I’m ready... Ish. You really can't ever be ready for a first day of school, ever. I shake my head to clear my nervous thoughts, slightly wiping myself with me robot earrings. Their purple with silver diamond eyes, they're not girly though they’re tomboy-ish. Thats why I like them so much. I run my hands down my shirt smoothing it out. It has a pink owl with words that say ‘BE KIND TO NATURE’ on the soft purple surface. I click my heels together and walk in.
I have to move fast if I want to get to the first of my eight class before the first bell rings. Most people don't think about it but, I. Hate. Crowds. Terrified actually. So I rush to where my first class is because before the first bell rings everyone is jammed into the small corridor thing separating the buildings. When it rings everyone rushes to class pushing and shoving, its horrible. I get to the start of the ramp descending down to where the gym and changing rooms are. I wait. I feel a tap on my shoulder so I turn around, its my friend Stargazer luckily.
“Hey, Stary. Its nice to see you again.” I say quietly into her ear as I hug her. Her real name is Snowflake but since theres well another Snowflake we hang out with we just call her Stargazer, or in my case Stary.
“Nice to see you too, Firefly.” My nick name. I just love it. Its true to, I love to fly and I can do this little thing where I can get into your head and listen to your thoughts. All my friends think fireflies can listen to your thoughts. My real name is much more like my appearance though. My name is Contrail. Like most pegasus I have wings, unlike most pegasus when I fly I leave a contrail the color of my hair, rainbow.
The bell rings and I grab her hand and pull her down the ramp before we’re both crushed in the flow of overly eager kids, parents, and teachers. “Come on before it catches you.” I pull harder so she starts running down with me. I giggle at her terrified face.
“Thanks I so didn't catch the bell ring. I could have died.” And her usually over dramatic self finds a holed in her mouth.
“Probably not died but pretty close.” I argue.
“Or even murder.”
“If you want to go that far. I truly doubt that though.” I say with a light eye roll while I push the girls changing room door open.
“FiFi!!!!” She pounces me to the ground and gives me a little kiss on the cheek I happily return.
“I missed you too. I didn't know you were in this gym class, KiKi.” Shes the cutest, sweetest, kindest, and so on and so forth, person I know. Shes also my girlfriend. Her name is Kikona and last time I checked we were the top couple in the school. Were about the same height but I’m taller. She has wavy brown hair and dark brown eyes, plus the most beautiful smile you will ever see.
“I do. I missed you. When did you get back from California?”
“Yesterday night.”
“Why didn't you tell me?” A chorus of ‘Ooh's go around the small group we call our friends. It consists of me, KiKi, Stary, Loola, Snowflake, Shery, Co, and Lia. Yep we each have a nickname, thats how we roll. Loola’s name is actually Chloe, Sherry's is actually Strawberry but we would call her Straw but she doesn't like it, Co’s is actually Candace, and Lia’s is actually Cordelia.
“Because I was busy unpacking. Plus my phone and computer were dead so I just decided to wait till today.” A series of nodes go around till Co picks me up into a huge hug.
“Well we all missed you.” She emphasized the word ‘all’.
“I missed you guys it gets lonely ya know.”
“We know!” They all say in unison making me burst into laughter. Later they all join in.
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Oh I’m such a idiot. I just had to didn't I! Applejacks going to be so mad. Darnit!! “Get back here girly I’m not done with you!” Oh, yeah I really screwed up.
“Get away from me!” I can hear him catching up and feel the wind of his hand on my wings. Wait, my wings! I spread them wide and flap as hard as I can, I’m flying. I stick my tongue out at him and blow a raspberry. “Ha you can't catch me now.” I’m heading towards the house. Probably not the best idea.
“GET HER!!!!” I see a group of pegasus fly up out of the group who fell behind. I smirk. As I close my wings I hug my arms close to my sides and fall fast. I reach about ten feet from the ground then I spread them out wide and soar faster than they could only dream to be able to go.
