Yeah, so here's chapter two! Yay! Tell me what you think..bla bla bla...the usual...

Chapter 2:Forms

I rubbed my eyes as the last of the tears stopped, sniffing a few times to clear my stuffed up sinuses. Glancing at the clock on the dresser, I see that it's three-thirty, and I'd been crying for half an hour. Bindi was asleep on my chest, her gentle purring soothing and comforting. I managed to slip her off my chest without waking her up, and got off the bed to my feet. I walked to the dresser, where the milk and cookies still sat, and took a sip of the now warmish liquid, biting into a cookie afterward.

Bindi was right. I didn't let myself cry as much as I'd like to. That outburst right then had been the first in over three months, and while she hated crying, it was sort of relieving, too. It was like the bottle had lowered a bit, and wasn't as close to bursting as it had been. So, in some ways, the crying was a form of release, to keep her from losing control of her emotions and possibly herself for just a little bit longer.

After gulping down the milk and scarfing the cookies, I made my way to the bathroom across the hall, flicking on the light switch as I did so. I stared at myself in the mirror, not surprised to find that my grey eyes were bloodshot and puffy. I'd always hated my eyes; they weren't beautiful like Mom's had been, a misty silver-grey that had made them seem luminous, in a way. I could only describe mine as...well...grey. I didn't like my hair, either. Bushy, and wild, it was a shade somewhere between my Dad's dark, almost black, brown and Mom's chestnut brown. I'd never liked the color, it just didn't seem right to me. Then there were my lips. My lips were full like my parents', but Dad's had been pale pink, and my Mom's a healthy pink. Mine, on the other hand, were, once again, a mix of the two. My upper lip was pale pink, and my lower a healthy pink color. I was tall for a girl, too, even though I didn't know where I got that from. I towered over other girls, and most guys I knew, at 5'11, and if for some reason my body saw fit to grow another inch before puberty ended in the next few years, I'd hit the six foot mark.

I was Godzilla and everyone else were the poor people of Tokyo, running in fright at the sight of the giant Amazon female.

I pulled open the medicine cabinet, grabbing the eye drops out and squeezing a few in my eyes. I waited for the redness to disappear, then, after rifling through some drawers to find one, held a damp washcloth to my face in an attempt to reduce the swelling. When I took it from my face, there was one other thing I noticed about me that, while I didn't care for it, didn't really mind having either.

You see, when you look around in your typical school, about what would you say is the average weight of every girl there? One hundred and fifteen, one hundred and twenty pounds? I weigh two hundred and twenty. I don't see what the big deal is. So I have to buy clothes that are a size ten or eleven instead of five and six, so what? And who cares that I get a bit of a double chin when pull my head in like a turtle? It's not like I'm hideous, or anything, so why should my size matter?

I shook my head at my reflection. It didn't matter. Besides, even if it did matter, it wasn't like I would have done anything. Why do girls go on diets and lose weight, and such? Simple, they do it to make themselves look better, and to attract members of the opposite sex. Never in my life have I had boyfriend, and never, I'm starting to think, will I want one. After all, who did I have to impress? Try and prove me wrong, that I don't have no one.

God, I hate it when things I think come back to haunt me.

I stood off to the side of the altar, trying to look like I was actually paying attention to what the preacher was saying. I was at Kristine's wedding, holding the bouquet while the happy couple made their vows. The sun shone on the spacious backyard, where white, red, and yellow lawn chairs sat in rows, and what few relatives were on my side of the family and Harold's watched with tearful expressions.

I was Kristine's Maid of Honor, and so far I wasn't liking the position too much. The dress was this big puffy red thing that made me look like some deformed strawberry. It was hot outside, without even the slightest breeze to cool us off with. I was starting to sweat, my carefully pinned up hair was coming loose and strands were sticking to my sticky face. These damn heels were killing my feet with no remorse whatsoever. Just to make it worse, Bindi was sitting in the cool shade of one of the many trees in the wide backyard, flicking her little tail back and forth, back and forth. She caught my eye, and I swear the look on her face was smug, like she was rubbing it in.

