• Quick note to the readers: I started this story a while back and posted it on quizilla for a while but ever since they started the new quizilla I don't want to go back.... (on there my user name is -valnea- and it's called Mental Scars I swear this is my original work though.if there are any problems with credibility I can edit it so that people will know I'm posting on here too.) now that that sticky business is out of the way let's move on! ^_^


    Chapter One
    Row 9 on Bus 1346



    Crazy. That’s what they would call Valnea if she ever told them her secret. The one she had held since she was old enough to talk. The one no one would believe or even try to. Why would they? Half the time she didn’t even believe it herself but they were always there, always lurking. They hadn’t hurt anyone or done anything yet but she always felt a sinister air around them every time one would come close to her. Like the one at the bus stop earlier that day had. She had almost screamed but managed to bite her tongue. The image was still running through her mind.

    The bus creaked and groaned as it came to a halt in front of one of the corner stops. Down the intersecting street was one of the many walkways leading to the beach. It’s hushed whisper of the waves lapsing at the sand rang through her ears a few moments before it was drowned by the sound of the incoming passengers. She was always the first on the bus and enjoyed the few minutes she had to herself to think before everyone came on. It was her moment of freedom to wonder about the strange creatures she had seen her whole life.

    She slowly let out a sigh as a couple of the many bone headed surfers went by pushing each other playfully. Two looked in her direction and smiled, she returned them with the best smile she could muster. Apparently it passed the test because the returned their attention to the two friends in front of them now pushing each other into the seats lining the aisle way. As soon as they could no longer see her face she rolled her eyes and stared back out the window.

    Why her mother continued to make her ride the bus when there was a perfectly good car at home, she would never know. She had aced her test and gotten her permit a month ago but her mother still refused to accept that her only daughter could drive herself now, that is as long as she was at her side in the front seat. This created a problem as with out her there was no driving and no way to use this right she had earned fair and square. So as unfair as it was, she was still sitting in row 9 of bus 1346.

    The bus was back in motion now and she watched as two more of the creatures passed by. Other than them nothing was real interesting on this stretch of road except a few houses lining the beach. So instead she took interest in her reflection in the window. Her long dark dirty blond hair was down today and her bangs were loosely tucked behind her ears and held by the red headband she wore. Her skin wasn’t as tan as some of the girls but she still considered it tan. Her lips were fairly plump and almost always looked as if she were wearing a slightly dark lipstick. Her eyes were one of the most unique things about her though. They were a very light shade of brown that had a yellow tint in them that made them look gold and they always glistened in the light in a way that gave her the constant look of either excitement or as if she were on the verge of crying. Her collarbone was pretty well defined which made her look at least three years older than what she really was. Her waist was pretty skinny and was nicely toned from gymnastics which she had been doing since she was five. Needless to say this came in handy on the cheerleading squad. Some might call her pretty but to her she was always average looking and nothing real special to look at.

    Finally after a moment her eyes shifted from the glass to the books sitting on her lap. She had almost forgotten that she hadn’t done the homework assignment last night. Quickly she glanced around the bus at the growing crowd of people. Most of them she knew, but would never want to copy their homework. Finally her eyes came to rest upon Megan Dickerson. Megan was the top girl in her history class and was always ready to help out when someone forgot their homework and needed to do it fast. At the moment she was reading a rather thick book that the two surfer guys who had smiled at Valnea would never even dream of attempting to finish.

    “Hey, Megan!” Valnea called out to her over the racket of everyone else’s conversations. The girls head perked up from the book and she looked around as if waking up from a deep sleep. She called out again, “Hey, Megan!” Finally the girl’s green eyes met her gold ones.

    “What is it?” She asked as she darted from her seat to the one next to Valnea, after the bus had gone over a pot hole.

    “Can I barrow last night’s history homework? I forgot my book in my locker and couldn’t do it last night…” She asked putting on an embarrassed smile. The truth was she was so sick last night she couldn’t think straight, yet alone explain why she thought the Trojans lost the Great War. Her illness was another one of her many secrets.

    “Sure but don’t do it word for word, Ms. Ferarez is getting better at checking our homework. Tommy got caught yesterday copying Jess's essay and got two weeks of detention and had to write his own five page essay on why copying others home work is wrong.” Megan warned as she dug through her large jean purse she used as a book bag for her book and the paper. After a minute or so she took out the thick book that was filled with three years worth of graffiti and lined paper covered in neat slanted cursive writing. “You can give it back in second period.” She handed the two to Valnea with a pleasant smile.

    “Thanks Meg you’re a life saver!” Valnea said gratefully, now searching through her own bag for a pencil and some paper.

    “I know.” Megan said teasingly flicking her short brown hair. Then once again she darted to her seat and opened her insanely large book again. Valnea finally found a usable pencil as they reached the next stop and another mob of people marched onto the bus. A few said hi to Valnea before sitting in their assigned seats. The assigned seating was the one thing that everyone hated about using the bus and was even more reason why she longed for her mom to let her use the car. Finally the last kid came stumbling down the aisle as he looked at each number above the seats. Valnea had never seen him before.

