New Haven

DON’T LET THE STUDENTS GET YOU DOWN

They left the girl’s restroom once Dusk eyes had fully stopped glowing. They weren’t really all the way back to normal but they just couldn’t wait in the girl’s restroom the whole day. Dusk walked down the hallway with Dawn as she kept her eyes on the floor and her hood over her head. She felt embarrassed as two girls passing by started to whisper and stare at her. This made her feel more like a freak. Dusk grabbed hold of Dawn as she turned to confront them making the girls run away. They weren’t in any hurry and Dusk was grateful to Dawn for taking the long way through the court yard. She needed some fresh air. The willow tree seem to relax her even more as they walked onto the bridge that linked the main building and dorm buildings together. Entering the dorm building there were whispers everywhere and glaring eyes. Dawn and Dusk pretended not to notice as they went up the stairs to their room. They where used to being the freaks of the school.

Reaching for the door knob, Dawn stopped; as she heard talking coming from inside their room. She looked towards Dusk silently asking her whether or not to leave or go in. Dusk sighed and nodded as Dawn opened the door and walked in. Holly was on her own bed, but she wasn’t alone, it was a full house. Logan was sitting on Dawn’s bed with Seth, while Holly lay on her own bed with Angel sitting next to her. Dean was making himself comfortable on Dusks’ bed, while Alec a.k.a Mr. Prince Charming was leaning on the bookcase with his long school jacket. To tell the truth Dusk was surprised to see him there and was secretly also happy.

Dusk was glad he came to see if she was alright, even if he was Kate’s boyfriend. She looked away from him hoping she wasn’t caught staring at him again. Everyone was quiet around them and smiling nervously.

Dean was the first to break the long silence, “Awkward” he said pushing himself up on Dusk’s bed and made everyone giggle. “Hey guys! We were just talking about you,” he stated nervously, and continued, “Um. Can we ask you guys a question?”

“Can we say no,” Dawn responded rather rudely.

They all looked at each other suddenly uncomfortably. Except for Alec who just stood there starring at Dusk the whole time. Dusk walked to her bed and tried pushing Dean off of it, he started playing dead. They all laughed when he fell to the floor. The group continued to laugh together, until Alec spoke.

“Your eyes are lighter,” Alec said his voice rich and seducing. It reminded Dusk of the strange boy she had met on the ferry. The two different boys also seemed to talk the same, Dusk noticed. She froze at the question he posed and the laughter in the room died immediately. Dawn answered him as she walked passed him like it was just any other day and clunked down on her bed.

“They’re always like that.” Dawn said. Dusk stared at her in shock as she continued, “She has hazel eyes. They change color all the time. They get lighter or darker depending on things like the clothes she wears, and the light she’s in,” she looked up at him, “or when superficial red headed itches try marking their territory in the middle of a cafeteria.” Dusk really had to give it to her sister. Dawn could certainly lie at a moments notice. She on the other hand couldn’t lie for anything. She was grateful whenever Dawn would step in for her and make something up.

“I knew a girl with hazel eyes once. They changed now and then too.” Holly said smiling at Dusk. They all seemed to relax a little bit more after Holly’s comment. Alec on the other hand didn’t seem fooled; he pushed himself away from the bookcase and looked right at Dusk. His eyes were so intense that she looked away first, knowing she was going to regret it later.

“It’s getting a little late and student orientation is going to start in a little while so…” Alec said talking to the boys in the room, never taking his eyes off her, “We don’t want to miss it. Dawn, Holly, Angel, Dusk,” he said pausing as he looked right into her, “We’ll see you all back at the main hall. Please be on time. You’re new here and first impressions are very important,” Then just like that all the boys left the room following after Alec.

“He gives me the creeps, especially with that soft accent.” Dawn said, “It’s barely noticeable.”

“Oh yeah, Alec was born in Argentina, but he and his family moved up here to the U.S when we were in elementary” Holly said. Stopping at the sight of Clowe entering the room trying to balance a mountain of books in both her arms and continued, “He’s really not a bad guy; he was just really concerned about Kate.”

“Alec is also on the high student body council. Holly and Angel are also on the High Council with Alec,” Clowe added to Holly’s information as she put her mountain of books down on her bed.

So Holly and Angel are part of the student council as well, Dusk thought to herself.

“You made Kate faint Dusk and her brother Caleb told me that Dawn hurt her pretty bad,” Angel said looking at Dusk closely as she changed the conversation back to Kate.

“She’s right. I’ve never seen anyone pick a fight with Kate and win” Clowe said looking at Dawn and Dusk with worry, “You guys should be more careful in the future. Kate’s not really someone you two want to mess with” Clowe said sounding like she knew from personal experience.

“Well next time she should say sorry for knocking a person down,” Dawn said.

Holly sighed as she stood up from her bed and grabbed her long coat. Angel followed as she stood up fixing herself, “Come on we’re going to be late if we don’t go now” she said and walked out with Angel behind her waving bye to the girls and Clowe.

“What’s with the long jackets” Dawn asked Clowe who was fixing herself as well.

