The Dark Ones

ding doors. The clouds ahead cast a morose tone over the day that reflected her mood. The parking lot was full but seemed to lack color today. Even the trees around the lot were dull an

tance beyond obsessing over how many likes their latest social media post received, or whatever bandwagon cause they were championing today. They were the reason older peo

ll had patches of pink stains all over it. Georgia could see some kids pointing and sniggering at her. On another day, it might have made her cheeks burn with embarrassment. Today, she had other things on her mind. It had

f her entered, she swung her backpack over her shoulder, placing it with a light thud inside the plastic container that Mr. Weaver held out. The portly security guard looked as sullen as ever, his dark blue uniform f

s usual, he said, "Part of the

Georgia mumbled, bar

of bubblegum all the way over here?"

ey," Georgia

ys did. He pretty much loathed all students but Tyler Norton, J

er, I could have straigh

nded by a bunch of entitled teenagers that all looked down on you. On another day Georgia might have felt pity for him like she sometimes did. Today her mind was far too agitated to care abou

t straight and turned right down the first hallway. The relative silence at the entrance was instantly broken. The lights were on, which made it brighter than outside. A slew of colors and n

ople were chatting, some gossiping. All in all, it was a scene that had long since grown into one big familiar blur to her. As she reached

l the heads when Tyler Norton yell

rection as they followed Tyler's voic

actually makes you look like a g

d kept her head focused on the inside of her locker, feeling her cheeks burn with sh

Just eight more months

xt to her. Moving her locker door, she saw Benny Nunez leaning on the locker next to hers. His mouth was curled into a broad smile, perfect white teeth gleaming at her. Benny had skin the color of copper and hair as dark as night. He had a pleasant

ace, what

me that!" sn

t gave you a pink tattoo. Oh, look, this patch looks like a polar bear. That's awesome.

oor with a thud. Benny stopp

'm just not in th

Usually she enjoyed the way he was one of the only people that could divert her attention from the pangs of student life

trying to cheer you up. I can see y

tone striking a

ight. I had an awful morning and no, I do not wanna talk abou

a gave him her books

, and stuffed it into her locker, before scrunching

a stomach bug or somethi

on under the hoodie, Georgia noticed Benny steal a glance at her chest. Not there was anything to see. Georgia was as flat chested as the re

ng else teenage

shoulder. For a while they chatted about a test from the day before. Finally, the day was beginning to feel normal again. Reaching the classroom, the pair took their usual seats next to each other at the back of the class, two rows from the last one. The classroom was as bland as any other in a public school, the wal

rain makes

Mrs. Jordan entered. The wiry woman seemed flushed today. Her hawkish eyes darted around the class as she placed her bag on the table and motioned for everyone to settle down. Her auburn hair hung down the sides of her face in s

w student joining us from the New

as barely

hell is

The immature chattering of her classmates wasn't something she ever paid attention to, even at the best of times. Mrs. Jordan's voice droned

to welcome you, but also to remind you that in this class, we start

voices fading into the background as she finally found her p

all you?" Mrs. J

r out of her inattentiveness like

guttural note to it as he grun

ce might have been unfamiliar on any other day. Today, it was instantl

an't

gasp when she saw the new student for the