Balloon City, Chapter 4

Alright, so yes, this is Balloon City. The good news is, I finally broke out of my writer's block! Whoohoo! Yeah!
Okay, whatever.
The bad news is, I'm not really sure that I like this chapter. :( I really need feedback! I'm desperate!
Anyhow, I hope that you enjoy it, and if you don't, please feel free to say so!

Au revoir!



Balloon City
Chapter 4


   Professor Des Roches didn't like these impromptu meetings. He always came out feeling grumpy and depressed. It was always, “ Is I done yet? No? When will be done? Your bill is due on Friday. You better make sure that it's paid.”
   He always felt drained after these high-speed interrogations, and Minato was well used to getting snapped at to go home, when the professor would drop in later. He was not prepared for the sight which met his eyes as he stepped into the lab.
   Minato and Meggie were in the machine room. The machine room. Meggie's math problems lay unchanged on her table, and Minato had carelessly left a box of easily broken test tubes on a table, half off of the edge. Both teens were sitting on the floor, wide, stupid expressions on their faces, that instantly turned guilty as he came in. Minato leapt to his feet, and ran his hand through his dark hair, in a nervous manner.
   “ Professor! Uh, h-how was it?”
   Des Roches didn't answer. He glared at Minato, and found that it was impossible to keep the snap out of his voice. “ What are you doing, Minato?”
   Minato looked somewhat scared (rare on the boy's usually expressionless countenance), and swallowed hard. “ Meggie wished to see the machine. I didn't think there was anything wrong with me showing her,” he said bravely, staring hard at Des Roches.
   Like that was any kind of excuse, Des Roches thought, Blame it all on Meggie.
   “ I think there's something wrong with it, sir.” Minato continued.
   “ If there's something wrong with it, it's because you were playing on it.” Des Roches snapped.
   “ No this was different!” Minato said. Meggie was by his side now, and nodded her agreement.
   Des Roches looked at them, tiredly. “ In what way, Minato?” he asked, a little less irritatedly.
   “ There were balloons and weird airship things! And a lot of strange people around!” Meggie said.
   Minato nodded. “ It all happened when I was wearing the ring my father gave me before he left. Once I pulled it off, everything disappeared.” He held out the ring on his palm, for the professor to see.
   Des Roches' eyes greedily, took in the sight. It was a thick ring, possibly made out of gold(although he couldn't be sure) and on the side there was a small symbol – an eagle, with an arrow through its heart. All in one second, before Minato could protest, Des Roches snatched the ring, and pocketed it. He glared at Minato's stunned expression.
   “ Professor?” Minato dared to say.
   “ Get out.”
   “ What?”
   “ Go home, Minato!” Des Roches said angrily. “ And don't come back.”
   Minato was silent for a moment. And then, “ You're firing me?”
   Des Roches glared at him. “ What do you think?”
   Minato just looked at him. “ Give me my ring back. And I'll leave.”
   “ Leave! Get out of my lab!” Des Roches said, refusing to meet Minato's eyes.
   Minato's dark eyes flashed in anger, his fists clenched. “ You can't do that! I could report you to the police!”
   Des Roches' mouth twisted into a cruel smile. “ You really think that they'd arrest me for just doing my job? GO HOME!”
   Minato stared at him, with a mixture of anger and horror, and then turned without another word and left, the door banging shut behind him.
   Meggie watched him go.


                                                                            *


   “ So I got a new black dress at J.C. Penny. And some new eye shadow. Jeff says that I look prettiest in black. You know Meggie, I think he really likes me! Oh, and I -”
   Meggie wasn't even listening to her mother's stream of chatter. Her mind was elsewhere, dazed at Professor Des Roches' sudden, apparently evil turn. After Minato left, the night before, Des Roches had shooed her out, and locked up the lab for the night. He acted perfectly kind and gentle around her, but there was still that underlying, bad feeling about it all. He had fired Minato without reason, and had stolen something that was special to him. Meggie felt all wrong. The world was awry. She wasn't even sure about what was right and what was wrong anymore.”
   “ Meggie, are you even listening to me?”
   Meggie jumped, and gazed up into her mother's face, startled. “ What?”
   Clarissa put her hands on her hips. “ I didn't think so! Goodness, child! What on earth could possibly keep you so intent?!”
   Meggie blinked. “ Uh, um. Nothing?”
   Clarissa shook her head, and flounced away. “ I'm going to see a movie with Jeff tonight, and then I'll be home,” she called over her shoulder.
   “ Okay.” Meggie said. That was alright with her. She had a job to do tonight.


