s the second chapter of Ink;
Enjoy!

Also!: Please don't take what Zoe or Lacey (you'll meet her later) seriously; I kind of just made it up. Though I did pull the names of the bones from a set of flashcards from my neighbor's anatomy class.

Ch. 2: An Almost Hero

My hair's grown at least down to my neck; I know get why androgyny has been following my tail. I haven't found time to cut it off, and I figure that hiding my face is better than expecting the obvious. I grabbed a gray knit newsboy's hat to finish off my ensemble of a white long sleeved shirt and button up vest, gray skinny jeans, and black Chucks. Maybe it's my clothes that throw people off...

"Hello!"

I let out a sigh, grabbing a black ponytail for Gym class, and my messenger bag. By the time I got downstairs, Kelsi was a bit frazzled.

"First day back and you're already making a scene!"

"It's not like anyone will think things'll be different."

"Now they know she's not on vacation in Orange County with your grandparents."

I pursed my lips, "Yeah, I guess."

"I can't believe your parents had us spread that two years ago across the campus."

"Back when they cared about our image." I shrugged while we headed out to her Jeep. While we drove off into the horizon, I suddenly felt like Simba sitting on Pride Rock. When we parked, I felt like the two of us were entering the Elephant Graveyard. I don't know if brittleness suits me best, but I know that my bones have a phantom ache that keeps grinding them away.

"What was that thing again? The, uh, dead girl news?"
"Yeah, her funeral was like yesterday."
"That's so stupid, but it's not like the slut didn't deserve it."
"I know right? I heard when Evans was a freshman; she tried to get Troy Bolton into her pants!"
"No way! I can't believe it! She tried to obtain the Immaculate Prince Troy Bolton!"

I eyed Kelsi, and she shrugged before walking up to them. But someone else beat her to the punch.

"Hey! The last time I checked, he never loved his fan club."

The group of girls pouted, scoffed, and stormed off in petty rage. The boy turned from staring off the girls; he smiled in my direction.

"Hey." I folded my arms low by my stomach, "Thanks..."

Chad ruffled his fingers through his poofy hair, "No problem, they're fawning over fantasies-"

"Forgetting reality." I finished for him; Kelsi and Chad were the two people I stuck to since freshman year; we came up with literary phrases for each thing of East High that's fake.

"Chad?" I immediately felt him hug me; I guess my voice sounded weaker than I thought.

"It doesn't mean anything."

"...I know." I felt a few tears fall down my cheeks.

..:….:..

Dear Troy,

Remember in Biology, when we learned about the different ways an animal can be classified? I totally forgot that acronym we made up, and probably failed miserably. But I noticed that you look omega adorable in those "Emo" glasses. You look so studious and smart and...I'm getting way too far ahead of myself. I guess I think about you...a lot. Maybe too much.

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. ~Pay

..:….:..

Dr. Zoe Dashenel, forensic anthropologist and all-around Squint, was squinting particularly closely at the burnt corpse from Evans' coffin. Her and her team was hard at work in the lab, trying to figure out who "Mystery Girl" was.

"African-American, female, the fact that her pelvis and femur bones are looser than usual suggests that she played some sort of sport. The connection of her radius and carpals show that she's broken her wrist more than once..."

"The charring on the bone suggests that this Mystery Girl has been dead for a few...years." Lacey Mason-the team's favorite Bugs, Guts, and Soil girl-interrupted Zoe's train of spoken thought, "Which is congruent with possibly the day when Evans was presumed dead."

"Can you make it solid, and not just a possibility?"

"Music my ears!" Lacey smiled, nodding while turning back to her samples.

"Hello Squint Squad, how goes the investigation?"

Zoe looked up from the corpse, "How goes your part of the case?"

"...Fair enough." Seth leaned on the long table the corpse was spread on, "I thought you were the best at this kind of thing."

"I've heard the same about your job. How you almost get the bad guy each time, but somehow fail before you make the final catch. That makes you an...Almost Hero."

"So because you can identify dead bodies makes you a saint? The fact that you know who they are, what they do...but do you understand why?"

"That's why we need each other; I give you what you need to be a hero. You help me not to be a senseless robot. Kapeesh?"

..:….:..

Dear Troy,

The snow is so beautiful in January. I made a wish while the sun came up on New Years. Ryan, Kelsi, and I sat on the roof of my house (it has a nice flat spot out my room's window). I wished I had enough courage to talk to you. I wish that every year, but this year feels a little...different. I don't know why, but look at the signs! You're in a class of mine while we're a year apart in school; and! You know my name, but I guess I have class to thank that for.

People look at me strange, especially this group of girls. They keep calling me "trashy" because I talk to you. Do you have a reputation I should know about? Secret affairs? :D I wouldn't care, even if we stay "classroom friends". At least I'll know that I got to talk to you for a little while. I'm a little afraid of loneliness though, so I hope we could be more than that; I don't know...I always wonder if you'll find these someday. But I know you wouldn't; I'd die first. ~Pay

..:….:..

I stared at the ceiling in my bedroom; I feel like I'm majorly invading someone's privacy while reading her letters. But then again, maybe Shar was trying to send me some sign. I snapped to attention when I heard the clickity-clack against my window. I walked over, and opened it. Chad stood at the ground with his signature grin on his face.

"Hey Ry!"

I leaned out the window to get a better view, "What is it?"

"My Depression Senses were tingling!" He held his arms up; shopping bags were hanging from them,"I brought tea, and Combos...!"

I smiled; like he needed to try to bribe me, "I'll be right down." I don't get Chad at all; from what I remembered he rolled with the whole 'Jock' scene. Then somehow, after Sharpay disappeared, he always went out of his way to make me smile or protect me. Like an Almost Hero making the final stretch to move up a rank...

that's all for now!
Review!
:B