Author's Note: HELLO EVERYONE! I hope you have not forgotten me. (And if you have, please do not mention it in your sense...hee hee.)
This is my beginning of my "sequel" which isn't really the sequel. I really don't know where its going to go yet, as I am still writing it (duh) but I'm pretty certain that it will be a good story, if not better than my last two Code Lyoko fan fics. At least, I hope so. I welcome anyone new to my stories to read and review because no prior reading is required for this story. It's basically a whole other branch of Code Lyoko so I hope you enjoy it! (But I promise you guys that are in love with the original characaters, they will make an appearance too!) Now, please, everyone be nice as I know this first chapter might be a bit confusing. Enjoy and review as you leave!
Everyone knows that the first day of school in a new school sucks.
For four particular people, that was, unfortunately, the truest statement they have ever encountered.
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"Angela, be reasonable," said a pretty blonde woman. She was half dragging behind her a black haired girl that looked like she was about to kill someone. "Both you and I and your father know that putting you in this boarding school is the best thing for your future."
"Oh," said Angela, muttering to herself under her breath in a way so that her stepmother couldn't hear, "really, Meredith? I never knew that you were concerned for my future in the first place."
"What was that, dear?" came the overly honeyed voice.
Angela scowled. "Nothing, nothing."
"Oh good dear, because here are your dorms! Here is the room number you were assigned. After lunch and the little introduction you will be given to the school, you can go find it." The blonde haired woman pressed a little scrap of paper into Angela's hand. Angela did not look up to meet the woman's gaze. She chose instead to stare at her stepmother's sparkly red fingernails that were manicured every week. That thought made her scowl even more.
Angela's stepmother, however, did not notice. With her blonde bouncy hair curled perfectly at the ends so that it flounced against her shoulders when she walked, she attracted many people's gazes. Angela wanted to put her stepmother into a headlock and scream at her to tone down her perkiness. However, she followed after her stepmother instead like a lost lamb, fuming and feeling as if she left a trail of angry fire.
This was one of the rare moments that Angela felt like this. Angela was usually a calm, quiet girl who preferred her thick books of fantasy over TV and the computer. The only thing that could pull her away from her books was inspiration. Usually that inspiration was to put pencil to paper or fingers to a keyboard, and to write. When she wrote, she became lost and engrossed into her fiction. The only thing that could bring her out of that trance-like state was, you guessed it, a good book.
"Everything that you need should be in your dorm already," Meredith said cutely. "I made sure you packed everything you needed." Angela's glare could have bored a hole clean through Meredith's stomach; she was staring at her stepmother's back so hard. Lies. They were all lies. It was a lie that she had helped Angela pack everything she needed; Meredith had barely lifted a finger. It was a lie that by marrying Meredith, Angela's father would have "eternal love and happiness". It was a lie that Meredith even loved her father at all; Meredith loved him for his money. It was a lie that Angela had looked "ravishing" (by Meredith's fake standards) at her father's wedding, where Angela had been reduced to a flower girl. Angela knew herself that she was not pretty. But in fact she was. She just didn't know it yet.
That day, Angela remembered as clear as crystal, she had been in a lavender dress. That was a sure way to get her temper up and that was one of the many things she hated about Meredith. Meredith's favorite color was lavender; the color Angela hated with a passion was lavender. But, on that day, to make her father happy, Angela wore a lavender dress. She watched as the maids of honor cooed and cawed around her, saying how sweet and pretty she looked. But the only emotion Angela had as she stared at her layered straight black hair that went a little past her shoulders and her flat (at the time) dark brown eyes was contempt. All those honeyed words that Meredith and her friends were good at fabricating were lies. Angela had felt like a hideous witch.
She felt like one now as she was led into the cafeteria like a first grader as Meredith stalked confidently ahead of her. At the age of fourteen, she couldn't have felt more humiliated. And, that was when she was reminded of another thing she hated about Meredith: her loud, carrying, made-for-bragging voice. What reminded her? Meredith used that voice just then.
"All right, my little sweet Angie. Everything's going to be fine! Just breath and you'll get through the school year. Don't worry your little tail, sweetie. We'll be there whenever you need us! Just give mommy a call and she'll come running! Buh-bye!"
Then, horror above horrors, she reached out and pinched Angela's cheek.
