Prologue
They're coming! I have to run.
"To the maze!!" I yelled. I took a left, then a right, then a right again. I ran and ran until I could walk no more. I came to a sudden stop. "Wait a second." I murmered. "I have been here. That means, I have been going in circles." I tried to go back the way I had origianally come, but then everything was different.
"Hello?" I called. "Anyone?"
Silence.
"Hello?" I called again.
"Liana?" It was Evelyn. "Is that you?"
"Yeah!" I called.
"Watch out!! The maze. . ." she called.
Evelyn screamed. Then all was silent.
"Evelyn!!" I called. Then I turned and ran down the maze. I kept running until I reached an opening in the maze. It was a small clearing with a fountain in the center. It was beautiful, but I didn't recognize it.
I was officially lost.
Chapter 1
"Liana!" I looked up as my best friend, Evelyn ran up to me. "Our first day of high school, can you believe it!?" Evelyn's cute brown curls bounced up and down as she ran, smiling all the way.
"I know!" I answered. "I have so much on my mind!"
"Like what?" asked Evelyn. I looked at her. Then we both said in unison, "Tom."
Tom was the most annoying boy I had ever met. He was a jerk, and I hoped that I wouldn't run into him at all my first day of high school. I looked up at Evelyn and she shook her head. "He better watch out! We all know what Liana can be like! As fierce as any boy her age!" Evelyn grinned at me.
"I agree!" said a voice behind me. I whirled around nearly ran into a tall boy with short brown hair and tan skin. His deep hazel eyes stared at me. "Now, what are we talking about?"
"Chase!" I snapped. "Don't scare me like that!"
Chase pretended to look hurt until I apologized. I rolled my eyes at Evelyn and she giggled. "What class do you have first?" she asked.
I looked at my schedule. "Math with Mr. Berg."
"Me too!" said Chase.
Evelyn grimaced. "P.E."
"Yikes" I said. She waved and took off for the Gym. "I don't worry for her. She's perfectly fit and will probably beat most the girls in her class anyway in anything they do."
Chase agreed. We headed for our math class, and sat down next to a kid named Tyler. We started laughing as Chase tripped over his own backpack.
After class, I had Civics and then Science. In my Science class, I sat down next to my friend, Justin. He was much taller than me, even taller than Chase, and also had brown hair. Justin liked to joke around and often make fun of me. He is still a great friend. It is crazy how I hang out with people that are taller than me.
"Sup, church buddy." Justin said. We both went to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday saints, also known as LDS, or mormons.
"Not much," I murmured, looking up. "The sky, the ceiling, a light or two."
"Oh ha, ha." Justin said sarcastically.
After Science, Justin and I met Evelyn, Chase, and my other friend, Camila. Camila is the only friend that is shorter than me. She was adopted from China and and is more like me than most my other friends. We are both tomboys and like to make fun of the popular girls.
We went to lunch, next. Sloppy Joes!! Yum! I sat down at the table next to Evelyn and Chase and across from Justin and Camila. I slapped Chase's hand as he failed at trying to steal my food. I laughed as Justin was able to get quite a bit of Evelyn's food without her knowing and almost got away with her whole tray.
Camila and I headed to our English class next, and then walked with Chase to Band. I played trumpet, along with Justin, Chase played saxophone, Evelyn played flute, and Camila played clarinet. Mr. Dern yelled at the percussionists and Justin got a kick out of that!
Soon, band was over, so Chase, Evelyn and I went upstairs to orchestra. I dread this class. First of all, the teacher scares me. Mr. Evans is evil! Second of all, my section leader is none other than Tom.
Tom is tall, with brown hair and perfectly straight teeth. He can sing, he plays instruments, he can play about any sport, and is good at them too. Tom is everyones favorite. The teachers love him, the girls love him, but I don't. Unless you are popular, you don't. He is a bit of a bully.
Last year, he just made fun of me because of the usual things. Being short, was one of them. Hanging out with Chase and being mormon was two of the big ones. My fingers immediately traced the long scars on my face. What would he do now? I was very scared.
I got out my viola and walked down with Chase and Evelyn. Evelyn leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Good luck with Tom." I nodded my thanks and went to sit down with my section. Soon enough Tom walked up with Dan and Kylie. When he caught sight of me, he snickered. "Well, who'd a thunk it?" he said sarcastically. "Liana, who broke your face?"
I could feel my cheeks getting red, as Dan and Kylie also snickered.
"Back off." I muttered.
"You know what?" Tom asked, now loud enough for the other classmates to hear. "Last year I said that you couldn't get any weirder. I stand corrected."
Kids laughed. With every taunt that Tom threw at me, the kids laughed louder and I blushed more. I saw the flames in my head, heard the screaming, but I would never let that show. Not my weakness. To Tom, never.
I once again traced the long scars on my face and looked away. I saw Chase and Evelyn in the violin section. They showed different emotions. Evelyn showed sympathy while Chase showed anger. Eventually, Chase stood up.
