Chapter 1
Inside Sopiara High, students walk toward the exit and shuffle around the halls. The mob of teenagers rambles around almost aimlessly, alarming and confusing sounds produced from them. The halls of the school are white with red shoe racks on the walls, the maple floors gleaming from being polished earlier that day.
Three students push through the others, one shouting over the noise, “Where are you guys?”
The one who had yelled was a 13-year-old girl, she was wearing a striking shirt with jean shorts, and an oversized bag hanging from her shoulder. Her name was Amey Raye.
“Over here!” This person was taller than the mob around them, her name was Emma Caste. She wore a black and white T-shirt that was too short for her, with a blue skirt. She was 14.
Amey swam through the mass of bodies, eventually reaching Emma, “Where are they?”
Emma looked at Amey then looked behind her. Behind Amey was a boy, about 14. He was wearing a plain white shirt with black pants. He was also 14.
“Mark is behind you.”
Mark seemed to hear and bounded toward them, “Hey, Yana is going to meet us there.”
He stopped beside Amey and gestured in the direction of the door. “Are we going to go?”
Emma glanced downwards, she was still wearing her uwagutsu*. “Go ahead, I’ll catch up.”
“Okay, meet us at the park. Let’s go, Amey!”
Amey and Mark walked to the doors. Amey dodges, and Mark casually pushes the other students out of their way. Emma quickly switched her shoes and ran after them.
Yana sat in her rather plain room. She was wearing her pajamas and was on her bed reading something from her laptop. On it, an ad for an escape room was present.
“Hah, Summer has started.” She placed her computer on the desk next to the bed and lay back.
“Oh, I have to meet up with everyone else.”
She then moved to her closet and picked out her clothes. When she was done, Yana stood in front of her mirror, she now wore a black one-piece dress. It had a plaid pattern on the sleeves. Her shoes were the newest high-top blue sneakers. Yana’s clothes fit her appearance, with her long brown hair and bright green eyes.
She smiled to herself, “Tomorrow’s going to be a great day.”
Yana rushed out the door, waving goodbye to her mom as she grabbed an apple and ran out the open front door.
Mark and Amey had reached the park, it wasn’t very far from the school, “Mark, What time is it?”
Mark rolled up his sleeve and looked at his watch, “About three.”
Amey looked behind them at the figure of Emma. “Does she plan to stay back there?”
Mark laughed, “Maybe.”
Once Emma had reached them, Amey and Mark had sat down on one of the long benches, layering the side of the path.
“Yana’s not here yet?” Emma looked around, “I guess not.”
Emma sat beside Amey on the bench, “So, Mark, How was Boston?”
Mark looked at her imploringly, “It was wet and cold. Can’t imagine why you haven’t gone.”
“Why is that?” Amey asked, looking genuinely confused.
Emma looked at Amey, “Heh, no reason.”
“She warned me not to,” Mark grinned. “I should have listened.”
All three of them burst into laughter. At this moment, Yana had found them and walked up behind them.
Amey was able to restrain her giggles, “Did you at least enjoy it?”
Mark glanced across the park to the ice cream cart, “Not as much as I’ll enjoy ice cream!”
As he had started to rise, Yana pulled him by the collar and back onto the bench. She then promptly stuffed the apple in his mouth.
“You wish,” she shouted as she ran for the cart.
...
1*Uwagutsu, or Uwabaki, are shoes made specifically for indoor use. (Japanese custom for keeping areas clean.)
