Ch. 02 - Breaking Dawn

Life is a routine. A series of events predicated by a certain order, and the high point of any order is its beginning. From the beginning, everything else follows. In that regard, the morning is the most important moment of any given day. The moment when the dawn breaks over the surrounding mountains and shades your enclosed second-story room a deep orange hue is when your day begins. And so, like every other day, and like every other day in the foreseeable future, I awoke wide awake like I hadn't slept at all.

Gingerly, I displaced my covers and set my bare feet against the hardwood floor that still held the nighttime's chilling aura. Cold. A shiver ran from my toes up to my spine. If I wasn't awake already, now would be the moment the morning's unsettling temperature would snap me from my grogginess. I glanced to my bedside alarm clock. The digital display flashed for a minute to six. Hovering my hand just above the OFF button, I patiently awaited the unceremonious monotony it would produce in just a few seconds. It was like this every morning, but you can never be too careful. In one swift motion, I snapped my hand down before the first chime for 6 AM could finish beeping.

Without a second glance, I exited my room for the second floor restroom. Morning business was always unerringly identical to the last. I don't know when I began this routine that became the blueprint for the rest of my day, but I eventually reached a point where my body would simply go through the motions, allowing my mind to wander to the tasks ahead. Even my bodily functions adapted accordingly.

Bathroom.

It was only a few weeks into the new school year and things seemed to have already settled down. I was surprised. Normally it takes until October or November for all of the students, especially the Freshmen, to adjust to their new classes.

Shower.

Not that I'm complaining. I enjoy my duties, but I don't care for doing extra, unnecessary work. A relaxing school year would be welcome. An extended summer vacation would have been nice too. I had spent the majority of my summer with my cousin, Emma, in New York. I'd like to go back and visit soon if I can.

Shave.

Now that I mention it, this year's class trip is stopping in New York, if I remember correctly. Being in the position that I am, I really should be more on top of these things, but it was easy to get distracted over summer break.

Dry.

I'll need to check with Ven on this year's class funds for the trip. Avoiding fundraisers would be be best. That time can be used for other, more important things. But I may need to cut corners on some club funding in that case.

Brush, floss, gargle, rinse.

Speaking of which, there's an open position on the Student Council that has yet to be filled. I'll have to look into that today. If for no other reason than to have the Student Council room feel less vacant. Ever since term started the room has felt more spacious and empty than usual.

Getting dressed was always the highlight of my mornings. With school uniforms, there wasn't any room for error or irregularity. Back in my now slightly brighter room, the alarm clock blinked for thirty past. Right on schedule. I opened my closet, revealing a neatly arranged line of black and red uniforms. Undergarments first, however. They were neatly folded in the lower right hand drawer, arranged according to color and dress. Pairs of black stockings were placed just below them.

The nylons reached just above my knees, allowing a line of bare skin visible between it and the hem of my uniform's black, pleated skirt. The black blouse came next, with dull silver buttons running down its center, long sleeves for the cold weather, and lined with white bands at the cuffs and collar. Last but not least, was the tie. I kept my ties in my dresser, rather than the closet, for personal reasons. I pulled out the topmost tie in the pile, admiring its sharp, blood red color. After cinching it properly, I turned my focus to my reflection in the mirror.

It was as distinct as it was every morning. Light-blonde hair that shaped a peach skinned face. Reddish lips, almost always placed in a relaxed smile, and bright, mismatched eyes. The left being blue, and the other, green. I blinked at myself in the mirror, hardly noticing my hands move absentmindedly to tie up my shoulder length hair into a ponytail with a simple black cloth. I clipped my remaining hair to allow locks to angle the sides of my cheeks, and swept my bangs to the left.

Perfect. I blinked at the irony. Well, mostly. Before turning to leave, I doubled back to the mirror. Cautiously, I brought my hand to my necktie and loosened it slightly. Better? I could see my own look of mild repulsion. Maybe not. I grabbed my book bag and headed out the door before I could change my mind, leaving my tie hanging slightly more limply around my neck than I would like.

The sound of a rustling newspaper and the smell of freshly, if not hastily, made breakfast awaited me downstairs. As much as I was a morning person, I wasn't much of a morning food person. It just didn't sit well with me. I gave it a once over. Eggs, toast, coffee, and something runny that I assumed to be oatmeal. My observation was interrupted by the crackle of folding newspaper.

With only the top of his balding head visible above the morning's issue of the New York Times, my father rapped the front page story with his index finger, “You see this? This is why we moved out of the city.”

I smiled bleakly, though he couldn't see it. The cover story was the same as it had been for weeks now: Serial Killer Strikes Again! Or something else as catchy and unoriginal along those lines.

“Weren't you visiting Emma around the time this started? I shouldn't have let you go in the first place,” he nodded assuredly, his patchy brown hair bobbing up and down behind the paper.

He is very protective, or at least he'd like to think he is. He meant well, but I didn't know what to say to him. “Y-Yes, well,” I managed, wanting to avoid this line of conversation, “I'm running a little late, so...” Of course, that was a lie. I'm never late, but I didn't want to stick around either.

“...hoodlums running that place ever since- Hm? Oh, right. Have a nice day, dear,” he waved me off without a second glance.

He must've been distracted by the business section, otherwise he wouldn't have let me off so easily. Not wanting to stay and find out what was happening to Nexus Industries or some other high profile company dealing with the most recent regulations of some sort, I dashed out the front door into the cool morning air.

The morning sun was just about to peak over the surrounding hillsides, casting a surreal haze through the trees lining the sidewalk. I gripped my bag's shoulder strap more tightly. Like today, it was usually a bit too chilly for my tastes. Despite that, my solitary morning commutes were very relaxing experiences. Because I left so early each morning, the streets were bare of anything, save for the passing car now and again. Being in the position that I am, I have to get to school earlier than the rest of the students, so my morning walks were always done in solitude. Not that I am desperate for some companionship on the way to school. If anything, I have too much companionship once the school day actually begins, but that's a different matter entirely.

We live fairly close to the school, so after a few blocks the academy's distinct black iron wrought gates came into view. It stood slightly ajar, just wide enough for a person to fit through. Some of the teachers must have come early as well. I slipped through the gates myself onto the campus' red brick paved grounds. The white school buildings themselves formed a “C” shape around the quad area, with the track and fields in the back. 

In the center of the campus was a magnificent fountain, kept off until it rang closer to 8 AM. Maybe magnificent is the wrong word. In reality, the design was quite simple, or as the artsy types might say, “minimalistic”. It was two tiered, with a large black stone obelisk adorning the upper level. Its inscription, roughly translated, read “Illuminate the Mind; Knowledge is Might”. It was the school's motto, or something like that. A bit militaristic, if you ask me, but I didn't really care either way. Making my way past the fountain, I entered the left most building.  

Reviews

[Angela Horst]

Very good so far! The one thing I would perhaps look into would be her gender. Maybe say it earlier in the chapter before this one? I didn't actually grasp the fact she was a girl until you said she was wearing stockings (and the shaving sounded like a dude, too). Don't know if that is what you intended or not.

[Angela Horst]

Or maybe just take out the shaving. That's what really got me confused.

[Seratha]

Thanks, Angie :) I was kinda going for the ambiguity. Is that weird? Maybe it's weird. I mean, I don't even mention her name until the next chapter...I wanted to keep things as natural as possible, so she wouldn't explicitly say "Oh, I'm a girl, by the way." But I figured around the "stockings" area was where the reader would find out. I couldn't think of any other place to hint at it. Maybe the bathroom, I guess...