Vix

Wings slicing through the air, with an effortless pattern. Cool, dry air gliding over my porcelain skin and weaving patterns in my long red hair. Yeah, this kind of tranquility is something I can only receive in a dream…

The white stallion under me moves as if I’m not even there, or more like she is accustomed to my weight and movements. We are bonded, even if it’s just a dream. I’ve finally decided on a name to call my favorite being, Méabh. Méabh is known to mean intoxicating, and that is exactly what it feels like every time I think of my dreams when flying with her.

I open my blue and green eyes, because apparently heterochromia runs in my mom’s family, and look at the golden sun pulling itself up over the horizon of the mountains. The sun rising is a good indicator that my time is almost up in my imaginary world, and I gently tap my first two fingers against Méabh’s strong neck to indicate that it’s time to land, with a neigh and a small head shake we tilt downwards. Looking ahead I see her aiming towards a small forested oasis filled with fireflies starting to disappear, birds starting their morning song, and morning dew collecting on the thick blanket of grass and wildflowers on the ground.

As we landed, the air off of Méabh’s wings lifted my hair from the pressure of her beats that allowed us to land gently. I slide off Méabh’s back, push my hair behind my shoulders and adjust my emerald green dress skirt so it brushes the ground evenly again. My bare feet turn damp in the dew as I say my goodbye to Méabh while stroking her neck, knowing my fate when I wake sends me into a very sour mood…

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6:40am. This is the dreaded time I spotted on my phone, twenty minutes before my alarm normally goes off. I sighed and relaxed onto my back, staring at the ceiling, attempting to get some motivation to get up.

Rolling my eyes, I slipped out from under my fluffy comforter and touched my toes to the cold hardwood floors. Getting a cold chill was a normal morning occurrence for me once my feet hit the floor, but it was a nice wakeup call to my body. With an extra fifteen minutes I decided to take a quick shower, leaving my hair out so I wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of blow drying it.

I heard a chime from my phone on the way to picking my outfit for the day. I ignored it and grabbed some black high waisted skinny jeans with distressed knees, a dark green slim fitting top, and my black slip on Vans. While walking, I slipped my black belt through the loops and tucked my top into the waist of my jeans, after finishing looping the belt through the buckle I grab my phone off the bed and check the message that came through.

Savvy: Please tell me you’re awake, I need to know what time you’ll be at the school.

Ah, thank you Savvy, for bringing up the looming fact that this is the first day of senior year. I mean, I knew it was but thinking about it always causes me anxiety.

Vix: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m awake. I think I’ll be getting there around 7:40am. Is your morning going well?

Since Savvy is a morning person, and always has been since I’ve known her, I assume that everything is wonderful.

Sliding my phone in my back pocket, I continue getting ready; teeth brushed, hair brushed, and mascara and eyeliner applied. Looking into the mirror for one last check, I slip on a dainty gold chain bracelet and on the opposite arm I place a gold ring with an opal in the set, deciding I’m ready to head downstairs to the kitchen.

Heading down the stairs, I check the time. 7:10am. Just enough time for a quick breakfast before I have to drive twenty minutes to get to the school on time to meet Savvy.

Walking into the kitchen, dad is sitting at the small dining table we have in front of the bay window eating a bagel with cream cheese and a hot coffee mug next to the plate.

Dad smiles as I walk in, pointing towards the countertop next to the toaster. Spotting the cooked bagel and tub of cream cheese next to it, I go to put a healthy amount of cream cheese on top and dig in as I make my way towards the dining table.

“How’s your morning, hun?” Dad asks just before grabbing the second half of his bagel to take a bite.

“Well, I woke up early… again. I don’t get why it keeps happening, but I just want to sleep in at least one day a week.” I said and then took an aggravated bite out of my bagel.

Dad shrugged, “Perhaps your internal clock has changed the last few months, you are going to turn eighteen soon.”

I rolled my eyes as I shoved a big bite of bagel in my mouth and shrugged, “Maybe…” Swallowing the bite, I grabbed dad’s coffee mug and took a quick sip before setting it down, “Doesn’t matter, I guess it’s better than being late. I gotta run, or Savvy will be waiting on me.”

Dad raises his eyebrow at my inappropriate behavior of eating with my mouth full, then raises both in shock while I sip from his drink.

“Well, be safe. What are you taking today?”

“It’s supposed to be sunny today, so I thought of taking the bike.” I walked over and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

“That’s fine, just please remember to pay attention to the others on the road… they don’t always see us, you know.” Dad gives me a smile and finishes his bagel and coffee.

“I know, I’ll see you tonight! Love you!” I grab my bag, the keys to the Suzuki, and head towards the garage.

In the corner of the garage sits the bike both my dad and I consider our two wheeled baby, the 2006 Suzuki Katana was something my dad had first and when I showed an interest in bike riding when young, he kept it to pass it to me. He still hasn’t gone to get a new bike, and the Katana is more mine than his now but he still takes her on joy rides during the weekends.

On a hanger behind the bike, rests our gear. I throw on my plated jacket and put an earbud in my ear before opening the garage door and putting my helmet on. I put my phone on the phone stand attachment, pressed play on my music, and revved up the engine.

