1Chapter One
CASEY
I listen to my rapid breathing and look around at all the nature passing by. Running is my release from all the stress. Every time I run, it is always in the woods, away from everyone and everything. I am alone.
Today, I am running because my parents are making me transfer to the New York Academy for Gifted Youth, or NYAGY. That is a school for all of the super-smart kids who need a challenge. My old school was easy for me, but I didn't ever want to end up at a school with people who could quite possibly be smarter than me.
My parents decided to send me to NYAGY because my cousin, Jen, goes there and her parents can't stop talking about how much she loves it. Of course, Jen chose to go there. I am being forced to leave all my closest friends behind. Now, all I'm going to have is Jen. It took me three months at my old school to make friends. I don't want to go through the same miserable three months again.
I keep running, even after it hurts. My chest is on fire. My face is soaked with sweat that drips down onto my softball shirt. My legs feel like Jell-o. But I still keep running. Running away from my fears and my stress and my real life.
Someone else comes down the trail towards me with a girl who looks about four years younger than me. The older woman and the supposed twelve-year-old are talking and laughing and having a good time. I run past them, wishing so much that I could have that kind of relationship with my mother. But unfortunately, that will probably never happen. My mother has always been ashamed of the fact that I am into girls. She thinks it is absolutely wrong. Don't get me wrong, I'm into guys too. I just have a little more of an open mind than other people.
I look up at the trees surrounding me on the path. I puck a far away tree and tell myself to run until I reach it, no matter how badly it hurts.
Come on, just a bit farther, I tell myself. I can not let myself give up easily. The way I always push myself was mostly the reason why everyone thinks I should become a lawyer. That is, everyone except for me. I want to get into a sport in college: either running or softball.
The tree I was aiming for approaches all too quickly, so I decide to pick a different tree about a hundred yards ahead of me.
When I finally reach my second destination, I slow down a bit. I keep walking because I don't want my muscles to tighten up. I have to talk myself through the fire burning in my chest.
Come on, just breathe. It's not that hard. You've been doing it your whole life, I say to myself. Yet somehow, I cannot find myself to gather my breath as I intend. I just keep walking and listening to the birds sing.
"If only life were really this blissful," I say out loud.
THREE DAYS LATER
I get out of the car with Jen and say goodbye to my aunt and uncle, who I am staying with for my time at the academy. Aunt Joanna and Uncle Peter drive away, and now it is just Jen and I.
Jen must have noticed the look of intimidation on my face, because she stands next to me and says, "Don't worry. You'll be fine. The classes aren't that hard." What she fails to realize is that it's not the classes that I'm worried about; it's everything else that comes with high school.
I think back to my previous high school, Adams High. I think about how much higher in my class I was than everyone else there. I was never someone who people would want to make friends with, unless of course someone needed help with their homework. Yep, I was that kind of girl. The geek. Now, I think to this school and how everyone, apparently, is just like me. They are too smart for their ordinary high school, so they come here instead.
I glance at Jen. "Let's go," I say confidently.
We walk into our home room, and Jen introduces me to the teacher, whose name was pretty common, Mrs. Smith. "Hello, you must be our new student, Casey Novak. Transferred from Adams High?" Mrs. Smith says, a little to cheery for my taste. But I smile and nod my head.
"That's me. Forced against my will to come here," I say, trying to make it sound like a joke. It works, because Jen and Mrs. Smith both laugh at the comment.
"Well," she starts, looking around at the room as I follow her gaze, "why don't you sit next to Olivia? Olivia, raise your hand please," calls Mrs. Smith.
I looked around the classroom at someone signaling to me to a vacant seat next to them, and I see her. I try to stay focused at the task at hand, but it is just so difficult. She is truly one of the most amazing women I have ever seen.
I walk over to Olivia and sit down in the seat next to hers. I extend my arm out to her and say, "Hi, I'm Casey Novak. I was really forced here against my will," I say.
The beautiful woman looks at me and smiles genuinely. "I'm Olivia Benson. Join the club." We laugh, and I am convinced that this year will be much better than I expect it to.