“In your dreams idiots.” But I'm to far ahead for them to hear me. When I notice I'm out of sight I head for the house to cry my eyes out. I'm such a idiot.
When I do get home I realize a slight flaw in my plan of not letting AJ find out but also crying, we share a room. I sigh as I walk in with my puffy red eyes, tear stained cheeks, and quivering bottom lip. More tear start to replace the old ones and I break down again. I run up the stairs and barge into our room to find her laying on the floor reading one of my comic books. She looks up with a smile that vanishes quickly at the sight of me.
“I-I so sorry A-applejack. I couldn't stop the-them and they h-hurt me.” I say through my tears while showing her the bruise on my shoulder. “They came up to me and-and t-they...” I'm crying to hard now to finish my story. She walks up, closes the door, brings me over to the bed, and holds me close while I cry my eyes out into her chest as we cuddle.
“Shhh. Its over now sugarcube. No need ta be cryin now. Y’all are safe now.” She coos quietly into my ear as my tears start to fade. “Now tell me wha’ happened so ah can fix this.” Shes so kind.
“After w-work I decided to go spend a little because it was payday. I took a shortcut down a aly and they came from both sides. I was surrounded. First from behind they grabbed my hands and held them so couldn't do anything, but in a way I couldn't use my wings either. T-then they came from in front and started hitting me. They took my money and my-my...” More tears come. She pulls away and looks at me, she notices what's missing.
“Oh, Rainbow. Why do y’all let ‘em do stuff like tha’ ta ya.”
“I couldn't stop them they just surprised me and I had no time to react.” I say quietly.
“I know. I guess ya couldnt.” She sighs and looks at me. “Ah’m sorry this stuff keeps happening’ ta ya sugarcube. Ya don't deserve it.” I sit up slightly and kiss her nose. She giggles lightly.
“Yeah yeah, I'm not all that innocent.” I say pinning her down.
“Ah never said nothin’ ‘bout y’all bein’ innocent. Just that ya don't deserve bein’ treated like that.”
“How do I deserve to be ‘treated?’’ I say while raising an eyebrow.
She flips us over, now I'm pinned down. “Like this.” First to go is the torn sky blue shirt.
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“Welcome back Golden River MIddle School students. My name is Firefly Casanova! Now time for our schools radio first song of the day will be ‘I'm yours’ by Jason Mraz! Hope you enjoy. Also if this is your free period go to the gym to see me and Kikona sing it live. Thank you and have a nice day!” I put down the phone thats connected to the announcements. Me and KiKi run our schools music section and that includes the songs played during class and free period performances. Our class times are different from the other eighth graders because of it but we don't mind. We still ahve lunch with the others.
“FiFi come on we need to get to the gym the eosngs about to start playing.” So me and KiKi rush out of the office to the other side of the school not a second late.
I start the song and then start the singing. I get lost in the song. I have this thing, memories and stories flood my head when I hear different songs. They're my memories but I dont remember them happening. They're familiar but I just dont remember. Its like this whole life is missing from my life. I mean a whole person is missing from my life, with the same story of sorts, who should be there but isn't. I guess I just miss and want somebody to be there but they wont be.
We reach the chorus and we go all in. We hit the notes nobody can hit while doing our dance we made up for this song. We do a awesome job at that. The memorie is of me and me. Its usually like this, i have always wanted a twin.
"Ly hurry up and get me or ill win the the game." She said with a edge of confidence in her voice. She may think she will win but she's dead wrong. I speed forward with a little help from wings and tap her shoulder. I then do a full circle turn and jet towards the other side where I have to get to to win. I can sense her hand flying through the air. I tune in and zap I got in.
"Hey you!" I snicker. Just its not out loud, I got into her head. Im in her thoughts. "I hope you know I'm going to know Im going to win." SHe stops dead in her tracks and gulps.
