2 The Shadows

Aja jolted from her dream covered in sweat, tangled in her covers and sheets. She unwrapped herself from her bed and rubbed her eyes tiredly this was the eighteenth dream like this, this month. What was up with that? At least she hadn't woken up screaming like she did with dreams that end worse than this. She heard the rain pitter, pattering against her window in the April spring morning and groaned, it was going to soak everything and everyone with it. As she laid down and turned around to go back to sleep, She caught sight of her clock. 6:30. She sat up at, grab some clothes, and rushed to the bathroom. She was so going to be late if she didn't hurry.

  Aja was an average girl with her frame a bit small and long straight Ombre purple hair that she had to dye at least every month to keep it that way and big clear blue eyes. They almost seemed unnatural to most people. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and washed her face, put on her t-shirt, jeans, socks and grabbed her converse and hoodie as she ran down stairs.

 She could smell bacon and eggs in the kitchen as she rushed by to grab her bag she stuck on her shoes and was about to go when she realized she had forgotten her homework on the kitchen table. So she went back. Her dad was trying to feed the twins who however kept spitting it back out at each other then giggling. Her mom turned around. Aja's mom was a petite woman with her long brunette hair that has a streak of silver tied up in a bun. She was wearing her favorite pajamas with a robe over them. "Hey honey, want breakfast before you go?" she was saying as she set the food on the table.  "No... well ...you know what, i'll have a piece of bacon and maybe some toast. But I have to hurry and go before I miss the bus. "she said as she grabbed her homework and shoved it in her bag. Then grabbed a piece of toast and bacon. "Ok, also sweetie..." she yelled at Aja as she was running to the door." Yeah?" she paused. Her mom smiled " Happy Birthday, and come straight home after school today we need to talk about something. "she yelled as Aja ran out the door to go to the bus stop. "K, love you, bye" she yelled as she ran out the door with her things. She slung her bag over her shoulder and ate her toast hurriedly.

 As she got to the bus stop she saw her friend Cora waiting for her. Cora had her blue/green ombre hair tied back into a messy bun. She was wearing her favorite hoodie, some jeans, and her lucky red converse. She was carrying a blue umbrella. Aja cursed herself for forgetting to bring her purple one from the entry hall coat closet. She saw the tree behind Cora and immediately thought of an idea. She snuck around the back to the tree and started to climb. As she climbed up she thought, this is going to be fun, she got to the lowest branches over Cora and looked down to make sure that she was over a spot she could drop and not hurt Cora she saw Keith her other best friend join Cora. Keith had on his new jacket, a flash shirt, some old navy jeans, and his green converse. Oh this just got even better, she wondered as she angled herself so that she could land behind them. How had they not noticed her with her purple hair yet. They were starting to talk so she sat there and listened to them while she planned what she would say to them when she landed. "Have you seen Aja yet?" Cora was saying. "Nope, not yet." Keith said looking around for her. Why was it that no one looked up? This is why the people in horror movies usually die, they won't look up until It's too late. Cora's face turned to a pout. " She better not be late again, last time she got detention for two weeks for how late she was." At this point she was tired of their groaning so she jumped down behind them saying, " Your exaggerating I only had detention for two days." Landing flat on her feet. She smiled and began to laugh as they jump out of their skins. Keith put his hands on his chest "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again." he wheezed out. He took out his inhaler and took a breath. Cora sat there staring at her in horror. Hyperventilating a bit. When she calmed down she took a deep breath, rolled her eyes and began to moan " Why me, why of all people, why do you do this to me?" Aja snicker.  Oh, this was turning into a great day for her, she couldn't wait to see what happened next. "Wait, how did you land like that? Didn't you hurt something?" Keith said with concern checking her to see if anything was broken or scratched. "Yeah, how did you do that? That branch was high up there." asked Cora." I honestly have no idea how, But I can tell you it was fun." Aja said as she poked them. They started to poke her back. Just then the bus arrived. As they were getting on something caught Aja's eye she turned around to see a shadow of a figure in the tree where she had been a few minutes earlier. She blinked, when she opened her eyes the shadow was gone. "Aja, come on or the bus is going to leave." she heard Cora say. She turned around "Coming, I just thought that I saw something." she said as she climbed the steps of the bus.