/title: Haunted

/chapter 2: Trouble Brewing

As the alarm clock went off making the shrill and repetitive, "beep beep beep!" searching around her bedside table Irma eventually found the off switch after about two minutes of pressing every button on her alarm clock. Irma stumbled out of bed. Her blue moon and star pajamas were damp from last night.

"I guess it wasn't a dream, well my dream was a dream…"

"IRMA!" yelled her strict police officer father, "it's 7:25! Get down here! You're going to be late!"

Irma trudged over to her closet and pulled out her favorite pair of blue jeans along with her dark pink tee that went over her light pink three-quarter length tee. Irma walked down the stairs slipping on her light blue jacket, "Sup Dad." Replied Irma groggily grabbing the toast that had just popped out of the toaster.

"Hey!" yelled Irma's annoying little brother, Chris. "That's mine!"

"Too bad squirt." Holding the toast just out of Chris' reach.

"Give it."

Irma took a piece and put it in her mouth. "Nah." She said with the toast between her teeth. Irma took the other piece and Chris dove for it and missed. As he roast fell on his head Irma headed out the door slipping on her backpack. As the cold winter wind blew Irma felt a chill go down her spine. As she finished her toast she gave out a sigh and hopped on her bike. The snow crunched beneath her tires. Irma took a deep breath and looked up towards the sky. She suddenly skidded to a stop. The sky, it was clear, not a cloud there. Her dream. It was the same sky. Irma felt herself getting pale.

"Eh, it's just a quwinceidence." Irma said to herself and began to pedal towards the school.

Sheffield Institute. The big sign read. Irma grinded her bike to a stop to a stop and was about to head in to school when something caught her eye. It was a dark figure with glowing red eyes and black horns peaking out of his white blonde hair. His figure was hidden by his cloak with was so black it blended in with the shadows. Irma couldn't see he face. Irma dropped her bike and ran to the back of the school where the shadowed figure stood. Too late. He was gone. Irma trudged through the thick snow.

"I feel like a complete idiot." Irma said to herself. "Running to the back of the school then walking back. Of coarse he's gone. It's not like he would stop and have a friendly chat with me about his childhood."

As Irma locked up her bike and sighed,

"Maybe it's just my imagination."

Kids of all shapes and sizes were talking and running around. Irma tried to remember what it was like, before she was a guardian, before she had to worry if a purple gnome would pop out of a bush and ask for directions to the nearest portal to meridian was. Considering Irma had gotten no sleep last night she was pretty cranky and tired. She was not in the mood to learn anything. Not that she ever did. As she walked into the school she had to drop the mopey act. She was the comic relief. If she didn't cheer her friends who would? Corny? She added some spring in her step and walked down the hallway. Irma was suddenly thrown off balance by someone knocking into her. Irma, being the klutz that she was, tripped over her own feet and fell face first onto the cold tile floor, which tasted very nasty.

"Hey! What the hell is your problem?" Irma yelled losing her cool. "Ever try watch where you're going you dumba-"

Irma looked up to see the idiot who clearly doesn't have the brain stem to watch where he's going, she froze. She gazed into the eyes of the cutest boy ever. He looked at her with caring and worried eyes. With his sandy brown hair and soft blue eyes she felt like an ass herself for yelling at him. Irma tried to think of something to say to make him not think she was a total basket-case.

"I'm so sorry, I'm such a klutz, are you ok." Said the boy in a worried voice. "I'm Ron."

He stood up and offered his hand to help her up. He wore slightly baggy blue jeans and a Hawaiian print button up tee that he wore over a red tee.

"Irma." She felt the storm cloud over her head clearing as she took his hand and he pulled her up. "That's my name."

"Well hi Irma." Said Ron.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell at you. I just-"

"It's ok,"

Irma gave a sigh of relief.

"Well I'm new here and could you show me where the Social Studies room is?"

"Room 207." Irma replied. "I have Social Studies next I'll show you where it is."

"Ok, just let me get my books. I'll be right back."

"Oooooohhh!" someone squealed behind her.

"Looks like Irma's got a little crush on the new guy." Said another voice, sly and calm.

Irma spun around blushing.

There was Taranee standing there giving that look when some 'exciting' was going on. Cornelia was standing right next to Taranee with her hands on her hips and grinning slyly. Hay Lin and Will were smiling and giggling behind them.

"I'm just showing him around the school." She smiled still blushing. "It's my duty as a student and an American citizen."

Irma placed her hand on her heart.

The group burst out laughing.

"Right." Said Taranee trying to overcome her fit of giggles.

"Ready Irma?" said Ron.

"coming." Said Irma waving to her fellow guardians smiling.

The bell rang as Irma and Ron ran into Social Studies.

Mr. Collins was sitting at his desk smiling with his hands folded in his usual dull gray suit. Along with being the Social studies teacher Mr. .Collins was will's mom's boy friend.

"Come on." Irma said pulling Ron away from the desks

"Class," Mr. Collins said, "We have a new student. Miss. Lair, you seem to know the new student why don't you introduce him?"

Irma smile at him and started to speak, "This is R-"

Irma head was pounding. Irma tried to shake it off but the feeling got worse. She began to feel dizzy.

"Irma are you ok?" said a voice.

Everything was blurred now. Irma's knee gave in. She held the desk for support. She began to choke on her own breath. Irma could feel herself falling.

Dark.

ok this chapter was kind of bad but if leads up to a much better chapter and the real plot starts to unfold.

Coming soon/chapter 3: The Real Nightmare is When you Wake up.