Katy Ann sped into the class, taking the seat closest to the window in the front row. The room was devoid of all the usual things you'd expect in a classroom, but had six tables, where two students fit at each one. They weren't set up very orderly, but separated evenly where everyone could be seen. She breathed in the air, the warmth of the sun shining in through the window upon her. She was so excited; Katy came to class as soon as the bell rang. Kids were still just entering or wandering around to their lockers and to chat with friends.
The first person to walk in after Katy was Madame. Katy had noticed her coat so she knew she had already arrived to school. She nodded at Katy Ann, taking a seat. Next was a boy. Long dark hair covered his face, his glasses glinting as he took a seat in the corner. He didn't even seem to notice her.
Not long after him skipped in a girl, curly hair falling to her shoulders. Katy recognized her from her lunch period. She gazed at Katy Ann with wide, delighted brown eyes.
"Hi!" she practically screeched. She walked right up to Katy Ann, smiling down onto her. "You must be new! Well, to this class at least, which is strange, we don't usually have new kids in this class. Not many people are like us though," the girl ranted on. Katy couldn't help but listen. Her words mesmerized Katy Ann, and she had to hear every one.
"Courtney, you're doing it again," another girl said. Katy Ann didn't even notice that she had walked in until the girl she assumed to be Courtney stopped speaking. Looking up now, she saw the other girl. Her ashy blonde hair was cut short, choppily layered and with bangs that drifted to the side. Baggy clothes hung limp on her body. Katy's seen her too in her lunch period, but from where she sat, she always thought that the girl was a boy.
She put a fist out for Katy to presumably pound, who just stared at it, her eyes widened in slight worry. Sighing, the girl laid the hand on the table and gave Katy Ann a crooked smile. "Sorry 'bout Court, takes awhile to get used to her. It just takes her a bit to control that voice of hers when she's excited. I'm Shannon, by the way."
"Katy Ann," she nodded back. Shannon turned and took a seat at the table near the middle. A boy was already sitting there, who was glancing every now and then at Katy. Katy Ann realized it was Ethan Thomas. She shared a bunch of classes with him and Katy kind of thought he was cute. Being captain of the wrestling and football team, he was a born athlete, broad-shouldered and a fading tan from the summer months.
Two boys walked in at that moment. One, Katy identified, was Jordan something. He was smart, not someone you would call a nerd, but he was better known for being friends with Billy Kramer. Hence, boy two, the school's official class clown. Billy always managed to make everyone laugh, even the teachers. His hair was closely cropped, and his face always seemed to be made into a silly grin.
Right as the bell rang, a girl (who Katy Ann recognized as Ella Sanchez) strutted in to the classroom, followed by a girl wearing large black shades. Katy Ann has seen her here and there at school, but never really paid her much attention. It wasn't until now that she realized the white cane she carried. The girl wielded it around, but didn't seem to need it. She slid back the chair at the table closest to the door and sat down expertly.
Right as the announcements finished, Katy Ann could practically feel every pair of eyes (well, almost every pair) bore into the back of her head.
"Good morning class," Madame greeted. No one answered. Obviously, they wanted to get down to business. Madame silently sighed.
"For those who don't know, this is Katy Ann," she said, gesturing at the girl. Everyone turned their attention towards Katy. The blind girl cocked her head, as if this was new to her.
"Oh, hello," she called.
"To your right," Ella jeered. The girl glared (at least it looked like she had glared) but turned her head more towards Katy Ann. She smiled brightly. Katy knew it was mean to think this but it was kind of creepy how her eyes, even behind shades, stared up, not directly at her.
"What can you do?" Billy asked. Katy Ann turned and faced him. Madame frowned.
"Billy, you have to be polite," she said. "Some people may not be very proud of their gift." She's not sure if any one else noticed, but Katy Ann saw the boy in the corner sort of hide his face at that moment.
"Is everything okay Katy?" Madame asked. Katy realized how transfixed her expression may have been and quickly looked away.
"Uh, yes," she said. "I'm fine." She shifted back to face Billy again. "And I can, well, not really control, but create fire."
"Any dimwit with a lighter can do that," Ella scoffed. Madame puckered her eyebrow at the pretty girl. She rolled her eyes, however, not continuing.
Katy Ann opened her mouth to speak but clamped it shut. If she started it now, she'd end up burning down the school.
"Where's Ryan?" The blind girl asked suddenly. Some of the kids looked around, as if the absence of Ryan just occurred to them.
"He's late for being late," Billy commented. "Didn't see that coming." The blind girl made a face, hurt a little.
"Sorry, Maddie. Forgot to be serious for once."
Madame frowned, but made no further statement. "Let's not worry about for the moment. Katy Ann may be new, but she has some experience in her gift, correct? On why it happens?"
Katy Ann cracked her knuckles nervously. "It happens when I'm mad. I kind of, literally, explode." Madame nodded.
"Exactly," she said. "One thing we focus on in this class is controlling our emotions. Now-"
Madame was cut short when a boy suddenly rushed in, who Katy Ann presumed to be Ryan. His hair stuck up at different angles as he pulled his hat off. He glanced around the room, his blue eyes resting on Katy for a few seconds longer. She gasped. The boy who went through the door. Katy should have known he would be here.
"Sorry I'm so late, somebody I knew needed some help," he breathed, shoving his skateboard into his backpack. Katy Ann eyes widened. The artwork done on the back of his board looked amazing. Dark and light colors swirled together and travelled across the board. It kept Katy Ann staring at it, something new coming to her eyes every time her eyes moved.
He took a seat next to Maddie, who smiled sweetly as he sat. He smiled back but it didn't reach his eyes, as if he had something on his mind.
For the rest of the class, Madame worked on breathing exercises with the class, to use when their feelings are haywire. At one point, with Jordan and Billy behind her, Katy Ann felt a sudden burst of air almost blow her out of her seat. She swiveled around, surveying the two curiously behind her.
"Sorry," Jordan said. Billy smirked at him, causing Jordan to punch him. Katy Ann ran her fingers through her hair, patting it down.
She furrowed her brow, perplexed. "How'd you do that?"
Jordan smiled sheepishly. "It's a gift."