking cover. I looked at the window. It had formed fast and was now touching the ground, heading straight towards us!. Phipps was yelling and trying to get the kids to saftey. It was like something started turning in my brain. I had to save everyone.

I ran out the classroom and towards the door. Outside the winds was outrageous, but strangely, my body was sturdy. The tornado was getting close. My hip length brown-blonde hair swirled in a crazy mess around my face. Then I felt another presence. A girl. Layla.

"Get back inside!" I yelled over the raging wind. "It's not safe!" She shook her head. We looked up and the tornado heading straight ofr the school. I threw my hands up just as Layla did and something fire erupted from them. I watched awed as water sprung from Layla's own hands. Then, the fire and water touched. Sparks flew and formed an almost transparent sheild around the school.

"Get down!" I yelled at her. Once again she shook her head and the tornado hit our barrier. Ipushed her behind me. I had to protect her. Then, it spun away, almost as if it had been BLOWN away. I wobbled on my feet a little. What had just happened?

I remember seeing the tornado coming straight at our school. Somehow I knew that there was something that I could do to help these people. People that I'd known for so long but never bothered to talk to. I had to do what I could to save them.

I ran outside to stop the tornado. Crystalline was already there. She was yelling something at me but I wasn't paying attention. We both put our hands in front of our faces and that was when things got strange. Something happened. Fire started erupting from her hands and water from mine. When they both collided some kind of shield formed around us and the entire school.

When the tornado turned around and began traveling in the other direction, my knees suddenly gave out and I collapsed.

I woke sometime later to the sound of someone calling my name.

"Layla!" I yelled. I sat on the ground and pulled her out of the dirt. She was surprisingly light. She groaned. I knew this had to be a shock for her. Hell, it was a shock for me too.

"Layla," I said, gently. We needed to get up and out of here before someone saw us.

"Crystalline!" I relieved voice shouted at me. I looked up into Damion's tense face. "What were you thinking?! I was scrambling around, looking for you, and then you're gone! I was so worried!" Damion's eyes traveled to the girl who was now opening her eyes.

"What happened to her?" He asked. I shrugged. Damion was my best freind, but some things you keep a secret. It was for his own good as well as my own. I didn't need him to think I was crazy.

"She just kind of fainted when she saw the tornando," I replied. Layla struggled to sit up and I helped her.

"Crystalline?" She asked. She looked at me with wide, scared eyes. I gave her a warning look, and kept calm. We needed to keep this a secret. As if she heard my thoughts Layla sighed.

"Stupid tornando. It scared me to death," she sighed. I smiled. She was a pretty good actress. I don't know why, but I felt a sudden need to be near her. To protect her. I didn't ant anything to happen to her.

"I'll get you to the nurse's office," I said, grimly. She nodded and I helped her up. Later we would talk, but for now, I needed to make sure she was okay.

"Crystalline?" I groaned. I started to ask what happened but there was someone else with us. The guy from Mr. Phipps's class who was watching me. I had the feeling that Crsytalline didn't want to talk about what happened so I didn't say anything.

She offered to take me to the nurse's office. I was glad I wouldn't have to walk there alone. I didn't know what happened but I was sure that I should be looked at after passing out.

I got up slowly with Crystalline's help. My arm and the side of my hand was bleeding and there was a sharp pain in my hip from the fall. Crystalline put her arm around my waist and I put my arm over her shoulder and she helped me limp down the hall towards the nurse.

When we'd gotten out of earshot of Damion, I looked up at Crystalline and asked, "So what do you think happened back there?"

I kept walking at her question. I didn't know and she didn't know. I had the feeling that this wasn't just going to fade away, though.

"I'm not sure," I replied. "It's really weird. There was fire...and water and then the tornado was gone. I really don't want to know," I said. It was actually quite the opposite of what I was feeling. I wanted to know everything.

"This is all so strange," Layla replied, quietly. I nodded. It was too strange for my liking.

"Yeah, strange," I responded, more to myself. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was...different. I looked at my free hand. The one that wasn't helping to support Layla. It looked ordinary. Fire couldn't have shot from my palm. It would be burnt.

"Do you think that we-?" Lalya asked, letting the question trail off. I gave a one shoulder shrug.

"I don't know. I just remember fire being so close to me. I didn't feel the heat though. It was like it obeyed me," I replied. I blushed a little. I knew how stupid I sounded. Layla gave me a look and I glared at her. Well, she could think I was crazy if she wanted, but I know what I saw. What I felt. It wasn't normal. We weren't normal.

*Sorry it took me so long to psot this*

Crystalline were on our way to the nurse. I asked her about what she thought had happened. As she told me, all I could do was stare. What she was telling me was exactly what I was thinking.

"You know what's funny?" I asked hesitantly. "I know exactly what you mean. I felt the water coming but somehow I knew that I had complete control over it." I paused and thought more about what I was saying. I knew what I must have sounded like. Maybe I hit my head on the concrete when I fainted earlier.