                                                                              *


   “ I'm done, professor.”
   Des Roches looked up at Meggie. “ Ah. Thanks.” He took the stash of papers and looked them over, before setting them off to the side.
   Meggie stood for a moment, thinking. Then she spoke. “ How much longer until the project is done?”
   Des Roches glanced up her again, in a way that said, “ Oh. You're still there, are you?”. “ It's a very complex job, Meggie. Anything could go wrong.”
   “ But supposing everything went perfectly? About when would you be most likely to finish it?”
   Des Roches looked thoughtful. “ Maybe in a month.”
   Meggie nodded thoughtfully, and walked away.
   “ You wanted something else, didn't you?”
   Meggie started at the professor's voice. She turned and fixed him in a cool gaze. “ Yes. Why did you fire Minato like that?”
   Des Roches stared at her, without a word.
   “ Why won't you answer me? Do you admit then, that it was nasty, and stupid, and that it was wrong of you to steal that ring from him?” Meggie demanded, feeling a sudden buildup of anger, as the unfairness of it all rushed to mind. Her face flushed as she realized how bold she was being.
   The professor's eyes flashed. “ You take a great interest in that young man's concerns.” He rose suddenly, his chair scraping across the floor behind him.
   Meggie took a step back, intimidated, and startled by this show of anger. “ Just answer me!” she cried, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.
   “ Miss Earlson, I suggest you stay out of that boy's business, and get back to your own life. This world is a very dangerous place, you could wind up further in then you could ever get out.” Des Roches turned away from her and walked back to the machine room.
   Meggie's cheeks smoldered.


                                                                              *


   Meggie opened her locker, with a sigh. She had eventually seen the sense in the professor's words, although she still didn't agree with his methods. Did Minato even know why he'd been fired? She grabbed her bento box and thermos, and then closed her locker. Just as she turned around, she nearly collided with Aramis Rock. “ Oh!” she cried, and felt her face flush red.
   The guy didn't even notice, just glanced at her slightly, and walked on. His eyes were on Chloe Martinez. Chloe saw him, and made a shocked face, and then wiggled her hips in a suggestive manner. Meggie turned away in disgust and hurt, and walked quickly to the cafeteria. She found an empty table, and sat down at it, feeling rather lonely, and having a little bit of a pity-party. She'd been ignored by the school's cutest guy. What was more pitiable then that? She nibbled her sandwich mournfully, and didn't even notice when another person sat down at the table, in the chair across from her.
   “ Meggie!”
   Meggie jumped out of her pity-party and lifted her startled gaze to the boy who had appeared there. He was wearing a jacket, with the hood up, partially covering his face. She gulped down a bite of sandwich, and attempted to talk. “ Huh?” was all she could manage.
   The boy's teeth gleamed into a smile behind the shadows of his hood. “ Minato?”
   Meggie stared at him. “ Minato?”
   “ Yeah, it's me. Listen, I need you to find out where the professor has my ring, and get it away from him. He can't have it!” Minato said fiercely.
   Meggie looked at him. “ What do I have to do?”

Writer's Block...

Sorry people! Dealing with a dreadful case of writer's block. At least for Balloon City. I seem to be coming out of the wilderness with some of my other stories though! :)

I wrote an execution scene. It's sad. I was feeling sad and moody.
Here it is.


