Cedar Creek High

Amari?..

Amari!..

Yes mum?

mum looks at me intently

You've been lost in thought for a while, are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine, I reply

Are you sure?, you haven't touched your breakfast yet, she persists

Well I'm definitely not fine, my dream keeps coming to me, I would tell mum but she's overly spiritual, she'll waste no time interpreting it as a bad sign as the typical black mum she is, especially with today being my first day in a new school, she'll be like 'your dream speaks of danger ahead' or 'your dream is a warning ..blah blah blah...

Amari? Mum interrupts my thoughts

Oh yeah I was just thinking about how cool school's gonna be, I reply

Well, you still need to eat breakfast first

Sure, I hurriedly start eating

Alaya! You better hurry up or you'll be late for school, mum says in her usual loud morning tone

Coming!... Alaya replies

My younger sister Alaya and I go to the same school; Oakdale, but months ago, I applied as a transfer student to another high school just because I feel like I'm being held back, like I'm not maximizing my full potential, don't get me wrong, Oakdale's great but it's just ... basic. Now I'm going to Cedar Creek High school of science and technology, one of the best private schools in the state, a special school for the scientifically gifted, you may ask, am I going there just for the hype or because it's one of the few schools I can count worthy of having me as a student,... maybe both. And of course, since it's a school for prodigies, I do expect some competition, well I look forward to it.

Aaron Fletcher

present!

Aliya Singh

present!

Amari Johnson

present!

Transfer student? the sharply dressed teacher asks

Yes ma'am

Would you like an introduction?

Nah, I'm good I reply, not wanting any attention

I'm actually busy taking note of everyone's names and faces for future reference and of course to know who might pose as a threat just based off of looks and body language, so far the first two names look unworthy of a challenge.

Kai Anaki

no response..

Is Kai in the room? the teacher asks

....present..a voice replies dryly

what a dull response, this asian-looking face gives off an aura of non chalance but at the same time underestimated intellect, like someone you could easily write off but can wittingly outsmart you in a game of chess. I better keep my eye on this one.

I think I like this new school already cuz I'm obsessed with taking on challenges and Cedar Creek seems to be posing a few, with of course Anaki taking the lead, he seems like a puzzle, a puzzle I'd like to solve.

Hey new guy! you don't talk much do you, a boy by my far right said.

Sebastian, be polite, a blonde girl sitting next to him nudged

So what's the name again? The boy continued

I can already tell he's one of those guys with a tap for a mouth but not so much upstairs, how did he even get into this school?

Who's asking? I snapped

Oh fiesty, I like you already he said

I glared at him

Don't mind him,the girl said, that's how he jokes, I'm Piper and the jerk next to me is Sebastian. Sebastian looked like he was about to protest but I cut him off, I'm Amari.

Cool name piper added.

So Amari, Sebastian joined in, how do you like our school so far

I looked around as if taking it all in, It seems worthy enough

Worthy enough? Of what, Sebastian asked

Of me, I replied.

Sebastian burst into laughter, I don't know if it's out of mockery or he genuinely found me funny but I meant it.

Well Amari, not everything about Cedar Creek is as it seems, piper said

What do you mean? I asked

Nothing, just keep that in mind, she replied

I glanced at Sebastian, he avoided my gaze by looking at piper and she returned the look. They're hiding something, I just know it.

Eversince the suspicious behavior of these two, I've been keeping a close eye on them, some people might call it staring or butting in people's business, but I just hate not knowing things.

...few minutes later...

Ok, that's enough, Could you quit staring at me like that, it's making me uncomfortable, Sebastian finally blurted out

Alright, I said but I must ask, what're you guys hiding?

hiding?, What do you mean, piper asked

Since you answered my question with a question, you're definitely hiding something.

Piper and Sebastian looked at each other for a while as if communicating with their eyes, piper finally broke the silence, some things are better left unknown.

I smile as an idea crosses my mind, alright let's make a deal, if I can guess what you're hiding and I'm right, then you have to open up, but if I guess wrong, we never have to talk about this again

Deal! Sebastian huffed

I pause a little, placing my chin on my hands, I feel like this secret has something to do with....'Death' I whisper

Piper and Sebastian glance at each other again but this time with shock written all over their faces

What the F..., how the hell do you know that!

Shhh! Piper tried to caution the visibly flabbergasted Sebastian

But seriously though, how did you guess that, piper asks equally suprised

I cross my arms against my chest with a satisfied look on my face.

I knew I was right.