Chapter one: I Meet Trouble
I sit bolt upright.
The dream was so gruesome, like something out of a horror movie.
It was bad enough to make me walk over to my door and check it to see if I had remembered to lock it before going to bed.
You see, my room has two doors.
One leads outside onto the patio and one leads to the hall, but both are shut and the outside one is locked.
My breathing slows and my heart rate goes back to normal speed.
Then I remember the dream and I begin to panic all over again.
It was about my Mom, who I never knew because she died in a plain crash fourteen years ago.
My dad remarried my stepmom Nicole.
She is so beautiful.
Nicole has long brown hair and she wears glasses and she is thin and just plain wonderful.
But I'll describe her more later.
Oh crap!
I'm getting ahead of myself again.
I always seem to do that.
I'm sure you have lots of questions I'll need to answer.
Some of them I'll answer in just a second so hold on.
The thing with me is I suck at explaining things.
So I'll do the best I possibly can.
I know you want to know what I look like, who my friends are, what's my favorite kind of ice cream, what I get when I add 1 + 1...
Okay. I just threw in the last two to see if you were paying attention.
But for now, I'll describe myself a bit.
I'm sure I can put most of those questions off until I describe my friends, but you probably need to know my name.
And you want to know my name first.
So I'll start with that for you, and I'll even share my middle name, which I hate.
My name is Camilla Adrianna Zakorski.
But you better not call me Camilla.
The last time another kid called me that, I punched her in the face and broke her nose.
I go by Cam, which I think is easier to say anyway.
But apparently some people don't think so, because a lot of people, namely my dad and my three halfsisters Pallas, Jenny, and Misty, insist on calling me Camilla.
My stepmom Nicole, always calls me Cam, which I think is super sweet considering she's the only one at home who does.
I'm quiet, and think I'm invisible when I'm at home, but at school I talk up a blue streak.
No seriously, bring up any place you want, and I'll prove I can talk there too.
I really do talk a lot.
The thing is, I never know when to shut the heck up.
I can talk during class, during lunch and lunch detention, during locker breaks, in the halls, in the restroom… basically, you name it, I can talk there.
I have four great friends, love to sing, and think my dreams suck.
I'm not the overall super-sticious type, but for me, my dreams have always come true.
For example, I dreamed my little halfsister Pallas would have plastic surgery on her face when she was twelve, and guess what happened?
We're all pinching pennys to save money for it.
I mean we have done a ton of things to see if we can help Pallas, so she could have the surgery.
She really needs it too.
She was involved in a freek accident a year ago, and needs something to cover up her scar.
We're doing everything we can to save money.
No extra food at the grocery store, Dad and Nicole turned their phones off, we had garage sales, bake sales, car washes, you name it.
But I'm off toppic again, which I hate doing.
I'll simply tell you about my dream.
The dream I had tonight started off with me meeting my mom.
I was in bad shape too.
I was on some adventure thingy, when she just kind of showed up out of nowhere.
Don't you just love that?
I had a bruise down my right cheek, my arm was twisted probably broken, and my long strawberry blonde hair was a tangled mess.
I was getting ready for bed in the middle of Las Angelas while a guy and a girl kept watch.
I saw a blinding flash of light and my mom materialized out of nowhere.
She had curly blonde hair that was super thick, and round gray eyes.
She wore a bracelet with an owl charm on it, and she had a big smile.
She sat down to talk to me and to examine my arm, which I quickly moved, so she wouldn't see my gruesome mangled mess that was my arm.
Then the dream changed.
I saw five kids who looked in really bad shape.
Maybe they were homeless or someing.
I didn't know, but they did move like they had somewhere to be.
One dude looked like he was from California or something.
Minus the blonde hair.
He had sea blue eyes and dark black hair, and he looked worried.
Next to him stood a girl with spiky black hair and green eyes with a lot of eyeliner on, and she was wearing a lot of bracelets.
She was talking in an annoyed tone to the guy with the blue eyes.
"Percy, I know your scared about Annabeth. But in all honeesty, we need to keep moving. You know that's quickest way to get to her. Just let's hope nobody gets lost in the land without rain." she said.
"Thalia, Annabeth is important to me. More important than this stupid quest. I agree that we should hope nobody gets lost in the land without rain. Let's just not take anything." said Percy.
Beside Thalia stood a boy wearing jeans big shoes and a Rosta cap.
