2.

My thoughts were preoccupied as I walked into class, not realizing that English had already started until I stumbled clumsily through the door. Not only was I starting school a week later than everybody else, but I walked in loudly to a class that had already started…. awesome. The teacher, a skinny, bald man, dressed in a very nice, navy blue suit and tie, looked up from a text book and glared at me.

“Why do I even bother to start class when we’re going to have all of these interruptions?” he said, still glaring at me.

“Um, I’m sorry, I’m new,” I replied guiltily, my face turning bright red once again.

“Obviously. Are you Eden?” he asked, speaking through his nose.

“Um, yes, Eden Matthews,” I clarified, just to be sure, but obviously he knew that. I could barely contain my nerves. Usually a shy person, I hated having the attention on me, and at that moment, the entire class was staring, probably laughing, at me.

“Nobody’s laughing at you,” the teacher declared out of the blue. “I’m Mr. Lambert, welcome to Honors English. Please take a seat over there,” he tried to smile and pointed to the back of the classroom where an empty desk sat in between none other than the two boys from earlier. Fantastic.

Although I had been oddly reminded by Mr. Lambert that nobody was laughing at me, I still felt all eyes on me as I walked quickly, head down, to my desk and slid in as quietly as I could. I glanced around the room and realized, thankfully, that no one was looking in my direction; well no one except Kiran who was sitting directly to my left and staring openly at me. I quickly pulled my long hair from over my shoulder and brushed it in front of my face. I hoped to build a wall of tangled curls to separate me from this curious stranger.

I fumbled through my back pack looking for the same book that everyone else was holding but I suddenly found it hard to concentrate. My bag was full of books for every class and the covers all began to look the same. My vision blurred, I squinted to give myself a clearer view. I could hear the lecture, but it sounded far off, and I was beginning to feel dizzy. My breath became quick and shallow; I grabbed on to my desk with both hands, trying to find my bearings.

As if from everywhere around me, I started to feel a wave of heat overcome me. My skin began to prickle again as if I were going through a low dose of electroshock therapy and there was a high pitched sound resonating in my ears. And then I could feel my head hit the ground as I slid back out of my desk and onto the floor.

“Good grief, I’m never going to get through this lecture,” I heard a very exasperated voice and wondered what a nasally man was doing in my bedroom. I was trying to sleep.

“What did you do? This kind of thing is strictly prohibited Mr. Kendrick, I don’t care who you are. You will obey your father’s ordinances when you are in my class,” the aggravated voice kept going on and on…. just let me sleep!

“I didn’t do anything!” a familiar English accent defended himself. Where had I heard that voice before? “I don’t know what happened to her, she just fell over!”

“Ms. Matthews, Ms. Matthews, can you hear me?” It was the annoyed voice again. I could hear him, but I didn’t want to; I wanted to go back to sleep.

And then it hit me. Oh no! I’d done it again. Well, I don’t know what I’d done again, but I was too afraid to open my eyes and find out. Strong, small hands gripped my shoulders and began to shake me roughly.

“Maybe you should slap her,” I high pitched girl’s voice offered. That got my attention.

“What have I done now?” I groaned, closing my eyes even tighter. I refused to open them and assess the damage I had just caused. I also refused to be slapped, I wasn’t unconscious anymore.

“You’ve fainted,” the English accent that I could now identify as Kiran’s said plainly. I thought I could also detect a smile in his voice and maybe something else…. amusement?

“What else?” I groaned again.

“What do you mean what else? Well, you’ve also interrupted my class,” Mr. Lambert’s unmistakably irritated voice replied impatiently. “What’s wrong with you, do you need to go to the nurse?”

I finally summoned enough courage to open my eyes. The world around me was perfectly intact, perfectly as it should have been and I was completely confused. This wasn’t the first time I had awoken in a daze after experiencing similar feelings. This was just the first time I had awoken to things still normal around me. Usually, it was all mass panic and chaos, due to lethal insects or flooding waters, or even burning flames. But, truthfully, I much preferred a crowd of confusion. I was inwardly overjoyed there wouldn’t be mass lawsuits and a new school in my near future.

“No, I am fine, thank you,” I think I was actually smiling on the outside now too, because the entire class of faces staring down at me were looking more confused than ever. If only they had known what could have happened to them; if only they had known that miraculously their lives were saved. I could feel my smile get bigger and I knew without a doubt that I looked crazy.

I tried to push myself up onto my elbows, but was still a little shaky and fell back down. A nervous, almost hysteric laugh escaped me and it was the only sound in the room. I had officially begun my first day at my new school as a freak. A swarm of students stared down at me, a sea of white and navy blue, with islands of hanging red plaid ties.

I decided to try to sit up again; I needed to move since nobody else had moved from gawking at me. As I struggled, I could see that Kiran and Talbott, both of whom were the closest to me, due to the proximity of their desks, attempted to help me. I watched as their arms reached out to grab mine and assist me in sitting up. As soon as their skin touched mine, I started all over again with the heat and electricity and let out a mild scream.

Both sets of arms immediately dropped from mine and I found myself back on the ground, wishing I was dead. I had no idea what was going on, but I soon realized that everyone staring at me wanted an explanation. I wished I had one to give them; one that wouldn’t completely brand me as nuts.

“Maybe I should go to the nurse,” I said as I struggled to get up once again. I could see both sets of arms reaching out to help me in another attempt of chivalry and I overreacted a little by shouting, “That’s ok, I can do it on my own!”

I knew that I sound like a lunatic, like certifiably crazy; but for whatever reason these two boys were bringing out the scariest part of me and I didn’t want them or anyone else to get hurt. I looked up at Kiran apologetically, but instead of looking concerned for the crazy person, like I expected, he just gazed back entertained, almost like he was about to laugh.

“Can someone help Ms. Matthews to the Nurse’s Office, please?” Mr. Lambert sounded exasperated.

“I can,” Kiran volunteered.

“No, that’s alright,” I blurted out, afraid I’d faint again. “I’m sure I can find it on my own,” I gave a weak smile, but finally stood up. I actually had no intention to find the nurse, I just needed to calm down and get some space. I grabbed the back of my chair to steady myself, and inhaled big breaths of air.

“Lilly, can you take her?” Mr. Lambert turned to look at a fragile looking girl with short, vibrant, red, curly hair.

“Sure,” she said sweetly. She took a few steps from the back of the crowd of students to wait for me by the door.

I grabbed my backpack, terrified to look at anyone until I was almost to the safety of the hallway. Once I reached the door, I took a brave look back only to see Kiran smile and wink at me from his desk. This had been the most bizarre day, and unfortunately it wasn’t even the end of first hour.