chapter one

Mr. Wilson was at least consistent. Nothing failed to deter him in his long, continuous speeches and attempts to interest his class in the history of every war, civil battle and government revolts. And at this very moment he was at his peak, speaking passionately to a class that failed to care, or even take the time to listen to his constant ramblings.

Zara Remstone sat in the back row, twirling her pen around her fingers absently while she leaned over to the desk next to her to read the note her friend, Jen Somers had written.

"Now, a blitzrieg was a war technique used in the -" Mr. Wilson was saying, his hands thrown mid air in a great gesture loaded with more enthusiasm than the average student could take without wincing, when the door slammed shut abruptly.

All eyes now lifted, including Mr. Wilson, who stared at the sudden apparition of a girl standing just inside the classroom.

He seemed to gather his thoughts and find his voice again after several moments. "And you would be?" he inquired overly politely, looking over the rims of his spectacles where they perched precariously on his nose. He reached onto his desk and lifted his roll book.

The girl waited while his eyes scanned the paper, a hand resting on her hip and a look of detached boredom on her face. Of course, he came up with nothing and had to look up at her again with raised eyebrows.

"Dekla Pelrose," she offered finally. "I'm new."

"Ahhh," Mr. Wilson nodded, as if this explained everything, which Zenith supposed it did. He wrote her name at the bottom of his roll and took his glasses off, cleaning them with a handkerchief hidden in his blazer pocket. "Do you have an interest in history Miss Pelrose?" he asked hopefully.

The new girl, Dekla, shrugged eloquently as she made her way to the only empty desk in the room, a desk unfortunately positioned directly in front of Mr. Wilson's desk.

"Not really," she answered casually. "This is the only class that fit into my timetable."

Mr. Wilson looked slightly taken aback at the blunt honesty of her answer and stared at her incredulously. When her clear blue eyes met his and failed to waver, he humphed under his breath in disapproval.

"Now where was I?" he muttered, glancing back at the black board to look at his notes. "Ah, yes, the blitzrieg. Of course. Yes it was a -" and on he went.

As he launched back into his lecture with as much, if not more, enthusiasm than before, he gave everyone in the class a chance to unabashedly study the new girl.

She was leaning back in her chair, her legs crossed at the ankles elegantly and as if she had already sensed what sort of class she was in, had taken out a book of her own. A thick leather bound book with an ages look ribbon marking her place.

Zenith couldn't see what she was reading, the cover was hidden from view but the pages looked yellowed and the gold that lined the pages was faded.

"What did she say her name was?" Jen asked, leaning over slightly towards Zenith.

"Dekla Pelrose," Zenith offered with a slight frown.

The girl was seemingly unaware of the scrutiny she was held under and continued to read as if she was in the room by herself.

"Night World?" Jen asked.

Zenith nodded, still twirling her pen. "Definitely. Check out that wardrobe."

Jen did with raised eyebrows. Zenith also gave the girl a quick once over.

Black bootleg pants in a light, breezy material with boots. A thin white belt that looped her lithe waist three times and a red, sleeveless top that was cut into tiny horizontal strips along her back so that you could see her tanned skin and the soft outlines of her shoulder blades.

Her hair was perfectly straight and had the unbelievable shine of a shampoo commercial. It was a deep, raven black that fell in a waterfall to her waist. She wore a single wide banded silver ring on her right hand and long silver earrings that fell like heavy threads from her ears.

"Definitely Night World," Jen agreed.

"Thank god for that," Zenith muttered. "The Daybreakers are practically breathing down our necks here."

Jen opened her mouth to reply but hastily shut it after she caught the evil eye she was getting from Mr. Wilson. She smiled back at him innocently and he nodded, thinking she'd been properly reprimanded and turned away.

As soon as his back was turned Jen rolled her eyes and slumped further in her seat. "This is just getting ridiculous," she snapped to Zenith. "I can't believe we have to pretend to be intimidated by vermin education nazis."

"Believe it." Zenith stated grimly. She stared at the top of Mr. Wilson's balding head through narrowed eyes. "Just think, next year we'll be out of here permanently."

"I'd like to take him out permanently," Jen threatened softly as her eyes also resting on Mr. Wilson.

Zenith shot her friend an amused look with raised brows. "Wait for another year," she advised casually. "Mr. Wilson aside, do you want to talk to her or shall I?"

Jen looked at the girl again. "I think I'll flag. You can do it. I have to meet Byron in the library anyway."

All thoughts of the new girl were dashed at the thought of that. "Byron?" Zenith repeated, "In a library?" She couldn't help looking slightly incredulous.

Jen grinned, her full lips pulled back in an unearthly smile. Her hazel eyes shone mischievously. "I know. He has to get at least a B on his next assignment or he's going to flush calculus."

"Don't you mean flunk?"

"Whatever," Jen dismissed with a wave of her hand. "Anyway, he's been forced to enlist the help of 'moi' to help him."

"No doubt that help came with a fee," Zenith stated coolly.

Jen shrugged and tossed her blond hair back from her face. "Everything has a price, Zar," she reminded her friend meaningfully.

