Okay Caitlin, deep breath in, and out, and in, and out, that's it, you'll do fine, it's just a school for Super Heroes, and you know people who are going there, it doesn't matter your power is useless and they'll just shove you into Sidekick class, you'll make friends.
"Catie, you excited?" Layla grinned at me as I joined her and Will who were waiting for the bus, "our first day at Sky High, wow, hey, are you okay? You look kind of green."
"Yeah, just a little nervous," I smiled weakly and they both nodded understandingly, Layla winding an arm round mine and squeezing it gently, we'd grown up together Layla and I, we'd met Will in first grade and had become fast friends, always and forever we said.
A large yellow bus soon pulled up and we got on, the driver grinning at us broadly, Will pausing beside him.
"Uh, is this the bus to Sky High?" he asked, logical question, but why did the driver slam the doors shut so fast my dark blonde hair almost got caught in them with an annoyed hiss?
"Do you want to alert all the Super Villains in the neighbourhood we're here?" he demanded in a furious whisper and I was slightly startled at his tone, how was Will supposed to know we were on the right bus if he didn't ask?
"No, sorry," Will stammered, moving towards Zach, a friend we'd met a few years back and had grown quite close to, but the driver held out an arm and stopped Will from progressing.
"What's your name freshman?" asked the driver suspiciously, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Um, Will Stronghold," Will answered hesitantly, glancing back at Layla and me but we couldn't really do anything.
The driver gasped and stood, holding a hand out to Will, "Will Stronghold, I'm Ron Wilson, Sky High bus driver, it's an honour," he grinned, then grabbed Will's shoulders and put him in front of everyone, "everyone, it's Will Stronghold, son of the Commander and Jetstream," he announced, then turned to the two people sitting behind the driver's seat, "you two, move, the seat behind the driver belongs to Will Stronghold."
The nerdy boy with glasses and dressed all in orange instantly stood, "it would be an honour sir," he said, trying to get past a stubborn looking girl dressed all in purple.
"No, you don't have to," Will protested weakly, still trying to get to Zach.
"No, I want to, you're third generation man," the kid replied, "come Magenta, get up."
"Why? He only needs one seat," she replied haughtily, obviously unafraid of standing up for herself as she folded her arms over her chest stubbornly.
"So he can sit next to his girlfriend," the kid said as though it was obvious, Layla and I looked at each other, then at Will who was trying not to laugh.
"Catie and Layla? No way, they're my best friends," he grinned, "and it's fine, you don't have to move."
"Well in that case, hey ladies, I'm Larry," a boy with tightly curled, ginger hair smiled at us in what was obviously supposed to be a suave way, taking off his thick black rimmed glasses.
Layla and I looked at each other again, giggles building up as we caught each other's eye, we just shook our heads and followed Will up the bus as he sat with Zach who grinned at us brightly, that boy was always in neon yellow.
"Hey Caitlin, Layla," he said to us and I scowled as he used my full name.
"Zach, don't call me Caitlin, it's Catie," I said warningly with a smile and he laughed, making me roll my green eyes with a small smile, "you will never give up, will you?"
"Nah," he answered, shaking his head before talking to Will and I spoke to Layla, then two straps suddenly crossed over my chest and I looked round to see everyone else was in the same predicament, I glanced at Layla who was frowning slightly as she looked out the window.
"Where are we?" she muttered.
Screams tore from everyone's throats as the bus plunged off the edge of an unfinished bridge, my heart seemed to stop beating as I screamed, then Layla suddenly grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my tanned skin mercilessly and I bit my bottom lip tightly as the bus came to a stop a few feet off the ground before dropping down with a bump, making my stomach lurch.
"I think I'm going to be sick," I mumbled and Layla rubbed my back soothingly as we got off the bus, Ron presenting Will with his card, that guy was my new worst enemy, I hated him, he could burn in the fiery depths of hell.
"Catie, you do realise you're talking out loud, right?" Will chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling with laughter and I laughed softly, running a hand through my dark blonde hair.
"Sorry, but I think my arm was nearly amputated by a certain tree hugging redhead," I replied with a giggle and Layla immediately looked sheepish.
"Sorry, Catie, I was just so freaked out," she apologised and I quickly brushed it off, heading for the large school steps with all the freshmen, my eyes swept over the floating island that was Sky High and landed on a lone figure dressed all in black, hunched over a book, his black hair reached his shoulders and covered his face as he read, I couldn't really see him from all the way over here, but something about him intrigued me, made me want to find out more about him.
A sudden nudge from a pointy elbow made me yelp in surprise and I looked at Will who just rolled his eyes.
"What was that for?" I whined, but his reply was cut short by someone running around us, and not normal running like you and me, as in Super Speed running that pushed all of us freshmen together, someone in the group pushed me as I stumbled back into them and I hit a rapidly moving blob and we came crashing to the ground, "GET THE HELL OFF ME!!" I screamed as the tubby guy who had Super Speed landed directly on top of me and he smirked down at me, he was fat and heavy and crushing me, I seriously couldn't breathe, I jerked my knee up and he groaned, rolling off me as I hastily got up and went back to my gaping friends, my cheeks bright red as I realised the entire campus was staring, "I really think I'm going to puke now," I muttered, shuddering and shaking my head in an attempt to get rid of the nausea that had built.
