DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tower Prep. This is merely for entertainment purposes!
February 18, 2009
Her hand hovered over the space button as she chose the next song to play for the broadcast. Impatience was something of a virtue for her friend, and he'd been waiting most anxiously to tell her about what he'd heard earlier in the day. Music blasted through her room, and she thanked whatever deities were looking down on her that her parents weren't home. The last thing she needed was them reprimanding her for the high volume. Grabbing her phone, she put it on speaker and removed her headset so it was dangling around her neck.
"Alright Ian, you've got my attention, but don't waste it!" she teased the person on the other line.
"You always have time for me, Kami, don't act like you don't," he replied without hesitation causing the girl to smile and roll her eyes.
"Out with it, Archer, what has you so riled?" she asked him, putting the phone down and lowering the music on her side to hear him better.
"After lunch in the boy's bathroom-"
"Gross, Ian, I don't want to hear about anything you heard in the boy's bathroom!" the girl exclaimed, her nose scrunching slightly at the mere thought of it, "I've heard enough about what goes on in there, thanks!"
"Oh, come on, Kami!" came his voice and she could hear the frustration clearly but she wouldn't relent.
"Why do all your tales start with that same sentence?" she asked him, rolling her chair closer to her computer before her broadcast continued, "Please tell me you're not spying on anyone in there, that's beyond disgusting, Ian, that's delving into the realm of creepy!"
"Kamilah," he began with a warning tone and she couldn't help the smirk that alighted on her lips. Teasing her friend was sometimes just too easy.
"I'm kidding, what did you hear anyway? The school was all abuzz around fifth period and I can only assume you know why," Kamilah said, not really asking and only looking for confirmation. Ian Archer, while not one for gossip, always seemed to find himself in situations that resulted in him learning something about somebody every day. She had come to terms with it and had even come to look forward to anything he had to say. It's not like they went about spreading it around anyway. It just helped keep them well-informed.
"Apparently Jason Lowry, the office assistant, was asked to print out a whole new test for Mr. Del Rio's advanced Government class…" he trailed off, leaving her to decipher the rest of it on her own, and she wasn't too happy with her realization.
"A new test?"
"Yes ma'am!"
"For the AP Government class?"
"That's what I said."
"But that means…"
"Ohhh yeah!"
"We're all going to fail! He changed the entire test! Again!"
"Bingo! Man, I'm glad I don't take AP classes."
"You're not exactly helping here, Ian," the girl growled, irritated beyond belief. Mr. Del Rio was well-known for randomly switching a test's information a day before the actual test. It wouldn't be too bad if they'd reviewed what he tended to change it for. The man was a complete sadist and delighted in the suffering of his students. And she, unfortunately, was one of them.
"I did warn you about the class," Ian reminded her, sounding a little too smug for her liking.
"You warned me about rumors, Ian, not your own personal experience," she bit out before sighing and setting the phone aside, "Give me a sec, song's almost over." She heard a sound of agreement from the other end before she placed her headset back on and pressed the space button.
"And that was Bad Romance by Lady Gaga. I hope you enjoyed the music selection, because we're moving on to the call portion of the broadcast. As you all know, just call the number on the website and you'll be directed to me immediately. Should you have any questions, concerns, or simply need someone to listen, that's what I'm here for! So, we're ready for you!" she said, smiling broadly when the call lines turned red instantly. She clicked the first line and ignored the chuckle she heard from her own cell phone. Sometimes she wondered if she should stop taking Ian's calls during her show.
"Hello Caller Number One, you're on the air with Kai Kami, what should we call you?" she greeted the caller, resisting the urge to disconnect her call with Ian when she heard a snort of laughter from her cell. Yeah, she wasn't accepting his calls before her shows anymore.
"You may call me Whisper119," the caller replied, and Kamilah was pleased that she could finally add a gender to the person even if she couldn't give her a face.
"Welcome to the show, Whisper119, what's your reason for calling?" she asked the girl, leaning back in her seat and toying with the end of her sweater sleeve.
"I would like to ask you a question," Whisper119 responded, and Kamilah had to lean in closer to be able to hear what the other had spoken.
"Then by all means, ask away and I'll do my best to answer!" she told her, smiling despite the anxiety which had begun to build up within her chest. She didn't know the caller, she didn't know what she wanted, but she couldn't stop the unease she was feeling.
"Are you very well accustomed to change?" was the question that came from her caller. A simple question, quite innocent really, but she began to feel even worse than she had moments before.
"Change?" she asked her, her brow furrowing slightly, "It's inevitable, isn't it?"
"Quite, and many things are going to change for you, Kamilah," Whisper119 said, and Kamilah stood from her seat in a rush of sudden panic. Her chair clattered to the floor, her eyes wide as they stared at the landline phone.
"How the hell do you know my name?" she managed to growl out between her gritted teeth. She didn't dare tear her gaze from the landline, and ignored the frantic questions being hurled at her from her cell phone.
"Not everything is at it seems. Be prepared. Don't be ruled by your fear," was the last thing Whisper119 said before she disconnected and the dial tone sounded. Her ears were ringing from the pounding headache which had begun the moment her name had been spoken by a stranger. Her information was secure, she'd had help in making sure that her identity would remain hidden, so it was terrifying that someone had known who she was. The voice wasn't familiar; she didn't know them.
-ilah! Kamilah! Hey Kamilah, are you there?!"
Her eyes instantly went to her cell phone and she picked it up with shaking hands. The call with Whisper119, while short, had been incredibly scary and she didn't know how to take it.
"I'm here, Ian," she managed to whisper, slumping down on the end of her bed and ignoring the live radio broadcast that was still ongoing.
"What was that? Who was that? I thought your information couldn't be seen by anyone but you and Sera," Ian asked her, referring to one of their friends who had made the site for her.
"They can't which just makes this even weirder," she told him, trying to calm the shaking of her body which hadn't ceased.
"Hold on, I'm coming over! Stay on the line with me, Kami, don't you dare hang up on me!" he said, and she could hear the slamming of a door on his line even as he spoke.
"I won't but Ian what could it-?"
She was interrupted by a shrill buzzing sound which emanated from her headphones which had fallen back to her neck earlier. Kamilah reached up to clap her hands over her ears, dropping her cell phone in the process.
"What is that?!" she cried, closing her eyes against the onslaught of the noise. Ian was panicking again, she knew, but she didn't want to remove her hands. The noise was getting louder and unbearable and she only wanted it to stop.
"Ian…" she whispered before she succumbed to the welcoming darkness which was blissfully silent.
A/N: This is merely the prologue! The first chapter will be posted tomorrow and a new chapter will be updated every week! Please R & R!