I took a deep breath, and blew it up into my face, attempting to remove some of the stuck hair on my upper lip. A thought came to me suddenly, and I grinned to myself. I reached inside myself, and called upon the magic stored in there, muttering a swift incantation.

I mentioned earlier that my specialty was water. All this really means, is that since water is my preference, I can manipulate it and do spells with it without having to speak an incantation. I can do other elements, but with them I have to speak. I didn't mind this, however, when a sudden, cool breeze blew through the yard to sway the branches on the trees and ruffle everyone's hair slightly.

I barely contained my own sigh of relief at the instant pleasure that came with the cool, but there were several in the chairs who didn't bother. Several soft sighs came from them, and their smiles grew more profound and believable. I saw Kristine shoot a quick accusatory glare over her shoulder at me, but I smiled innocently. Harold, while she was turned away, gave me a toothy grin and a discreet thumbs up. My smile grew warmer.

Over the past two months, I'd grown comfortable with the thought of Harold moving in with us. I was really starting to come to like the man. Yet, there was a nagging suspicion, a feeling of sorts, that there was something I had to do, somewhere I needed to be...

What that was, of course, I had no idea.

I murmured a soft sigh of pleasure as the wind blew against my neck. In truth, I didn't want to be out here. I would rather have been in my room reading a book, or under the tree with Bindi. I preferred the latter. But I had to stay here, with Kristine, to make her happy. It was her special day, and also played a major role in my life as well. It would make her happy. So, I when she was looking, I plastered on the fake smile. There were times I believed she could see through the smile, but I'd gotten so good at it, that rarely happened anymore.

So I faked, and I sighed, and I felt something inside me dim as I listened to the words of the preacher-unattached and uncaring-smile firmly in place as I only allowed myself a real smile in moments like Harold's thumbs up. In some ways it was like I was boxing myself away, as bits and pieces of me I'd once been and known, emotions I'd once felt, were carefully stored away, to only be used and expressed in the rarest of moments, with the rarest of company. And every day that box got fuller and fuller, as the bottle with my negative emotions filled itself more and more.

"You may now kiss the bride."

I looked up to see the preacher smiling, a smile that didn't touch his eyes, and Harold drawing in Kristine to give her one of the most tender kisses I'd ever seen. It was nothing, really. A brief touch of lips, a soft brushing, like the kind you see on the streets everyday with teenagers and married couples in restaurants. Yet at the same time, it was so personal and full of emotion that it made me want to weep.

As everyone dispersed and moved to congratulate the couple, I escaped into the house with a quick excuse to my aunt about using the bathroom. She didn't question, I think she knew my discomfort with being there. I'd gotten to my room and had kicked off the shoes when the doorbell rang. For a moment I just stood there, thinking to let someone else get it, but then I remembered that I was the only one in the house.

With a sigh, I walked from the room to answer the front door, and found it to be a delivery man. He plastered on a fake smile as I opened the door, standing straight in his brown uniform. When he saw me his smile faltered for a second as his eyes widened, but he quickly fixed it.

"Package for Kristiana Stilhouse," he said, and it sounded like he was trying to hold back laughter.

"Yes, that's me," I said, voice a little sharper than I'd have liked it to be. I knew I looked stupid in the dress, but I didn't need him reminding me.

Wordlessly he handed me a brown box and a clipboard for my signature. I signed the paper and gave it back to him, then slammed the door shut before he could say anything. I took the box back to my room and set it on the bed, staring at it for a moment.

What do you have there? Bindi asked, coming out from under the bed. I hadn't known she'd been in here-she must have followed me inside without my noticing.

"I don't know." I poked it with a finger.

Well don't just stare at it, open it! She jumped on the bed and began to nudge the box with her head.

I muttered a quick spell to make my nails grow long and sharp, then proceeded to use them to cut the tape holding the box shut. After reverting my nails back to their original form, I pulled out the things that were inside. There was a large booklet, a pamphlet, a few forms to fill out, and a pin that was in the shape of teardrop, only instead of blue, it was red. The words VC Academy were emblazoned in bright gold.

