(Chapter 1)Ashley

I could not believe my eyes, it was still 9th period.  Time was practically standing still as it came closer to the end. I felt something light hit the back of my head. I searched the floor for my attacker and saw a green mechanical pencil that I knew all too well next to my foot. I scooped it up quickly and tossed it at the person behind me before the teacher could see what was going on. “Stop looking at the clock Ashley.” Stephanie McSween said. She was leaning forward in her seat, her red mane pulled back with a green scrunchy.1

I wanted to turn around but I couldn’t risk getting in trouble. I snuck a look at the clock, five more minutes. I felt a tug on one of my blonde curls and heard a giggle as it sprung up. “I’m going to kill you.” I hissed throw my teeth, staring at the teacher the whole time.2

Three minutes left, one hundred and eighty seconds. How is it even possible for a person to be patient? The teacher smiled as she gave us our 3 page homework assignment for the weekend. If I learned anything from the first two and a half months of eleventh grade and the rest of my high school years. It’s that math teachers are the cruelest, they smile at other people's displeasures. The class groans, seventy seconds left. 3

Mrs. Nastile glides to her desk to look at the homework problems to make sure they were tortuorus enough. Her painted lips sneered but as she opened her mouth, the Bell sounded through the classroom.4

Lovely Bell, beautiful Bell whom I owe my life to. Thank you for saving me once again. I thought as I gathered up my books. Stephanie took one look at my expression and burst out laughing. “Why is this so important to you?” She said holding the door open for me as we walked in to chaos, the hallway.5

Avoiding being trampled we walked to our neighboring lockers. I rolled my leafy green eyes up to the sky. She may be my best friend, but God when does she learn. “I told you about a hundred times Steph.” I said, forcefully opening up my locker.6

Standing next to me her fingers gracefully went threw her combination. I never understood why she always locked her locker. No one ever tried to steal anything from it. Why would they it was only school books.7

“Well I guess you will have to tell me a hundred more, because I don’t think I will ever understand your stupid obsession with track.” She said looking in to her neatly organized locker.8

Track. It is a sentence all on in its own, it is a story. I would not be exaggerating if I told you it was my life, because basically it was. Just looking at my locker was proof. Notebooks shoved in to make room for sweats and sneakers. Magnets holding up schedules and pictures from various meets. I ate, slept, and drank track. Stephanie hated it; to her it was taking away her best friend.9

“Hey Ash, Hey Steph.” I turned around to see who the new comer was. Erika Lace was my second best friend. She was tall, and muscular, with muddy brown eyes. Her thin raven hair was in braided pigtails that fell a little past her shoulders.10

Stephanie eyed Ericka warily for a moment than turned and went back to her locker. It was depressing that just last year they where inseparable. Now Stephanie’s stormy grey eyes where turning green. At the cold shoulder Ericka turned to face me pretending that Steph wasn’t there. “I’m so psyched for the meet! The best of the best are going to be there.” She said, her bronzed face lighting up at the thought of all the competition.11

“Yeah but I am so not looking forward to the three hour bus ride upstate.” I said grabbing my last book and closing my locker with out even thinking about locking it. The locker next to mine slammed and Steph stormed away without even saying goodbye.12

I watched her walk away my heart sinking with each step she took. I wished that she would join us so she could come, but she refused to even talk about track. “Come on lets go to the locker room.” Ericka said pulling me down the hallway. I let her pull me away because there was no point in talking to Steph when she was mad. I’ll apologize when I get back tomorrow I thought. By then she will be cooled down.13

Entering the locker room I was greeted by the faces of my second family. Compared to other sports, no one ever thinks of track being a team sport. We were so close though, even the social groups that existed during the school hours disintegrated once you stepped foot in the locker room.14

I was bombarded by greetings as I made my way to my locker with Ericka close behind. I was popular if only on the team, being the best distance runner in the school does have its perks. Finally making it there, me and Ericka quickly changed. I had many strange habits, Ericka knowing all of them. While the rest of the team like to gossip before a meet I prefered the silence and Ericka gladly joined me.15

We sat by the back door where the busses would pick us up. Me in the corner and Ericka sitting on the radiator. I leaned my head back eyes closed, Ericka cleared her throat. “It will be so cool staying in the hotel over night with out our parents.” She said, she was completely disregarding my rule. But I could tell she sounded way more nervous than excited so I forgave her.16

I stayed silent for a few moments this was Ericka’s first time really being away from home. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” I said.17

We sat there in silence for fifteen minutes even though I could tell she had something to say. Her words hung in the air like a weight that could only be lifted if voiced. But the weight of it made it almost impossible to speak, so she remained silent and the words remained.18

I opened my eyes when I heard the busses pull up five seconds later. Foot steps and incomprehensible chatter became closer and closer. The team was coming. It took only a few more seconds for them to come in to view. Ericka and I quickly stood up when we saw Kevin other wise known as Mr. Kirkwood a.k.a our coach.19

Dressed in track sweats he looked too young to be my social studies teacher. His light brown hair was chopped in to a crew cut to make him look older. Also to get the same effect he always has some sort of stubble. He was closely followed by the rest of the team. They where all laughing and joking. 20

He looked at me with his ice blue eyes. Since this was his second year coaching as well as teaching, he also knew my habits by now. With a silent greeting I started walking next to him, Ericka never leaving my side.21

The bus ride was worse than my math class. It was three hours long and I could barely survive forty minutes. About an hour and a half in to the ride I could not stay conscious. Lost in my thoughts it was impossible to tell when I fell asleep.22

I am terrified of the dark and have been since I was little. I am telling you this so you know exactly why this dream affected me so badly. It was pitch black, I could not even see my own hand when I put it in front of my face. Screaming filled the air, and I searched for its source. But no matter how far I walked it was still dark and the screaming got louder and louder. I felt overcome with despair and loneliness causing me to start frantically searching for the screams. If I found its source than maybe I wouldn’t feel so alone.23

Out of the blue there was a patch of light alone like me in the darkness. I made my legs move faster eager to get out of the darkness. The moment I stepped in to the light the screaming ceased, but strangely I felt a greater unease than before. In the center of the light was a mirror, a giant old fashion type of mirror that was made out of gold. I started walking towards it as if I was being pulled by some sort of force. Then I stopped in front of it and let out an ear shattering scream. This girl can not possibly be me I thought my breath quickening. But it almost looked just like me. This girl's eyes where a little more sunken in, this girl's skin was a little more grey. This girl that was staring back at me was dead.24

“Ashley, Ashley wake up.” Said a voice pulling me out of my nightmare. I opened my eyes to see Ericka’s concerned face staring at me. “You where crying … plus we are almost there.” She said looking past me avoiding my eyes. I put my hand to my cheek it was warm and wet. She was telling the truth, I was crying.25

She didn’t ask what my dream was about and I didn’t bring it up. That was one thing I really liked about Ericka, she let you have your privacy. On the other hand if this happened with Stephanie I would have to give her every detail, including my inner most thoughts.26

I quickly forgot about the dream when we arrived at the college the meet was going to be held at. A wave of excitement went through me, this was my chance to prove myself. Walking out with Ericka I looked at the big school. We were supposed to sign in here then spend the night at a hotel nearby. The sun was setting around the massive school surrounded by forest. The leaves around the school where changing from dark greens, to fiery reds and pale yellows. Every thing about the campus was beautiful.27

“Let’s go ladies.” Kevin said walking with a skip towards the building. I followed closely behind, but my feet seemed to drag. I had no idea why but I had a horrible feeling and the farther away we got from the bus, The Worse It Got.