Prologue


   The bells tolled mournfully. Kaito Hamasaki stared around in anguish as the crowd parted around the cart in which he was being carried. So this is how a dying man felt. His ears rang with the nasty shouts being hurtled at him from all directions. Tears pricked his eyes, and for a minute his vision seemed to blur and he saw his wife, and his three children, their faces sad. He saw his only daughter Oceana; her pretty little smile, and deep brown eyes, sparkling. He saw his eldest son, Ira, with his dark brows furrowed over his soft, blue eyes, full of worry and stress. And he saw his younger son, Darer, his blue-gray eyes full of mischief, a smile tugging at his lips. Finally, he saw his wife; the beautiful Antasilkian woman, now long dead. Her brown hair wisped gently around her fair-skinned face, a touch of color in her cheeks, and a provocative smile on her lips; her blue-gray eyes, just like Darer's – full of mischief. 
   And then suddenly, Kaito was back in the square, walking up those accursed steps, and laying his head on the chopping block. As he watched the executioner raise that cruel, sharp ax – the ax that could shatter the closest bonds of family - he thought once more, about what would become of his children. There was nothing he could do for them now. His three children, aged fifteen, twelve, and ten, would be left their own. 
   A tear slipped out of Kaito's eye and his heart rate skyrocketed as the ax seemed to come down in slow motion. Sweat beaded on his brow. It another second, it was all over. 


                                                                            *


   John Faliano walked back to his house, beaten and crestfallen, and slipped inside. The twelve-year-old boy leapt to his feet and stared at him; his large, blue-gray eyes filled with fear and anxiety – daring John to tell him, and yet wishing that he wouldn't. The girl stared too. 
   John glanced at them, his gaze flitting between both pairs of wide, worried eyes. “ I'm sorry, Darer, Oceana, I...” he faltered and found that he had to look away from the kids. He didn't want to say the words, but he had to. “ I couldn't save him.”
   Oceana started to cry softly, her chin quivering, trying desperately to hold it back and be brave. Darer couldn't speak. He couldn't cry. His chest ached as though a sword had been thrust into it, but he couldn't find the tears to relieve his pain. How would he tell Ira? Ira was still at sea, a young mid-shipman, and until he returned, Darer and Oceana would be alone. Unless they stayed with their uncle that is. Darer had to get word to him. 
   He had vague idea of someone giving him a hug, and he heard voices though he couldn't make out the words. Someone knocked at the door, snapping him out of his thoughts, and John answered it. Yorick Harding entered. 
   “ I've come to collect my niece and nephew.” Yorick said. Not, “I'm going to take my niece and nephew in for now”. “Collect”, as though Darer and Oceana were part of his weekly pay. 
   John stared at him, and then turned to the kids. 
  Oceana choked back a sob, and hid her face in Darer's shirt.
  Darer just gave a slight nod, although inwardly he was full of despair, and then took his younger sister's hand in his own and followed his uncle, ready for his new life. 


Yeah. Sorry. :)
It's the prologue for my romance/adventure novel, that is turning into something really sad, and less romantic. To be honest, I haven't even a clue about who the girl is, yet, I only have the boy! :)
I need to do some brainstorming...

