To answer some questions; Smut is dirty. And yes chapter 1 was kind of depressing, but doesn't it have to be to INSPIRE someone to get off their bums and DO SOMETHING. Anyway, sorry that this story is kind of going hunger games style but I hope you like where it leads.
Chapter 2: The Drawing
So here's the deal, barely anyone is left on earth because everyone has moved to Mars or Jupiter, but I'm not rich, and nor is anyone here obviously, in fact you really can't do anything on earth to make enough money to move out, to make enough money to live. But we all know how that song and dance goes, and that just doesn't happen to normal people. Much less normal people with absolutely horrid luck like me.
In fact one of the only things on earth that is worth anything at all is its resources, we supply the other planets while our own, gets more and more polluted. But it's all alright, the trees are sprouting in Jupiter, and the water is flowing on Mars, the only thing missing is a way to get animals up there, but that's already pretty much figured out. Then we are left to rot in our own poverty. Unless a huge, and I mean huge, spout of luck just slapped Earth right in the face, we're doomed. But everything, all the gloom and doom, it's all perfectly fine because of my best friend, Scottie. And you may be sitting there going "Ugh another love story" but excuse you, because HE has a huge crush on ME and I already turned him down so THERE, so how 'bout them apples? I'm mean yeah, but who cares, I have a family to take care of, why would I want a relationship? I'm not some lovesick puppy.
Me, being me, so involved in my own thoughts, I run into Scottie and send a binder full of papers flying out of his hands. I feel heat rising up to my face as I stutter for an apology under his glare. Scottie is tall, with dusty-blond hair and bright, almost blue, hazel eyes. He has high cheek bones, a slightly up-turned nose, and a scowl that could scare the living daylights out of a fully-grown grizzly bear. His bright and mischievous smile, coupled with his handsome face –not that I've noticed- is enough to make any girl swoon. Except this one, because I seem to lack a soul.
"Astrid are you even listening?! God damn this is the second time this week, Christ, can't I study for the contest?" He said, with vehemence, usually he's sweet to girls, but I guess he's just gotten too used to me over the years, and I him.
"Ugh, watch where you are walking, and would you quit your bitchin'?" I say annoyingly and grin, as Scottie adopts a more exasperated look.
"I LIVE. Here!" He rolls his eyes.
"Really? I couldn't tell the difference, I thought this was Jake's house…" This time around, Scottie grins, then darkness rolls over his face instead.
"You should get used to this place Ash, bitching won't make it any more pleasant," He scolds. I scoff, and stomp off as he gathers the rest of his papers. I hear him walking before I see him, I live two blocks away from him, and we go to the same school. Clayton high. The only thing that isn't ash. As Scottie catches up I adopt a meaner expression.
"Don't call me that," I say as he goes to ask what my problem is today. I admit, yes I'm rather moody but usually he's not so bitchy, so in my opinion we are both at fault here. He puts his hands up in defense, and shrugs his shoulders before shoving his binder into a bag and stalking ahead of me into my own house. I throw off my coat, it's always cold out, and grab my own binder. I'm majoring in athletics, health study, communication, and sarcasm. That last one is my own add on, but in my age group,, we are only allowed to study three things, and it goes to the final fourth when we are fifteen. I haven't decided my fourth yet, but I need to, another cool thing is when we are fifteen, we are all tested to win "the contest" which is pretty much some bull where they send you off to some other planet to see if it's livable, and pass it off as a reward. The worst part, the fact that, now, it actually is one. It's a contest of a wide range, and if you make it, your fourth study is chosen for you, it's some system about certain people being more eligible because they are prodigies or some shit. All I know is it's a load of bull and I didn't pay attention. But I might as well study, my I.Q is at an even 240, and I'm one of the tops of my age group, might as well give it a sh-
"Seriously Astrid, again?" This time, I was on my butt, and Scottie was grinning down at me. My thoughts keep getting interrupted by this idiot, and not even in the good way, the things I put up with.
"You really, really, need to learn how to walk," I sneer and grab his hand.
"C'mon, Astie, why d'you gotta be like that?" He pulls me up with a crooked grin. I ignore his little nick-name, I bet he's proud of himself for that, and flop down at the table. And in the moment, that my cheeks touched the chair, an explosion happened. Everything changed with that, and it's something I will remember for the rest of my life. Scottie and I ran out the door and started at the sky, my face burned and I squinted up at the sky, I would gasp but the heat might collapse my lungs. This was only the beginning.