The Ember In The Dark novel Chapter 2

I knocked on the door and a student opened it.

"You must be my new student." An older lady with long faded blonde hair and glasses greeted me from the front of the room. I nodded my head at her. "Take a seat at one of the empty chairs." She instructed.

Everyone kept their attention on me as I took a seat in the back row. Boys eyeing my body again and girls giving me curious or jealous glances. It's always the same no matter where you go I guess. At least here I won't be as much of a failure. I fit better with the humans than anywhere else.

Mrs. Williams continued her trig lesson. The bell rang shortly after, and I collected my things.

Next was P.E. with Rachel. I'm glad we have a couple classes together, it gives me a friendly face in the crowd. I walked down the hall Rachel showed me earlier.

"Ember!" Ash's voice called from behind me and I turned to find him with Toni still. His 6'2 self was easy to spot amongst the crowd. I waited for him to catch up.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked him.

"I have P.E. now too. We'll be in the gym at the same time. So it's kind of like we have 2nd period together after all." He smiled excitedly, he's just like a kid sometimes. I was unable to hold my smile back.

"That's great." I told him.

"Oh hey, this is Toni. He's invited us to sit with him at lunch." Ash introduced. "Toni, this is my twin, Ember."

"Hey." Toni nodded at me. His eyes catching mine again. My heart fluttered for a moment... odd.

"Hey." I awkwardly nodded back. "Ash. I had someone invite me to sit with them at lunch as well." I told him pouting. "Her name is Rachel." I told him. "I'll introduce you in P.E. we have it together."

"Oh." Ash sounded disappointed.

"We don't have to sit together, you know. If you want to sit with Toni." I don't want to keep him from making friends. He did switch schools for me already. He pouted thinking for a moment.

"If it's the same Rachel, I'm thinking about, she's my cousin. I sit near her, anyway. So it seems we all would have wound up at the same spot." Toni added and Ash lit up.

"Ha! How perfect." Ash was so easy to make happy. I smiled again, shaking my head at him. Silly brother. "I think we're doing really well for our first day." He whispered in my ear.

"Don't jinx it." I poked him in the side making him grimace.

Toni laughed. I forgot he was there for a moment. I fought the blush from creeping on my cheeks again.

We made it to the gym and I went to my spot, seeing Rachel in the distance. She waved at me and then at her cousin Toni, behind me. How coincidental.

She led me down the stairs to a locker room marked girls. Inside were a group of girls changing in the open. I have never changed in front of anyone before. Rachel lent me some shorts that felt way too short and a shirt.

"Come on, let's go before we're bothered." She started to push me back out, but it was too late.

A tall 5'9 girl stood before my 5'3 self. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a high ponytail. She was really pretty with dark blue eyes and sharp features.

"Hey, Rachel. Were you able to talk to Toni?" She asked her.

"I told you I wasn't going to get involved. Talk to him yourself." Rachel snapped.

Tall blonde girl made a face. I can tell I'm not going to like this girl. She reached to grab Rachel, but I instinctively grabbed her wrist and pulled it down. She bent forward, following her wrist. She looked up at me pissed and confused. I let her wrist go pushing her back up. I didn't mean to do that. I sighed. Damnit.

"Leave her alone." Was all I said to her before grabbing Rachel and walking out. My heart was racing, knowing there would be backlash later for that. Rachel laughed beside me as we left the locker room.

"Oh girl. You didn't need to do that, but I really appreciate it." She told me. "That's Myra. Queen B of sorts. She and Toni were dating for a while before he broke up with her. He's not into mean girls and he didn't like the way Myra acted with others." She explained. "Myra thinks she can get me to change his mind." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I know what that's like. To be the in-between of girls and a relative. It happens to me with my brother a lot." I explained.

"The twin that doesn't look like you?" She asked.

"Yeah. You'll meet him here in a minute. He has P.E. this period too."

"Oh I'm very curious now." She wiggled her eyebrows and I smiled.

We headed back up to the gym. All the boys' eyes landed on me from across the floor, as we walked to our spot. I heard some whistles, but I kept my head up. I refuse to blush or show any vulnerability.

"You got a boyfriend Ember?" Rachel asked.

"No, I do not." I told her. "Haven't met a boy that doesn't annoy me yet." I joked, but really I've had my heart broken too deeply to want to date anyone right now.

I saw Ash from across the way. He must have borrowed some clothes too. He had a pair of navy blue gym shorts and a gray shirt on. He was tense, trying not to get onto all the boys for looking at me.