Balloon City, Chapter 3

Balloon City
Chapter 3


   Meggie enjoyed the opportunity of driving around at night. Clarissa never questioned her on where she'd been and what she was doing driving around at all hours, for she was too busy with either work, or her boyfriends. For the next three weeks, Meggie went to Professor Des roches' lab, every night, where he mostly had her sitting at a table working out calculations that he gave her. Minato always seemed to be off somewhere else, and she barely saw him. However, Meggie enjoyed doing the calculations, and was greatly intrigued by the charts and diagrams on the big table in the middle of the room, whenever she got a peek at them. The charts were hand drawn with extreme precision, and Meggie could barely find a single problem in any one diagram. Occasionally, Minato would come along and jabber technically with the professor, and then run off again. That was what bothered Meggie most. There had to be some sort of secret here. She longed to find out what it was, but how could she when they wouldn't tell her anything?
   It was a Friday night. Meggie had cheerfully declined a party, held at Amanda Kessler's house, and then eagerly hurried off to the lab. She glanced around, but she didn't see Professor Des roches. Minato walked into the room, staggering under a the weight of a large box. Meggie itched to know what was inside of it, but she didn't say anything. Minato dropped the box with a heavy thump onto a table, and nodded to Meggie in his usually silent greeting.
   Meggie smiled. “ Hello.”
   Minato gave a kind of half-smile, and then turned and walked back out of the room.
   “ Minato, wait!” Meggie said, running after him.
   The boy stopped and looked at her.
   “ Where's the professor?”
   “ Looking at the machine.”
   Meggie felt a slight surge of anger. So there was something back there, that they were too suspicious to tell her about. “ What machine?”
   Minato looked a little surprised at the snap in her voice. “ The project?”
   Meggie stared at him. “ You didn't tell me that it was some kind of machine.”
   Minato's face didn't appear to show any kind of emotion. “ I expect the professor means to tell you about it in his own time.” he said, and then turned and walked away.
   Meggie was disappointed, but she swallowed it back, and walked over to her usually table, and glared at her sheet of math problems. She couldn't focus at all. Questions spun around and around in her head, till she felt bewildered and rather dizzy.
   There was a crash in the back room, followed by a yell, and Meggie jumped to her feet startled, but then she heard talking, and things seemed normal again. She went back to her work. It must have been several hours later, when Professor Des roches, and Minato emerged from the machine room. Meggie looked up.
   “ Well, Meggie, you better get going home now, it's pretty late.” Professor Desroches said to her.
   Meggie nodded.
   “ I won't be here tomorrow. I have business elsewhere, but Minato will be here, so you can still come and work on that little problem I gave you.” the professor looked her as though he wanted her to agree.
   Meggie nodded again.
   The professor and Minato walked off somewhere talking technically again, and Meggie calmly picked up her bag and hurried outside to her car. She couldn't help thinking that the “little problems” that the professor kept giving her were a distraction; a reason to keep her busy. He never explained what the problems were for, and she never thought to question him on them. As she drove home through the night, she came to a decision: tomorrow she would get it out of Minato. She would question him, till his ears fell off if need be. She had to know! She couldn't just go on, doing weird math problems for something that she didn't even know the purpose of.

                                                                                 *

    Meggie came in and walked over to her chair like normal, setting down her bag, and picking up her pencil to scribble down more numbers. Minato wandered in with a stack of papers, setting them down neatly on a table. He looked over at her. Meggie looked back.
   “ Do you know where the professor was going?” she asked casually.
   Minato shrugged. “ He keeps his business to himself.” He turned to walk away.
   “ So. Are you gonna tell me about it tonight?” Meggie asked.
   Minato stopped in his tracks, and looked at her suspiciously. “ What?”
   “ The machine.”
   The boy's face showed nothing. “ That's the professor's business.”
   “ But you know about it.” Meggie insisted. “ Doesn't that make it your business too?”
   Minato barely blinked. He shrugged and turned to walk away again.
   “ Well?” Meggie asked, stopping him in his tracks.
   “ I can't tell you about it.”
   “ Why not?”
   Minato gave a grunt of annoyance. “ Are you always this persistent?”
   “ What are these problems even for?”
   “ I don't know! Only the professor knows that.” Minato's eyes gave a strange flash.
   Meggie stared at him incredulously. “ So you really have no clue what you're working on.”
   Minato grimaced. “ Miss Earlson, I could lose my job if I told you anything.”
   “ You don't need to call me 'Miss Earlson'. My name's Meggie! And I won't tell the professor that you told me anything.” Meggie pleaded.
   Minato looked at her thoughtfully. “ Fine. I'll show you the machine. But we'll have to hurry. There's no saying when the professor will be back, and he often comes to check up on the lab when he comes back from these 'engagements'.”
   Meggie smiled. “ Fine!” She stood up from her chair, and followed him out of the room.
   He led her into a large room, lit with bright, fluorescent lighting. In the middle of the room, there was a large, circular shaped metal platform, about ten feet in diameter, with a wheel set atop a pedestal in the center of it. The platform was set on a base like a turntable.
   “ Well, here it is.” Minato said, and turned to Meggie. “ You happy?”
   Meggie looked at the contraption in bewilderment. “ I don't even know what it does!”
   Minato didn't answer.
   “ Come on!” Meggie groaned. “ Just show me! Please!”
   Minato looked at her, his face still not portraying how he was feeling. He didn't say a word, just walked over to the platform and stepped up onto it. “ Climb on.”
   Meggie gave a small smile, and stepped up onto it, moving till she was opposite him on the platform. Minato's hands rested on the wheel, and Meggie followed his example. The boy looked at her gravely, and then reached forward and pressed a large button which was set in the middle of the wheel. Meggie felt a strange suction on her feet, and found that she couldn't move her feet. They were suctioned onto the platform to keep her from flying away.
   The last thing she noticed was Minato's hands clenching tightly to the wheel, and she thought the ring on his middle finger, which she only just noticed then, rather unusual.
   That was when the spinning began.

