The Chosen One: The Ethereal Academy Series

"Hey! Watch it, Freak!" Elspeth didn't bother to see who had called her that, because it didn't matter. She was far beyond caring at this point in her life. Things had been like this since she was a kid. Most people were merely disturbed by her prescence, but there have always been some whose only goal every day was to make her life as miserable as they could within the walls of their local high school. But it didn't matter, she refused to let anything ruin her day, especially not the mundane taunting she experienced every day. It was Friday night and tomorrow was her eighteenth birthday. Her three best friends Bekka, Tyler and Aaron were taking her out to celebrate, something they rarely did as for the most part Bekka and Tylers parents didn't really want them hanging out with her. But even that couldn't ruin her mood. Their parents all agreed to let them treat her to an evening of dinner, a movie and hanging out at Aarons place. A bit begrudingly to be honest, it was Aaron's parents who insisted. Unlike the rest of the town, Aaron and his family had moved in midway through middle school. Back then Aaron was gangly, scrawny and meek. Easy pickings for the twelve year old bullies. That was how Elspeth met him, when he was being ganged up on behind the school while waiting for the bus. She had started throughing rocks at the meat heads responsible and chased them off, they may have felt comfortable picking on her verbally, but no one wanted to make the 'witch' too angry. After that, Aaron's parents pretty much adopted her as an extra kid. They were constantly reminding Bekka and Tyler's parents that despite how others treated me, she had never done anything to get in trouble. That her reputation wasn't the result of any bad behavior on her part. "Looks like someone is excited for tonight." his familiar voice came the same second his arm drapped over her shoulder. she glanced up to smile at Aaron brightly. His wavy red hair fell gently into his soft blue eyes and his warm smile warmed her up more. For as long as she'd known Aaron he had that effect on her. In the dim, depressing reality she lived he was like a beacon. Her own personal light in all that dark. He made existing more bearable. "Of course I am." she said back, looping her arm around his waist. There was nothing romantic in the gesture at all, Aaron was like family. "She better be! And she better have good outfit ready to go." Bekka came up on her other side, looping her arm through Elspeth's free arm. Bekka was slightly taller than her, and her dyed purple hair fell down to her waist. Her dark eyeliner framing her large eyes in a way that made her look dark and seductive. Elspeth knew that if Bekka had been friends with her that most of the boys in this school would openly pant after her. They still did, but in secret. "We still getting ready at my place?" she asked and Elspeth clamped up. Bekka's parents weren't fond of her. Probably guessing where her thoughts were head Bekka gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "They won't even be home, hun. They are going out tonight." That helped Elspeth relax a little. "Yo! Hurry up slow pokes!" Tyler yelled from the exit door at the end of the hall. "We're coming, keep your thong on!" Bekka yelled back, earning them all some reproachful looks from the other students. Once they hit the exit the four of them rushed to Tylers beat up 1984 GMC Vandura and piled in. They van itself looked grimey and delapeted on the outside because of the lack of a wax coating, peeling paint and rust spots, but the inside was surprisingly clean and well kept. Tyler worked every summer since he got it to put money into fixing it up. 'I want it to feel nice on the inside before I make it look nice on the outside.' He had told them and that was pretty much his philosphy on everything. He judged people more on their merit and character than he did on their outward appearance and impression. It was one of the reasons they were such good friends. He had looked past what everyone else saw and thought and actually got to know her. The four of them chated as he drove before he stopped at Elspeth's house so she could drop off her book bag and pick up the stuff she would need for the evening. "Bekka, can you come in with me? Dad, well... you know." "Don't worry, I got ya." she said with a wink and the two of them ran up her short drive and walked into the house. From the door, she could hear the tv blaring from the living room. More football reruns of his college days, she assumed. For as long as she could remember her father spent the weekends drinking himself into a stubor while watching his old football tapes from his days at school. Before she was born he was a star athlete, rumor around town was that he gave up his shot to go pro to be with my mom, a woman he had only just met, when he was twenty four. Just for her untimely demise to take her from him and saddle him with me for the rest of his life. In some ways, Elspeth pittied him, she couldn't imagine what that was like. But at the same time she couldn't imagine how someone could justify treating their own daughter, their only living connection to the person they loved so much, the way he treated her. As she closed the door behind her, her father looked up. He was clearly already half way to f****d up and couldn't hide his sneer before Bekka saw it. But once his eyes landed on her friend his face went blank and he turned back to the television. 'At least he won't bother my tonight, he'll probably be out cold by the time I get back.' she thought..she hoped. She quickly stowed her book bag into her room before grabbing the outfit she chose for the night and her wallet before rushing back out the house with Bekka. "How did you enjoy your night, Ellie?" Aarons mom asked with a sweet smile on her face. "It was the best! I had a great time." She said and it was the truth, they had taken her to a nice steak house and then after that they went to see a new horror movie they had been excited for. Ridiculous on her part though, she was a major scardey cat and practically hid her face in Aaron's shoulder the whole time. "I'm glad to hear it, but we have a surprise for you." she chanted, leading them all into the dining room. There on the table was a small, multilayered cake elegantly decorated in white and soft green frosting. Her name was piped on around the green colored band and the words 'happy birthday' were deplayed on a silvery banner poking out the top of the cake. Also sticking out the top was a single, lit candle. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as everyone began seeing 'Happy Birthday' too loudly and off key, but she loved it. Everyone smiled and laughed and hugged her after she blew out her candle. Then they all proceeded to set up a game of uno and eat cake. Every now and then Elspeth would look up and see Aaron staring at her. She had noticed it all night but she wasn't sure what it was about. At that moment she was just so happy to have a friend like him. Once the night came to a close Tyler was about to take Bekka and Elspeth home when he paused. "Hey, Aaron, it's kind of late. Would you mind taking Elspeth home?" something unspoken seemed to pass between them and Aaron smiled. "Not at all." he grabbed his keys and followed them out the door, shooting a meaningful look over his shoulder to his parents who smiled warmly at them. Bekka and Elspeth hugged each other good bye before Elspeth got in Aarons car. After a minute of comfortable silence Aaron spoke up. "Ellie, can I talk to you about something?" and for the first time she noticed he was kind of figety. "Sure, whats up?" "Well, I've wanted to tell you something for a long time now. But I don't know how. I was trying to wait until I knew what I wanted to say, but graduation is in a week and mom and dad are pushing me to make a choice about school. I don't think I can wait any longer to tell you." he said softly and Elspeth's heart picked up uncomfortably.