Chapter 1: Makeup and School

Mariac sat up hurriedly, glancing at her clock. It read 7:15.

With a start, she realized school started in ten minutes and jumped up.

Why had no one woken her up?

As she got dressed in her purple floaty dress, she realized why.

Her mother was at work, her dad was at his own house (her parents were divorced), and her sister had to go to high school, which had started twenty minutes ago.

She was alone.

She hurried downstairs, thankful she had stuffed her books in her back last night.

She grabbed a piece of toast and her iPhone and was off to the bus stop.

Turns out, the bus already left.

She arrived at school 3 minutes late, scolded by her teacher, Mrs. Robin, who was already teaching ELA to the class.

She scooted in next to her best friend Caroline, who was usually late, but today she made it on time. Caroline swished her blonde short hair around and she frantically asked what had happened.

Maria tried to explain quietly, but recived another scolding from Mrs. Robin and gave up.

The rest of her day went without a hitch. Mrs. Liza was fine, Mrs. Hill was fine, Mr. Noble was fine, and Mr. Wilson was fine.

She hurried off the bus with Caroline and walked the rest of the way home. Her and Caroline were hanging out until Alexa got home.

They messed around with the the make up and ended up looking like giggling clowns, and Caroline brushed Maria's tangled, long, dirty blonde hair as Maria attempted to put on eyeliner.

When Alexa came home she screamed as she saw the messy makeup covered table that happened to be her own.

Maria rolled her eyes as Caroline hurried out the door. What where they gonna do, use her table?

POV Sophie

Meanwhile, in the lost cities, Sophie was huddled up in Havenfield, wondering when they were allowed to come out of their homes.

There has been an explosion at Slurps and Burps, and many people had gotten hurt. The council ordered everyone to stay inside.

She had been in Slurps and Burps at the time, with Dex, and Kesler had caused the explosion. Dex and her had been fine, but not everyone else had.

Finally Edaline came up the stairs, looking stricken.

Sophie sat up rigidly. "Mom? What's happened?"

Edaline smiled sadly. "Five people are in the infirmary. Tiffan Goldleaf, Maria Vacker, Jeline Grupe, Selina Avers."

Sophie shot up and ran down to the Leapmaster.