"Crystalline? Do you think...?" I said again, still unable to finish the question. I didn't want to say out loud what I was already thinking. Humans couldn't control fire and water. So what did that make Crystalline and I?

"Listen, Layla," I said, abruptly. "Whatever happened is a mystery to me. All I know is that God has a sense of humor. We couldn't have done anything." Could we? I mean, that's just ridiculous.

"I know but-"

"But what?" I asked, angrily. She shrank back a little. I sighed. I didn't want to hurt her feelings and I knew that this wasn't just going to go away, but I had to try to make it go away.

"Crystalline! Layla!" A voice yelled from down the hall. At first I thought it was a teacher, it sounded so mature and steady, but there was something about it. Something familiar. I turned to see Triston.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped. He gave me an amused smile.

"Seeing if you were okay. You know...alive. You scared me half to death when I saw yo both bolt from the classroom," Triston replied. I blushed a little.

"Well we're fine. I'm just taking Layla to the nurse's office to-"

"What's wrong?" He asked. "Here, let me help you." Triston walked in front of me and was about to scoop Layla up when I pushed him aside with my free hand.

"I said we were fine Triston. We don't need your help. I've got everything under control," I replied. I remember I used to have a crush on him. When he moved here this year, but I cold see he was shallow and vain. Beauty isn't everything, and one day he would learn that.

"At least let me help you carry her. You seem to be struggling," Triston responded. I kind of was. I mean, we had stopped a lot in the hall and my back was starting to ache, but I hid that.

"I'm completely fine. So if you would just get out of the way," I said using my free arm to wipe it across the air. Showing him that I needed room to get out.

"Are you okay, Crystalline?" He asked. "You seem off and...moody." I rolled my eyes. If he knew me at all, he would know that's how I got when I was in crisis mode. Crystalline crisis mode.

"Bye Triston," I said, not bothering to answer him. It was time I got Layla to the nurses office. Then we were going to skip. I needed to go home and she was coming with me.

We left the guy standing there in the hall staring after us. I thought I heard Crystalline call him Triston. I remembered when he'd moved here but I never paid attention to him, just like I did everyone else. I didn't know enough about him to really have an opinion of him but Crystalline seemed to dislike him. I knew she must have been getting tired from supporting my weight but she still refused his help. Why? Maybe he'd offended her sometime in the past.

"Crystalline," I said, "I think I can walk on my own."

"No, I've got you," she said stubbornly. "Besides, we're almost there."

"Really, Crystalline. I'm..." She cut me off with a glare.

"Anyway, thanks for helping me. I know you could have just left me there."

"It's no problem." She looked more compassionate than I thought she could when she said this.

We were almost to the nurse's office now. Only one more hallway.

"By the way, was that Triston back there?" I asked.

"Yes," she answered tightly.

I just stared up at her. The look I'd seen a few moments ago was gone. She was closed off again, so I decided not to ask any more questions.

We made it to the nurse's office. I opened the door with my free hand. The school nurse was a short, stubby woman with a sweet face.

"What happened, ladies?" she asked, alarmed.

I hesitated as she stared at me. Crystalline noticed that I didn't know what to tell the woman, so she took over. "Layla tripped and fell. I think she may have hit her head." I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I wasn't the type of person who just tripped and fell. I didn't have a dancer's grace but I wasn't clumsy either.

The nurse obviously didn't know this. She immediately started asking questions about where I was hurting and if I was dizzy at all. We stayed in her office for almost fifteen minutes while I told her that I felt fine. We left as soon as she gave us permission to go. When we stepped out the door, we were shocked to see Triston and Damion standing there waiting for us.

Crystalline

"Crystalline!" Damion practically shouted. I couldn't read his face at all. This was a first. "What the hell were you thinking? I mean first you run straight towards the tornado and then Layla's passed out. You start acting all weird and I don't even know what to think!"

"Thanks mom," I said sarcastically. "What? Am I grounded now?" Damion obviously didn't find this funny.

"Are you okay Layla?" He asked. She nodded. I guess she wasn't too comfortable with people. I noticed she tended to stick to herself. Triston smiled at us.

"I can take you both home," he offered. It was tempting, but that was the last thing I wanted.

"You both should get back to class, don't you think?" I asked.

"Why? Everyone is leaving with their parents. Besides, shouldn't you be going to class," Triston smirked. "It was quite obvious you were going to skip."

"I would rather walk," I replied. Layla didn't look like she knew what to say.

"I can drive," she responded. I looked at her.

"Oh. Well then problem solved. You can take me right Layla?" I wasn't really going to make her take me home if she didn't want to, but I certainly didn't want her to disagree in front of everyone. Layla nodded.

"Bye Triston," I smiled as he sighed while we walked to the doors.

"Thanks for that," I whispered to her. She looked confused.

"What?" She asked.

