Lightning Streaks the Sky

At one point Alison came in, and quickly walked out. She returned shortly afterward, with Max, though.

“Max!! Make me feel better, and I’ll frickin’ punch you.”

“Well, I didn’t ask him to do that. I asked him to help me.”, Alison says, rolling her eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I feel uncomfortable expressing my true emotions. So I usually choke up and avoid those subjects at all costs.”, Alison says happily, smiling. “Aww, thank you, Max!”, and she hugs him. I stare at her oddly, but Max just stays smug. “Okay, let go. I’m happy, but not completely okay with this.”

“Are you okay?”

“Just peachy! So, what’s wrong, Mel?”

“Umm,” I say, glancing at Max.

“It works through one wall. I’ll be watching TV.”, Max says, rolling his eyes and walking out the door.

“Sooo?”

“I thought Josh changed. I thought he was different.”

“Oh, Melody! It’s okay! He’s just a jerk! He isn’t worth your time!”

“And then he goes and puts a knife to your throat!!!”

“He’s just an idiot, Melody. He didn’t understand that all I wanted was my cats, and I’d tutor him as best I could.”, Alison says, sounding like her old herself. I break down again, and Alison tenses. “MAX!!!!!!!!”

“On it!”

“Oh, Melody! It’s okay!”, Alison says, patting my back. “He’s just a piece of crap! You’re much better than him! You’ll find a boy ten times better than him!!”

“I wasn’t dating him!”

“But you were thinking about it. Why else would be crying over him, funny-bunny!”

“Because he’s a bastard!!!”, I sob, falling back on the bed.

“MAX!!!!! Help me out here!!”

“Okay, what is it?”, Max asks, walking in.

“She’s freaking out, and there’s only so much I can handle even under your influence.”, Alison says gravely and uncomfortably.

“Melody?”

“I’ll punch your teeth into your skull.”, I growl, plopping my head back into the pillow.

“Go wait outside,” Alison grumbles, pushing him out the door, and slamming it behind him. “Okay, umm, Melody … I’m not good at … expressing my feelings.”

“So?!”

“So, sometimes it’s questionable if I even have them. But you’re lucky, Melody! You can get any guy on this planet, no matter what! I had to dress up to be noticed for more than an annoyance!”, Alison says, sitting down next to me. “Josh was a piece of crap. And it has been a year. Usually people change. Josh is just a piece of crap, who doesn’t get that he has to have a heart to be able to date you.”

“You’re a good friend.”

“Good. Now if you tell anyone about this little exchange I’ll have to sew your lips shut.”, Alison says, frowning. “And remember, I hate expressing my feelings.”

“Thanks, Alison,” I say, hugging her. She stiffens, but I eventually let go. She walks away then, out the door, where Max wraps an arm around her shoulders. I wonder what’s going on there, I think suspiciously. Oh, well. She’ll tell me eventually … maybe, I think, shrugging as I change into my PJs, walking out and expecting to see Alison on the couch, but her and Max were sprawled out on opposite ends.

“Hey, Melody! How yah feelin’?”, Max asks, as they both look at me.

“Umm, good.”

“Hey, Max. Is it okay if I spend the night at your house?”, Alison asks, glancing at him for only a second before going back to the TV.

Max’s entire face lit up, but his voice still hid the excitement he was clearly feeling, as he says, “Yeah, sure.”

“Thanks. I have a feeling Melody wants to be alone tonight.”

♠ ♣ ♠

I hadn’t gotten much sleep. It was around dusk when I finally fell asleep. But then I was woken up less than an hour later.

“C’mon, Melody, wake up,” Dylan says, shaking me.

“I got no sleep!! So get out of my face.”, I say calmly, standing up.

“Good morning, Princess! How are you?”, Alison says sarcastically, smiling at me as she skips into my bedroom.

“I’m gonna kill you.”

“Ah, I knew you’d say that. That’s why I didn’t come alone.”, she says, as Max walks in.

“Max! I beg you! Make me tired!”, I plead, getting on my knees.

“Think she’ll kill me?”

“No. I think she’ll possibly kiss you.”, Alison says, shrugging. “’Night, Melody! I’ll wake you up at noon!”, and she skips out the door. I plop down on my bed, soon falling asleep happily.

♠ ♣ ♠

“Good afternoon!”, I say happily as I walk toward everyone.

“BUNNIES!”, Alison yells, falling out of her chair.

“Wha— she was asleep, wasn’t she?”, I ask, placing my hands on my hips.

“Hey, I hadn’t slept good since I was seven! And I had a dream with bunnies …”, Alison says, shivering. “Anyway, what’s for lunch?”

“Whatever y’all wanna eat.”, Adam says, rolling his eyes.

