"…Mrs. Washington? Mrs. Washington? Mrs. Washington!"

Winifred jerked, looking around franticly. "..Huh?"

Mr. Morphium sighed, tapping his temple. "Mrs. Washington, this is the sixth time I've had to ask you for the answer to number seven. I would be most grateful if you gave this class half the attention you give to whatever was outside the window."

Winifred's cheeks burned as the class tittered around her. "Sorry, sorry. Uh, it's, uh, 5/4, right?"

Mr. Morphium pushed up his glasses. "Correct. Now, if we may continue onto anti derivations. Everyone, please turn to page 394."

Winifred slumped in her seat. Ick, that was so embarrassing! And it isn't like me to totally ditz like that. I mean, math is far from my best subject. But I try to avoid being a total moron.

Moron… why would that word pop into my head? It's kinda uncommon… but yet, it came to mind.

The remainder of the class passed without incident, to Winifred's relief. When the bell rang, she flooded out of "Deadpan Morphium's" class with the rest. With practiced efficiency, she flitted through the hallways.

"Hey Winnie! Slow down, before you hurt yourself," Jannet from the tennis team laughed as she paused. Winifred threw her friend a wave before rushing on.

Her locker was jammed (for the seventh bloody time this month. Seriously. Seriously. Personally, she suspected evil gnomes), and so she had to rocket through the doorway of biology, just as the bell rang. She stood in the doorway, gasping, as a familiar blonde figure skipped up to her.

"Aw, come on Winifred. What's the rush?" Tiffany said, indicating Mr. Craun's form with a jerk of her eyebrow. "You know it takes him at least fifteen minutes each class to work up the momentum to stand up. Come on, I want to tell you about this weekend."

As she was drug to the far end of the room dodging groups of other high schoolers, Winifred sighed in exasperation. "Seriously? Tiff, we've already gone over this like, 1'000 times. It's just a date. It'll be fine."

"But Winifred, you're such a good planner," Tiffany complained, twirling her hair in that way that she said was a nervous habit, but Winifred suspected was to attract the attention of males to its golden sheen. "Seriously, you should be like a CEO or something. I don't know. I have an uncle who's a CEO, but we don't get along very well."

Winifred nodded patiently, settling down into her desk. "Right… Way to stay on topic, Tiff. Listen, just wow him with some student council top-secret plans, or something about that mythology your love, Greek, or Egyptian or whatever." She yawned massively, leaning back in her plastic chair.

"But Wiiiiiiinifred, I'm still going to feel nervous. I'd feel so much better if I wasn't alone."

Tiffany's eyebrows bounced again. Leaning, she whispered conspiratorially into Winnie's ear. "You know… I've been keeping an eye on Jimmy Castle." She jabbed a thumb at the tall tennis player, currently chuckling with his friends. "He's been getting the old wandering eye. I think he's got it for you."

Winifred coughed. "Very funny. Your maniacal plots will not sway me, Dark lord."

Tiffany's smile returned. "No, seriously. The other day, he came up to me and asked for your phone number."

"What? Seriously? Come on, no way-"

Tiffany huffed. "No reason to be so surprised. Have some confidence, ye-of-little faith."

Winifred could feel her cheeks start to burn again.

But, when the blush had passed, the burn remained. She felt the flurry of heat take root, a small flame, starting to grow. This was… odd. It wasn't directed toward Jimmy Castle, it was just… odd.

"Ehem-hem!" came the croak of Mr. Craun. "If I could have your attention, please. Everyone, attention? Attention! Right, thank you. Today, I have composed a lengthy power point on amphibians, for your viewing pleasure."

With a sigh of despondency, Tiffany gave her friend one last nudge, and stormed to her seat.

As the power point progressed, Winifred only gave it half an ear. With the other, she watched the activities of the other youths, all around the room.

They all seemed so… happy. That's a silly observation, she told herself. Why wouldn't they be? Bored, obviously, but… they're all happy. In front of her, Lindsey was doodling in her notebook, filling up her notes with sunflowers. Behind her, two guys were talking about their plans for a hike this weekend. Across the room, Jimmy Castle had cradled his head in his hands. As she watched, his chin fell forward, and he slumped onto his desk with a snooze.

Elsewhere, the hapless Tiffany was stuck with a desk at the very front of the room. She twirled her hair patiently, nodding in resignation whenever Mr. Craun made a point about something. Winifred smiled. Behind her smile, she felt the flame burn brighter.

"…Mrs. Washington? Mrs. Washington, are you listening to me?"

Winifred blinked. "Huh?"

Her teacher huffed. "Now tell me, young lady. What was I just discussing, about how amphibians use their wet skin?

Winnie's smile continued. She stood up. Around her, people eyed her, startled. Jimmy
Castle jerked awake. Mr. Craun raised an eyebrow.

"This is beautiful," she began. "Normal life… I always thought it was just grey, stupid. But it's amazing. It's amazing that we have this opportunity, to make friends, to learn about the world, to enjoy being young. We're lucky."

Her classmates stared back at her, dazed. "Mrs…. Washington?" Mr. Craun mumbled. Tiffany blinked up at her friend. "Winifred?"

"I guess I'm just too jaded to enjoy it. I was then, and I probably all ways will be. Heh." Winifred chuckled softly. "Stupid. I wonder… If I went through life again, with a new personality, and without any memories of what's happened… would I just be able to relax, and enjoy it?"

Winifred looked forward for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. As her bemused classmates watched, she seemed to grow before their eyes. Her back straightened, and her face flooded with color.

Her fists tightened. "No. Because then, it wouldn't be me. It'd be someone else. They'd be living their own life. All I've got is my own life. It's all I've been given, and I only get to live it once."

Winifred suddenly leaned forward, jostling her desk. "This is my life. The people I know, the places I live, and the actions I take. I can't restart my life; I can't let someone else lead it for me! I can't waste my life, ignore my life, or force my life on others. I can't pretend that it doesn't matter, I can't cover it up with makeup, I can't throw it away, and I can't hate it!

"…It's all I have. No matter how hard it is, or how unfair. It's all I've been given and I… I want to make it beautiful."

No one stood at the front of the class. The girl stood in an empty classroom, her words resonating, echoing back at her. She didn't care; she only felt the heat within her, passion erupting out of her veins.

"Because that's why I fight! I will always fight, against those who wish to degrade, to destroy, and to control our lives!

Fred screamed. "I will never accept that kind of life!"

SORTING ERROR:…/DATA MISMATCH

When Fred opened her eyes, she was in hell.

She writhed without a body, saw without eyes, and burned without skin. Blinding darkness imploded around her in all directions, deafening her, like TV static turned up to full volume. She was burning and freezing, senses exploding from the sheer, sweltering chaos. She tried to twist, and felt cracks racing through her, tearing her apart. She opened her eyes to scream, and something poured in, choking her as she drowned.

Fred felt her mind falling apart. With her last thought, she flung herself forward, hand reaching out-

Something warm was suddenly holding her hand. With a rush, she felt herself pulled forward.