Prologue (Part 2): The Girl
Drip. Drip. Drip. Came the sound of the leaky faucet.
The water continued its determined mission to keep the rhythm constant; meanwhile, chatter in hush tones filled the quiet, empty room. If you were to follow the voices, a common scene you would have found. Four young girls sat at a table, books open and stacks of papers covered its surface completely.
"Ash, what'd you get for 35?" A girl with short red hair asked. Her bangs were in her face and she blew them out of the way; but she didn't blow hard enough and they fell right back to where they began.
"Slow down, Emma. I'm not at 35 yet!" A girl with her golden hair put up in a ponytail responded.
"Number 35? It's photosynthesis." A girl with very long brown hair stated. "I read ahead, like I always do!" she boasted.
"So smart!" Emma whispered while putting a snarl in it.
"Well, I do admit I'm smarter than the common fools in this town!" Ashley looked aggravated at her insult; but Emma continued holding her fake smile, refusing to let her get the reaction she wanted. "Who else needs my help? Ash—"
"No thanks," Ashley stated in a moody tone.
"Emma?"
"No. Just fine," Emma answered without looking up from her homework.
"Oh. Very well than... Aceline?" She asked fourth girl.
The last girl was me. I have long-ish brown hair and blue eyes; there's no particular style to my hair, instead it has a more natural look. Aceline, that's me, stared at vase on a small table by the wall. I gazed at it with complete, never-ending focus and did not answer Sarah.
"Aceline! Aceline! Crickets, Aceline! What's wrong with you?" Sarah shouted. Emma and Ashley hushed her.
"This is a library, for crying out loud!" Ashley whispered loudly.
I turned my head to face Sarah. "Oh, forgive me dear friend, I was lost in happy thoughts." I spoke, making my voice sound proper to the point where it was silly.
"Hmph! Happy thoughts, you say? More like day dreaming." Sarah sneered.
"Why, yes. Dreams indeed." I said making my voice sound more cheerful. "Dreams that I might, one day, leave this town to become more than a common fool!" I raised my eyebrow at her.
She scowled back at me. "You know what you are Aceline?" She whispered, putting as much anger into the words as she could.
"Please, dear. Enlighten me." I answered.
"You're one of those girls! The type that can't do anything right, flunk out of school, and marry some guy who's dumb enough to spend all his time taking care of you!" A spiteful fire was flaming in her eyes.
"Well, if that's so, at least I'll have more than you— oh perfect one! Good luck finding a man who wants a girl who always has to be right."
Curious and amused eyes looked back at me from Ashley and Emma; Sarah's face was blank. I don't think it has registered that I had insulted her yet. Sarah: A scholar? Yes. Smart? No.
I could see that this wasn't going anywhere and really didn't want to stay for her realization… So I gathered my papers, closed my book, grabbed my bag, and left. I made my way through the hall and outside to one of the library's balconies .
She has a point. I thought to myself. If I can't bring my grades up, what will I do? I'm already a Juinor…
I looked up to the stars and my heart longed to get away.
"I wish there was more to my life…" I whispered to the sky.
There was a flash of light.