                                                                              *

    The experience was like nothing that Meggie could ever have imagined. After a few seconds, she wasn't even feeling the spinning anymore, just knew that suddenly the sounds were changing, and her vision, instead of being blurry as she looked around, and getting dizzy, she was aware that what she was seeing was changing. She could still see Minato, a couple of feet in front of her, and his face was one of confusion. Then, Meggie was aware of people – voices, and could feel the warm felling of sunlight on her face, and even see the light in a way, although she was kind of wrapped up in a translucent whiteness, which made her feel as though she were in a cloud. And then suddenly she was out in the open, surrounded by all kinds of sounds. The contraption under her feet was gone, and it was just her and Minato thrown into the middle of a crowd of strange people. There was shouting and screaming, and Meggie noticed that the style of clothing worn around here was unusual. At least in some cases. Also, there were strange little boat-shaped things, which floated around attached to hot-air balloons. As she looked around, she saw that they were in some kind of city, but all around it, was nothing but sky! Balloons were everywhere she looked, not just large, hot-air balloons, but also small balloons that she'd only seen at birthday parties. The buildings were not huge, but they weren't exactly small, so Meggie had a hard time picturing it as a flying city. It couldn't. Could it?
   Meggie suddenly remembered Minato, and looked around for him desperately. He was still next to her, but the people around them were moving. He was watching her, and Meggie realized that he looked as shocked and awed as herself – confused even. It was all so beautiful and amazing that Meggie could hardly believe it.
   And then suddenly a great cry went up. Meggie and Minato looked at once to the sky above them, and saw strange airships gliding overhead. They were shaped rather like birds, and there dark coloring made them stand out strongly against the blueness of the sky. And then there was an explosion and Meggie's heart-rate skyrocketed, as she watched, horror-struck, as one of the big, beautiful, hot-air balloons burst apart in flames. Others quickly followed suit, and Meggie saw that the airships were the ones shooting the balloons. Minato didn't waste a second. He grabbed Meggie's trembling hand and ran for it. Meggie could hardly keep up with his pace, and terror made her legs shaky, and her breathing inconsistent. Minato glanced behind himself for just one fleeting second, and ran smack into a man. He tumbled over, pulling Meggie down with him. In the process, his ring slipped off of his middle finger, and everything disappeared. The people, the flames, and cruel airships – all gone.
   They were back in Professor Desroches' lab on the machine, and it was still spinning. Minato slammed the button, and the two flew off and tumbled in a breathless heap on the floor. Meggie couldn't speak. Her heart still hadn't settled back to normal, and she was still panting hard from the run. She looked over and saw that Minato was panting too, and his brown eyes were wide with – fear?
   They waited until they felt more steady, and then sat up slowly. Minato stared at her with his wide eyes. And then opened his hand which was tightly clenched. Meggie looked at his open palm. There lay, the ring.

Balloon City, Chapter Two

Balloon City

Chapter 2

   Meggie liked driving at night. There was something so peaceful about gliding through the darkness, seeing lights from the buildings. Tonight, Meggie just felt nervous. It had been strange when she'd found the note in her locker. 