What is it?

I glanced at the cat, who was now poking the stack of papers, and shrugged. Picking up the top paper on the stack, I began to read the bold black letters. I couldn't believe what it said, so I re-read it. Then I read it again. And again.

What is it? Bindi repeated, a tad bit impatiently.

I sank down onto the bed. "Apparently I've been selected to attend VC Academy." I stared down at the pin and papers.

Where's that?

I shook my head. "I have no clue."

How much does it cost?

"It's free." Her mouth dropped open.

How was it you came to be chosen, then? Her voice sounded a little hysterical.

I shrugged. "The paper just says that I contain 'special attributes' that make me acceptable."

Bindi looked at me with solemn eyes. Do you want to go?

I picked up the pin and rubbed it with my thumb. "I don't know."

Well look through these papers before you come to a decision. Make sure you think about it thoroughly, this is a big deal. Bindi was in full on lecture mode.

I smiled at her. "I will."

Several days later I sat at my desk, looking at the forms one more time. Kristine had seen the papers and told me basically the same thing Bindi did. So while Kristine and Harold were away on their honeymoon, I looked over every form and pamphlet in that box. I weighed all the pros and cons of attending, and what my life would be like if I went there.

It seemed like a nice enough place. No, extravagant was a better word for it. There were few students compared to most schools. Only two hundred and fifty or so people attended from 8-12 grade levels, when most schools have over five hundred students in that range. The school consisted of an entire town called Harrowsfield. The students were given their own house, which they shared with any siblings or relatives who also attended. Otherwise, you got the place to yourself. I liked that, it meant that if I attended, I'd get a house just for me. Though, I did note that people living by themselves without roommates' status as such was 'subject to change'. I didn't know what that meant, but it seemed fine to me.

Then there was the meal plan. Apparently once a month you got your kitchen completely stocked with food and drinks, and lunch was taken care of by the school. Also, every morning milk was left in a glass bottle on your doorstep. Just like in the 1950s. You were also stocked with any supplies you might need, like laundry detergent, shampoo and conditioner, and dish soap. Every house also had two bedrooms, two baths, a library, a living room, a kitchen, a laundry room, a pantry, and a deck out back, and it was all stocked with furniture. There was even a computer in the house with an internet connection!

The school itself was a one story building, with clean and really nice looking classrooms, a cafeteria with actual wooden tables and chairs, and the halls were clean with shiny new lockers. The place looked really cool.

Finally, there was an allowance that all the students got every month. Each student received five hundred bucks to do whatever they wanted with. While it would seem that there wouldn't be anything to do in the town when you thought about it, there was. An entire section of the town was dedicated to the entertainment of the students. There were three clothing outlets, four restaurants, a library, two Starbucks, an arcade, a park with playground equipment and trails to walk on, and several auto shops, for those students who could drive.

This was no town-it was a thriving city. And it was entirely owned by VC Academy.

The best part of the deal, however, was that you could keep pets. Which meant I could take Bindi with me, if I chose to go.

Still, I thought about not accepting. About continuing to stay here and stick with what I was already doing, without change. Because that's what this would be-change. I would be leaving behind everything. I would have to make it known to everyone at this new place that I don't hang with people. That I preferred to stay alone. So, really, wouldn't it be easier to stay here, where I wouldn't have to do these things?

My mind told me that the answer to this question was yes. I should stay here, where things didn't change too much. Where I had no friends other than my aunt, Harold, and Bindi. Where I wouldn't have to ward off advances from potential friends.

Yet, there was something in me, something I wasn't aware was there, that told me I should go. That said this place was where I needed to be. Where I had to be.

I picked up the forms that had to be filled in and sent back with all my personal information, pen poised above the paper. Should I fill it out? Should I throw it all away?

Slowly, I filled in the blanks.

So there you have it. Here's a sneak peek into the next chappie, so read and review!

Did you feel that? Bindi asked. Her eyes were wide.

I nodded slowly, not looking at her.

What do you think it was?

I shook my head. I wasn't answering out loud because it would catch attention if I were seen speaking to my cat.