Story takes place a little bit before Uglies series, and will soon join up with the rest of the story!
Her whole body ached from maneuvering the hoverboard over so many miles; she'd barely seen the land she was covering.
She coughed, and spat out the blood that had welled up inside of her mouth from a previous injury to her cheeks and lips, and then screeched to a halt, her board dipping into a nearly verticle position with the effort of doing so.
Jacob slowed next to her, as did the others, their hair wild from the long ride. Lauren sighed, and hopped gracelessly off of her board, the hard ground nausiatingly solid beneath her aching feet. She couldn't believe she had come this far, the once odd dream a new reality. She hadn't even wanted to come, but she couldn't let her friends leave without her...
Lauren turned to the feel of the touch on her shoulder, and smiled halfheartedly at Jaimee. It had been all her idea, and Lauren had been so focused on following her through the sharp turns of the forest, and the dipping curving twists of the river.
They walked on for a little bit, following the almost worn path, and she sighed. There were many in her group, almost fifteen. She wasn't sure if she was breaking the law, but she didn't mind too much. She wanted to be pretty, of course, but it didn't seem that big of a deal to her yet. They were fourteen, and still had time to spare before they even worried about becoming pretty. For now they were "confined" to Uglyville.
Anna laughed at Lauren's frustrated expression, and Lauren stuck her tongue out stubbornly. Anna giggled, and Jaimee turned around curiously.
The girls smiled knowingly, and sighed. Tonight was going to be fun! They had been out twice before, but never with this many. They were the dare-devils, and lately laws didn't seem to apply to them.
She had been convinced that the laws of Uglyille were made tp be broken; her friends had taught her this...
The raced toward the rusty ruins, their boards buzzing loudly in the still air. The big metal frame rose in front of them,above the trees on the horizon, and Jacob sped forward, blond hair fluttering in the breeze. Korey took off after him and Lauren grit her teeth. Damned if she'd be beet by her...
Her board wasn't as good as the others, and she wasn't as lithe, but she still managed to catch up with sheer determination and will power as they swerved through the close nit trees. By the time they reached the huge metal frame, it seemed to have doubled in size, and Lauren's will power and exhilaration vanished.
It lumbered above them like a huge steel dragon, the bright color enticingly foreboding. Jacob caught her eye, and snickered.
"Wuss." And he took off, his board zipping along the metal surface with ease. Lauren hated him for a moment; it wasn't fair that that arrogant jerk got to be so good at everything when she didn't.
She let the anger build, and then with a self-satisfied smirk she plunged forward, unthinking and only feeling. She might not catch up, but she word sure as hell the hoverboard this like a beast.
Her breath was close to hyperventilation as she experienced her first ride. She had never actually ridden before, always wimping out at the last moment, and watching the rest of them board.
She laughed as she rode the loop, and then screamed as the track dropped right out from under her; trying and failing to stop her speeding board. It was one of her greatest fears to fall to her death, and she didn't even register it now. The world was not there, and neither was she. She'd blacked out, spiraling downward in reality and in her mind.
OoOoO
Lauren violently jerked awake when the water hit her in the face, and she swung wildly. Her forearm struck someone, and she halted when she heard a familiar voice.
"Geez, Lauren." muttered Anna, extending one hand, and rubbing her face with the other. Lauren's face reddened sheepishly, and let Anna help her up. \
"I'm going to kill him, I swear." growled Lauren, remembering where she was.
Picking up her board, she stomped over to where Jacob was standing and smacked him in the back of the head. "I could've died, you ass!"
He shrugged, and smiled. "Nah. You're crash bracelets would have caught you. You're the one who freaked out and passed out!"
"Oh, I freaked out. Huh. I guess thinking you're going to fall to your death would do that wouldn't it!? You could've at least told me it was there!" She took another swipe at his head, but he ducked neatly out of the way.
"No one told me! You just suck at boarding, and you're secretly jealous!"
"You've just got such a huge ego, that you only think I'm jealous!" Lauren lied, secretly envious of the boy.
"Right, ha. Even if you aren't jealous," She smirked, "Which you are, " She slapped him again, "You still can't make it around the coaster, ugly!"
"I can too! I bet you didn't make it the first time!"
"I still did it! But you're too stupid to try it again!" retorted Jacob, wrenching free of her grip on his arm.
"FINE! I'll do it!" She spat, and threw down her board. The board bounced in the air, never touching the ground. Lauren clambered onto her board, the board quivering under her feet. She nudged it toward the huge metal skeleton, forcing her convulsing stomach into submission. Gulping, she tried to repress the ensuing waves of worried nausea.
The board lurched forward under her command, and she nervously sped toward the coaster.
"DON'T DIE!! I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SCRAPE YOU OFF THE GROUND!" Yelled Jacob after her, laughing.
"SUCK IT JACOB!" She yelled back, her heart fluttering sickly.
She approached the curves of the track, and bent down and grabbed her board. She jumped easily over the track, and up onto it, and started her way around.
Twisting painfully, she leaned into a turn, bending low for speed. There was a multitude of macabre thoughts spiraling through her head, like a bout of commercials between the show.
She didn't see the drop coming until she was nearly upon, at which point she clung to her board. Not the best idea, but it slowed the descent.
It was like Air Surfing, the board dipping into the air, cutting the flowing current of air.
Her hair buffeted her face as she fell for those five seconds of fear.
Her breath was crunched from her as the board came to an abrupt hover, and continued going. She was doubled over on the board, and the force of the stop had nearly broken her ribs, but she couldn't stop. She was almost done, and her board was still going, right? She was too pained to even move, and eventually, the board tipped off the tracks, and she shifted ever so slightly to glide wobbly over to them.
"Wee..." Lauren nearly fell off her board, and then she straightened. "Well, I don't think I want to do that again! Never grab your board. Ha!" She burst into exhilarated giggles, and she massaged her aching ribs.
"You suck at hoverboarding!" snorted Jacob.
"You suck at being nice!" retorted Lauren lamely.
"Hahahha!" Laughed Devon, his face lighting up. Carissa scowled at him, and he reduced his laughs to giggles. Carissa was hanging in the air, Devon's board had run into hers (he'd done it on purpose), and she was sure to get him back.
Boarding for a few more hours, they left around one.
They all parted ways on good terms, Lauren staring after Jacob, debating throwing something after him. But she shrugged and changed her mind. She'd worry about him later. She shook his cute face from her head, and focused on hating him. No use liking an asshole, right?
Author's Note- I dedicate my story to my friends, the guy I like who doesn't know, and of course, myself! And this chapter is dedicated to...
AyameAndFumikoToko who let me know my story was worth posting! And also my Bff Anna Crawford! I luv ya girl, your like a sister! PEACE OUUUUT!
Lauren/Mellokai!