Tapping the bike down into first gear I very carefully make my way down the packed gravel driveway. Glancing at the way the early sun rays shine through the dense trees and off the beautiful dark blue paint with small silver flakes makes me smile at the memories of dad taking me on bike rides when I was younger.

Hitting the main paved road, I make my way towards the school, thinking of how riding the Katana is the closest thing I’ll have in real life to gliding through the air on Méabh’s back.

A peaceful ride turned into something less than exciting when pulling into the high school parking lot right at 7:40am like planned. Downshifting, I slowly cruised into a parking space next to Savvy’s pastel yellow, 1970′s model Volkswagen Beetle. Savvy’s dad owns a vehicle restoration shop, and the day they brought that bug into the garage… She fell in love at the young age of nine. The old beater bug spent a lot of time in that garage with the three of them restoring Savvy’s first car, from an engine rebuild all the way to new paint, it basically turned into a new vehicle again.

Switching the ignition off, and putting the kickstand down I kick my leg over the bike and plant both feet on the solid ground once more. Taking off my helmet and jacket, I slide the helmet over one handlebar and rest the jacket over my bike seat to protect it from the sun.

Savvy smiles while getting out of her car, and I grab my phone with an eyebrow raised towards her. Pausing the music and putting my earbuds away I ask, “What’s with that little grin you have going on, huh?”

Getting a little giggle in response, she pulls out a backpack purse to show me. “Daddy K got me a new bag and didn’t think to give it to me until this morning! He even got me some decorative things to attach to the chain, but I didn’t have time to do them this morning.”

Rolling my eyes at her excitement, I smile and inspect the bag. It’s black, but looks like a name brand purse with the little letters all over it and it has a front zippered pocket. The zipper has a chain that connects the pull tab and the stopper of the zipper but the links of the chain are big enough to hook little charms and hand sanitizers to. It’s cute, but definitely not my style except for the color. I prefer my mini backpack, I don’t have much to carry around; my wallet, a hair brush, lint roller, a can of mace and a small pocket knife. The two latter items my dad got me just so he would feel better that I could protect myself if needed. Even though I almost always went somewhere with Savvy, JES, or Xan.

“It’s nice Savvy, I love that you love it. Have you seen JES this morning?” I grin a little at the nickname I gave Savvy’s boyfriend, he hates that I call him by his initials but it’s funny to nitpick with him. Especially since Xan doesn’t give much response to anything, very stoic but very aware.

“I haven’t seen JASON this morning, no, but we’ve been texting this morning. He should be here soon since it’s ten minutes till class starts.” Savvy responds.

Giving a hug to Savvy once we finish situating our items for class, I realize once again how much of a height difference we have. My five foot eleven frame towers over most girls, and some guys. Savvy’s five foot six frame fits perfectly with JES’s five foot ten frame though, and it’s adorable.

Speaking of the devil, Jes comes strutting around her beetle as we start making our way towards the front door of the school while a calculated but slow Xander drifts behind him.

Giving Jes a head nod and a small smile, I then turn my eyes towards Xan to give Savvy and Jes a private moment. Xan has these intense light grey eyes, ones that seem to know everything that’s running through your head. He’s also the tallest guy in school at a whopping six foot three, but he doesn’t play any high school sports. Xan being the strong and silent type enjoys fencing and taekwondo, I’ve never thought to ask him why but I doubt he would tell me anyways.

Xan gives a small smirk and pushes his pale golden strands behind him, and oh how jealous I am of how silky straight his hair was. Seeing Jes and Savvy moving towards the front doors of the school, we fall in step next to each other to follow them.

“How was the ride to school, Tor?” Xan asks while his eyes scan the school grounds.

I smiled at the personal nickname he uses for me, well that and remembering the open air always makes me happy, “Same as always, peaceful and something I wish I did more often. I just know how worried dad is with other drivers not seeing us on the road and I try not to worry him too often.”

Holding open the front door, and making the ‘after you’ hand gesture with a flourish he responds, “I can’t blame him, we all worry but we all want yo- each other to be happy.”

“Yeah well, I’m glad we can all agree on that. By the way, did you get your schedule on open house or were you waiting till today? I know Savvy already got hers, since she sent me a picture as soon as she got it.” We laughed, both knowing that Savvy shares EVERYTHING with us, well almost everything we all have our secrets. Secrets are something everybody has, and we all understand that.

“Yeah, I grabbed mine first thing I could. Wanna compare?” He pulls out his scheduling sheet while I nod in response and do the same.

We trade papers to see what classes the other has, and I notice most classes are the same. Out of seven classes we have four of the same ones; Chemistry, Mythology History, Art, and English.

Holding his schedule out towards him, “Looks like you’re stuck with me for most of senior year just like Savvy is.”

He gave an eyebrow raise and smirk before it was quickly erased by the sound of heels coming to a stop in front of the four of us. Jes and Savvy glancing back with an eye roll.

The devil herself has appeared, and all the goonies behind her.

*Méabh: Mae-ve

Xan: Zan

JES: Jess