Dark Times

Chapter Two

Kara:

            “I hate mornings,” Kara groaned when her alarm clock had the indecency to sound at six.

            “Some things never change,” Shirelle laughed, already wide awake. “Girl, you better get your ass up and get in the shower before all the hot water’s gone. You know how this place is.”

            “Where’s Irina?” 

            “She got up and did her run and then showered and took off to meet her dance friends.”

            “How can anyone run for fun?”

            Shirelle laughed again as Kara pulled herself from her bed and grabbed her things. The bathroom was at the end of the hall, and before she even made it there several girls were calling out hello to her. Some of them she knew and some she didn’t, but she suspected they were being extra nice to her because of Ethan’s speech the night before.

            As usual, the steady stream of the shower’s warm water woke her up, and Kara began to contemplate her grim class schedule. Having Shirelle in only two classes was a real downer. Being a junior was going to be tough enough without having to be separated from her friends. Hopefully, she’d have Ethan in more than one class. With all the craziness of the day before, they hadn’t taken the time to compare class schedules.

            Kara was still thinking about Ethan when she stepped out of the shower. It was hard not to think about him with his key banging against her chest every time she moved. Since they’d gotten back together last year, she hadn’t taken it off. She wore it day and night, even showering and sleeping with it hanging from her neck.

            “Are you ready yet?” Shirelle asked when Kara returned to their room.

            “All set.”

            “I don’t know why I’m in such a hurry. It’s not like I have anything to look forward to. We don’t even have a class together until third period.”

            “Don’t you think it’s a little weird that vocal enrichment is third period every year?”

            “I thought it was weird last year when it was only two years in a row that it happened. Okay, so what class do you have first?”

            As they pushed their way through the crowd of girls spilling out of the dorm, Kara glanced down at her schedule. “Chemistry.” 

            “Hey, Kara, wait up!”

            Both Kara and Shirelle stopped as Megan hurried to catch up to them.

            “Hey,” Megan said again.

            Shirelle frowned at her. “Who are you?”  

            “This is Megan,” Kara answered for her. “We met last night. Megan, this is Shirelle.”

            “Last night?” Shirelle repeated. “At your meeting with Ethan?”

            “Not exactly,” Kara said and turned to Megan. “We were just checking out our schedules.”

            “What class do you have first?” Megan asked Kara.

            “Chemistry. What about you?” Kara said.

            “I’ve got chemistry too,” Megan said, her eyes lighting up. “Is that with Mr. Joseph?”