That's it. This oversized kid is going to face stark, freaking reality.
In an instant, Angela had slapped Meredith's unwanted hand away. Meredith's hazel eyes grew big as what Angela had just done registered in her mind. Angela's cheeks flared with anger as her eyes narrowed hatefully. The effect was made more dramatic and meaningful when Angela spoke in her low, dangerous voice. "You are not my mother, Meredith. And you will never be. Remember that. And, I don't need you. I don't need anyone so bug off and lose that fake plastered smile. Don't do anything to my dad. If you do, you will be most dearly sorry. Oh and one more thing, try not to use lies all the time, Meredith. You're losing your touch. Only use them when necessary because, hun, you're going to get caught one day. And I'd like to be there when you do." Angela then put on a very convincing fake smile of her own (something she picked up from Meredith) and waved like she was an innocent little girl. "Bye! Have a good year without me! Eat healthy!" she said in a cheerful and loud voice. The change in her was so dramatic and quick that Meredith only blinked stupidly twice before waving weakly and walking out the door, her head still reeling with everything Angela had just said.
As soon as she left, Angela walked farther into the cafeteria, plopped on a random seat and sighed heavily, her anger spent. It was the first time in her memory that she had been so rude to an adult and so outspoken, but it was needed dearly. Angela also felt a certain sense of satisfaction, like she had just climbed Mt. Everest. But then an overwhelming sense of sorrow and homesickness hit her like a tsunami and she sighed sadly. When could she see her father again? She didn't know.
One thing she had told Meredith was a lie. "I don't need anyone..."
But...I do need someone...anyone...One lone tear traced its way down her face and splattered onto the table.
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Meanwhile, just arriving, a black clad girl trudged behind her two nervous looking foster parents. Her rough brown hair was down around her face, as was customary when she was not playing a sport. Then it would be up in a high, brisk ponytail that swung with movement almost constantly. Her violet eyes darted to and fro, alert and bold with a fire in them that was hard to break and hard to notice. At the moment, those violet eyes were settled on her black Converse shoes and her baggy black pants with the red stitching. Her favorite pants.
"Well," said the man in front of her. He cleared his throat unnecessarily. The sound annoyed the girl but she didn't look up, keeping her anger neatly in check. "I guess this is your new school, Lori. It looks awfully nice."
At that comment, she looked up at the nice neat walls of all the buildings that composed her new school. He was right; it did look nice. Lori, however, wasn't soft enough to admit it.
"Right...nice." Her voice was flat and emotionless, as it had been for two years now. "We'll see about that once I actually get to the crap school part." She pushed past her two foster parents who apparently seemed immobile by her comment. She didn't care. They had heard much worse swearing from her before. Just one word wouldn't have hurt them too much this time.
As her foster parents started walking slowly behind her, she walked briskly to what looked to be the cafeteria, the place all the new students were supposed to gather for an introduction and their first meal there. She sighed sharply, thinking the whole time how stupid this was. Why do they even try? I'll probably end up transferring out or being expelled anyway. They better have a good sports program.
As she reached the door of the cafeteria, she decided to perform a rare act of kindness and wait for the two adults to catch up to her. They both had worried looks on their faces as they approached. Lori's foster mother looked very much concerned; the perfect picture of motherly love. Lori couldn't help but feel her heart wither for her foster mother. She was so weak, so innocent in ways she couldn't even imagine.
Lori sighed, knowing she had to say something nice for a change. Even though she didn't love them, her foster parents didn't necessarily feel the same way about her. "I'll be fine," she said reassuringly, her voice losing a lot of her customary sharpness. Her foster mother gave Lori a teary smile upon hearing those words.
Lori found her lips curling in the tiniest smile she could allow. Her foster parents' eyes flickered in surprise. It was the first time she had smiled at them. At their expressions, Lori smiled slightly wider. It was then that her foster parents discovered that, when she smiled, Lori was radiant.
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"Charlie, I am so glad we found this school for you. Aren't you glad?" cooed his mother as they strode briskly across a lush green lawn, cutting across it to get to the cafeteria quicker. His mother needed to get back to work soon.
"Um...yeah, mom, its great." Charlie concentrated on the ground as he murmured the words. His mother stopped walking and watched her son worriedly.
"Is everything okay?"
Charlie met his mother's unflinching gaze right on. "Everything's fine."
