Anything but Ordinary
Sequel to 'Key to Angles' Hearts'
A Hated Life
They were there, posted like very other half there had been. The dreaded grades to some, the ranking of everyone in school. There were grumbles as there always was in the front, people up there looking back to find just one person. As others looked, they stared back as well, their eyes narrow in question and in anger that they had not gotten the highest grade and rank. Because it was always the same person, for as long as she had been in the schools. There was just no question, not even to the smartest 'normal' kids.
She was always the smartest.
They saw her walking down the halls, everything going silent, but she just walked on, ignoring their angry quietness. She didn't care what they thought. She never did. Her intelligence was much to high for such beings to fuss over, as he father put it, and no matter what they said, she would do nothing in return. Her mother always said never to start fights because of this, but if one ever did break out, to always finish it with the most dramatic leaving.
She went to her locker, people making way, as she opened it as usual, getting out her backpack and putting her books inside. But before she could get the last one, it suddenly shut, a hand over it, as she sighed in annoyance. She heard a voice to her side, one who had been most torturous to her anger, and the one reason of thinking of starting a fight.
"Say, freak, leaving so soon?" he questioned, grinning. He was the best jock in the school, which only matched his dumbness.
She looked up at him, her pale green eyes trying to stare into his very soul. But unfortunately she couldn't do it. She never could, no matter how much she wanted to. They just ignored it and sneered continuously, rolling her eyes and going back to her locker.
They called her freak, even though they didn't know her real secret. She had been allowed to wear a coat in school by a note from her mother every year, and even the teachers didn't know why. They probably just called her that because of her intelligence...and probably because of her hair. So what if it was silver? It was like her father's, just like her eyes, and it was better than any of these blobs of puke on their heads, in her opinion. But either way, in never backed away, and so she remained, hated by everyone.
"What, no comeback today? No 'shut ups'?" he questioned, as she grabbed her last book and held in in her arms, shutting the locker again.
She looked at him, her eyes angry. "When your insinuations mean something then I'll take them seriously," she shot back, turning and walking away as they made stupid remarks.
She turned the corner, beginning to walk home. Everyday when she would walk home she would say she hated that school, she wanted out. No one liked her, she didn't have any friends, not even the teachers liked her that much. She thought that they might think of her as making them look inferior. It was not her fault, she just liked to read a lot, her parents telling her the history of what had been before they came here. She just wondered where they had come from, and wondered if it would be better there. But, there was no other place but here, for their was only one of these academies, and she would have to deal with it...whether she liked it or not.
As she got home, she opened the door to their small, two story cabin, finding her mother in the other room sitting next to the fire, sewing up her father's jacket as she usually did. Her mother smiled, but she did not such thing, walking up the stairs.
"How was your day?" her mother asked.
"Fine, mother," she answered in a monotone, continuing on.
Her father walked down, stopping as she past him without looking up from the steps. He blinked, remembering what today was. "Did you get first?"
"Yes, father, as always," she replied in the same matter, opening the door to her room and shutting it behind. Her father only smirked, nodding his head and walking on.
She threw her backpack to the wall, going to her bed and flopping her back onto it. She sighed, throwing off her shoes and unbuttoning her coat, sitting up and putting it on the chair. She stretched her arms out, her wings spreading finally from being crammed for eight hours. Both feathered, but one black, like her father's, and one white, like her mother's. She lived with it for seventeen years, and yet no one knew about it. Strange, but it was just the way things went.
She turned on her side, shutting her eyes and sighing once more. She didn't have any homework, so she could just sleep it off. But today was only Monday--she had another four days to go of this torture until she could finally get a break. Life was terrible here, and even though she had to face it, she couldn't stand it. But at least she had something to look forward to. So, she just kept on thinking that it was just four more days...
Just four more...
***
Her eyes came open as she realized it was brighter out, a bird tweeting in the window. She heard a shout from downstairs, sounding like her mother, as she now understood it was morning. The voice became clear as it came through the door, shaking her awake.