He was playing pipes until Thalia asked him to stop.
"Grover, your ppaying is driving us all crazy." said Thalia.
Behind them stood two girls, who were involghed in an impportant conversation.
One had long straight brown hair, and brown eyes the color of chocolate.
The girl beside her had glossy black hair black eyes, a round face, and a slim frame.
The girl with brown hair said, "We need to free Artimis. Thy lady is thow supreme protecter Bianca."
"Zoe I will do my best... aughghgh!"
Bianca's scream was so loud it shook the hole dream.
When it refocused, I saw this horified version of Bianca holding something out to the boy called Percy.
They were in the of a junk yard, and somehow a metal giant started chasing them.
Bianca climbed inside the giant to give the others time to get away, but the giant colapsed tearing the girl apart.
The girl had said, "Cam, free me."
How had she known my name?
Did this really happen?
"Camilla, get up." Dad calls downstairs.
Dad wakes me up before he leaves for his job.
Dad is a waiter at the Appleleaf diner.
He has bright red hair that's super thin, and almond shaped green eyes.
He's loud and outgoing and loves to talk.
Maybe that's where I get it from.
But that's beside the point.
I just thought you should know that about me and my dad, our looks and personalities.
I get up and dressed, on the last day of school, not knowing that trouble is right around the corner.
"Camilla don't forget your phone." Dad calls out running out the door.
"It's Cam Dad, and I didn't forget. It's in my pocket."
"Okay Hon. I won't be home when you get back. My shift is lasting longer than usual, and my phone is turned off to save money for Palas's plastic surgery, and so is Nicole's."
"Okay Dad, I love you. See you this afternoon, um whenever you get home. I might stop by the diner to get a muffin or something after school. Okay?"
"Fine! Love you ki.o."
I race out the door a few minutes later, â ” order to meet my band mates, Yevon Maxwell, Zoey Jenkons, Trinody Hamond, and Becca Martenez.
My band mates and I are all very different.
For starters, there are our looks.
I have straight strawberry-blonde hair, and almond shaped stormy gray eyes.
I'm almost always seen in a dark tee shirt and jeans or shorts, with six different earrings in my ears.
I have three holes in each ear.
My ears were pierced that many times by accident when the piercing lady misheard my dad who said, "She's six, so give her earrings that you think are appropriate," as "Give her six earrings, she wants something appropriate."
She must have thought we were pretty messed up, but she gave me six studs.
Then there's Yevon Maxwell.
She has curly red hair, and green eyes, and always wears a skirt and fancy shirt.
She says that looking great is important to her.
Becca Martenez has long black hair, olive skin and sparkly brown eyes, and you can always find her in a pair of jeans and cute shirt.
As for Trinody Hamond, she is a leggings and shirt kind of girl.
She's got long honey brown hair and brown eyes.
Finally there's Zoey Jenkons who has frizzy brown hair and blue eyes, and is kind of a casual dresser.
For another, there are our personalities.
I'm a serious smart girl who likes music.
Yevon is an artistic girl with fashion and she wants to be a fashion-designer someday.
Trinnody's a quiet shy girl who likes to dance and sing, but hates public speaking.
Becca is an outgoing athletic girl who is always moving.
Zoey is a buisness-like comedian.
She's so sweet and smart.
Finally there are our life stories.
You already know mine, so here's the short version.
My name is Camilla but I go by Cam.
I'm fourteen and in the ninth grade at Marshall Academy where I'd been going since kintergarden.
My Mom died in a plane crash when I was two months old, leaving Dad as a single parent until he remarried Nicole, and had three kids.
Yevon's parents divorced three weeks ago and she's torn to pieces about it.
The poor girl is so sad.
Yevon is an only child, which according to her, just makes it worse.
Zoey's parents are still together, and she has a sister, Maria.
Her mom is pregnant.
Trinnody is so quiet about her background.
Like me, she is from a mixed family.
Like Yevon, her parents are divorced.
Her parents divorced three years ago.
Trinnody has three sisters and six stepsiblings.
Her sisters are Maya, Athena, and Colisto. Her stepsiblings are Jake, Alice, Mike, Carla, Toney and Michelle.
Becca has no siblings, her parents are together, and she has never been picked on.
Every year on Sinko Damayo, her whole family relaxes and celabrates.
Becca doesn't come to school then, and she doesn't talk to any of us all day.
We finally meet up at the bus stop and immediately start talking.