“The main student body council members all have one” Clowe said, “All of the jackets expect for Angel’s is black.” Dusk could see in Clowe’s eyes the longing to own one as she spoke.

Dawn, Dusk, and Clowe walked to the main hall. It was completely full with some students in uniform and some in regular clothing. They were all hugging and seemingly excited to start a new year. The laughing and shouting all died down when the girls entered the main hall. Almost every head turned their way.

“Damn, and here we promised David that we wouldn’t end up in jail again until we graduated,” Dawn whispered to Dusk.

“You’ve guys have been in jail?” Clowe asked perversely interested.

“Only overnights,” Dawn whispered.

“Really?”

“Never enough evidence to go to trial,” Dawn smiled at Clowe as she started walking towards the very back of the main hall to some empty seats. Dusk could see Kate and Caleb on the other side of the room. They were surrounded by other students Dusk recognized. The lights began to dim and a voice came over the P.A system instructing everyone to take their seats.

“Okay guys I’ve got to go but I’ll be right back,” Clowe said.

“Where you going?” asked Dawn.

“Ms. Haven presents the whole student body council at student orientation so I’ve got to go onstage right now but I’ll be right back afterwards, k?”

“Sure, we’ll see you in a bit,” the girls told her. Everyone found their seats and the room became silent as a beautiful woman with long black hair wearing a suit strolled up to the podium. The girls recognized the women right away as the headmistress of the school.

“Welcome back students to a brand new year,” Ms. Haven said to a round of applause. Dawn and Dusk clapped their hands lazily, “and welcome new arrivals to New Haven Preparatory. My name is Ms. Haven and I am the Headmistress of New Haven Preparatory School. I’d like to take this opportunity to go over a few rules for both new and returning students. All students are required at all times to carry with them their school identification cards while on the island. This is to distinguish New Haven students from the students of Rupert Ivan Preparatory School. The other school located on the island. No student of New Haven Preparatory is allowed on the other side of the island without expressed permission from me. Is that understood?” Ms. Haven looked down at the student as every student nodded their heads at her, “Good. Let’s continue. You are allowed off the island on weekends but you will need your identification card to be let back on the island from the ferry. Visitors are allowed on campus during the weekends, but you must get a visitors pass from your grade councilor office first. An island wide curfew does exist here and is enforced by the island police. That curfew is eight o’clock during school days and ten o’clock on the weekends. Now, let me take this opportunity to introduce to you this years’ faculty. First we have the head of the History Department Mr. Clause. Next we have…” Ms. Haven continued with the normal introductions of councilors, all different kinds of Deans and departments heads, and the school nurses. After a while Dawn was asleep on Dusk’s shoulder when suddenly Dusk noticed Alec onstage. Dusk straightened herself up in her chair, waking Dawn up in the process.

“What, who happened…” Dawn sleepily said.

“Shh, pay attention.”

“Now, let me introduce to you to this year’s student body council members” Ms. Haven said as she motioned to four rows of students with four people in each row. “Let’s give it up for the Jr. High student council. Thank you students,” Ms. Haven said, motioning to the younger students to exit off the stage as she clapped and older students began to step on stage, “Now for the High school section of the student council. We’ll begin with the freshmen representatives…” The students all applauded and Dawn cheered and screamed as Clowe’s name was read out loud. Dusk recognized some of the kids on the student body council.

“Damn. Logan can really fill out that uniform can’t he” Dawn told Dusk, obviously lost in her own thoughts as she noticed Logan walking on stage with Nick and Jack as the Junior student council representatives.

“And look Kate’s brother Caleb is part of the freshman council with Clowe and Dean” Dusk said noticing him next to Clowe. Caleb had a strong, intensive way about himself, unlike Kate who looked annoying in her sluttish student body council uniform; their uniforms seemed to magnify these aspects.

Ms. Haven continued “and it is my extreme pleasure to introduce your High Council,” everyone cheered and clapped as Alec, Holly, Angel, and a perky cherry blonde girl came out from behind the curtains in black long coats with different color bands on their arms and stars on the collars of their necks. Angel was the only one whose coat was pure white. Even Dusk had to admit that they looked sharp in those specials uniforms of theirs.

“That’s all for this years student orientation. Please remember that tomorrow you will be able to pick up your class uniforms, schedules, and any passes that you might need at your assigned councilor rooms. Thank you very much and lets all have a wonderful year!” The crowd applauded as Clowe came down from the stage.

“I don’t know about you guys but I’m starving” Dawn said.

“You’re always hungry”

“Damn straight” Dawn said proudly. Clowe laughed as the girls locked arms on either side of Clowe and walked down to the cafeteria for an early dinner. “But if you think about it breakfast was interrupted and we missed lunch, cause of all the drama, so I have every right to be hungry.” Dawn said smiling as they went.