"Nevaeh, you're going to be late! Get up!" her mother said, handing her the coat.
She sat up, blinking and taking it quickly, looking at her clock. Her eyes widened as she saw what time it was, and grabbed her backpack in a hurry, barely slipping her shoes on before she ran out the door. She ran as fast as she could down the path, gazing at her watch and seeing the time now. She didn't have time for this, especially when she was miles away from the city, let alone her school. With it, she stopped, getting her coat off and tying it around her waist. She held out her arms, her wings spreading wide, as she took off into the sky, faster than anything could ever run.
When she finally saw the city in her sights, she made sure she stayed in the area of the smog so no one could see her. She finally landed on the roof of the school, around the corner where no one was. She put her coat back on, running past the smokers who were out there regularly before school and into the door, sliding down the railing for the easiest way. Nevaeh ran in the halls before her professor shut the door to the classroom, taking her seat like the rest of the students. (Well...sort of like the students. They just stood by theirs until the last second).
When the bell rang, the professor clapped his hands, standing up and everyone sitting. He started out with a grinned, shrugging. "Today we have a new student, class, that could pull your sorry average out of the crapper, besides for the fact you have Nevaeh in your class. Everyone, I'd like you to meet Lance. Come on in here."
A boy, with slightly spiky auburn hair, walked in, wearing a pair of black, baggy jeans and a dark blue t-shirt, along with a black trench coat. Nevaeh almost laughed when she saw all the cheerleaders in the class almost drool over, the jocks getting a bit jealous. He just smirked, shrugging in embarrassment with this intro. The professor just scanned the area, looking for an empty seat for him to sit in. He saw one, and pointed up to it.
"Alright then, Lance, you can take your seat next to Nevaeh. Maybe some of her smartness will rub off on you, unlike the rest of this class."
Everyone seemed to snicker, as if finding it a burn that he was placed next to her. But he paid no mind, not exactly knowing why they were doing this but climbed the stair and set his backpack to his side as he sat. The professor said to quietly talk as he punched in Lance's new assigned seat into the computer, no one exactly talking quietly after.
Nevaeh diverted her eyes from where he looked over to her slightly, wonder in his eyes. This lasted only momentarily, however, when she suddenly turned her head, her pale green eyes meeting his sky blue ones.
"What? Just spit it out," she commanded, Lance blinking in surprise when she just shouted that out all of the sudden.
"Uh...n-nothing..." he said, looking back and getting his math books out onto his desk. She just continued to stare until he finally said it, "Alright, maybe. I was just wondering...uh, is that your natural hair color or is there some sort of dye out there you used?"
"No. It's real. Why, you have a problem with that?" she questioned.
"No! It's just...odd...I've never seen anything like it before," he stated.
"Yeah well, it isn't the greatest thing to have."
"Why?" he asked, Nevaeh soon looking away.
"You'll soon learn that everyone around here calls me a freak, so I guess if you give one cent about your social life you might want to stop talking to me."
With that he remained silent, turning back forward as the professor stood again. He took something at the chalk board and began to write an equation. It took up about half the board, and everyone soon sat dumbfounded, not understanding one bit of it.
"Alright, now, can anyone answer this problem?" he asked, holding the chalk out. No one dared to raise their hand.
Lance looked to Nevaeh, hearing her sigh and saw her roll her eyes. He leaned over, beginning to whisper. "You know the answer?"
"Of course, but I have been asked not to. Seems that they want the less 'gifted' people to get it."
"Lance, is there something you want to share with the class?" the professor said, catching him.
"Oh, umm..." he began, leaning back in his chair.
"Why don't you come solve this for us if you have so much to say?" he proclaimed, Lance knowing he had no way out.
He looked quickly to Nevaeh, who waved a hand to go up there to get out of trouble. Lance shrugged, standing up. "Yeah, sure." He walked down the stairs and took the chalk from his hands, just staring for a few moments before he began. "Let's see. One-hundred divided by two, parentheses, times one point five minus two-fourths, parentheses, which is fifty, times again thirteen over six point five all squared, equals..." he squinted his eyes, trying to think of the answer, when he finally wrote it out. "One point four one four two three five six two." He stared back to the professor, smirking when he stood shocked. He stood back to the class, seeing all of their eyes wide in the same manner, even Nevaeh's.
