Summary:
Ashley smallwood is your normal small town girl , with her best friends Erin , and her loving parents and brother-she is happy with her when four new strangers enrole into her school - each one beautiful and mysterious-with their own secret , she is place in a not-so-small-town type is met with things from storys , places from other worlds , and power beyond world is put into her hands-She must choose her fate-alwell as whoose hearts she yearns , with her new unlikey friends in tow the quest the quest to find the cure which can save the people-They can only Hope In Time.
Disclamier:This is our story-our ideas-our characters-Though we have been inspired by Stephenie Meyer-L.-and musicians such as Paramore.
Hope In Time
Book 1:Midnight Clock Strike
Chapter One
It was an unusually dull, cloudy morning in the small, humble town of Edwardsburg, Michigan. The clouds covered any dim light that may come through. Along the small cottage-like houses on Maple Street there was a house which stood out from the rest, not physically but because of the person that was in it. That one special person in the little, brown bricked house with the black slate windows was Ashley Smallwood.
"Ash, honey!" Ashley's polite and caring mother, Julie called up the stairs, getting a little impatient, "you're going to be late! Josh said he wont give you a ride you if you take any longer!"
"I'm coming mom!" Ashley yelled back, then she added to herself, muttering, "Josh can go without anyway, his car smells like sweat anyway."
Joshua Smallwood was the older brother of Ashley in case you hadn't guessed. The Smallwood's were a simple family, Thomas Smallwood and Julie Smallwood had their first child in 1987, it was a boy which they named Joshua and then after a few years - three to be exact - Julie gave birth to a little baby girl called Ashley - but little did this simple family know that baby girl would have to make a huge choice that could give her eternal life at a large cost. After a few minutes of preparing herself, Ashley emerged from the top of the stairs - much to her mothers' surprise.
"It's about time young lady," Mrs Smallwood was at the bottom of the stairs, her hands on her hips, her foot tapping impatiently, "never mind if you hurry now you may be able to catch the bus, Josh has already gone."
"Okay mom, I get it I'm going to be late for school," Ashley gave a slight nod as she spoke. She glanced at herself in the mirror. Reflecting in the mirror was an average-height girl with dirty blond coloured hair, grey blue eyes that sparkled in a certain light and porcelain skin which tinted pink in the cheeks. She was dressed casually in skinny jeans, black boots and a basic top with frills near the neck line.
"Bye mom," Ashley turned back to her mother, smiling. Julie, dressed for work in a tailored suit, smiled back at her daughter. Ashley Smallwood looked a lot like her mother in some ways, her eyes were the same dull blue colour and her skin the same porcelain but her hair was slightly different - Mrs Smallwood's was a light chestnut colour instead of the dirty blond of Ashley's. Whether it was because of hair dye she didn't know but there was no time to ponder the question. With that Ashley headed out the door, not glancing back.
* * *
The school bus stopped outside Ridgewood high, jolting forward a little as it did.
"See y'all tomorrow kids!" Al the friendly bus driver shouted at the kids as the doors closed. He grinned a wide smile at everyone as they waved. There were only a few replies and the odd 'see you Al' or 'bye Al'. Heading into the campus, ignoring any glares and laughs that came her way, Ashley was greeted by her best (and only) friend Erin Greene. Erin had been Ashley's friend since kindergarten when Ashley was alone on the first day of school and the other children were picking on her. Erin had stood up to the other kids and befriended Ashley - their friendship was as strong as it was back then as it was now.
"Hiya Ash!" Erin rushed towards her with a huge grin spreading across her face as she saw her. Her dark, long hair swayed as she walked.
"Hi Erin, umm...is there something wrong?" Ashley knew Erin was always happy but this time she was ecstatic. They started walking to their first class, Geography, Ashley waiting for a reply. Erin looked into Ashley's grey eyes with her large emerald ones as she spoke, "what? Can't I be excited to see my best friend?"
They slowed down walking so they could talk more, oblivious to their surroundings. None of them noticed anyone around them, they were probably snickering anyway. Ashley and Erin weren't exactly popular but they were happy enough just with each other as friends.
