The Flames that Engulfed Us

Chapter 1: Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

I looked out my window. The car was already there, looking just as beat up as always. Anyone could say whatever they wanted about it, but I would have still preferred it to the bus. Before the sound of the car's horn could fill the street, annoying my parents and neighbors, I tapped on the glass of my window. If I got his attention, he normally spared me from yelling an immediate apology.

The clock confirmed my suspicion that I was running late. Way later than normal for me. I looked in the mirror. I could brush my hair in the car. I never wore makeup, so I was good there. Without a second glance, I threw a hairbrush on top of my backpack.

My feet pounded down the steps, going as fast as I could without falling over.

"Bye, Mom, Dad."

The answering shouts, each coming from the kitchen followed me out the door. He'd already propped open the back door so I could throw my backpack in. It slid across the seat, almost in sync with my opening of the passenger side and ungainly lowering of myself into the car.

"Good morning, Lincoln."

"I feel like I should say good morning back," he said, the corners of his mouth already turned up in a sort of smirk, "but good seems like the wrong word to describe... this."

I rolled my eyes, reaching for my hair brush.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how we're dating," I muttered, already raking my hair to its normal, semi-orderly state.

He didn't say anything. I glanced over at him, his eyes on the road ahead of us. He was smiling. When we were alone, it didn't matter what I said, it made his face split into a grin.

"You think that's funny?" I pouted, crossing my arms dubiously.

"No," he pacified, the chuckle still in his voice, "I don't."

"Liar."

He shifted in his seat, turning on the radio. Power move, Lincoln. Power move.

My hair didn't take long to brush. My fingers were already twisting it into a braid by the time we were in the school zone. I was done by the time we were in the parking lot.

Lincoln held the car door for me so I could scramble out. 

"Thanks, babe."

He was about to say something when across the parking lot, our friends were walking towards us in a large, slightly intimidating group.

"Yo, Skylar. I forgot to do the history thingy. Can I see your paper?"

Lincoln was instantly behind me with both of our backpacks slung across his shoulder.

"No." He answered for me.

"Dude, be cool. I need this, else I'm gonna fail."

"Sky, don't give it to him," Lincoln ordered, sounding firmly rigid in his opinion, "you've already 'helped' him enough."

Caleb, the one who asked me to help him cheat, turned to me. He gave me a pitiful stare.

"Please. If I fail this class, my mama's going to kill me. I might even get held back a grade. Please."

I looked between the two boys. My attention finally shifted to the one staring at me with his little puppy dog eyes. I didn't buy it. "Caleb, why did you forget to do your homework?"

He took a deep breath. "Well, there was this party last night. And you know, I need to keep up my street cred... so..."

"Caleb, you have history 7th period, right?"