1. Zana

Tick. 12:40 only five more minutes until I was free from these torturous shackles known as middle school. Today was the last official day of 8th grade and this school. Next year I would be going to the public high school of nearly 2,000; which is a big step up from my school of 450. Shane hadn't decided where he wanted to go to high school yet. His parents took him on a week trip for his graduation. Hence he's not in class. Yeah, leading a crusade by yourself is tough. Translation: Being alone for the last week of school is rough.

"Earth to Bailey." Mrs. Keller said, staring at me intently.

"Oh, what?" I hadn't been paying attention at all.

"I said you could go pack up." She said and gestured around to the empty room.

"Okay." I grumbled and got up. There was a loud protesting shriek that echoed around the room when I tried to push my chair back in.

As I eased open the plane grey class room door the excited chatter of the hall erupted into the silent class room. To follow the noise, the hall was swimming in children anywhere from 10 to 14 years old. Kids were clustered around their friends lockers; making last minute planes for their 'to kick of summer' parties and stuff to that effect. Me, personally, I'm fine with just a bonfire on the beach and staying up late watching a scary movie. I never understood the point of going to those big parties. What does that make you? More popular? What for? Those people don't actually like you; they just like the person you pretend to be. Why fit in when you can stand out?

It just doesn't make sense.

I had already been home, showered and changed, and was now riding my long board down Doc rd. hill on my way to the yacht club. Doc rd. is bordered by about six soccer fields. And of course they have to repave the sidewalks every 4 years because we don't want our children walking on uneven ground. Unfortunately, we are getting close to the end of the fourth year. And to avoid an old pot hole I had to swerve into the grass and my skate board lost one of its wheels. Inertia propelled me down the embankment into the grassy underbrush. I tumbled onto the field with my skate board not far behind me.

My gift kept me from getting hurt of course but I still had a few scrapes. It was sometimes annoying to have this gift because it came at the most inconvenient times; like when someone is doing something embarrassing. For example: at church last week I saw one of the most popular girls at school picking her nose. You just can't un-see it. But now-a-days I have more control over it; I could make it happen now. Accept, in the beginning it would just come up with no warning. It still does that, just less than before.

I have the gift to slow thing down. My eyes will see everything in slow motion but I can think super fast. I can analyze how to get out of a sticky situation with only minor injuries. That's how I do so well in sailing and free-running. In sailing I can see the wind coming and where it is going to be the strongest. In free running it just helped; well with everything.

I had been laying there for some time just thinking when I heard footsteps come uncaringly close. Then there was a sqwsh from someone lying down next to me. After a second of that person watching me she said,

"Watcha doin?" mocking Isabella from that one TV show. I can't remember its name though.

"Nothing important." I answered back. I propped myself up onto my elbows and looked into the girls face. She had the same kind of eyes as me. Deep set green orbs that can suck you in if you stand to close. She had a long angular nose that led into a thin lipped mouth. She had a small circle on the right side of her chin that had no pigment. She tied her long brown hair in a tight purple hair tie. Her earrings were little turtles with emerald eyes.

"Descriptive." She rolled her eyes. "I'm Zana, and I saw you epic fall. Graceful." Zana smirked.

"Zana?" I tested the pronunciation. When she nodded I continued. "Cool name. I'm Bailey. What's up? Why'd you come over here?" I stood up, dusted myself off, and offered my hand to help her up. She gratefully took it. There was something off about her. Not only was she crazy light but when our hands touched something in my head said, 'A gentleman, helping a girl up. How nice.' But when our hands let go it went away.

"You were just laying there; so why not?" she shrugged.

I used my gift to drink in her appearance without starring. Zana had navy cargo shorts on that sat just above her knee. She was wearing a white shirt that had a silver star in the center, by her stomach. I could see her bathing suit straps through the thin cloth. She had a gold chain around her neck but there was nothing on it. Odd. I thought. There was a smudge of dirt on her elbows and a navy belt hanging down from under her shirt. Zana had two parallel scars on the back of her left hand. Her skin was tan; with calices on her hands. She was bare footed; I was too. Behind her, leaning up against the concession stand was a green bike. It looked similar to mine, but mine is black.

"Where were you going?" I nodded to the bike.

"The…" The buss of my cell phone cut her off. It was vibrating in my pocket. "Go ahead, answer it." I pulled it out off my bathing suit and looked at the screen. Shane.

"Shane, what's up? I thought you were in Road Island?" I said into the phone.

"My mom got sick, so we're home now. I don't want hang out at my house. Where we goin?" he asked in his oh so perfect grammar.

"Oh, okay. Let's go to the club." I suggested and turned my body away from Zana.

"Sure, meet up at the bridge." He said sounding completely relieved.

"Okay, fine but bring your skate board kit. I lost a weal." I hung up after he finished grumbling about not knowing where he put the kit. I slid the phone back into my pocket and turned back to Zana.

"Sorry, that was my friend and he just got back from vacation and stuff. You were saying?" I huffed and she rocked back on her heels.

"Actually, I was just heading over to the island too. What yacht club?" she asked with some enthusiasm that wasn't there before.

"Uh, Spray Beach." I had a brain fart and couldn't remember where I was heading. But I regained my composure after a second of thought. I watched her face light up at the recognition.

"Cool, I'm a member there. Well, I've been inactive for years but I'm going to start sailing again this year." She smiled up at me. "Want a ride?" she said gesturing to her bike behind her.

"That's probably not the best idea. You on the pigs and I should peddle." I said. I probably weighed a ton compared to her. Plus I have crazy strong legs that could get over the bridge.

"And why is that?" she put her hands on her hips and gave me her 'and why would you think that.'

"One: I weigh more then you. Two: I weigh more then you. Three: Shane would give me grief about it for months." I gave her my puppy dog eyes and made my jaw quiver a bit. She wavered for a second, and then nodded.