“Melody?”

“I’m not really hungry,” I say, shrugging.

“’Kay. Then can I borrow around twenty-five bucks?”

“For what?”

“Starbucks.”

“You strike me as someone who doesn’t need caffeine.”

“That’s right. I’m getting these milkshake thingies.”

“’Kay. Have fun,” I say, handing her the money.

“Thanks! C’mon, Max!”, and off they went.

“Did you know that people can hear everything in their sleep?”, Ash asks, looking up from his book.

“Then what did you hear when you were being kidnapped, Melody?”, Grant asks, as all heads turned to me.

“Nothing. I was out like a rock. Although, I did sort of have a funny dream …”

“Really? Of what?”, Dylan asks, sipping on some soda.

“I dunno. That was over a year ago.”

“Yeah, it was. Chocolate’s still your favorite, right?”

“Yep. Sports, please?”

“Is there something going on that we don’t know about?”, Kevin asks, looking between us.

“Yeah, pretty much,” I say, shrugging. “But it’s nothing to worry about.”

“It’s your birthday!”, Alison says, smiling as she walks over to us with Max.

“Huh?”

“That one day of the year … when you were born?”, I sigh.

“And this year is Melody’s Sweet Sixteen!”, Alison says, smiling.

“Okay, just drink your … whatever,” I say, glaring.

“Okay,” Alison says, sitting down and shutting up, with Max right next to her, but she gives me an ‘I’ll tell them if you don’t’ look, making me sigh.

“My birthday’s June 14th,” I sigh, putting my head on the table. “Happy, Alison?”

“Delighted. Overjoyed! Splendid! Just plain peachy!”

“You are such an annoyance.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“So, wait, how come you never told any of us?”, Kevin asks, staring at me oddly.

“Well, I never really told anybody. Dylan was really my only friend.”, I say, shrugging before I gesture to him.

“Hey, she made me promise to keep it a secret from everyone! And so far she hasn’t broken any promises.”, Dylan says, holding his hands up defensively.

“Well, we’re gonna need the most fabulous dress in the history of beauty!!!”, Jolie says, standing up.

“And we’re gonna have to plan the absolute best party!”, Barbie says, standing up.

“NO!”, I yell, standing up quickly. “I don’t want a frickin’ party!”

“Neither does she want anybody talking about it. Because then all the boys at school will be asking her out, and she won’t have an excuse anymore.”, Alison says, quickly ducking her head down.

“Oh, yeah! You’re still staying true to that promise to your mom!”, Dylan says, rolling his eyes. “Melody promised her mom she wouldn’t date until she was sixteen.”

“And what better way to let every boy in school know, than throwing the most giant party in all of man-kind!!”, I say sarcastically.

“It wouldn’t have been that bad if Dylan had kept his big mouth shut.”, Alison says, glaring across the table at him.

“Mind sharing with the rest of us?”

“Josh heard.”

And all was silent. I stood up from my chair once again, walking into my house and plopping down in bed, just staring at the ceiling. Eventually going out to eat, but keeping silent the rest of the day.

♠ ♣ ♠

I woke up early, quickly changing into a blue tank-top, black skinny-jeans, a pair of neon-green sneakers, and a black hoodie. I add some neon-green eyeshadow, combing through my naturally straight golden-blonde hair, and adding a neon-green headband. I just seemed to be in love with those colors lately.

“Good morning, Mel,” Alison says, watching TV with a bowl of dry cereal in her hands.

“Umm …”

“I wake early whenever I’m excited.”

“Oh … well, lets get going.”

“’Kay,” and she stands up, turning the TV off, setting the cereal down on my coffee table, already heading out the door. I come out more slowly, looking back at my house.

The diamonds, amethysts, rubies, pearls, and sapphires glittered at the first specks of dusk, making me smile. The onyxes, emeralds, ambers, garnets, and hematites were still dark against the early dawn, but I knew they’d soon glitter just as brighly later.

“C’mon, Melody! Stop staring at your house and lets get going!”, Alison says impatiently, pulling me toward the edge of the cloud, before pulling us both off. She knows too much for her own good, I think, feeling my wings — which glittered in rainbows like a thousand diamonds against the brightening dawn — spread out against my back, as I soared toward the ground, gently landing Alison on her feet as I fold my wings back.

“Oh, hey Alison!”, Martin says, running over to us.

“Hey Martin!”

“I’m sorry about Josh —”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.”

“He should be the one apologizing, anyway.”, I say, glaring at Martin.

“Yeah … but he’s pretty messed-up right now.”, Martin says uncomfortably. “And mind if I walk yah to school, Alison?”