"HEY!! Get out you cant do that. My head my thought not yours. GET OUT AND STAY OUT!!!!" She pouts. We both hear giggling but its not either of ours. Her as the brave one goes towards it. "Hello?" She heading towards the gate leading to who knows where.
"In y'all's head. Ah know y'all are crazy if ya can hear voices that aren't yours in ya own head." Said the gate. Other me flys over.
"Rainbow! Wait where are you going I call?" She keeps going as if she cant hear me. This time she's blocking me out. "Let me in you cloud-cloud dreamer."
"Stupidest insult ever Ly." She calls before going over the gate in a little 'whoosh!'
A the song ends I come out of my little memory and sigh. I can never get to the end.
As the cheers, complements, and whistles build up we do bow after bow. Soaking it all in. After they start to die down we walk off, happy as can be, to our next class.
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A loud series of knocks eco throughout the room as the two sleepy girls simultaneously yell for who ever it is to go away. “Sorry AJ, Rainbow somebodys at the door for ya.” Says Applejacks older brother Mac from behind the still closed door. I grown as I climb out and search for my close lazily placed on the floor somewhere.
“We’ll be out in a minute Mac.” I yell as I find my shirt. I look over at AJ whose yawning and stretching while still in the bed. “Come on queen lazy time to get up.” I'coo as she stops yawning to glare at me.
“Yeah and look whos talkin ‘Queen lazy’ meh.” She murmurs while starting her search as well. “Find anything thats mine yet?” ‘Yep!’ well thats what I should answer but as i pick up her shorts i stuff them in my pile and shake my head no.
“You find anything thats mine?” Instead of just asking I look up to see her half dressed holding my pants while I'm half dressed holding hers. We both laugh as we tackle each other to get them back.
“There.” She says while she puts the final touch of getting dressed on. Her stelson while I put her hair up.
“Lets go see who it is.” I say opening the door to let us out. We walk side by side down the stairs and into the living room to find the exact unicorn who attacked me yesterday sitting on the couch eating MY apple pie. “You!” I growl as he smirks at me evilly.
“Oh yes. Me!” His horn lights up and the windows and doors lock, locking Mac out. We’re doomed. Its dark and we have a evil unicorn sitting on the couch. A candle flickers on. “Now down to business. I will give you back what I took, not the money though just the other thing, for something in return.” In return?
“What do you want?” AJ asks hesitantly.
“Oh and who are you?”
“Thats none of your business, now what do you want?” A sly grin sneaks across his dimly lit face.
“Oh but isn't that such a simple question. I want...”
“A WHAT!?!” I'm freaking out right now. He can't possibly want that?
A few minutes before I started freaking out...
““Oh but isn't that such a simple question. I want a author as cute as you.” He says while pointing at me. My mind starts flowing with questions. Why would he want a author? Why one as cute as me? Why would he blackmail me for it? Wait, why me in the first place?
“Sugar cube are y’all ok?”
“A WHAT!?!” Now we're in the present!
“You heard me correctly.” He says calmly.
“But, why?” Seriously why?
“Because. I love reading books. Not by professionals though, by young adventurous minds. Hence young author.”
“But why like me?” He smirks.
“Because you're beautiful.” Then he waves his hand in a way as if to say ‘DUH!’
“Creepy.” I mutter under my breath. “Fine I will try. But...”
“Great its a deal then!” He interrupts.
“BUT!!! How am I expose to find someone who looks like me?” He just glares at me.
“Make their face at the least look like yours, you can dye their hair.”
“And if they look like me but can't write anything good?”
“Teach them to.” Then he teleports out allowing everything to reopen and Mac to walk in completely confused. We just shake our heads and go up stairs. He understands that as ‘not your problem forget it. no biggy!’
“AJ how on Earth are we expose to find someone who looks like me, sounds like me, has the same hair as me, AND is a fast flying pegasus who can leave a amazing rainbow trail like me?” She hands me the TV remote. I look at her for a reason why.