"Tom!" He said in a low and determined voice that dripped in anger. "Back off."
Tom only laughed. "Here comes Chase to rescue his lady friend." This time, Chase blushed. Now it was my turn.
"Tom. Stop it." I paused. "Now."
He just laughed. I gritted my teeth. "Now."
"Tommy?" said Mr. Evans as he walked in. "What are you doing out of your seat?"
"Hi Mr. Evans!" Said Tom, smiling. "I was just kidding around with Liana."
Kidding with me? Yeah right.
"Well sit down, we need to tune!" snapped Mr. Evans.
Kylie turned, her blond hair flying about, sat down in the viola section, while Dan sat down as the first violinist. I watched him. I thought that he was my friend.
After orchestra, I put my instrument away and ran out of there at record speed. As I stormed down the hallway, I could hear Dan and Kylie behind me.
"That was so funny." Laughed Kylie.
"I know!!" agreed Dan, laughing.
Then Evelyn scolded her friend. "Daniel!" Then in a quieter voice. "She's right in front of you!"
I heard it and hunched my shoulders.
"Liana!" Dan called. "Don't take it personally. He was just kidding around."
"It was funny though." snickered Kylie.
"Shut up!" Then a smacking sound and Kylie whimpered, "It was."
Evelyn ran up to me. "Are you ok?" she whispered. By now, I was steaming. She turned around and gave Dan a glare that could make a grown man cry.
That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't even stick up for myself. I bolted.
As I ran down the hallway, I could hear Evelyn yelling at Dan. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Replied Dan.
I bolted into the bathroom and locked myself in. I let the tears flow. This is not usually normal for me. I don't usually cry. I guess I am not convincing you much. The bell rang for my last class, art, but I didn't care. When I finally stopped crying, I looked into the mirror. My eyes and nose was red and everyone would know that I had been crying. It's a good thing that I don't wear make-up. I traced my scars. The one that passed from my left temple, went over my right eye and ended near the bottom of my right ear was the most noticeable one.
I took a deep breath and went to art class. I didn't know anyone in this class so I sat by myself.
"Hi!" said a voice behind me. I turned and saw a short boy with shaggy blonde hair. He sat down next to me. "I'm Jake."
"Hi, I'm Liana." I said, smiling. We talked while Mrs. Byers let us paint. Jake was very nice and I enjoyed his company. I found out that his mom recently died. That was an eye opener for me. My struggles with Tom was nothing compared to his struggles. After Class, we said bye to each other and I met up with my friends. I told them about Jake and we went to the band room.
I went home and my mom asked me how my day was. I told her about Jake and my classes. I left out Tom though. Nobody in my family knows about Tom. My dad pretended to act concerned when I told him about Jake.
"He better stay away from my little girl." I just rolled my eyes and laughed.
In the morning, I got all my stuff together and soon, I was heading to Jazz band. I was tired from Semenary that morning, and my eyelids were still heavy. Justin and I walked in together and later Chase and Camila came in. We talked for a while and Chase was still mad about Tom.
"I don't understand why Tom doesn't just leave us alone!" He growled. "I told my mom and she simply said that I was exaggerating. I mean, why doesn't he get it that we want nothing to do with him? It wasn't your fault that you, uh, you know. . ." His words drifted off.
I nodded and traced the long scars on my face. My teachers and a lot of other kids showed me sympathy. I don't know if that's good or bad.
*
I went through the day like any other day. After school I sat on the steps, just thinking about my bad luck.
"You ok?" asked Chase, sitting down next to me.
I sighed. "No." I looked down. "THere's something, I didn't tell you. After the you know. . ." Chase nodded. "Well, my brother wasn't found. They think he was swept down the river after the," I paused but I need to get it out. "After the crash. They called off the search." Tears burst to my eyes and I immediately cried on Chase's shoulder.
"It's gonna be ok." he said.
"He's not dead, he's not dead." I kept repeating through sobs.
Realizing what I had just done (I never show my weaknesses to my guy friends), I straightened and wiped he tears away. "Sorry."
Chase smiled at me. "It's ok," he kept talking but I stopped listening. There! Sitting on the grass was a cat. A black cat with piercing red eyes. Those knowing eyes seemed to smirk at me. The cat then turned and started to walk away.
"Wait!" I called to the cat.
"What is it?" asked Chase, turning.
"Th-that cat!" I said. "I need to get to that cat."
"Why?" he asked.
"I don't know. I just do." I then turned and ran after it.
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All done! I will get the next chapter in as soon as I can! The * is where I had left off before. I'll do that so you guys can figure out where you were.
Poor Liana! She must miss her brother, greatly. But now, who is this mysterious cat? Hmmm....
My question for ya'll! How would you deal with Tom?
Thanks!
~~Chapter 2-- http://www.chickensmoothie.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=819710
~TABLE OF CONTENTS~http://www.chickensmoothie.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1046285
