Chapter 2: The Mission Academy
**Cali**
I jumped at the sound of my alarm clock, then smacked the thing as hard as I could, turning off that incessant beeping. "Ugh," I grumbled, and sat up on the edge of the bed. I really did not want to be going to school today. I didn't want to be here at all, but if I didn't go along with it, Mom would start to worry and bother me. I hate when she worries about me. She has a lot to worry about, what with my dad changing jobs, and her running the whole house…I just keep to myself during the school year. I love my mom. I really do, but if she thinks something's not right, she drives me totally nuts.
I glanced at my closet and sighed. I always said Rachel's bubbly greetings annoyed me in the morning, but now I missed them. I stood up and braced myself against the wall, having stood up too fast. I hate when that happens. I walked into my closet, looking for the most morbid outfit I could get away with. I settled on a black spaghetti strap tank top with a rather low – cut neckline. I slipped a pair of fishnets on and pulled my black skirt that hung exactly two inches above my knees. I slipped my necklace on, my big hoop earrings, and ran a hairbrush through my hair, only to twist a pencil into it and put it up. I hate my hair. I really can't do anything with it, and it looks awful down, so I try to keep it up. As I walked downstairs, I grabbed a second pencil from my desk, spinning it around my fingers as I walked down those ugly wooden stairs.
"What took you so long?" my dad asked, grinning.
"Would you rush if you were in my shoes?" I asked, putting on my knee high, black boots. They had three inch heels, and they were great for kicking ass. I love those boots. I walked over to the coffee pot and poured myself a mug. I must've dumped about six sugar packets into it. I couldn't seem to get it sweet enough. I downed about half of it, and then walked out to my dad's car, bag slung over my shoulder. I have my license, and I totally would've driven myself to the Academy just to spare myself my dad's "sense of humor" first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, having jet lag and all, I was dead tired.
So dad dropped me off at the academy, and I walked in, following my map to the Principal's office. When I found it, the door was open. I cleared my throat quietly. "Excuse me, ah – Father Dominic?" I said in my sweetest "I'm a new girl, so be nice to me" voice. I looked at the old priest sitting behind a desk. He had white hair and – when he looked up – I saw baby blue eyes. I'll bet he was a looker when he was young.
"Ah, you must be Calixte Vinnett," he said with a smile, standing, and reaching a hand out to me. I shook it lightly, feeling really nervous for some weird reason. I blinked when I sensed a new presence. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a (really hot and latino) ghost sitting on the couch to my right.
When Father Dom turned around to get something from his desk, I glanced at the ghost. ~Hello?~ I mindspoke to him, causing him to jump – I swear – about six feet in the air and almost fall off the couch.
"You can see me?" he said aloud, sounding rather shocked.
"You can see him?" Father Dom said to me, turning around.
"You can see him?" I said to him. Oh, my God. Another mediator! I wasn't alone in the world! SAVED! Haaaaaaalelujah…
Father Dom turned back to his desk, and I was vaguely aware of him turning on the PA system and calling a girl named Susannah Simon down to the principal's office while Ghost Guy moved over to give me something soft to sit on – namely the couch – while in shock. I flopped down onto it and started spinning the pencil around my fingers, a nervous habit. Moments later, a girl who – I'm sorry to say looked a bit of a prep – walked in.
"Hello, Susannah," Ghost Guy said to her, waving slightly.
"What's going on, Father Dom?" she asked, glancing warily at me.
"Susannah, we have another mediator," Father Dom said excitedly, grinning at me. "Susannah, meet Calixte."
Susannah and I stared at each other for a few minutes in complete shock. Had I worn too much black? Probably. She was wearing a taupe skirt and a white shirt. She had brown hair and bright green eyes, whereas I was wearing…black skirt, black shirt, black fishnets, and black boots. The only things that weren't black were my unfortunately blonde hair and my eyes, which I suspected were grey. Oh yeah, my eyes change colors. A lot. Susannah recovered first. "Suze Simon," she said to me.
"Cali Vinnett," I told her, giving her my nickname. I really hate Calixte. Why, oh why did my mom have to give me that name…of all the names out there…? "It means 'very beautiful'. I hate it," I said, before realizing that Suze hadn't said anything. "Shit," I muttered to myself.
Suze raised an eyebrow. "How did you know I was wondering what it meant?" she asked.
"Calixte, you have some…other abilities, don't you?" Father Dom said.
I winced. Fuuuuuuuuuck. "N – no, why would you say that?" I asked, spinning the pencil faster in my fingers. It promptly flew out of my hands. Ghost Guy lunged and caught it, handing it back to me. "Thanks," I muttered, and started spinning it again.