"For going along with it. My house is just down the block. I really don't need a ride," I said. "I just didn't want Triston to take me home." It wouldn't be that bad, but I really don't like him. There's just something abot him that seems...off.

"I'll take you Crystalline, I don't mind," Layla repled. I shook my head.

"I actually like walking," I smiled. "But I do need a favor." She tilted her head, her red hair falling over her shoulder.

"Could you come by this afternoon. I'm sure you noticed but...we do need to talk," I said. Layla bit her lip.

"I don't know," I responded. She must have responsibilties.

"Then just call this number," I said, taking out a pen and scribbling it on her palm. I grinned and saluted her before heading off.

I shot out of there like a bat out of Hell. I needed to go home and rest. For all I know, maybe Layla and I were hit in the head when that tornado came by. Fire and water do NOT erupt from people's hands. It just wasn't real.

A car slowed behind me. I looked around and saw Triston, an eyebrow cocked. Shit, I thought. He pulled alongside me, parked and walked next to me. I stopped.

"Is there a problem?" I asked. He looked amused.

"No. I was just wondering where you're...freind was," he shrugged.

"I told her I didn't mind walking. I still don't mind and it's been really nice chatting with you and all but I'd really like to go home."

"Nonsense," he smiled. "I refuse to leave unless you let me take you home."

"Triston I really don't have the time and-"

"Crystalline I'm not leaving. Get in the car," he said, interrupting my softly with a seductive ring in his voice. I swallowed and nodded. He smiled a little and opened the door for me.

"Now. How are feeling. Looks like you've just seen a ghost. I think you need a nice little fire," Triston said, looking at me from the driver's seat.

"What?" I asked, startled. Trsiton's eyes lit up like he had just solved the last peice to the puzzle.

"Not to worry, little Crystaline. I think we should visit Layla. Maybe bring her some water. She can't be doing any better," Triston seemed to be enjoying himself. He knew. He knew everything.

"Let me out," I replied, quietly.

"Oh but Crystalline why? You look so sick. Maybe I should take you to the hospital. Or maybe my house?"

"Let me out of the fucking car Triston!" I screeched. "There's my house now let me out."

He pulled in my driveway and I lepted from the car. he rolled down his window and his seductive gray-blue eyes bore into mine.

"I'll see you soon my little Crystalline," he laughed, gently.

I darted into my house and curled up on my bed. This was really starting to freak me out. I just wanted it all to end.

I reached under my mattress for the razor I used to use to cut myself with. I hadn't done it in so long, I was actually getting better, but I couldn't handle this. Dad wasn't getting any better and mom was still in the loony bin. I sighed and was about to slide the sharp blade across my skin when a sudden thought stopped me.

"Layla," I whispered. What if Triston went after her? This couldn't happen. I had to help her.

There it was again. That feirce need to protect her. I didn't think about it. I threw my jacket on and ran out the door. I just hope I remembered where she lived.

I sprinted down the road, arms pumping by my side. Good thing she only lived a couple blocks away from me. I was out of shape.

I saw the outline of her house and pounded on the door. Layla answered almost immedietly.

"Layla!" I almost shouted. "We need to talk."

"

I opened the door and saw Crystalline, standing on my front porch panting.

“We need to talk,” she shouted at me.

For a moment, all I could do was stare at her. Since when did Crystalline have a reason to come to my house?

“Sure, Crystalline. We could-” I broke off. It would make sense for me to invite her in but I hadn’t gotten around to cleaning up the house yet.

“Why don’t we take a walk?” I suggested, holding my face down to hide my shame.

“Sure,” she said and turned and we both started down the street.

“So what did you want to talk about?” I asked after several moments of silence. I was pretty sure I already knew what she was going to say.

“We need to figure out what happened today at school,” she answered.

I thought hard about what she was saying. Surely she didn’t think that there was a rational explanation for what happened.

“Crystalline,” I began slowly. “I don’t think I know what you mean. What happened today was impossible.”

“Obviously not, since it did happen,” she said icily.

“You know what I mean.” I was starting to get a little frustrated by the whole situation. “Look, Crystalline. Can’t we talk about this tomorrow? I really feel like I’ve had enough for one day.” And I still hadn’t gotten around to my usual afternoon tasks, like cleaning up, cooking, and the huge homework load that I had everyday.

Crystalline looked like she was about to argue but something about my face made her change her mind. When I looked up at her I saw her face soften.

“Alright, Layla. I guess that can wait for one day.” She had a finger to my face to emphasize her point. “But we will talk about this tomorrow.”

“Fine,” I said and then started turning back towards my house. “Well if you don’t mind, I need to get home.”

“Yeah, I understand.” We walked in silence for a while and we were almost at my driveway when Crystalline spoke again.

“There was actually something else I needed to talk to you about,” she said. I was instantly wary. What else could there be?

“It’s Triston,” she said.

“What about him? I barely know the guy,” I said.

Crystalline was about to say something else when a car pulled up beside us and Triston stepped out.