    You are invited for a special tryout, tonight at 8:00 pm. Go to the auditorium. Someone will direct you from there.

   Luckily, Clarissa had gone out again, this time with some guy named Jim. Meggie had considered not going to the tryout, but then realized that she'd be driven mad, wondering what would've happened if she had, and in the end had finally decided that there could be nothing wrong with it. The only question was, what was this “special tryout” for? 

   Meggie guided her Corolla into the high school parking lot, and parked it. As she slipped out into the night, she realized it was rather chilly out. She wondered if there was time to go back home, and get a jacket, but when she checked her phone, there wasn't. With a shrug, she walked quickly over to the entrance, and made her way through the dimly lit hallways to the auditorium. 

   Empty.

   No, wait... Meggie spotted someone. As she walked quickly over to the person, she saw that it was a boy; no older then herself, and rather small in stature. Only slightly taller then her. He was watching her, she noticed. 

   “ Hi. I'm Meggie Earlson?” Meggie said, rather shyly, and wishing that her voice wouldn't sound so squeaky. The boy didn't look the least bit familiar, and she wondered if he was also waiting for the special tryout.

   “ The name's Minato. Come on.” the boy turned and walked off briskly into the shadows. 

   Meggie followed him quickly. He led her straight to a door which had a glowing EXIT sign in red letters above it. Minato barged right through. Meggie hesitated for a moment.

   “ Um, this is the exit?”

   Minato didn't even stop, just kept walking. 

   Meggie shrugged and ran after him. The hallway was bright with light compared to the auditorium, and she found her eyes watering at the sudden light. Minato had already reached the end of the hall, and was standing at the door waiting. Meggie realized that he looked Asian, with his thick, black hair, and dark, almond-shaped eyes, and now that she could actually see his face, knew that she definitely had never seen him before. He held the door open for her, and she slipped through with a quick thanks. 

   And then she was suddenly in darkness. The door shut behind her, and she heard only the soft shuffle of Minato's feet on the floor behind her. There was some more shuffling and loud bang, followed by a grunt of annoyance, and then a click, and the bright light of a flashlight shone full into Meggie's face.  She squeezed her eyes shut and winced. Minato quickly lowered the flashlight, apologetically, and then began weaving his way around what Meggie now saw was a room, crowded with boxes. She followed after again, watching him carefully, and not letting herself lose sight of the light. And then there was another door.

   Minato slipped inside and killed his light, and then looked at Meggie. The room which she stepped into, reminded her of an aquarium, with its dim lighting, and tanks of strange creatures against the walls. 

   “ What is this place?” Meggie asked softly. 

   Minato gave a funny, half-smile. The first indication that he had a sense of humor. 

   Meggie looked at him. “ I'm here for a special tryout.”

   Minato just nodded. 

   Meggie groaned. “ Could you use words, maybe?”

   A blank stare.

   Meggie didn't say anything, and Minato started off again, walking around a large tank of jellyfish, to another part of the room. Meggie followed. Towards the middle of the room, was a large table, covered in diagrams and drafting tools. A man was standing next to it, his bushy, dark eyebrows furrowed in thought. He looked up at the sound of their coming footsteps, and gave Meggie a small smile. He was young – not more than thirty – and had a muscular build, though not stocky. 

   He held out his hand for her to shake. “ Professor Louis Des roches.”

   “ Meggie Earlson.” Meggie said, shaking his hand. She felt dreadfully confused. What kind of tryout was this? 

   Professor Des roches stepped back and nodded at Minato. “ You've met Minato, of course.”

   Meggie nodded. 

   The professor looked thoughtful. “ Well, you see Miss Earlson, we have called you here, because we think that you could be of some use.”

   Meggie felt sick. “ Use? Just what kind of use?”

   Professor Des roches turned back to the table, and picked up a sheet of paper. I believe these are your scores, am I right?” he held the page out to her.