    Must be new… Guess they finally found someone to take Page’s spot. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. Page had been Valnea’s best friend since second grade and had moved away two months earlier for her mom’s new job in New York. Since she and Page went to a private school there were a limited number of spots and there was always a long list of kids waiting to get in.

    He came to a stop next to Valnea’s seat and his gaze went from the seat number to her. She could sense a slight disappointed look in his eyes. This thoroughly annoyed her so she moodily focused her attention back into her homework assignment as he sat down next to her. He was as far down the seat from her as possible, as if he got to close she would bite his head off and spit it out at his decapitated body’s feet. This only agitated her further and made her bury her self deeper into the book. Curiosity of course was her weakness though so she would occasionally sneak a glance at him.

    He wasn’t tan like most of the local kids but he had the build of the surfer crowd. His hair was dark dirty blond like her own and tended to stick out in places, giving it a naturally messy look. His eyes were deep set and an electric blue that matched the blue of the school uniforms. He was at least two inches taller then Valnea, who, when last checked a year ago, measured in at 5’8”. She figured it was his first day since he wasn’t carrying so much as a scrap of paper. The thing that interested her most about him though was unlike most of the people going to her school, he didn’t seem to be rich or pampered in any way.

    He caught her looking at him on the fifth time. As quickly as she could she acted as if she were studying a picture in the corner of the history book. He didn’t say anything and turned his head back toward the front left corner of the bus but she could’ve sworn she saw him smile.

    She finally finished the homework on the second to last stop before they reached the school. Silently she put away Meg's book and homework and then her own. When she sat back up, to occupy herself with something other than wondering about the new guy, she began straightening and flattening her school uniform skirt. As she did so she caught him looking at her. This made her uncomfortable so she casually shifted positions in her seat. When she glanced back at him he was still looking at her.

    Now I know what an amoeba under a microscope feels like… She thought to herself awkwardly. This was the sort of thing she would tell Page about when they talked at their lockers. But there was no Page to share with and this made her feel even more uncomfortable, if that was even possible. Finally when she couldn't take him looking at her any longer she turned her head toward him and stared right back into his eyes.

    “Is there something I can help you with?” She asked trying to hide her agitation and discomfort. For once he smiled so she that could see it and she was able to see his perfect white teeth.

    “No, I was just wondering if you would be kind enough to show me around the school?” He asked with a melodic tone to his voice. Valnea felt like she had just been struck by lightening. He acts like she is the plague and then asks her to show him around?

    “I can’t I’ve got my own classes to get to…” She said trying to pull off at least some degree of politeness. His smile didn't falter for a second and he seemed to have a gleam in his eye that made her feel sick to her stomach.

    “It’s fine Principal Richards said that the person who shows me around can have excused tardiness. But if you don’t want to miss some of your classes…” He trailed off and his smile began to sag to help exaggerate being disappointed. Valnea narrowed her eyes into a suspicious glare. What was this guy’s game?

    “Fine I’ll show you around. What locker number do you have?” She asked curtly mentally cursing her bitter sweet luck. Of course she wanted to get out of the classes but to get out just to show around a guy who was playing with her head on his first day at her school, she actually had to consider going to class.

    “ Number… 679.” he said looking down at a scrap of paper he had been carrying in his pocket. Valnea’s mood finally dropped to an all time low.

    “But that’s…”Page’s locker… He didn’t seem to take much notice to her now sad expression.

    “So you know where it is?” He asked now having a genuine smile on his face that made her actually feel like she couldn’t hate him for taking over her friend’s locker and bus seat yet she still had no intention of forgiving him for it either.

    “Yeah it’s right next to mine.” She answered solemnly as the bus came to a stop in front of the large school. Everyone filed off the bus and yet again the surfers behind her began to push each other. They were only halfway out the bus when one of the surfers got pushed too hard and stumbled forward. Not being able to keep his balance he stumbled on to Valnea and sent them both falling. As she did so she threw her hands in front of her to save her from her fall, accidentally making her wrist scrape against the metal that supported the bus seat and bleed. While she had been falling her bag had come open as it went flying through the air and the orange bottle of her prescribed pills fell out, rolling down the aisle with the small clitter-clatter of the pills hitting the plastic.

    “You jerks! GET OFF ME JAKE!” She yelled and began kicking the guy on top of her as she rolled on to her side to get up. Jake quickly scrambled back trying to get away from her thrashing feet, which had already caught him twice in the ribs and once in the jaw. As soon as she was free she examined her wrist and looked for her bag. When she spotted it a few seats down with the flap open her eyes went wide. She rushed to it and looked inside. The pills were gone. Her eyes darted in every direction looking for the small bottle. When she finally spotted where it was everything else seemed to melt away.

    The new guy stopped reading the bottle and looked directly in her eyes. She could see they were no longer filled with confidence and wit, now they were filled with sympathy and pity. If there was one thing she never wanted from this guy or anyone else it would be pity.

    -Chapter 1 End-




    Okay I probably won't post more of this story but I might post one of my newer ones or one I randomly start. Please vote fairly and thanks for reading! wink