Authors Note: Okay, I decided to take down both Hands Down and Hero/Heroine. To fans of those stories, sorry. They just weren't working for me. My writing was substandard, and the story line extremely overused by almost everyone. It bothers me because I like being original. This story is a semi-rewrite of my whole Hands Down story. It uses the same main characters–but otherwise it's completely different.
I'm hoping to challenge my writing skills by writing an appealing and favorable story. I really do hope to see an improvement in my own work. I'm my worst critic. I also hope you enjoy and review as often as possible.
My parents call me the chamaeleon. My brothers call me the invisible woman. Everyone else would call me Blair, if they knew I existed. Throughout my entire life I've always faded into the background. When I was younger, I was the girl in the back of the Church Choir whose voice was barely audible. As I grew older, I was that girl you saw, but never heard. And now, as a senior in high school, I'm the girl that doesn't have a name. People don't even bother to ask me my name anymore.
It's not like I don't enjoy being part of the scenery. It gave me time to think and work hard in my years as a student. It helped me to be ranked 2nd at my small boarding school in Ipswich, Massacuchettes–just behind the kid who had the same IQ level as Eienstein. It gave me time to discover all of my likes and dislikes, my flaws and strong points. Nothing surprises me now, I know perfectly well how I will react to anything that will happen in my life.
My three older brothers are the closest things I have to a group of friends, even though I am so much different than they are. They've all graduated from Spencer Academy now, so I'm left alone. Being alone gives me more time to think, to learn, to read. I do read, a lot. I can never fully understand the characters in these stories though. These characters have friends, social lives, and other things that I lack. I also lack a roommate. I spend my school year in one of the small, single rooms.
"Blair?" the voice startled me. I whipped around to look at the door way, but no one was there. There was laughing. I dropped my AP Physics book onto the floor and spun in a circle again, looking for whoever was there. "Blair Alexandra Henderson. It is time to meet your maker. Bow to the face of Death." That definitely scared me.
I scanned the room again and let my eyes fall on my neat white iMac that was set up on my desk. An iChat had opened up, and the face of my older brother Adam stared back at me. I grinned slightly and took a seat in front of the computer. From what I could see on the screen, Adam was sitting in his Amherst dorm room, all of the posters from the obscure bands he listened to plastered behind him.
"Oh, ha. That was so funny I almost forgot to laugh." I grumbled. "Why are you bothering me now? I've got an AP Physic's test tomorrow, and a Cal quiz to study for." Adam grinned and waved four thin strips of paper in front of him.
"After you know what you're doing for your birthday, you won't even be able to study." Well, my birthday was in two weeks. Seventeen. Maybe it'd be better if I had people other than my brothers to celebrate it with. "Well, aren't you going to guess?"
"No, I hate guessing games. Just tell me." I tapped my clean, bare foot against the spotless hardwood floor below me.
"My dearest little sister, you are in for a treat." Adam flashed me an excited, pearly white smile. I frowned slightly.
"Adam, I need to study. Please just tell me already." He tapped his fingers against his chin and spoke slowly.
"I don't think I'm going to tell you now." I opened my mouth to speak, but was unsuccessful. "But, Mom and Dad told us we had to tell you before we kidnaped you on your birthday."
"You are not allowed to kidnap me!" My lips formed a neat "O" and I sat speechless for a moment.
"That's why we're getting your permission. Anyways," he breathed deeply and slowly, "WE ARE TAKING YOU TO THE MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK CONCERT ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!"
"We, you mean, as in everyone? Like you, and Mitch and Danny?" I said excitedly.
"Yes, when I say all of us, I mean everyone." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"But isn't Danny in London?" Something then clicked. "HE'S COMING HOME? I haven't seen him since June."
"Yeah, he's coming home for a month. We just didn't tell you yet. It's a surprise." He froze for a moment. "Wait, did I just say that? Damn it, forget you heard anything." The iChat ended and I felt momentarily paralyzed.
Motion City Soundtrack? YES! Being with all of my brothers? Score! Having to study for an AP Physics test? Eh, not so much.
School had only been in session for 3 weeks now and I was already swamped with tons of homework and studying. It wasn't like I didn't have time to do it either. I have no plans after school. I sit in my single dorm room, or in a secluded corner of the library after school. I work, I read, sometimes I write. I'm not unhappy about this. I'm used to it. It's normal. I thrive in the silence.
Other people are too complicated. I like to keep things simple. I spend most of my time simplifying the hardest equations and information so even the stupidest of people would be able to comprehend. So why would I want to entangle myself in the complicated, crisscrossing webs of people when I have my system down pat? I'm better off without people.
I will not deny that I'm anti-social. I know that I am. I'd be the first to admit it. I've never been to a high school party. I have a total of 10 people on my Buddy List. I use only 120 minutes on my completely unnecessary high tech cell phone a month. I do not know how to text message, nor do I think I ever will need to know how to. My car, another almost unnecessarily high expense, is used to visit the local town on occasion when I need something or one of my brothers are in town, or when I go home for the weekend.
On this certain, crisp fall afternoon, I had decided that I was going drive down into town for a quick lunch and a trip to the bookstore. All of the books I had brought from home were already done, and I needed to quench my thirst for literature.
My discarded text book looked out of place and foreign sitting on the floor. I picked it up, dusted it off, and placed it back on one of the expansive shelves I had for my books. I had never really counted how many books I owned, but I would have guessed the number was in the thousands. Most of them would be in my room back home, and a few hundred sat on the shelves of my bookcase in my dorm.
