Dreamland:
"Dad." I squeaked. "I said I was sorry. It won't happen again."
I felt two hands firmly make contact with my shoulders. I tumbled down; the wood smashed my cheekbone as I made contact with the floor. I squeezed my eyes shut; a sad attempt to wish the world away. I could feel his tall frame towering over me, daring me to stand up and fight. I reached up, touching my face, hyperaware of the growing heat sensation. I fluttered my eyes open, attempting to focus in on his face.
"Get up." He snarled, chapped lips sliding into a sneer. The lights in the room were dancing. "I said get up." I winced at the tone. The light fixtures continued to swirl around above me, blending into the sharp corners of the ceiling. Swirling, swirling. They began to fade. My eyes watched them recede towards the light bulb. The light bulb was sucking up the bright light. It was leaving me in the dark. In this dark mess.
"Get up."
"Get up."
His voice was distant now, like he was standing at the end of a tunnel, and I was at the other end.
"Get up."
Then my world went black.
_x_
"Get up." There was a pause. "Seriously. Get up." I rolled onto my other side, attempting to distance myself from the voice. "Derrick! Get up! We're going to be late. I don't want to be late on the first day of school!" I stayed still.
I heard my sister yell out in exasperation. "Ugh! Mom! He won't get up!" She strode over to my bed and pulled at the covers. "Get up you lazy ass." When that didn't work, she began shaking me. "Geeeeeeeeeeet up." She grunted. I could feel the wickedness brewing in her mind. Finally, she resorted to smacking me, hard.
"What the hell, Sam?" I snapped, violently sitting up. She cowered back in fear, losing every bit of backbone she had gained in the last two minutes. Her lower lip began to quiver; I knew it was a matter of seconds before her brown eyes began to water. I felt a pang in my chest. I exhaled and tried again. "What Sammy?"
It took a beat before she realized that no one was going to slap her and tell her to go away. Her face lit up as she clapped her hands together in glee. "It's the first day of school! Aren't you excited?" She looked down at her pink tutu and frowned. "Do you think the other girls will wear tutus? I don't know what they wear here in West Chester (she ignored my "It's Westchester, not West Chester."), but tutus were cool in California." She stopped rambling long enough to look at me for approval. I studied her purple shirt with the bow, the pink tutu, the rainbow socks and the high top sneakers. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
"You're a doll, babe." I rolled my eyes. "You'll be the hottest thing in that kindergarten class." I made a point of snapping my fingers and giving her my best "mmm mmm mmm." Sammy giggled, her brown eyes twinkling as she skipped out of the room. At the door, she whirled around.
"Mom says to be downstairs in ten minutes for breakfast or instead of feeding you, she's feeding you to the dogs." I heard her cackle and shuffle away. I threw head in my hands and groaned. I allowed myself twenty seconds of cursing before I kicked my feet off the bed and padded towards the shower. Nine minutes later, I looked at myself in the mirror. I smoothed down the mandatory uniform and shrugged at my reflection, it would have to do for today. I grabbed the backpack that had been set aside the previous night and trudged downstairs.
I smelled the kitchen before I got there; the waft of pancakes hitting me halfway down the hall. I heard my mom before I saw her; she was softly singing one of those lame songs they play on the radio on what seems to be an endless loop.
"Morning." I yawned, sitting down at the table crowded with moving boxes. I should have helped her finish unpacking, but quite frankly, I was too tired.
"Hey there, sugarbear." She singsonged, walking over to place a plate brimming with food on the small space I had cleared in front of me. She ruffled my hair. "Ready for school, champ?"
I nodded slowly, taking a bite of the burnt toast. My mom smiled an easygoing smile that I hadn't seen for months. She was at ease here.
"Good. We'll leave in ten."
_x_
"Welcome to Briarwood Academy, Mr. Harrington." The Headmistress gushed. Her large nose made her look hawkish. I nodded at her, eyes fixed at the school that lay before me. The red brick walls rose high and mighty, surrounded by crisp, autumn trees. Fancy cars in the parking lot made my mother's Toyota look embarrassingly out of place. The Headmistress was decked out in designer clothing with a pearl necklace to boot. It was a school that anyone back in Cali would label as snobbish. "I'm sure you will find that Briarwood, as we so fondly refer to it, it one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. I believe you will fit in very nicely here, Mr. Harrington. What, with your stellar grades, it is no doubt you received a very generous scholarship to join us."
I glanced at my mom, sending her a "Can you believe this place" look. She arched an eyebrow, "I know."
"Now, Mr. Harrington. Announcements in Homeroom will be over shortly and classes will begin soon." She pulled out a sheet of paper from a leather-bound notebook she was carrying. "This is your schedule and a map. I trust you will have an excellent day." I took my schedule from the hawk lady, bid my mother a quick goodbye and stumbled along. I adjusted my messenger bag as I rounded the corner. I crashed into something hard and tumbled backwards, landing firmly on my back. I looked up to find a gang of boys staring down at me. The Spanish looking one with the Yankees hat burst out laughing. The tall one with freaky blue and green, yes one blue and one green, smiled apologetically. The red-head elbowed Yankee hat in the ribs. The shortest of the four glared at me.
"Watch where you're going, nerd." He growled. He stepped over me and kept walking down the hall. Yankees hat and Ginger followed him. Freak-eyes stayed behind. He looked down and offered me a hand.
"Sorry about Chris. He's had a rough morning. Ms. Dinkle caught him making out with Alicia in the bathroom." Freak-eyes laughed. "I'm Cam, by the way. Cam Fisher. You must be new here."
"I'm Derrick. Derrick Harrington." I said, taking his hand, and pulling myself up. I dusted off my uniform.
Cam's eyes flashed mischievously.
"Well Derrick Harrington. Welcome to Briarwood."
_x_
Well I haven't written anything for Fanfiction in years. I thought I'd try it out again. I'm rusty but I gave it my best shot. I will happily accept any input you guys have. I hope you enjoyed the story. Review please :)
. .