She smiled and tweaked his nose. "Nice try, mister. Now, really, what's wrong?"
He sighed. She guessed him every time. It was uncanny sometimes, but it was a comfort other times. Right now, Charlie didn't know which it was. "I'm...worried about you, mom. Can you manage without me? I mean..."
"Charlie," his mother admonished. "How many times have we had this conversation? I'll be fine. In fact, it should be me asking you that question." Charlie gave her a grin. "Now," his mother continued. "Let's go or I'll be late to work."
They continued on their trek across the school grounds. By the time they reached the school cafeteria, a large group of chattering students had surrounded the door already and they were pushing and shoving to get in. Charlie took a deep settling breath and felt his mom's hand squeeze his shoulder. "Your going to be great, honey. Don't worry. Remember, anytime you need a hand, ring me up!"
Charlie nodded. He reached into his pocket to make sure he had his schedule and dorm room slips of paper. Once he was sure he had them in his possession, he turned and kissed his mom on the cheek. "Okay mom, you better go. Don't want to keep customers waiting!" With another tweak of his nose, his mother was striding back across the school grounds toward the car. Charlie watched her go with a profound sadness. He wanted to go running back to her like he was a little boy again, but he didn't want to make a big fool of himself on the first day. He was determined to not make a fool of himself this year. This year, I have a clean slate. Everything will be as fresh as clean billowing sheets in a summer wind.
As he went to join the crowd of students milling into the cafeteria, he caught a glimpse of someone that made his world come crashing down.
Um...or not.
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The minute Ian stepped onto the campus, he immediately disliked the school and he made a mental list of all his reasons why. Too institutional, too perky, too preppy and their sports program is probably crap. Ian had a reputation that he carried with him: he was quick to judge and even quicker to act on that judgment.
He arrived there via the orphanage car. And he had gladly gotten out of the car to walk to the school. He had considered going into town for a joyride, but he had resisted against his urge. First day of school, better to make a good impression. He almost laughed out loud. Yeah, right. Who am I kidding?
His black hair hung in raggedy lengths and reached down in the front to his eyebrows. He reached up to brush some strands of irritating hair away as he walked. His blue eyes gazed intently at every surrounding, memorizing every bush and corner. So if I was to cut class from that classroom...
He stopped himself from his usual route of thinking. Damn, I need to stop.
But why should he? It wasn't as if this year would be anything different from his past years at various schools. It had always been the same routine: someone got him pissed; he beat that person up...sometimes multiple times. And each time, he had been expelled. And although he was as cool as ice on the outside, it really did hurt on the inside. Ian had a unique personality: tough guy and sensitive all combined in one. At the moment, he was striding with his tough guy walk and the sun glinted off a black spiked collar around his neck.
Loud voices and laughter reached his ears. He turned his attention to a crowd of people that were filing into the school cafeteria. He remembered vaguely that this was where he was told to go. He changed his course of direction and started for the crowd of people. Then an unbelievable sight caught his attention and he smiled, half friendly and half fiend.
"Why, Charlie. Fancy meeting you here."
It was kind of good of me to stick to the program. This will be an interesting year indeed.
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A young girl watched as the people slowly pushed their way into the packed cafeteria. She impatiently brushed away a strand of silky blonde hair behind her ear and studied the people closely with one thought on her mind. Will this year bring friends?
She pushed her glasses farther up her nose with an index finger. She had just painted her nails yesterday. Sky blue. She loved the color sky blue. So pure, so inviting.
Her misty colored green eyes scanned through the people one last time. Then she picked up the laptop that she had been balancing on her lap and got up from the bench, hugging the laptop to her chest. Slowly, she walked away from the bench and toward the dorm buildings, her eyes staring at her feet in her shiny brown shoes, light blue knee socks, and pleated plaid blue short skirt. Then she lifted her eyes from the ground and glanced at the building she had been inspecting once again. She changed her mind.
A peek wouldn't hurt, she thought to herself as she neared a cafeteria window. Still keeping her laptop clutched tightly to her body, she took off the blue sweater that had been around her waist and laid it on the cement. Then she slowly knelt down on her sweater and placed her laptop on her sweater as well.
Then, taking a deep breath, she straightened up and looked through the window with only one thought on her mind.
Will this year bring friends?