A guy with striped sleeves suddenly grabbed my arm, yanking me toward him so we were nose to nose, he had to duck a quite a lot since I was quite short, okay, really short, I was dwarfed compared to him, his face was set in a snarl of fury and I felt fear slowly creep through my body as his grip grew so tight it hurt.
"Le-let go," I stammered, trying to push him away but he just increased his hold, "you're hurting me, let go."
"No," he growled and I pushed harder, but he was stronger than me.
"Let her go!" Will's voice ordered and the guy holding me smirked, his brown eyes flicked to something over my head, I guessed it was Will, "right now!"
The guy's striped arms suddenly wrapped me so tight I could barely breathe and I struggled, damn my useless power to hell, all I could do was absorb light, not sunlight, but any other light, electric light, firelight, funny how fire still hurt me unless I was absorbing it though.
"Lash, let her go!" a new voice snapped sternly and I was quickly released, Layla and Will caught my arms and gently brought me back to them as I tenderly rubbed the bruise that was rapidly forming on my right arm in the shape of a handprint, hoping to ease the pain of it, my green eyes fell onto a girl dressed all in pink as she began speaking but I tuned her out, looking over the campus again.
Then my eyes locked with someone's, a pair of smouldering black eyes that seemed to expose everything about me, it was that guy I was examining earlier, my gaze was broken as Layla gently tugged me after the other freshmen and the girl dressed in pink, her face set in an expression of worry.
"You okay?" she whispered, nodding to the bruise I was still rubbing.
"Yeah, just a little shaken up," I smiled, trying to reassure her and she nodded uncertainly as we put our names on some labels and stuck them to our shirts, Will's was done in his usual messy scrawl, Layla's was neat and tidy, Zach's was big and bold like him and mine was small and carefully cramped onto the label:
'Caitlin (Catie) Greeves.'
That's my name, don't wear it out, don't even touch the Caitlin bit, I hated being called that, it was my mother's name, not that I didn't love my mom, because I did, I just preferred to be my own person and everyone called her Caitlin so I was called Catie, only Zach hadn't learnt not to call me Caitlin.
We met Principle Powers who welcomed us to the school after arriving in a shower of white sparkles, this place was really starting to freak me out, I wanted to go to regular school where people don't abuse you and appear and disappear in showers of little white sparkles, not to mention a gym teacher in far too short a shorts who thought he was god, 'some of you may know me as Sonic Boom, you may not,', stupid asshole.
One by one we went up onto the platform, Layla refused to show her power, Zach apparently glowed, Magenta, the girl from the bus, changed into a guinea pig, Ethan, the orange kid from the bus, melted, Larry, the perve from the bus, changed into some giant rock thing and I soon got bored of remembering them all.
"Blondie!" Boomer barked and Layla nudged me.
"Oh, sorry," I said quickly, going up the steps to stand next to Boomer, Will, Layla and Zach shot me smiles and I smiled back slightly, biting my bottom lip in nervousness.
"Power up!" ordered Boomer and I quickly absorbed the light from the electric lights above us, it swirled in my palm a moment before sinking into my skin which glowed slightly before going back to normal, Boomer watched me for a moment, studying me, "I think there's more in you, Hero, you're not up to scratch, we'll send you to Sidekick class," he announced and I looked at my friends, my mouth opening and closing silently as I made my way back over to them.
We were sitting at our lunch table with Magenta and Ethan by the time I got anything out:
"He's out of his mind, I absorb light, what else can I do with it? Make it dance the hula?" I croaked and Zach laughed before quickly silencing at Layla's 'look', Layla's 'look' was not a nice thing to be on the receiving end of, it was stern and scary, a mother like look, you know?
"He obviously sees that you can be a Hero," she soothed, rubbing my back as I folded my arms on the desk and burying my head in them, "Catie, it'll be okay."
"No it won't, I'll be all alone in Hero class with a pathetic power, I'll be a laughing stock, I hate Boomer and I hate this place and I haven't even been here a day," I said miserably, never lifting my head.
"Caitlin-" Magenta started.
"Catie," Will, Layla and I corrected automatically.
"Catie," Magenta repeated, obviously annoyed at being interrupted, "you should be happy, you're a Hero, the rest of us are just Sidekicks, and Boomer actually sees potential in you."
I sighed, reluctantly lifting my head, "I guess you're right," I replied, standing, "I'm going to get some air, see you guys later."
"No, wait," Will said hastily, grabbing my already bruised arm and yanking me back down in my seat, "is it me, or is that guy really looking at me?"
With a roll of my eyes, I looked behind me and was surprised to see the guy from this morning, you know, the one with the awesome leather jacket, dressed all in black? Yep, good, him, anyway, he was glaring at Will so darkly, I was surprised he hadn't combusted.