That night Dusk couldn’t sleep. The nightmares she had once had as a child were even more vivid now. She’d them for the last two nights. She and Dawn had been at the school. It was no longer bits and pieces as it had always been but now her nightmares were HD quality with complete images and surround sound. Once again like so many times before she stood in front of a woman wearing a black night gown laying on the floor, pregnant and a white glowing light around her stomach. The woman on the floor didn’t look afraid but she held her stomach strongly, breathing hard and sweating profusely. A bright light caught Dusk attention and she found herself between the women and a man who was covered in a similar red glowing light that Dusk had seen around Dawn. The only difference being that the man’s red light was all encompassing. It made it harder to see the mans’ face. Dusk’s back was turned to the women on the floor now as she tried harder to see this man’s face.

The light formed around him. It spread like a shield of wings when he opened his arms. Dusk felt warmth run through her bones as she felt a love unlike anything she had ever felt, but a hint of rage began to creep up as well. Keeping her gaze on him she walked around to see his face, but all she could see were his eyes, always, just his eyes. Everything was moving in slow motion, as it always did, everything expect for her. He came towards Dusk in all his light. Mouthing words to her that she couldn’t hear, couldn’t understand. Dusk started to feel less warmth in her body as the room started to get darker and cold. Dusk fell down on her knees and hugged herself as dark smoke hovered all around her.

She stared up at the glowing man as he started backing away from her. Without thinking she looked up. Above her head she saw a black hood cape with a smoke shadow figure luring inside hovering over her. She fell on her back never taking her eyes off the thing hovering over her. Soon everything the black smoke cape touched was dead, even the floor underneath her was rusting and turning a grayish color. Dusk tried to yell or scream, but every word she tried to get out got stuck in her throat. She choked on every word. Breathing was difficult to do as well and when she finally manage to inhale, it burned slowly throughout out her entire body like freezing ice moving slowly through her veins. As the darkness slowly came over her the nightmare suddenly ended. Dusk woke up gasping for air with her hands out in front of her in a reaching position. Clowe rushed over to her and plopped down on her bed.

“Dusk, it’s just a nightmare.” She repeated “it’s just a nightmare. It’s not real. You’re safe.” Dusk stared at her hands that were still extended in front of her. She pulled them back underneath the covers. She leaned back letting her head relax, hitting the headboard of the bed on accident.

“You’re okay. It’s fine now…” Clowe started to say again as her words were cut off when Dawn woke up sweating, gasping for air just like Dusk had moments ago. Dusk could see that Dawn’s eyes were lighter than they should be and were getting brighter by the minute. Dusk uncovered herself as she threw the covers over Clowe’s face and rushed toward Dawn’s bedside to see if she was okay.

“Close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to.” She whispered into Dawn’s ear, as she helped her out of her bed and rushed her to the restroom closing the door behind them.

“Is she ok?” Clowe asked as she removed Dusk’s cover from her face. Tilting her head to one side, Clowe looked towards the restroom door and was confused to see that she was talking to no one. She got up off of Dusk’s bed and walked back to her bed. She paused before getting inside her covers as Dusk came back out of the bathroom. Clowe pointed to the bathroom door, “Wait, did she have a nightmare too?” she asked. Dusk shrugged her shoulders and put her finger to her lips, while pointing at Holly who slept with noise canceling ear muffs shaped as bats. She was sleeping like a log, making Clowe lower her voice.

“It’s a twin thing.” Dusk whispered to her.

“That’s awesome,” Clowe mouth back to her before going back to sleep. Dusk entered the restroom without knocking. Dawn stood there staring at her own reflection in the mirror. She was surprised as much as Dusk was to see her eyes glowing back at her from the mirror.

“What the hell, Dusk?” Dawn asked turning towards her. Dusk couldn’t answer her, because she herself didn’t know what was happening as well. “What’s going on here? My eyes never glow like yours do. Ever!” she said looking at Dusk for answers, “Your eyes glow not mine. I barely glow when I use my gifts and that’s nothing like this.” Dawn said as she pulled at her eye lids trying to get a better look at her eyes, “What the hell was up with that dream we just had. It felt so real. It was a little too real if you ask me.” They had never shared dreams before, especially a dream like that one. Dusk stayed with Dawn in the restroom, until her eyes were normal again, which amazingly took an entire hour. Afterwards Dawn went back to sleep as Dusk stayed up sitting at the windowsill. She watched the sunrise as she wondered about the dream. She wondered what it all meant. Ever since coming to this school it had been one thing right after another. The weird green glow that had come out of Kate while she had been fighting, that weird tree that every one else thought was cold except for her, now Dawn’s eyes were glowing too, it was all too much at once. They had always known they were different and at home they had never really talked about it. They never used what they could do to people, unless they had to get out of hairy situations, but this was too much, too different. Something strange was happening to both of them and Dusk could feel it. It was like a storm brewing inside her. She’d felt it ever since the day she stepped foot on the island. What was it about New Haven Preparatory school that made her feel this way? Then there was Alec and how much he reminded Dusk of the stranger on the ferry. How he made her feel, but she wasn’t even going to get into that tonight. Dusk stayed up starring out her window just thinking and watching. The sunrise shine over the sky as the fog flowed around the school welcoming in the new day.