Why couldn't the train ever be empty? Just once I would have liked to not be cramped against another stranger's sweat protruded body. Ugh. A round man in a wife-beater shoved his way through the crowd and made his way to the empty seat beside me. As if he could fit in it. As soon as he got there, a bewildered expression crept over his features, his eyes became sad. She just eyed him warily. Grunting softly, he put his hands up to grasp the bar above his head, spraying me with sweat. I cringed and squeezed my eyes together, pursing my lips in disgust. God damn. I thought about wiping it off, but then the foreign perspiration would be all over my hands. I settled for my shirt and gingerly wiped my face clean.

This was my typical Tuesday morning before the bell rang. I lived too far away to take a bus, so I took the train. Mom drives me sometimes when she doesn't have work, usually Mondays. She's a lawyer, so I hardly see her. Once my stop arrived, I stood up, glared at the man, and wormed my way past him and the passerby in the cart. I hopped out and made my way to the stairs leading above ground. A puddle formed at the base.

Rain. Wonderful. I pulled my uniformed jacket tighter around my body and buttoned it up before tightening the matching hair bow-hideous thing- that kept my blonde hair out of my face. My mom complained that it was so platinum in color that she feared I might be albino. I dispatched the idea off the bat. Tests the next week revealed I was normal, save thinner blood and iron deficiency- no doubt a factor from all the blood thinners I take to get rid of my throbbing headaches. The doctor prescribed me medication for anemia and I haven't taken it since.

Water continued to pool at my feet, so I thought it best to continue. One step at a time I made my way up the steps, bracing myself for the cold, hard wind that threatened to knock me over. I pushed myself through across the street to my school and ran to the door. Nothing happened. I pushed again. Nothing. Locked. Damn. Too early for the school to open its doors. It's fucking raining, for God sake! Ugh! I hit my head against the glass and slid, ungracefully to the wet ground. My short skirt rose above my thighs and wrinkled below my stomach. Skirts get shorter and shorter these days. Doesn't bother me.

"Hey, Trina, what's up?" I looked up to find Daniel hovering over me, his eyes slowly tracing my bare legs, from my sock-covered shins to my naked thighs.

"I could have stayed in bed for this." He laughed and dropped his bag which he proceeded to sit on.

"Your butt is going to be wet. Everyone one will be staring." I shrugged. I eyed the way his black curls hung by his cheeks, and his lively green eyes danced in mirth. Perfect lips twisted into a charming smile. Lady's man, except he was a dork who watched Power Rangers all day and enjoyed doing Chemistry equations. He turned to me. "Hey, did you text me this morning?"

My eyebrows furrowed slightly and took my phone out of my pocket. I waved the shut- down device in his face. "Haven't turned it on yet."

"Huh. That's strange." He pulled his out as well and began scrolling through his texts.

"What?"

"It's probably nothing." He handed me his phone.

Unknown Sender:

Must evacuate, now!

"Wow. That's weird. It's probably some prick pranking you."

"I thought that too." He shook his head, sending rain drops spiraling everywhere. I wiped it off my face and raised a brow.

"But?" I sat up, and crossed my legs, letting the material drape over my private area.

"My neighbor came out to ask me about it on my way here. He got it too." He took his phone back and fiddled with it again. I switched mine on, humoring him. After a minute nothing happened so I put it in my backpack. No sooner had I put it away than it began to buzz. I retrieved it and froze. "What is it?"

"Same." I stared at the evacuation notice. Stupid boys. Always trying to start something. I deleted it and tossed my cell back in my bag. Just then, a teacher came over and unlocked the door. "Finally." I stood up, smoothed my skirt, wiped my shoes on the mat, and headed for the girl's bathroom. Daniel decided he was going to wait outside the door.

I don't know how long I was in there for, a good thirty minutes trying to dry my skirt and hair, but I exited just as the bell rang for classes to start. True to his word, he was still there when I left. I put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure it's just a prank. Meet you for lunch in the café."

Biology has to be the most boring thing I've ever sat through, next to math. I headed to history. I had just set foot outside my math class when I face planted in the middle of the hallway. I looked up to see Jessica Parley looming over me with a sneer. The epitome of beauty. Seven time winner of the pageant contest, with a rack that would make a straight woman turn. Not to mention the honey locks that framed her heart shaped face, accented by soft eye brows and icy blue eyes. "You should watch where your walking, cupcake."

"Just slipped, buttercup." I leaned back and stared up her skirt. "Get a wax?" Her face turned beat red. "I hear there's a new invention called panties, not that I personally care your preference." Her jaw set and her eyes narrowed, dangerously sparking.

"You better watch those pretty lips. Or I'll just cut them off." She thinks I'm pretty. How thoughtful.

"You're just upset that we didn't work out, love." I pushed myself to my feet and watched her storm passed me in an effort to make it to class ahead of me. I couldn't resist. My hand lashed out and gripped her ass. "Still firm." She turned to slap me but I grabbed her wrist.

"Don't you effing dare touch me again." She snapped with her other hand and two of her cronies grabbed me and hauled off her.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing? Let me go!" I hollered. None of the teachers so much as peeked out of their classrooms. Jessica flipped her hair back and grinned triumphantly. I somehow ended up in the bathroom with two twig sized girls pounding the hell out of my stomach with their fists.

"She's been wanting to do that for a long time now." I'm sure. I gritted my teeth and ignored their little comments. Jessica just couldn't do it herself. Finally they let go of me and I sunk to the floor, heaving in pain. I clutched my stomach. I glanced at the watch on my wrist. Crap! Ten minutes late! I got to my feet and sprinted down the hallway, entering the class disheveled.

"Nice of you to join us, Miss Callaway."

"Upset stomach." I made way to my seat in the back of class. My butt hit the chair and my phone went off. Mrs. Grayer turned around.

"Miss Callaway." The black woman's eyes narrowed. "I will not tolerate disruptions in my class. That's your second strike." Could this day get any worse? I unzipped my bag while the class snickered and giggled.

"She's probably been texting in the bathroom." Jessica's voice piped up.

"That's it. Give me the phone, Callaway." My hand wrapped around my black Rant and froze as every phone in the room began buzzing and chiming. The class scrambled to shut them off and looked at each other in confusion. My heart stilled.

Unknown Sender:

Evacuate immediately. An epidemic is sweeping the state.