Nox Inferno

PART I: The Awakening

Chapter 1: Distance

“Again.” I muttered to myself. Pulling at my now soaked tee-shirt.

“Sorry, honey.” Mom patted my head and I glared at her. After all it was her fault.

’Don’t glare at your mother.” Dad chastised causing me to turn my glare towards him.

“I’m going to change, again.” I muttered angrily.

“Watch that tone, missy.” Mom barked out. Frustration began to rise up within me. I swear she is bi-polar sometimes, one moment she is happy the next she is angry.

“Sorry.” I sarcastically apologize. I didn’t do anything wrong but yet I had to apologize

I walk out the kitchen and climb the steps. The same steps that I have climbed since I was old enough to climb. When I was safely in my room, I groaned out.

“Two more years.” I chanted. In two more years, I will be in college. Hopefully, a college far away from this annoying small town. Two more years, and I can be free to make my own decisions and not care about what anyone else says.

I quickly changed out of my soaking top into a light grey sweater. I kicked off my purple sneakers and tugged off my coffee stained jeans and replaced it with pink ones. I grabbed my black knee-high boots and pulled them on.

I glanced at the mirror, to make sure I looked decent before pulling open my door and climbing back down the stairs. Rather than waiting to say goodbye to my parents a third time, only to get something else spilled on me, I use the back-door exit with my book bag in hand.

Junior year, I would finally be an upperclassman and get the special privileges that our school denies they give to the upperclassmen. But that also means I need to study for my SATs. I shook my head. I will approach that problem at a later time. I walked to my bus stop in a daze, until a buzzing of my phone snapped me out of it.

It was a text from dad, it read, “You didn’t say goodbye. You are grounded, come straight home after school.”

I sighed, “Where else would I go, it’s not like I can go anywhere without you freaking out.”

I shoved my phone into my back pocket without replying and the bus pulled up. I grabbed a seat in the front and plugged in my headphones. I stared out the window, as the bus picked up students. In the morning, the bus was very quiet, but it was the afternoon rides that gave me a headache.

When we pulled up at school and I was the first to exit the bus. Leaning against the stubby white oak tree stood a familiar figure. Adrian opened his arm wide for a hug and I rushed over.

He pulled me into his arms and said, “You looked like you needed one.”

“Yeah, you know, my parents are being a headache.” I muttered.

I gave him one last squeeze and then pulled away. The sense of comfort disappeared as I put space between us. Like always he grabbed my bookbag and put his arm over my shoulder as we walked to the entrance.

“Parents are annoying sometimes.” He stated and we walked into the cafeteria. Everyone except the seniors where forced to sit here. I grabbed a donut to eat since I skipped breakfast. Then sat in the junior section for ten minutes before we could go to our lockers on the second floor. It is a dumb concept, but the school is very strict about grade division.

Adrian and I walked up the stairs as usual when our friend, Jasmine said, “Aw, there is my favorite couple.“.

I shook my head, I was about to reply but Adrian beat me to it, “We aren’t dating, and beside my girlfriend wouldn’t be happy if she heard you say that.”

Jasmine snorted, “Really? Didn’t you just break up with Jackie or Jackelyn or something?”

Adrian likes to date around, that is no secret. But I have known him long before he took interest in girls and they took interest in him. In a way we sort of even each other out because I do not date, at all. Not because I am an introvert and cannot get a guy even if I tried, well not completely. But because my parents would murder me, then remind me I need to focus on my studies. To live life for the future rather than the present.

“That was a while ago, I am dating Nicole now.” He replied, as if summoning a spirit, the bitchy blonde appeared.

“Adri-honey-bear.” Nicole cooed, while twirling her fake blond hair.

I heard Jasmine snickered which caused Adrian rolled his eyes as we turned to face her, “Yes Nikki-doll.” He responded.

Under normal circumstances, a high school girl would get insecure if she saw her boyfriend with his arms around another girl. But everyone knows, we are best friends and nothing more. But I am pretty sure, Jasmine is still planning our wedding. Besides her, no girl Adrian has dated says anything about it. To them I am inferior and honestly, I don’t care what they think.

“How come you don’t walk me to class?” She pouted and I moved away from Adrian, so he can sort out his own problems.