"Erin I know you, you never get this excited over anything unless there is a sale at Macy's or if there's a boy," Ashley stopped her olive skinned, dark haired friend in the middle of the corridor.
"Well I guess you're right Ash, there is a boy. But he's not mine - yet, I'm surprised you haven't heard yet."
"It's been like three minutes into the school day, are you surprised?" Ashley raised a delicate eyebrow at her friend who, now Ashley thought, was holding back vital information.
"Well, this is what I heard from Mary, there are four new students at this school and they're like, super hot!" Erin almost shouted but contained herself before she could, "I heard there are two girls and two b......"
Erin stopped in mid sentence, staring into the distance, past the cheerleaders and at the lockers.
"Hello...? Erin come on, stop messing me around," Ashley demanded.
"A...Ashley, l...look," Erin pointed to the lockers with a long, slender arm. Ashley turned and saw what Erin was looking at. There was boy, just as Erin said before - he must be one of the new students, Ashley thought. His dishevelled black hair hung in front of his maroon, glistening eyes, his skin an olive tone like Erin's but darker. He was dressed in a plain white t-shirt and jeans; he was muscular with a big build. The mystery boy looked up and at them, he began coming towards them. Oh God, oh God, Ashley thought, and by the looks of it, Erin was thinking that too.
"Hi," the boy stopped in front of them and smiled, showing his brilliant white teeth, "I'm Darren."
The girls stood frozen, unable to move - or breathe for that matter.
"Are you girls okay?" Darren asked. Ashley snapped out of her trance and nudged Erin, who was more confident to talk.
Erin blinked a couple of times, "y...yeah we just...umm...yeah so I'm Erin," she stuttered, moving her fringe from her jewel-green eyes.
"And I'm Ashley," she almost giggled, "we could show you around later if you want."
Erin and Ashley glanced at each other quickly just as Darren began talking; his voice was melodic and gentle.
"That'd be nice," he grinned, "well I'd better get going, see you Ashley, Erin."
Before they could say good bye, Darren had turned away and began walking away. Wow, Ashley thought, he's just so...so...mysterious, I wonder if he has a girlfriend...
* * *
In Geography Ashley and Erin passed notes and doodles to each other, mostly about what happened in the hallway.
So who's goin' out with him me or you?
Ashley scribbled then waited until Mr Seller turned away to pass it.
I'm not sure about him, yeah sure he's hot but there's something odd about him. You can have him.
Erin wrote back not even checking to see if her grey-haired, over fifty teacher was looking. Nobody liked Mr Seller, he was the meanest teacher and anybody who had him was doomed - unlucky for the girls. He had a rounded face and a receding hairline; he usually dressed in a sweater vest and basic black, old-man style trousers. After reading the note Ashley quickly composed a reply.
Thanks Erin, but I'm sure there's nothing wrong with him. He's just new is all.
Suddenly Erin felt a heavy breathing behind her. She glanced up and saw that the whole class was looking directly at her. Even Ashley, who was always so calm, was looking at her with a slight panic in her grey blue eyes. Erin bit her lip. She knew what Mr Seller was going to say before he said it.
"Miss Smallwood and Miss Greene, detention after school for half an hour," the teacher raised an eyebrow at the girls, "unless you would like me to read out the note to the entire class?"
Ashley ran a hand through her mid-length hair and sighed.
"We'll take the detention sir," Ashley shot a look at Erin which Erin could tell meant 'sorry'.
* * *
The girls came back at the end of the school day to room 114, Mr Seller's class.
"Welcome back girls, we'll just wait for one more student and we shall begin the detention," Mr Seller didn't even glance up from his pine wood desk. Ashley and Erin sat together in the empty classroom, chatting and keeping the conversation light.
"Who do you think this other person is in detention Ash?" Erin whispered to Ashley, the sound so low that the teacher couldn't hear.
"I'm not sure but then again Mr Seller does hate like everyone," Ashley replied keeping the volume as low as humanly possible. After a few minutes of waiting and chatting nonchalantly Ashley began talking.
"I think I just found out who the other person is," Ashley smiled smugly and nodded at the door. The girls were in awe at the person who entered the room.
"Ahhh Miss..." Mr Seller looked up finally and paused, waiting for the second name of the girl.