“Sure,” Alison says, shrugging as she walks away with Martin. I look around, before spreading out my wings and soaring up into the air, flying my way to school. I loved the feeling of the wind through my hair, the speed it brought was up to an entirely new level compared to just running on earth. It was just so relaxing, to be able to fly up in the sky, to be able to see everything with such a different view. It was like my own little paradise. My own little piece of heaven.

I finally catch sight of the school, and soar down atop of the school, soon jumping down at the front, walking in to see Martin following Alison to her locker. It was so odd to see a Thunder near a Lightning. Well, Alison wasn’t technically a Lightning, but she spent enough time with us to be considered one.

I walk over to my locker, twisting the combination quickly, before grabbing my notebook and walking toward homeroom. I just doodle in it. Homeroom wasn’t really even a subject to me. I walk into the classroom, soon sitting down, as Alison soon follows, sitting down in front of me, only to turn around in her seat.

“Why is Martin following me around like some crazy stalker?”, Alison asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I think he likes you,” I say, shrugging. Alison bursts out laughing, turning back around in her seat.

“Hey! Kendall! Alison!”, Frankie says, ruffling Alison’s hair as she whacks at his hand.

“Don’t touch me. Or I’ll bite off your hand.”, Alison says, glaring.

“Yeah, whatever you say, psychic.”, Frankie says, rolling his eyes. I tense, a nervous laugh escaping my lips. “Kendall, you alright? You act like you — Melody?!!”

“Huh? Who’s Melody?”, Alison asks, as I look down, blinking repeatedly, before looking back up, just as the teacher walks in.

♠ ♣ ♠

“Thanks back there, Alison,” I say, as we walk out of homeroom.

“Hey, Martin, Max,” Alison says, rolling her eyes. “Kevin, Dylan, Josh.”

“We can never surprise a psychic, can we?”, Dylan asks sarcastically.

“Nope. Now, excuse me. I have free period and Nina’s tutoring me in Science.”, Alison says, walking away toward her locker quckly, blending into the crowd of students.

“Umm … I have gym.”, I say quickly, already running toward the way Alison had just left toward. “I know you have gym,” I say, grabbing her arm and pulling her behind me.

“Drat,” Alison breathes, slamming her locker shut, letting me drag her to gym. “Wait — it’s soccer!”, and we were practically running to the gym.

♠ ♣ ♠

“Oh my gosh! And remember when Lora kicked the ball, and then it —,” Alison laughs, as we exit the gym.

“Oh, yeah! That was hilarious!”, I laugh along with her.

“What’s so funny?”, Nina asks, as her and Ash come walking down the hall, with his arm around her waist. I eye them suspiciously, and Ash rolls his eyes.

“Beatrix,” the three say together.

“So, I have a free period, do you want me to tutor you in Science now?”, Nina asks, smiling at Alison.

“Oh, please,” Alison begs, as the two psychics walk away.

“Does Martin like Alison?”, I ask after a moment.

“Oh, yeah,” Ash says, rolling his eyes. “Big time crush.”

“Aww, poor Martin,” I say sarcastically. “You made it sound like he was in love. While Alison doesn’t believe in ‘high school dating.’”

“Yeah, he’s got it bad, though. Although, every time he looks at her he expects her to wear a dress.”, Ash says, rolling his eyes.

“Wait till he realizes that that was probably a one-time thing.”, I say, laughing slightly.

“Crap,” Ash mutters, looking around. “Beatrix is coming.”

“Here, I’ll be your girlfriend for the hour,” I say sarcastically, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. Beatrix pops up, her smile fading once she sees me. “Beatrix.”

“Melody,” she sneers. The final bell rings, and I glance at Ash.

“I gotta get to class, see yah later.”, I say, kissing his cheek quickly before running down the halls toward Math.

♠ ♣ ♠

I plop down in the chair, tired already.

“Hey, Melody. Just go ahead and take a nap now. Or you’ll fall asleep during your next few peroids.”, Alison says, glancing up for only a split second before going back to work.

“What are you doing?”, Max asks, sitting down next to her.

“Science,” Nina and Alison say together, as I roll my eyes.

“I have to pass. I’m getting into college.”

“Alison, you’re in seventh grade. No need to be freaking out about college.”, I say, rolling my eyes.

“Easy for you to say. I’m hoping to become a pet shop owner. I love animals.”, Alison says, glancing up for only a fraction of a second.

“It’s easy, Alison …”, Nina says, her psychic ability coming in handy as she sat next to Ash across the table from Alison.

“It still doesn’t make sense.”, Alison grumbles. “I do math. Not science.”

“Okay, thirty-two divided by fifteen.”, I say quickly.