   Meggie took it. It was all of her tests scores from the last year. “ Where did you get this?”

   “ Me and my assistant, Minato, here have been working on a top secret project, which is being funded by the San Francisco government. Stuart Hall High offered us this lab in a closed off part of the school, where we could work secretly without any students interrupting. In addition I am alerted if a particular student is doing notably well, and could be useful in the project. As I happen to know certain things about, which I'm not entirely sure that you know yourself, I've decided that you would do well here.”

   Meggie was stunned. What could he possibly know about her, that she didn't know?

   “ You're surprised, I know.” Professor Des roches said, noticing her stunned expression. “ I've seen that you are exceptional at math and physics. For now, let me just say, welcome to the lab.” 

Balloon City, Chapter One

Balloon City
Chapter 1


   September was a wonderful month, sixteen-year-old Meggie Earlson reflected dreamily as she drove  to Stuart Hall High School, Monday morning. The sun was shining beautifully, making even the most dreariest parts of San Francisco seem to sparkle. A scattering of leaves, carpeted the streets and sidewalks, and the feeling of fall filled the air. Meggie had felt so awesome that bright, sunny, September morning that she'd even worn a sun dress and sandals.
   Meggie guided her shiny, white Toyota Corolla into the high school parking lot and parked it neatly between a blue pickup truck, and a snazzy, silver sports car. She grabbed her favorite, denim bag, and popped out of the car, taking a delightful breath of fresh, morning air. Then she sighed, and brushed the wrinkles out of her sun dress. It was a new one – pale yellow, with white daisies scattered all over it. Tucking a loose strand of her light brown hair behind her ear, Meggie hurried off to the school's main entrance.
   The hallways were crowded with students – not unusual for a school morning – and Meggie had to dodge and jostle and shove her way over to her locker. Gripping a worn notebook, she turned to access her predicament. She hated shoving her way through a crowd, and as her class wasn't for another few minutes, she didn't feel the need to hurry off. She spotted Chloe Martinez, who's perfect, glossy, black curls, and large, dark eyes made her the most attractive girl in the school. And she knew it. By Chloe's side, stood the new boy – Aramis Rock. Aramis had moved to San Francisco that summer, and pretty much every girl in Stuart Hall High that Meggie had talked to was crazy about him. However, Meggie had to admit – Chloe and Aramis looked like they were made for each other. Like Chloe, Aramis had thick, black hair, and awesome, dark eyes, set off nicely by his tan complexion. Apparently, (if the gossip was to be believed) they had met shortly after Aramis moved to San Francisco, and had been dating since. Meggie stood for a moment, watching with warm fuzzies, and possibly a hint of jealousy (although she couldn't be certain about that), until she realized that the crowd around her was moving now, and most of the students were hurrying off to their classes. Meggie went with them.