"Just call me Amber, sir," the girl nodded as she handed him her blue, creased detention slip. Amber moved her light blond hair out of her eyes as she sat down in front of the girls. She placed her black tote bag on the floor next to her. Amber's fringe had a bold purple streak in it which contrasted with her platinum blonde hair. Her eyes sparkled like liquid gold colour, her skin a pale colour but a bit more
tanned than Ashley herself and finally, as the girls noticed, she was dressed in a black leather jacket, deep blue jeans, a t-shirt which read 'rock star' and buckled boots.
"Hey," Amber felt a pair or eyes on her so she thought she'd better make contact. She nodded slightly at her fans.
"We weren't staring we just-" Erin started saying but the golden eyed girl interrupted her.
"It's okay, I get that a lot," Amber barely turned her head to speak. She fumbled in her chic, charcoal bag and pulled out her Blackberry.
Ashley and Erin exchanged a glance which meant 'what's her problem?'
Ashley whispered to break the silence, "maybe she's just anti-social?"
Erin opened her mouth when, just like before, Amber interrupted her.
"For your information," she began, a slight bitterness in her tone, "I am not anti social I would just like to get this detention over with as painless as possible."
Erin rolled her eyes as the teacher looked up for only the second time in the whole of detention.
"Phone away Amber. And ladies, please be quiet, this is a punishment not a socialite club," Mr Seller scolded. Then pushing his glasses back he began again in a, somewhat, less bitter tone, "If you will excuse me I have to get something from the teachers lounge. And, girls, if I hear anything I will give you all detention for the whole month."
Ashley's mouth gawped open, detention for the whole month, she thought, mom would kill me for that - we better be quiet. Amber silently put her phone in her tote bag and murmured something like 'okay' or 'whatever'.
"Okay sir," Erin moved her midnight hair from her emerald green eyes. Mr Seller stood up, his chair squeaking a little as he moved it, and headed to the dark wood door.
"And," he paused before opening the door, "there are cameras around the school so don't even bother to sneak out."
Ashley, her mouth now shut, was biting her lip and waited for the teacher to leave.
Just after he left Erin began to speak, hissing the words, "this is horrible! We can't even talk louder than this!"
"I no, it's been - what? - twenty minutes and it feels like a lifetime. No wonder everyone hates him," Ashley agreed keeping her pitch as quiet as Erin's.
"Well," Amber finally said something after some time, "this blows. I'm outta here."
She stood, not bothering to hide the squeak of the chair, and threw her black bag over her shoulder. She straightened out her long blonde hair headed to the open window.
"But there are camera's everywhere Amber! You'll get caught!" Ashley rushed towards the departing girl and, without even thinking, grabbed her shoulder.
"I won't, I never get caught," Amber shrugged off the pale hand that grasped her shoulder.
Ashley let her hand fall beside her, "then how come you got detention huh? You must have got caught then."
"It was a...misunderstanding."
A misunderstanding that you, Ashley, will find out about in due time, Amber thought.
"Anyway Mr Seller will be back soon and this is like three storey's high!" Erin was by Ashley's side watching the mysterious girl as she opened the window further.
"Well if he's coming back soon, I'd better hurry up then," Amber threw her bag out the window and crouched precariously on the window sill. Is this girl mad? Ashley thought as she watched what happened next. Amber nodded slightly at the gawking girls and threw her whole body out of the window with as much force as she could push herself with. The girls were frozen and unable to breathe.
"Wh...What just happened?" Erin swallowed hard. Before they knew it, their feet were moving towards the window. They both instinctively looked around to find Amber's body, mangled on the floor or maybe she had snagged on a tree branch. Since they had not heard a thud they figured that she snagged on a branch but they saw nothing. They didn't even see her black tote anywhere just a white bird which began flapping its wings as it soared into the sky. Ashley noticed that on it's back was a dark streak but she didn't see much as it flew faster and faster into the sky.
That was close, Amber thought, I almost got caught but then again I never do. That Ashley girl or 'the special one' as they say, won't figure it out though - until I tell her of course. And that Erin girl - I'm getting suspicious about her, she doesn't seem...human. Then again, she mused, neither am I...