Zenith inclined her graciously, acknowledging the point. "What was yours?"

Jen inspected her nails as she answered carelessly, "Oh, only six figures."

"Generous of you," Zenith returned sarcastically.

Jen's eyes widened. "Hey," she defended. "Do you realize how much work I'm going to have to put into Byron so that he can actually get that B? I mean, his attention span is less than a vermin two year olds and you know I'm risking bodily harm just by agreeing to tutor him."

"The boy does have a temper," Zenith conceded thoughtfully. "You should have pushed it to seven figures."

Her friend shrugged. "He caught me in a good mood."

Zenith looked amused for a moment. Jen was probably her closest friend. The girl was gorgeous, if her many admirers were anything to go by, she had an attitude that coupled Zenith's quite well, she was a great dresser and most importantly, she was a party animal.

"So this weekend," she was saying, as if to prove Zenith's last observation, "There's meant to be this great band playing at a new club on the East Side. I thought we could check it out, maybe make an appearance at Cue's -"

"What's happening at Cue's?" Zenith interrupted.

"Oh, she's having a party," her friend answered before continuing. "Then I thought we could hit town. There's meant to be some great DJ's playing."

"Jen?"

Jen looked up, eyes wide. "Yeah?"

"It's only Monday," Zenith reminded her gently.

Jen looked surprised. "Yeah, I know." Then she frowned. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Zenith sighed defeatedly. "Nothing," she shook her head. "Absolutely nothing."

Jen gave her a strange look then dismissed the whole issue. Zenith packed her books back into her bag and stood, tossing it over her shoulder. Jen started to do the same, but they were both stopped in their tracks when Mr. Wilson's voice rang perilously around the classroom.

"Ladies, just where do you think your going? The bell hasn't rung -"

The bell rang.

Zenith and Jen traded a look and a half smile. Then Zenith began to walk down the aisle, not looking at any of the other students with Jen following, the blond girl only pausing to give Mr. Wilson a scathing glance.

The two girls should have been the first out the door, like they always were.

Obviously this was not going to be the case today though.

Zenith looked up just in time to see a glimpse of black raven hair before the classroom door shut. She reached forward sharply and pulled it open again, stepped into the busy hall and scanned the mill of students for Dekla Pelrose.

She couldn't find her.

"Damn," she swore in frustration. "I've missed her."

Jen appeared by her side. She too looked up and down the hall and couldn't find the girl. "Don't worry about it, you'll see her at lunch," she offered. "What have you got now?"

"Graphics," Zenith replied distractedly as she stepped up onto her toes to look further down the hall. She gave up with a sigh. "You?"

Jen grinned. "Calculus. And Byron."

Zenith raised an eyebrow. "What an intriguing combination."

"That's one way to put it," Jen agreed. She tossed her hair out of her face and turned sharply, nearly colliding with another student. Her only reprimand was the icy glare she had mastered so well and that was enough to earn a whimper from the boy and a hasty retreat.

Vermin. She mind sent to Zenith with distaste.

I'll see you at lunch, Zenith sent back.

Jen twinkled her fingers in the air as she walked away, straight down the hall with her head held high as the students made an unbidden walkway for her.

Zenith grinned, touched her nose lightly with her forefinger and waited.

Not more than three seconds later all of Jen's books seemed to literally jump out of her hands to land on the floor with a loud crash. Papers scattered everywhere and her books and notes flew and slid across the linoleum floor.

Jen stopped stock still and scowled, hands on her hips while looking down at the mess at her feet. She paused meaningfully.

Suddenly, after several glances were traded among them, the teenagers around her all began to reach down and pick up the papers. All the books and loose notes were picked up in a matter of a seconds but instead of being handed back to Jen, they were placed in a single messy pile at her feet. They were all clearly too scared to hand them straight to the girl.

Without turning around, the blond girl raised one eloquent figure in the air at Zenith. Thanks for that, she sent to the other girl sarcastically, then she scooped her notes up and stalked down the hall.

Zenith grinned to herself and began to walk away.

"11:30," she said to herself after checking her watch. She quickly changed her books, placing her history ones in her locker, and pulling out her graphics ones before heading off to her next class.

Without thinking, she kept an eye out for the new girl as she walked down the hall in the opposite direction Jen had gone. All the same, the students stepped back to allow her through save two foolhardy Daybreakers who dared to cross her path.

She stepped back calmly and let them go thinking they would get away with it while eyeing them carefully, remembering their faces and committing them to memory before she continued walking.

A few seconds later a scream erupted in the hallway.

Another few seconds after that a choked, gasping sound followed the scream.

Then there were yells for help and people calling for teachers.

Zenith continued walking, her books in one hand, her auburn hair falling against her back and her tan leather boots tapping against the floor. The only expression on her face was on her lips.

They were pulled back in a small, almost imperceptible smile.

if you've got this far than I have to assume you've read this so thank you! but your efforts would be far greatly appreciated if you reviewed! please, all opinions welcome, even if its just one of those typical…."good" one word reviews.

And I apologize for the Ginormous heading ('chapter one'- I don't think you missed it.)