                                                                            *


   Meggie opened her locker and pulled out her panda-shaped bento box, and her thermos. The cafeteria, as she walked into it, was crowded as ever at lunch time, but she spotted an empty table over in a far corner of the room, and quickly made her way over there. She had just pulled her cheese sandwich out of her bento box, about to take a large bite, when Amanda showed up.
   Amanda had the fine surname of Kessler, though a good three-quarters of the Stuart Hall High population believed it to be Blabberton or Noseworthy. It was plain that Amanda was nosy. If anyone had a secret, they could bet on it being announced throughout the school as soon as Amanda got a whiff. Even if it was something particularly embarrassing, the whole school was sure to know, in no time. Nobody liked Amanda Kessler. Beyond her nosiness, she was rather stout, and always wore a pair of ugly, pale pink, bedroom slippers – the kind that flaps at the heel – that could be heard coming three halls away, because of their annoying, distinctive flip-flopping sound. It didn't help that she walked with a heavy step.
   “ Hey there, Meggie!”
   Meggie cringed and looked up reluctantly from her sandwich into the broad, grinning face, which leaned uncomfortably close to Meggie's. She could smell the scent of peppermint on Amanda's breath.
   “ Hello Amanda.”
   “ Mind if I sit here with you?”
   The words that Meggie had been dreading. “ Yes, I do! Go find a different table!” she wanted to say, but stopped herself in time. There was no saying what story Amanda would concoct about her if she said such a thing. Her mind raced, thinking up a good excuse to say no. She couldn't think of one. “ Go ahead.” she said to Amanda, rather grudgingly.
   “ Gee thanks a lot!” Amanda exclaimed, plopping down into the chair opposite Meggie, with a loud whump sound. “ You know, Meggie, I think you're probably one of the nicest people I've ever met!” Amanda opened her lunch box (which looked more like a suitcase to Meggie) and pulled out some things which were apparently her lunch.
   Great, Meggie thought as she hunkered down in her chair, nibbling at her sandwich miserably. If Amanda thinks I'm nice then -
   “ But I gotta say, Megs, you're pretty darn good at keeping your secrets to yourself! I've know you for over two years now, and I still know barely anything about you!” Amanda torn open a bag of potato chips and crammed a pawful into her mouth, giving a loud laugh at the same time.
   Meggie took a glug of milk from her thermos, thinking mournfully about what Aramis Rock would say if he saw her sitting with Amanda Kessler. He'd probably shake his head and think sadly about how many silly, gossipy giggle-puts there were. Lumping, of course, Meggie into that mix.
   “ And I know you've got some,” Amanda continued, in her annoying, rambling way.
   “ Some what?” Meggie asked dumbly, jolted out of her thoughts by Amanda's loud, obnoxious voice.
   “ Secrets!” Amanda said with another laugh which vibrated in Meggie's bones.
   “ Oh.”
   Amanda rambled on and on, telling Meggie all the latest gossip (as if Meggie wanted to know!), while Meggie sat and listened in silent suffering. Meggie learned that Elias Goodyear had an in-grown toenail, and that Selena Renell had gotten her hair done at Marguerite's Fine Hair Salon, and that Aramis Rock had given Amanda and her informants a tough time figuring out information about him. Amanda had tried to stalk him on Facebook but Aramis had blocked her. Meggie was disgusted that Amanda had such nerve as to try to find out all of Aramis' secrets.
   “ So, Meggie, what have you been up to lately?”
   Meggie opened her mouth to answer and then realizing, snapped it shut again. She wasn't going to fall for such tricks. “ Nothing much.”
   Amanda looked greatly disappointed.
   Meggie didn't care.


                                                                         *


   It was raining as Meggie drove home. The rain poured down in sheets enveloping her little Corolla in a blur. She hurried to get home, and burst inside, almost tripping on her sandals. The house was dark, and Meggie hurried around, snapping on lights, and then after changing into dry clothing, poked her nose into the refrigerator. She was hungry. After digging around a bit in some of the cupboards, Meggie discovered an old granola bar, and skipped lightly back to her room with it, ready to lose herself in a book. She knew that she really aught to do homework, but she just didn't feel like doing it right then. Swiping a book off of her bookshelf, she plopped down in her cozy, zebra-striped chair and buried herself inside it.
   It was almost two hours later, when Meggie heard the door open and her mother's voice filtered into the room.
   "Meggie! Meggie? I'm home, sweetie!"
   Meggie sighed and put down her book. Her mother came over to the door.
   " Hey honey. I'm going out with Jeff Lacey again, so you're on your own for the evening." Clarissa Earlson walked away into her own room, still talking. "You can do that, right?"
   Meggie rolled her eyes. Mom and her boyfriends. It wasn't like Meggie was child! " Jeff Lacey, Mom? Who's that?"
   Clarissa gave a funny chuckle as she came to back to stand in front of Meggie's door. " My new boy-friend! I thought I'd told you about him."
   Meggie didn't say anything, and Clarissa walked back to her bedroom. A few minutes later she came back, wearing a dress made out of some kind of shiny, blue material.
   " Well, sweetie, I have to run now. See you tonight!" She gave Meggie a quick hug, and then hurried off, leaving Meggie surrounded by the scent of petunias.