"Wow, he's way better looking close up," I muttered absently and his eyes flicked to me, his lips quirking into a smirk, blush instantly stained my cheeks as I swung back round, "I really need to work on not saying the things I'm thinking out loud, don't I?" I asked my gaping friends weakly and they slowly nodded.
"Caitlin, that's Warren Peace," Zach whispered and I frowned in confusion.
"That's Warren Peace?" Layla questioned, her voice hushed, Zach nodded curtly and she looked at Will and me considering we were both immensely confused, "his mom's a Hero and dad's a Super Villain, Barron Battle."
"But what's that got to do with me?" Will inquired, looking at each of us in turn.
"Your dad busted his dad, quadruple life sentence," Ethan supplied and I bit my bottom lip, glancing back at Warren who'd once again directed his glare on Will.
"No chance of parole until after his third life," Magenta added.
"Great," Will drawled sarcastically, "it's my first day here at Sky High and I already have an archenemy," he paused, looking at Layla and me since we were sitting on wither side of him, "is he still looking?"
Biting my bottom lip nervously, I, being the good friend that I am, looked back at Warren whose eyes instantly locked onto mine, that smirk reappearing back on his lips and I gulped slightly as my mouth went dry.
"Uh huh," I squeaked and Will flinched slightly, "just not at you," I added almost inaudibly as I turned back round, my heart beating rapidly, my cheeks bright red, "I cannot believe he heard me say I thought he was good looking."
"Heard you again," Layla mumbled and I slammed my head onto the table, wincing slightly at the pain.
"I'm a moron," I declared, my voice muffled by the table and I felt someone pat me on the back consolingly, I guessed it was Will, "no need to deny it guys," I added sarcastically and they laughed, yes, laugh at my misery!
"Sorry Catie," Layla apologised, "you're not a moron, you just sometimes speak without thinking, that's all, like when you announced just now that-"
"I get it Layla," I interrupted irritably and she laughed again, that girl was too happy for her own good, "does anyone else feel like hell today?" I muttered pathetically and I got a round of 'not really's' and an 'I guess' from Magenta, I sighed again and lifted my head, running a hand through my hair and standing, "I'm going to get some air, you know, before I say something else that's incredibly stupid and embarrassing."
"I'll come with you," Magenta said, standing, "it's too crowded in here."
"Sure, let's go," I nodded, leaving the cafeteria with her after glancing back at my friend once more with a wave, "you liking high school so far?" I asked Magenta with a wry smile.
"Nope, but you seem to have everyone's attention," she replied, boredom lacing her voice as she nodded to some people who looking at me and whispering, "nice job on fatso by the way, you got him right where it hurts."
"Uh, thanks," I said uncertainly, feeling guilty about what I had done, "I think I may have overreacted just a little though."
"His hand was just about to touch your ass when you kneed him," Magenta supplied and I froze, fury and nausea, for the third time that day, rushing through my system.
"That information was never needed, ew, gross," I shuddered and Magenta laughed lightly, her laughter was infectious since it seemed as though she didn't laugh too much and I laughed too as we sat on the school steps.
"So, how long have you known Will, Zach and Layla? You all seem pretty close," Magenta asked once we'd stopped laughing.
"I've Layla my entire life, met Will in first grade and Zach a few years back," I answered, looking up at the clear blue sky, "so, yeah, I guess we're pretty close, Will and I were there when Layla got her powers and they were there when I got mine, we share almost everything."
"Almost?" grinned Magenta.
"There are some things you just can't discuss with your guy best friend, no matter how long you've known him," I giggled, then a shadow fell over us and made me look in front of me.
Oh holy shit balls.
Lash and Fatso.
This was not going to be pretty.
"Come on Catie, we should get back to the gym," Magenta said as Lash opened his mouth, his expression livid, I nodded and stood, following Magenta into the school but a hand caught my wrist and I yanked me back.
A startled yelp escaped my lips and I found myself nose to chest with Lash, goddamn my short genes! I pushed him away from me but his arms just slid round my waist.
This was not good.
"I'm sorry about earlier, just let me go," I whispered, looking up at him, something flashed in the Senior's eyes and I felt his arms drop, Magenta grabbed my arm and we sprinted back into Sky High, I screamed in shock as I bumped into someone and fell to the floor, I looked up, scared in case it was Lash and Fatso again, but was surprised to see Warren looking down at me, his arms folded over his muscular chest, one eyebrow raised.
Blush dusted my cheeks once again and I looked at the floor I was currently sitting on, cursing myself into oblivion, stupid, stupid, stupid!
"Are you going to get up or sit there all day?" a deep, slightly annoyed sounding, voice asked and a hand appeared in my line of vision, I slowly looked up and saw Warren holding a hand out to me, "take it or leave it, Blush."
"It's Catie," I said quietly, taking his hand and he pulled up, smirking.
"Whatever," he shrugged, walking away and I went to the row of lockers, Magenta dragged me away before I could start slamming my head into the metal contraptions.
This is my first fanfic, so please tell me what you think!