Jasmine and I went to my locker but not before hearing him say, “I need to get to class too.” For some reason it made Nicole angry. I gave him a thumbs up before heading to my locker.

“You know, you two would make a great couple.” Jasmine said absentmindedly. I scoffed and tried to imagine dating Adrian, but I couldn’t. It felt weird to think romantically about him.

“Sorry, I don’t date players.” I retorted while I opened my lock.

“It would not be like that.” She has said the same thing for as long as I have known her.

I rolled my eyes and gathered my books for first period, “There is the fact that neither of us are interested, in that way.”

“Love can always come later.” She argued.

I snorted while shutting my locker, “Only if there is an attraction there. In our case, there is no attraction.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Just wait and see, you are going to be together.” She replied as Adrian walked over rubbing his neck.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Nikki broke up with me.” He muttered, his cheeks pink with embarrassment.

“That’s a first.” Jasmine laughed and I looked away hoping he did not see me laughing silently as well.

“Now you know how it feels to be dumped. Just like the rest of us.” Jasmine patted him on the back which made him scowl.

“Twyla, has never been dumped.” Adrian muttered as he crossed his arms and pouted like a two-year old.

“But Twyla also never dated.” Jasmine shot back mockingly.

“Twyla is right here.” I said, “You know why I don’t date.”

“Yeah, you are the exception.” She said just as the bell rang.

All three of us scampered to our class with an excuse at hand. Our school doesn’t pay the teachers enough to care about our excuses, or so they say. Mrs. Forest was no exception.

Halfway through her English class. The announcement bell rang through the room.

“Can you send Miss. Twyla Chantelle to the principal’s office?” A voice rang through the classroom. Everyone turned to look at me. I shrunk down a little in my seat.

Hesitantly I stood up and gathered my books. I ducked out of the classroom. My mind was racing. What did I do? But the questions only doubled when I opened the principal’s office to find both my parents waiting with a frown.

’When did you apply to Ravenwood?” Dad asked angrily. The principal tried to calm him, but it was to no avail

“I haven’t” I respond, furrowing my eyebrows.

Everyone knows Ravenwood is an elite boarding school, the best part it is an out of state school. It was my dream school before I realized that I did not have the grades to get in.

“So why do you have an acceptance letter?!” Mom boomed shaking a piece of paper.

“How about you step inside and we can call them.” The principal suggested. He was a sweaty mess. My guess is dad already yelled at him for a better part of morning.

Slowly I entered the room and shut the door. Any sudden movements might cause them to blow up again. Dad grabbed the paper from mom and began dialing. He removed his cellphone from his ear and pressed the speaker icon.

“Welcome to Ravenwood admissions office, this is Carla speaking.” A cheery voice echoed through the dimly room.

“Hello Carla” Dad stated purely out of common courtesy, “We got an acceptance letter but didn’t apply to your school.”

“Oh?” The voice said in confusion, “What is the students name?”

“Twyla Chantelle.” Mom interjected and Dad scowled at her. The principal shrunk back further into his seat. I had to stifle my giggles.

“Oh wow.” Carla’s voice rang with surprise before she added, “Please hold.”

The annoying elevator music played for several minutes before another voice answered, “Hello, this is the dean of admissions.”

“Hello, my name is Mr. Chantelle. Could you-” The dean interrupted, that’s never a good sign.

“There has been no mistake, Mr. Chantelle. Your daughter caught the eye of one of our talent scouts and He is very adamant about her joining.”

I snorted, what talent did he see? But my snort earned me a glare from both parents. The principal glanced worriedly at me. No doubt he is going to try to call child protective service. Wouldn’t be the first time.

“Oh, you’re on speakerphone.” The dean deducted, “Well let me be the first to welcome you, Ms. Twyla Chantelle.”

“Thank you.” I replied and quickly shut my mouth when I got another glare. The principal made an audible gulping sound which only made me want to laugh.

“Mr. Chantelle, if you could please take it off speaker phone and allow me to explain.”

Dad did as he was told and held it up to his ear. His face darkened with each passing moment.

“What about-oh I see” Dad said to the phone.

Several minutes later he said again, “That is very true.” His voice was light, almost as if he were happy, “Well, thank you. I look forward to meeting you in person.” With that he hung up.

The silence was thick, what happened? Am I going? My heart pounding in excitement, was I finally going to leave this boorish home behind?

“You...”