It was break time and somehow on the first day of school, most of us—Oceane, Cole and me— already managed to get homework due for tomorrow. So unfair. I sulk my face into the palms of my hand. I want to watch my series when I get back, not do school work. My series—the only thing that I desire to do most for the rest of the day. One of the things that brings me joy in my life.
"Why-y-y" I exaggerated out loud. "What's the matter?" Cole passed his attention to me after exiting the building. "Nothing…but like why do they have to give us homework on the first day back from summer vacation. Plus we have to give it tomorrow!" I complained once more.
They should make a rule on how you can't have the deadline for homework the day after assigning them. Like that would happen. "Yeah, I know," Cole sighs, "hey. Let's go to our usual spot from last year" Oceane requested. She's referring to the school garden by the trees. During the last term, last year we found ourselves hanging around in the garden the most.
"Do you see them?" I asked, scanning the area, forgetting the conversation about our already assigned homework. "Over there," Cole pointed towards a big oak tree. Next to it a wooden bench.
The three of us joined the others—Yamma, Kyle and Sven—who were sitting on a blanket, above the bright green grass on the side of the main school building. Yamma must have been the one that brought the blanket. Due to the evidence of little patterns of llamas decorating it. You could say she's been obsessed with them for her whole life.
"Hey! How's everything?" Yamma asked us, as we sat down "bad, I want to sleep…" Oceane mumbled for the hundredth time. Or maybe one hundred and tenth time.
We started talking about the hideout–underneath the school–and school work that they've given us today.
Cole started playing around with the leaves and flying them towards Yamma as she tried to video herself. Every other day she vlogs her day at school. Like any other teen YouTuber these days.
And I'd say her vlogs are quite popular. I mean she's been doing it for a long time too.
"Cole." she glares at him to stop annoying her. "What are you looking at me for, I didn't do anything" his tone is sarcastic as he defends himself. Yamma scoffs in irritation.
"I know you used your ability to annoy me" she articulated, her anger formulating. "You have no proof of that." Cole pronounces with confidence. "Fine, you want to play like that–so be it." she smirks.
Oh man. Here it comes.
I shrug, sitting back against the bench.
Yamma's hand reaches out, rotating her hand when Oceane stops her. "Not here" she warns.
Nice save, BST. Short for bestie. A smile forms on my face, all the same slipping away.
An irritating voice rolls into reach.
That fake laugh. It could only be one person. Zoe. As I glanced at my left, there she was–Zoe.
The mean popular girl of the school. Who thinks she's above everyone. Even though she's the lowest in the class—as in grades. And she's coming this way. Toggling along, her side chick–Ella.
I swing my head to the right, sighing in annoyance. "Incoming" I alert my friends, who are now busy entertaining Yamma's camera–for her vlog–as in ASMR with their food or wrappers, or talking about something that happened recently. Other than what was about to go down some minutes ago.
They turned their attention towards the open field of grass. Scanning for the 'incoming' I mentioned. "Should we leave?" Sven suggests, switching off his twitch. "No time," Kyle adds, settling his arm around Oceane. Claiming her his.
She was already standing before us, looking down at us with disgust. As if we were wearing dirty rags–which were not–we're wearing casual teen clothing. Unlike her overly expensive ones.
This will be great.
"Hey, there." Only Oceane responds with another 'hey'.
The rest of us stay quiet. The sound of her gum echoes around my earlobes. A non stop sound, over and over again. I try to control my increased hearing but it decides to defy me.
Get me away from here.
Leave. The voice from within advises.
If I could, I'd have vines tangling around her feet, binding her to the ground. Apart from the fact, I'd get in trouble for doing it to a defenceless human being and I don't like trouble.
It interrupts my peace of mind.
"What brings you here?" Cole questions with no interest in striking up a conversation.
And I mean no interest at all.
"Just letting you wannabees know that I'm throwing a party for the 1st day back at school," She pauses. Just like that dramatic mean girl pause you'd see in the movies. "Oh, wait you're not invited." her voice filled with pity. Pity. I don't even care about her stupid party.
They're just a bunch of drunks and idiots at the party. Partying.
'Wannabees' the word replays in my mind. She's the wannabee here for bragging about a party we were not even invited to. Not like I'd go to one, even if I were invited.
"That's a relief, I wouldn't have been able to make it." Yamma interrupts her speech.
"That's strange. I thought your boyfriend was throwing a party tonight, or is it a joint one" Cole commented. Knowing damn well it annoyed her.
Oceane picked up on the scheme "I think it's a joint one."
And it worked. "Uhg," Zoe exaggerates with her hands, forming a W. Stamping away in frustration, or of what looks like it.
"Good one, Yamma," Oceane says, before popping a frozen grape in her mouth. "Does she really need to brag about everything?" Sven complains, leaning back on the trunk of the tree, already locked back on to his twitch.