“Two remainder two,” Alison says automatically. “Child’s play, Kendall.”

“Well, what do you know about animals?”, Nina asks.

“Well, cheetahs are the only felines without retractable claws. And they’re the fastest land animal. Umm, dolphins can beat up sharks. And I wanna see that someday! It’s probably so funny!”, Alison says, laughing slightly. “But I’ll learn this later,” and she throws the book behind herself, laughing as someone screeches “ow.”

“Who’d you hit?”, Cecilia asks.

“Tacey Tahnee Tate,” Alison says through laughs. She turns around sharply, catching the book just as it was about to hit me. “Ah, she’s got bad judgement.”

“I know you threw that, Kendall!!”, Tacey sneers, glowering at me.

“Wow you’re dumb! I threw that book!!”, Alison laughs, ducking as Tacey tries to slap her. “Too slow!”

“Come here, loser!”, and Tacey gets punched.

“Dummy, dumb idiot!”, Alison sings, laughing. “Ah, the beauty of one thing.”, and she pours a water bottle all over Tacey. A stream of color falls, and I realize with shock that Tacey had died her hair. It was really red. A really vivid red.

“You frickin’ dyed your hair?!!!”, Miranda shrieks.

“’Course she did,” Alison says, dumping more water on Miranda, and her brown hair is revealed, damaged by all the times she dyed it. “Just like yours.”

“Yeah, well I bet yours is dyed, too!!”, Tacey growls, grabbing two water bottles and dumping one on Alison and one on me. I don’t bother with screeching and giving them the satisfaction, and neither does Alison. Her hair just got really dark, like almost black. And mine just got a little bit darker, but still obviously blonde.

“Our hair is natural,” Alison says slowly. “And besides, I’m not an idiot who dyes her hair just because she wants to impress some guys.”

“Yeah,” I say, standing up.

“You can’t be this flawless, Melody! You have to have something wrong with you!!”, Tacey yells, frustrated.

“MELODY?!!!!!!”, nearly everyone in the cafeteria yells.

“C’mon, Kendall,” Alison says, pulling on my arm.

“Yeah! You better run!”, Miranda yells after us. Alison runs back over to her, kicking and punching like there’s no tomorrow. Eventually I pulled her off of Miranda and Tacey, dragging her outside of the room.

“C’mon, Alison, they aren’t worth it!”

“Exactly! They aren’t worth anything! They’re both giant loads of fake crap!!!”, Alison growls, breaking free and running out of the cafeteria angrily, keeping her head down. I had a feeling that wasn’t all of it, and I went running after her, hearing Miranda and Tacey trying to lie to get us both in trouble.

“Alison?!”, I ask, looking around the hallways. I go running toward her locker, seeing her curled into a ball, her head down on her knees. “Alison?”, I ask quietly, sitting down beside her.

“Go away.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Nothing’s wrong! Okay?”

“Something’s wrong. You were there for me, now I’m here for you.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it, okay?”

I thought a moment before I answered, nodding and standing up, finally hearing the quiet crying coming from her. I hesitate, before walking down the halls, my sneakers sqeaking loudly, as it echos, bouncing off the concrete walls.

“I hope you’re happy!!!”, I yell, once inside of the cafeteria, getting in Tacey’s face. “Now Alison’s out in the halls, crying!!!! Are you happy now?!!! Are you proud of making a thirteen year old girl cry?!!!! How does it feel?!!!!”, I growl, slapping her. “That’s for making Alison cry.”

“Detention, miss Anderson!!!”

“This is for calling all my friends losers,” I growl, kicking her. “This is for getting me kicked off the football team,” I growl, punching her.

“THAT’S IT, MISS ANDERSON!!!!! I DON’T CARE HOW GOOD YOU ARE!!!!!! YOU ARE OFF THE TEAM!!!!!!”

“And this is for all the crap you’ve put me and my friends through for the past week!!!!!”, I growl, punching her as hard as I could in the stomach, while holding a fistful of her hair in my other hand. I let her go, watching her cough up blood on the floors, glowering at her. “Now you know why I don’t give crap about your worthless excuse for a life. Why I don’t give crap about anyone on Thunder. Because you’re all just the same.”

And I stomped away, straight back out into the halls, where Alison’s sobs were clear as day now.

“NOT SO FAST, MISS ANDERSON!!!!!! REPORT TO MY OFFICE THIS INSTANT!!!!!!”, Principal Booth yells furiously.

“Shut up and listen!!!!”, I growl at him. He shuts up, and I could tell realization hit him, but I had already disappeared, sitting by Alison, hoping to comfort her. “C’mon, Alison, it’s okay …”

“No, it’s not! It’ll never be okay!”, Alison sobs.