“Turn on the TV and look at channel 00.” She says excited at her great plan.
“Thats a channel?” Sh enodes as I turn it on and start flipping through the channels till I reach 01. I hit the down channel button one more time and were at 00. Young Authors Awards Channel. “Oh...” So we sit down to watch who got a reward.
“ARRR!” I grown. We just spent the last 2 hours watching kid after kid get awards. I'm about to turn it off when the show guy says something that gets my attention.
“Listen UP! Tomorrow's a big day. Contrail Casanova will be winning the biggest award a young author could get. She stands out and has a huge goal on her hands. WE can help her reach it. Thank You!” I turn it off and look at a cutely sleeping Applejack. I give her a sloppy kiss right where her ticklish spot is to wake her. Right on her nose. She giggled lightly and sits up with a yawn.
“Find anything’ sugarcube?” I laugh at her a little before nodding happily.
“Contrail Casanova!” She gasps.
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“OMG SERIOUSLY I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST GOT AWARDED FOR BEST YOUNG AUTHOR!!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL EVERYONE! WILL YOU HELP ME?!!?” I scream onto the e phone shaking in my hands from my excitement. “I'm going to be on TV and win that reward for a free write paper I did in science fiction writing class. AS A WARM-UP!!!”
“Calm down FiFi. Gosh I have to hold the phone a foot from my ear and you're still loud!” KiKi complains but you can hear the excitement in her voice. “Oh yeah!”
“What?”
“CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!”
“See now whos yelling?”
“Me!” We both laugh. “So you’ll be on tomorrow on the station nobody knows about?”
“Yep!” I node even though she can't see it.
“Ha and only the giddy parents do. Most of them disappointed it wasn't their child who won.”
“Thanks for being so supportive. I'm going to pee my pants in how nervous I am.” I pout.
“Meet me in the gym at 3 o’clock. K?”
“Yeah ok.”
“Great see you there!” Then she hangs up. Probably to go plan something. I sigh and lean back on my bed.
When I walk into the gym I can hear the e chit chat in the stands. What's going on?
“Welcome to our first annual Award Winner Needs Confidence assembly!” She says confidently into the mike. “And to give her that confidence we will be singing her a few songs. Come on out girls!” Then the others were there too. Jumping down out of the stands and from behind speakers. Then the music comes on. One of my favorite songs Miley Cyrus ‘The Climb!’ Co walks over and puts me standing on one of the speakers so everyone can see me and hands me a mike.
They start singing, all together but one by one. They start and stop, come in and out of the song as it goes through then as the pause between the song and chorus comes they give me the key to start singing and I do.
"Rainbow, comeon whats taking you so long come back!!!" I bang on the gate but I can hear nothing and shes still blocking me out. I hear the sound of someone gasping for air but not in the way you were holding your breath or choking just deprived for a moment.
"Ill come back later. Bye AJ!" I hear her say before flying back over. I pin her to the gorund an dhug her tight.
"I was so worried. Thanks for coming back."
"Your welcome?"
"Please dont leave me again, ever. With out me knowing what your getting yourself into. Prmoise?"
"I promise." Shes telling the truth, she wont turn away.
"Thank you." I say hugging her tighter.
"Im sorry Fy."
They take over and whenever the chorus comes along I sing it. Its amazing. The next song is the same after that the same till we run out of songs to sing. I just always sing the chorus. I always jump back to that same moment. Why that moment. I guess because Im singing the same thing over and over again. The song ends.
We take a bow and soak in the attention and praise. We walk out when it starts dying down, its our thing.
“Thank you. All of you!” I say giving them each a hug until were pulled into a group hug by KiKi. “It worked KiKi! I'm not worried anymore.” I say kissing her on the cheek.
“Oh, I knew it would!!”
The next day the show shows up at the school. Its a live show and its being shot in the gym. When I walk in I'm assaulted by makeup specialists ready to make me look perfect for the camera and all the viewers. If they only knew the viewers don't care.