"What can you say—she's spoiled." Cole points out, whilst he shrugs. I can't help shake the fact that if it was me someone was talking about in a bad manner, I'd be upset. Even if that person was out of their mind.
For that reason… I kept quiet. It's not the right time to hop on the convo. I'd also feel guilty for anything disrespectful I'd say behind their back, even if we weren't friends. It would bother me for days. Weeks. No… months. Probably years.
The school day passed by relevantly quickly. The best thing this year is that we didn't finish late like last year—We'd finish around four—this year we get to finish at two or at three. That is if we wanted to eat lunch there. However, after school we planned to sometimes eat lunch at the hideout or in the canteen.
It's two hours after lunch. We were all hanging out in the hideout, practicing our abilities in the training area, and combat skills.
There was a foam pit, a small trampoline, kick boxing bags, a climbing wall, treadmills and a part of the floor was covered with foam flooring for soft landing. With a firm line in the middle.
Yamma was the flexible one in this team. She used to do gymnastics when she was younger. So in the training room she works on the foam mat mostly learning new fighting stances, while also sometimes trying out different types of self defense weapons. As she can't seem to find one she truly likes. Cole is more of a kick-box guy. He spends his time doing cardio work and lifting weights next to Kyle and another part of his time using the boxing bags.
Kyle likes to use the weights, work on his balance and spend time on the treadmill. In his free time he likes to practice with his bastion. Oceane would also go on the treadmill. The same for me.
She would practice with a boomerang. Which helps her become more aware of her surroundings. Also practicing part time—a mix of martial arts that Daniel and Bizro have been teaching us through-out the summer break. We'll also be carrying on with the training during the school year too. Sven likes to spend his time on mini coding games in the common area. While coming over here every so often to go on the treadmill as well and practice a bit of martial arts.
I would take my time working on my core muscles and then go on the treadmill. Most of the time I find myself practising the use of a stick as my self defense weapon, while also practicing the martial arts I've learnt. However, if I'm tired, I tend to wander around the small library section in the common area and come back with a book in my hand. Like today.
"What are you reading Ember?" Yamma leaned beside me with curiosity. Sweat strimming down her forehead. "I'm reading a potion book Bizro recommended to me." I happily replied, "cool. Do you need any help making them?" Her tone was filled with interest and curiosity.
"Yes. Actually, I'm missing one ingredient." I take a second before finishing my sentence. Unsure if what I say next are words not to be said. "It's only based in the shadow realm." I finish my unsure sentence, in a depressed tone. "The shadow dimension?" she looked at me in question "we're not supposed to go there." She steps down the small step, separating the gym floor from the entrance floor. "Can't you do another potion?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "No one will know. We'll be in and out within an hour. We can even bring the whole group with us." If you'd feel more safe that way. I quickly blurted out hoping I could convince her. What am I doing? It could be dangerous. Deadly. "Everyone! Would you guys like to go on an adventure with us?" Yamma shouted to everyone across the room.
"Sorry, can't. Have homework." Kyle said while bench pressing, "not interested." Cole turned us down without another thought. Fitting his kick boxing gloves on. Thanks for the support, guys.
"I can, where are you going?" Oceane questioned. Stacking her boomerang away.
"To… the shadow dimension" I hesitantly mentioned "what!" She shout in surprise. Then quickly glanced around to see if Daniel or Bizro were wandering close by and unknowingly heard us.
"We can't go there!" She raised her voice again. Realising her mistake, she slapped a hand over her mouth. I already checked beforehand—they're not here. Like I'd be stupid enough to ask in their presence. We'd get lectured big time.
She then looked back to see if the boys were listening. They all had their headphones on.
"I'll just be in and out" I assure her "I don't know…" She hesitates.
I give her a moment to think. She's skeptical about the situation. Something could go horribly wrong. We could die but I know we wouldn't let that happen. So… it should be okay.
That is as long as they don't recognise us. Normally I wouldn't pry myself into trouble. However, this time I don't think it'll end in disaster. And I doubt Daniel or Bizro will ever find out. So, it's fine.
"Okay. I'll stay here, though. In case anyone asks where you're both gone, just don't be long" she told us responsibly. "We won't" I assure her once more "I guess, I'll be going with you" Yamma adds.
"How will you get there?" she asked, after gathering some stuff. "There's a spell that opens a portal to realms" I remark. I read it in a spell book I found in the far end of the library. I doubt Bizro knew it was there, otherwise he would have confiscated it. "You know it?" Yamma asks me, I nod in response "aximinar-portal" instantly a circle appears before us. A portal. The boys are not bothering to look up.
The portal had many shades of blue and purple, sparkling of light shining from every angle, it was round, the inner part you could see where it's taking you and the outline of the circle seemed like small shards of glass.
It wasn't though. They were small splits of magic shaped as what seemed like broken glass. I know because I once read it in the book that taught me that spell. Before entering the portal which leads to the shadow dimension, Yamma and I both said goodbye to Oceane.