Suddenly, a girl shouted out, "Cool..." and the rest joined in.
"Yeah, go new guy!" he heard one of them say as he climbed the steps, taking his seat.
Lance only grinned, speaking over to Nevaeh. "I guess it pays to be smart huh?"
"How would you know?" she retorted, beginning to slouch in her seat and shaking her head.
As the hour went on very, very, very slowly, the bell finally rang, and everyone jumped from their seats and ran out the door before the professor could give homework. Nevaeh even did so, not wanting to talk to that cocky new kid again for the rest of that day. But as she read her new elective and stopped in the hall, she actually wasn't surprised when someone knocked her books out of her hands, grumbling in annoyance as she reached to pick them up. But as she looked down, she saw someone stand up, rolling her eyes and Lance handed her the books.
"Here," he said, Nevaeh forcefully taking them away.
"Thanks," she said, beginning to walk. He only followed, soon continuing.
"Say, what's your elective?"
"Fencing," she answered, not looking back to him.
"Really? So is mine!"
She stopped, facing him slowly with narrow slits for eyes. "You're kidding?" she inquired.
"No, I'm not," he replied, Nevaeh sighing and walking quickly on her way.
"So I have you in two classes for at least the next ten weeks..." she mumbled.
"Yeah, I guess so!"
'Great...' she thought, turning the corner to the gym where the fencing would take place.
Soon enough they all stood there like a line of white pincushions, clear helmets to let them see but able to protect them. Most of the guys complained, and the only one who did was the only girl in the class. Either that or the instructor, who was also a lady. No girl really liked fencing, but everyone just figured that she just got placed here, though they wouldn't exactly say it. First they would start on training, for everyone there had taken a class before sometime in their life. It was school policy. But everyone wasn't quite sure about the new guy, if he had taken any classes, so instead they took a quick five minutes to test.
"Okay, kid, let's just see how good those skills are of yours. Any volunteers?"
"I'll go," Nevaeh volunteered, everyone stepping back. If it was one thing, they new she could fight with a sword, and they just wanted to see Lance get creamed.
"Alright, you teach him a few moves, Nevaeh. Just take it easy on the guy, 'kay?" the instructor said, stepping back off the mat.
"Sure thing," she replied, a menacing look in her eyes.
Lance stepped up, smirking under his helmet. He flipped the sword in his hand, as if he had done this before, when she charged forward, striking down. Lance deflected, throwing her sword away and striking forth. She flipped back, dodging back and landing on one knee, standing and reaching forward, barely missing his center point. But as he backed up, she put a foot under his ankle, making him trip and fall back. She put the sword up to his neck, the others snickering slightly to his loss. When she took the sword away and held out a hand to help him up, however, he took it alright, but pulled her down, reversing the situation and putting a sword to her neck, nodding his head.
"Rule number one, never let your guard down," he said, grinning and standing up. The others applauded, even the instructor slightly, as he tried helped her up.
She slapped his hand away, though, standing up on her own two feet. She walked away, picking up the sword as he shrugged, turning to take his place in line. But before the instructor could continue with her teachings, Nevaeh took the sword in her hand and broke the metal in half, becoming a razor sharp end.
"Lance," she said, Lance turning back to face her. She suddenly snapped back, stretching her arm and unleashing the sword towards him. They all stood in terror as it stuck an inch from the center of his forehead in the glass, Lance standing frozen in fright. "Let that be a warning," is all she said, dropping the other half and storming out, slamming the door behind her.
The room just stood there, stunned, as the instructor called for the rest of the class off, to just shake off this. But Lance could do anything but shake it off, and only wonder why. Why would she do such a thing? For it was only a training match...
Right?