“Ready to shoot!!” They called out when they were done. I have to admit, they did a good job. KiKi waves at me from the stands and blows me a kiss as I walk up to the stage where they want me to stand. “Rolling in three two...” They hold up one finger as a red light turns on on the camera.
“Welcome back viewers. I would like you to meet our star Award Winner tonight, Miss Contrail Casanova! Now before we hand over your award we would like to get to know you better. Our first question is, how do you like growing up in Austin, Texas the live music capitol of the world?”
“Oh. I like it here, I guess.”
“I guess?” He repeats while raising an eyebrow.
“Well, it doesn't have the nicest temperatures. In the winter it gets really cold. I mean not that cold but it has a record heat temp from 2005. Its hot for longer of the year then when it's cold. So when it does get cold its sudden and extremely noticeable. I mean it goes from 103 to 30 in two days. Also when it rains it rain either barely at all or a lot.”
“I guess that makes sense.” I raise an eyebrow at him.
“I guess?” I say mockingly.
“Oh well I haven't experienced it myself but the way you explained it made sense.”
“Any other questions?”
“One more. How did you come up with the wonderful idea of the book you entered into the contest?”
“Remind me what it was about again. I don't remember exactly which one, I write a lot.”
“Oh. Hummm. It was about a girl named Amberglass. She had found a wishing well in the woods near her house and it actually granted your wishes. In exchange you had to give up something of almost to equal value. She learn many things from it in exchange of memories. She got the power to listen to peoples thoughts and to predict the future. She got these things in exchange of something revealed later on. I won't be spoiler to those who wish to read this book. Its in stores now actually, courtesy of us.”
“Oh yes I remember that one. Not one of my best books just a long warm-up for one of my classes. I’d write a chapter for a warm-up each day. It was just... a idea.” I hang my head at the last part. Just a idea.
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Then her eyes starts twitching, not in annoyance but in pain. She holds her head in her hands, then lets out a cry of pain as she falls to the ground unconscious. I turn off the TV after that.
“Was tha’?”
“Yeah. She knows we're coming. Yet she won't believe herself so we might have the upper hand.”
“Why won't she believe herself?”
“The wishing well story is true. She traded her memories to be able to listen to peoples thoughts. She ended up forgetting that she has the power or forgot anything. To be able to predict the future she forgot me. When I moved away it was because our parents died. They died or at least I thought they did for my wish.”
“Thought they did?”
“I wished to save her life when that man we saw came for her in the first place. Hes obsessed with her. But he’ll hurt her.”
“But how do ya think they are?”
“I think their dead but that doesn't explain who shes living with now.”
“Tha’ makes sense. Ah guess. What's yer plan?”
“Were twins. Actually exactly the same until we discovered that well. We can switch places. U can give him her address and when he comes for her we'll be ready and he actually will never get ‘her’. If he ends up taking me then I can fend her off. I wished to be able to save a life which means I can always protect if a life is at the limb or whatever if I can transform into what the well gave me. My powerful self. The reason I couldn't transform when him and his guys got me was because I need my wings to be able to. She doesn't know anything about it so she doesn't remember how to transform. She does have the all out powers that are always there. Like telekinesis or predicting the future.”
“Thats make sense. What are y’alls all out powers and was savin’ her life the only thing ya wished for?”
“No it wasn't. I wished to be brave. So i'm braver than she is. So when I transform I can take your braveness away. When I'm not transformed I have unquestionable braveness. That doesn't make me strong though. Since I wished to save her life when I transform I can heal quickly and heal others. I can also take a life, not often though. I have to pick wisely. Not anyone I want can just die. When I'm not transformed I can heal quickly from small things like bruises and cuts. Broken bones heal unusually fast just not almost instantly.”
“What did you give up to be brave.”
“I gave up the one thing I really was.” I look her straight in the eyes. “To be unrealistically brave I gave up my loyalty.”
