Alignment
Chapter One
Disclaimer: I only own my OC's here and in Wyrmling.
Carolina-Maria Francisco brushed her straight black hair back behind her shoulders. English class was just no fun when everyone sat there with nothing to say. Didn't they read? Don't they understand how crazy Romeo and Juliette is? It's not the greatest love story ever, it's the story of two young people who killed themselves days after meeting. They'll be together forever? They're crazy!
Carolina tapped the tip of her pencil on her desk. Her eyes glanced up towards the clock. She'd be out of class in three, two…one. Carolina gathered her books together and left the classroom.
"Miss Francisco!"
Carolina paused. She looked around to see who addressed her and saw her teacher, , waving at her. "Yes, Mr. Greenling?"
"Come for just a moment. I need to discuss something with you."
Carolina hesitated. It was lunch time. That was the only time she could spend with her friends Melissa and Ashley. Their schedules did not coincide at all. "Sure."
Carolina followed Mr. Greenling back to the classroom. Everyone else cleared the room. "Miss Francisco, your analysis on the romance between Romeo and Juliette is amazing! I know that you're about to graduate, but are you thinking of going to college? You have to study English. You're gifted."
Carolina frowned, "I never thought of going to college, . I guess…can I get a good job studying English?"
Mr. Greenling nodded, "Sure! You could be a teacher or an editor or a journalist or anything else you want to study."
"I guess. Do you really think I'd be good?"
Mr. Greenling smiled, "Absolutely."
Carolina shrugged, "Then I'll give it a shot, I guess."
"Great! Look up some colleges and we can go over them tomorrow. I want to make sure you go to the best college for you."
Carolina's lips stretched. Mr. Greenling was always a good teacher to her. He wasn't fake like the other teachers. He genuinely wanted to make a difference. He actually cared. "Okay. Thanks. If you don't mind, could you please excuse me. It's lunch time. It's the only time I get to see my friends."
"Of course."
Carolina nodded and walked out of the classroom. The walls of the hallway had layers of paint peeling off them. The lockers were banged up and scuffed up. No one could actually use them. Some lighting fixtures and pipes were exposed but somehow, there were some teachers who were actually amazing. And others were just full of crap. Carolina's classmates were full of crap…that they really believed to be honest truth and goodness. That's why she never spent much time with her peers. She couldn't stand them.
The high school student made her way to the lunchroom and surveyed the place. Melissa and Ashley were sitting in a corner with their heads together.
Uh oh, I wonder what gossip they have today.
Carolina sat with her friends and Ashley exploded.
"Did you hear about Senator Kelly's decision to run for office?" Ashley's green eyes popped out of her fair skin.
Carolina shook her head.
"Yeah, thank God. Senator Kelly's the only one with a clue. He knows that the mutant thing will only grow unless it's taken care of." Melissa nodded.
Carolina drew her lips into a line, "What do you mean?"
"I mean that there are only a few mutants now, but soon there will be hundreds, thousands, and maybe even millions if they continue to grow without any check."
Carolina smiled hesitantly, "I thought the mutation was something you're born with."
Ashley sighed, "Come on, Carolina. I know as well as you do that sooner or later, the mutants will find a way to make everybody mutants. A few of them are bad enough. You don't know who they are. You don't know what they can do. You don't know what could happen. You're not safe. You're not secure. You'll always be not knowing what's going on because you could be in a mutant fantasy thing. If everyone was a mutant…then forget it. We'd be in a nightmare!"
Carolina chuckled, "Were we ever actually safe to begin with?"
"You were always a mutant-lover," Melissa rolled her eyes. "Seriously, people are safer because there are only a limited number of things a human can do. A human has to rely on weapons and has to obey gravity. So it's a lot easier to be safer. Now if someone could disappear or if someone could fly, well, then just forget it. Don't even bother trying to be safe at all."
Carolina sighed. She said nothing for the rest of the meal. Her friends went on a tirade about how mutants were terrible and created all kinds of danger. Their hysteria built upon each other to the point where they stopped looking human.
Carolina-Maria Francisco spent the rest of the school day in her thoughts, not really paying attention to anyone or anything. She just wanted the day to end. She needed to talk to Lynn.
Lynn was the picture of the edgy, cool artsy type of chick. She wore wigs to school, had painted on cat-eyes, and wore bold red lipstick. She always wore a black turtleneck, jeans, and stiletto heels. Carolina felt unsophisticated next to her friend in her green tee shirt, blue jeans, and pink sneakers. Where Carolina's body was straight and slim, Lynn's body was curvaceous. Lynn was perfect.
"Hey, Lynn," smiled Carolina.
"Hey 'Smiley'. "
Carolina frowned, "Smiley?"
"Yup! I've decided to give you a nick-name. Smiley, because you smile so much…when you're happy, scared, or just feeling awkward, you're always smiling."
Carolina smiled, "Oh."
Lynn laughed, "See! You're doing it right now! Now, give me one."
Carolina shrugged, her smile still on her face. "Artsy."
Lynn rolled her eyes, "What are we, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves?"
"Hey, you're the one who called me Smiley."
Lynn paused, "You're totally right."
They started walking to the bus stop.
Carolina started the conversation again, "So did you hear the news?"
Lynn's eyebrows met and formed a line. "What news?"
"Senator Kelly is going for President of the country."
Lynn let out a semi-sarcastic and semi-shocked, "Ha!" She blinked, "Really? If he becomes President, then it'll be terrible. Mutants can't help the way they're born."
Carolina nodded, her lips were parted slightly, "I miss Jenn."
"I miss Jenn too."
"I wish she stayed in touch."
"I wish I knew if she's okay. I hope she didn't get picked up by the agency."
Carolina laughed quickly, "Could you imagine if she met Senator Kelly. What could she possibly say to him? 'Sorry, Senator, I just woke up and my tv started acting up. I wish I could help you catch other mutants, but I wouldn't even know how to help!' Could you imagine it?"
Lynn laughed, "I could! That sounds like her, brash as ever. That's what I'll call her, Brash."
Carolina sighed, "Now if only we could get her to come home."
"Yeah."
Ariel Ceylan: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated anything in like forever! For those of you who are new to me as a writer, welcome! It's a pleasure to greet you. I start slow, but things build up, I promise. For those of you who've read my work before, welcome back! I'm excited I have a new story for you. My writing has improved since Wyrmling, so I think you'll be in for a good ride. A few huge things happened this year. I wrote my honors thesis. I was inducted into Phi Sigma Tau, Philosophy Honors, Inc. Oh, I'm going on a study abroad in a few weeks. And I'm heading into senior year of college! WAAH! I'm super pumped for this! I'll update as often as I can, as quickly as I can. As usual, I will have a Q/A on the story via youtube in the middle of the story. So get your pens and put on your thinking caps! (I've always wanted to say that!) And get ready for a journey. xoxo Ariel Ceylan