"Wow! I love your earrings Cam." says Trinody.
"Totally, they rock." Yevon said.
I'm wearing a hoop, a pearl, a diamond, a coffee can, a feather, and a dangling earring today.
I am also wearing the last ring my mom had given my dad.
The ring is a small thin silver band with a heart and the words, "Jacob and Lexi. Parents of Camilla, Cam, 2003," stamped around the side in the tiniest letters.
My dad had originally thought that Cam would be a good name, but after Mom died, he started calling me Camilla.
I also think of Cam as a good nickname, and I'm constantly correcting him.
Anyway, I thank Yevon and Trinnody, as the bus pulled up.
Inside my head I'm like no time for sentiment girl, you have to rock another day.
Or you could let the day rock you.
That's my motto.
As we climb on the bus and look for seats, Zoey says, "Cam, I hope that isn't your earring right there. You were missing one when you got off the bus weren't you?"
I look down, and see my earring sitting next to my arch enemy Pam.
She grins wickedly.
I am filled with anger, and sadness.
I can never get my earring back, and it was my Mom's before she died.
It is shaped like an owl.
I reach across and pull it from her hand, then go to join Becca, Yevon, Zoey, and Trinody.
"Wow Cam, your so brave. Pam is so mean. How do you not yelll at her and then get in trouble? Every kid who's tried gets in trouble, but when Pam does something like punching a kid, she's rewarded." says Becca angrily.
Becca's nose is still red from the time Pam had punched her two days ago.
Ever sense then, she hasn't been all that friendly towards her.
I don't feel nice toward her either.
Especially after she stole that earring of my Mom's.
As the bus pulls into the school, I wonder about the special last day of school traddition.
Every year, our school puts a new traddition in place.
The school goes from kindergarden to twelth grade, so there have been a ton of new tradditions.
Here's the rundown:
kindergarden art hour: last hour of the day, the whole school gets together to make art
first grade ice cream social: the seventh hour of the school day, all the kids get ice cream cones.
second grade recess hour: sixth hour of the day, all the kids played outside.
third grade story hour: fifth hour of the day, all kids went to the library to hear a story.
fourth grade special lunch: fourth hour all kids eat lunch together.
fifth grade play hour: third hour kids play around and do whatever
sixth grade music hour: all kids listen to music during second hour
seventh grade social hour: first hour all kids get to talk
eighth grade hat day: all kids get to wear their favorite hats
Now it's time to find out what the new one will be.
As I get off the bus with my friends, I look around for clues.
Kids I'vch never seen before are milling around, laughing and talking.
So who can they be?
Movie stars?
Celebs?
I really don't know.
Brrring!
No more time for thought; Ihad to race to make it to class on time.
As I pound the halls, I see a girl with frizzy brown hair, braces and glasses, just looking around nervously.
"are you lost? Do you need help? What class are you trying to find?"
"I'm Kate, and I need to find room 816. I also want you, you little halfblood." she adds turning to face me.
I keep running, hoping I can lose her in the crowd.
It actually works, sense she stops following me.
I hope I had left Kate in the crowd, but something tells me that I will face a much bigger problem that day.
I try to put the feeling down to mass nerousness, but I can't.
Is it just my instincts, or am I actually worrying about it?
And what was with the whole halfblood deal?
Something tells me I shouldn't underestimate Kate's power.
Suddenly she catches up to me.
She lunges, but I dodge.
She'd have to try harder than that to hurt me or catch up to me.
I race down the hall in a dead sprint; no pun intended.
I _ have to race up all sorts of wierd flights of stairs to get to room 682.
I wonder how long it will take me to get there.
I know that I don't have that much time.
I can already hear Kate running after me.
Suddenly, I hear a scream of pain.
Dust floats through the air, and I begin to wease.
Dagnabbit!
As I run, I swing my backpack off my back.
I reY hope I remembered my inhailor.
I was diagnosed with asthma about three months ago, and attacks are nothing out of the ordinary.
I find the inhailor, and take five very deep breaths.
I am able to breathe again after that.
I erupt onto floor six hall a, and turn right.
Even a turtle is faster than me, I know that for a fact.
Last month when I tried out for the school soccer team, I didn't make it.
I needed more speed, or valocity or whatever.
The late bell is about to ring.
I have to run.
I am so nervous I won't make it, but something tells me that it will be the least of my many problems that day.