I had no reason to change, nor to put my dirty blonde hair into anything other than a messy bun atop my head. The girls who spend hours upon hours shopping and getting their hair done are frivolous. They are clones and air-heads destined to do nothing more than marry some rich man and pop out a couple of over privileged children. These children generally follow in their mothers footsteps, and so the vicious cycle continues. It's nasty. This school is filled with kids like that. There are also the overprivledged kids who care about their education, but they fade into the background easily.
My mother always tries to get me into those clothes and shoes. The only thing I let her buy me is Uggs because, let's face it. They're extremely comfortable, and warm. I like warm. She does all my shopping for me, and the only of the overly expensive clothes I will wear is the clothes from American Eagle because, they're comfortable too, and much more studious looking.
A striped rugby shirt, faded denim jeans, and Uggs kept me warm as I found my way from the dorm rooms to the student parking lot. There were only a few cars left there, including mine. Great. I guess most kids were already in town. I didn't mind being a lone when there was no one around. When everyone was there though, I felt like an odditie. I doubted though that there would be anyone in the book store, or at the diner. Most people would be at the movies, or the bar. Kids at Spencer liked to start partying early on school nights.
Right after I turned sixteen and got my license my parents decided to surprise me with a car. An expensive car. I would've gladly driven an old and used car or a hybrid that would've saved the environment. No. I was my parents princess who was given plenty of things that she didn't want. Like my car, a sleek black Range Rover with leather inferior and one of the loudest sound systems around. The sound system was no doubt requested by my brothers, who's cars all were as expensive and luxurious as mine if not more. They didn't like driving though, and thought I was much more responsible, so I was always the driver.
The familiar purr of the engine and the heat made me feel at ease as I drove through the winding country roads towards the small town of Ipswich. I pressed some buttons on the radio, and one of my many CD's began playing. Relient K. One of my favorite bands.
As I pulled onto Main Street, I could see the harbor that made this town one of the most quaint towns ever. If it were not for the people here, I'd love Ipswich. It was historical, and history was one of my favorite subjects. It reminded me of my home, near a town with a rocky harbor and an old New England feel.
At least twenty people waited outside of the movie theater to get tickets. A bunch of cars were parked right outside of Nicky's, the towns most popular hang out. I've only been in there once, when I was a sophomore when my brother Mitch turned 18. I haven't been inside since, and I don't plan on going back. It was too crowded and loud for my taste.
As I expected, no one had parked in front of the bookstore. The only car within sight was a jet black Hummer. There were probably no other spots at Nicky's. I parallel parked my car and stepped out into the crisp fall air.
The bookstore was warm, comfortable, and just my style. It had a small coffee bar where I usually got a drink whenever I was in town. The people who work at the bookstore are probably the only people who know my name in this town. I was one of their most frequent customers.
Marta, the Barista, greeted me as I entered the store. I smiled and waved politely back at her.
"The usual, Blair?" She smiled as I nodded and strolled to the coffee bar. I always got hot chocolate. I wasn't the coffee type, but I still needed a nice warm drink to sip as I read. I gave Marta three dollars and took my hot chocolate.
I wasn't really sure what I was looking to read this week. Something more...classic, or maybe something modern. Something that I haven't read before. From the corner of my eye I spied a book with a beautiful girl holding a mirror. It's title was Fairest. I took it off the shelf and held it under my arm. It seemed a bit under my reading level, but I was intrigued.
Usually, I read the first chapter of a book before I buy it. This store had a quaint little reading nook with a few comfy chairs and a round coffee table. I had my own chair, that I sat in every time I came here, which was quite often.
When I found the reading nook, someone buried behind a book was sitting in my chair. No one ever sits in my chair. All of the regular's at the bookstore–mostly middle aged women–know that this chair was mine. It's kinda been mine since I was a freshman at Spencer Academy.
Slightly stunned, I took a seat in one of the other cozy chairs. It still didn't feel the same. Irregardless, I began to read the first chapter of this book. After a few moments I put the book down on my lap and reached for my hot chocolate.
As I brought the drink to my mouth I saw the chair invader peeking up from his book and looking at me. When he noticed that my eyes fell upon him, he quickly glanced down and continued reading. From what I could see, he was most likely a student at Spencer. He was young and good looking, I would assume. I couldn't really see his face, because he held the book so close that it must have touched his nose. I would suggest that he get some glasses.
After reading a few more pages the book was seemingly good, and I decided I would like to finish it maybe this weekend, after all of the work I had to do was finished. I closed it and picked up my half-full hot chocolate. After taking a few more sips I stood up and headed to the cash register.
The boy was there with his back turned to me, buying the book. I reached into my pocket to pull out my credit card, which I used for books and food, the only thing that I really needed to survive. While I was doing so the boy turned and I don't know what happened.
The next moment I found myself on the floor, covered with hot chocolate. Fantastic. I glared up at the boy but stopped when he leaned down to help me up.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." He gave me his hand and pulled me off of the ground. "I...um, sorry. That usually doesn't happen." I looked down at my shirt. Ruined. My jeans were also stained. Great.
"It's okay." I felt embarrassed and brushed him off quickly to pay for my book and leave. The cashier handed me my card and I immediately rushed out of the store. I could see the boy was behind me and I walked pointedly to my car. He was yelling something I couldn't hear as I turned on my car.
When I was back at the school I took my keys out of the ignition and looked towards the passenger seat where I expected to find a book that would help me escape from this hellish and embarrassing world where no one knows me. But in the seat was nothing more than a slightly wet credit card and a stained jacket.
Oh well. I guess hell would have to do for today.