At lunch time, he would set it all straight. After he got his lunch and searched through the large, cathedral-ceiling room, (that was probably bigger than anything else in this school), he finally found Nevaeh, sitting by herself at a window seat. She wasn't eating anything, but just reading a book, so he thought this might be the best time to talk to her. He sat down next to her, Nevaeh not taking her nose out of the pages, and not seeming to know he was there.
"What're you reading?" he asked, Nevaeh jumped and shouting in surprise.
"Don't do that!" she said, shaking her head.
"Sorry! Just, seriously, what are you reading?"
"Why are you here?" she asked, getting to the point.
"Oh uh...I just wanted to know why you did that earlier. You know, throw the sword into my helmet face?"
"That...Ah jeez, I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "Really, I am. I just lost my temper. See, I've always tried to be the best...as to not disappoint-"
"You're parents, yeah I'm the same way. That's exactly why I'm in this school, because my father was in it once."
"Really? So was mine! He was the best in his class, so, as always, I...have..." she drifted off in sad thought, Lance seeing this.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Well...That's also why people call me a freak...because I'm so smart. I do my best because I have too, that's why they brought me into this school. The only problem is...everyone hates me for it..."
"Huh...So why don't they hate me?" he inquired.
"Don't know. Maybe because you're the new guy. Everyone likes the new guy."
He laughed. "I'm sure they do..."
"I hear sarcasm in your voice," she stated.
"Yeah, because there is. I came here not just because my father came here...but because..." he chuckled half-heartedly. "Nah, it's nothing."
"What? No, what is it? Why did you come here?"
"I...kinda got kicked out...'cuz I started too many fights..."
She smiled. "Seriously? Because you started too many fights?"
He nodded. "Yeah...I know it isn't the greatest thing...But those darn jocks were getting on my nerves!"
She then started to laugh. "Then you'll be perfect here! They've been looking for fighters for a while now!"
"Maybe this isn't such a bad school after all then."
With that, the bell rang, and the next class would start. Nevaeh stood up, closing her book. Lance held out his hand, though, Nevaeh just staring at it for a moment. She didn't understand what he was doing until he explained.
"Umm, nice to meet you Nevaeh. Guess I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
That was when she took it, shaking it with a half smile. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."
The day soon continued on until the last hours, where Nevaeh quickly rushed home, running in through the door and kicking off her shoes, her mother in the front room.
"Hello, Nevaeh. How was your day?"
"Great!" she answered, running up the stairs.
"Why was it so great?" her father questioned, sitting in his chair.
"I met a guy!" she replied, shutting the door to her room.
He looked over from where he was reading the newspaper, looking at his wife. She looked up from her sewing, noticing he was staring. She smiled as he spoke.
"A guy? You mean they didn't have guys there before?"
She laughed. "No, she meant she met a guy who likes to talk to her."
"Oh," he replied, lifting the newspaper back up. He suddenly brought it back down, realizing something. "Oh." He said, looking over his shoulder to the stairs. But he shrugged, turning back. "She just better stick to her studies is all I have to say."
Nevaeh's mother shook her head, smiling as she continued with her sewing.
Nevaeh set her things down like always, sitting back. She just looked up at the ceiling, imagining over again the conversation she had earlier. She really never spoke to another person besides for her parents, and it felt...nice. She sat back up, going to her closet. Maybe she should wear something nice tomorrow? Surprise everyone? She raised an eyebrow though, not realizing before then that everything she had was black and dark colors. But she shrugged, getting out the one dress she owned that was a dark blue and standing in front of the mirror. But she couldn't really see with her coat on, so she placed it on the chair, looking back up and now remembering her wings.
She sighed, throwing the dress back into the closet. She didn't know why she owned the thing, so she thought she stick to her usual dark blue sweater, black long skirt, and blue jeans underneath. Why would she ever think of dressing up anyway? It was a stupid notion anyway.
Again she had no homework, (she usually didn't, because this school was more on training than academics), so, once again, she laid on her side, a sad sigh coming from her throat, as she shut her eyes, falling asleep a time after.