1 BIRTHDAY GIRL

It was dark. So dark that she couldn't see a thing. Standing in the darkness, Amari panted. She could feel it. Something was coming. Something she had never felt before. It felt like pure evil.

She held her breath and waited. And then she felt its presence. Amari screamed when she felt something slimy touch her leg. She tried to shake it off her leg but it wouldn't let go. It curled around her ankle and just kept curling up her leg. Amari kept screaming, shaking her leg as she screamed.

Suddenly she heard her name, "Amari."

The voice was painfully familiar.

She stopped fighting whatever was crawling up her leg and turned in the direction of the voice.

There was her mother, standing and smiling at her. Her dark hair was silk and was shining in the darkness. Her emerald green eyes were enchanting. She seemed to be glowing, like practically glowing in a golden flame, which was why Amari could see her in the darkness.

Slowly, Amari saw her mother's face dissolve into a frown. "They are coming Amari. They are coming for you..."

The sudden buzzing of the alarm made Amari jerk awake with a gasp. She reached out and turned the alarm off, and then she sat up on the bed.

"Damn these freaking dreams!" she cursed and started to get off the bed.

*****

"Hey pumpkin, slept well?" her father's deep masculine voice greeted her ears as soon as she stepped into the kitchen dressed in jeans and a crop top. She was putting on a wedge sandals and had her hair up to a messy bun.

Amari was tall enough for her age. Everyone said she got her height from her dad. She was a blonde like her father but she had her mother's emerald green eyes. Amari was undeniably beautiful and she had just the right amount of feminine curves.

Jake conat was already dressed for work. In his brown and tan sheriff uniform shirts and pants with a leather cordovan basketweave duty gear. He was putting on a sturdy pair of police boots and a hat. A sheriff's hat. His uniform bore a star-shaped badge. Amari's father, Jake Conat, was a cop, and not just any cop. He was the county sheriff.

Jake was pretty young, in his early thirties, and he was devilishly handsome too. Blonde with hazel eyes. Amari could barely keep up with the passes ladies would often throw at her father whenever they were together. They clearly didn't mind that he had a grownup daughter like her.

"Hey dad, good morning. I slept alright," Amari muttered, leaning in to peck on her father's cheek.

He smiled at her, and then turned to the table to pick up the two plates of pancakes he had just served. He started for the dinning room and she followed him, grabbing a gallon of milk and a jar of strawberry jam from the refrigerator.

"Feeling excited about tomorrow?" her father asked as they both took their respective seats in the dinning table, across of each other.

"Well, I don't know... Tomorrow is just another day, like every other day," was her reply as she opened the strawberry jam and started to pour some of it on top her pancakes.

Mr Jake Conat started to pour Amari a glass of milk. He passed it to her after he had poured it out and she smiled.

"Tomorrow you turn sixteen," he reminded.

"So what? Big deal!" she blurted out and took a bite of her pancakes, smiling as she chewed.

"Come on Amari, turning sixteen is a big deal... You are practically turning into a young adult tomorrow," he said.

"Whatever dad," Amari said and stood up, sipping from her glass of milk and returning it back on the table.

Just then, a car honked outside and Amari's green eyes turned to look out the window across her.

"Your ride is here. Be good at school today, okay?" her father said, standing up and giving her a peck on her cheeks.

"I am always good at school, dad," Amari said, and then reached for the jacket she had hung on one of the chairs in the dinning room.

"You will be back home for dinner today, right?" she asked, searching his hazel eyes.

"Of course sweetheart, of course," he replied and pulled her into his embrace. He kissed her forehead when he released her. The car honked outside again.

"Bye dad. Have a good day at work and stay safe," Amari said, grabbing her bag and waving her father goodbye. He waved her back with a smile.

"Took you forever birthday girl," Claire attacked as soon as Amari got into her car. Amari glared at her and she chuckled.

"So, what is the plan for tomorrow?" Clarie asked as she started the car. Her brown eyes moved momentarily to peer into her best friend's face.

"What plan? Just stop Claire, let's just go to school," Amari replied.

Claire simply shrugged her shoulders, and then tucked in the few strands of lose hair behind her ear, before she hit on the ignition and the car sped away.

*****

Amari pushed her locker closed and turned only to catch him staring. She smiled. She still didn't get why he wouldn't just talk to her. She smiled again, and then started to walk away, towards the passageway way that led to the chain of laboratories.

Her eyes were captivating, her smiles enchanting. Nathan swallowed as he watched her walk away.

"You know, you could just talk to her," Diane said, approaching him.

Diane was cute. Average height. Red haired with greenish-blue eyes and a plum figure.

Nathan rolled his eyes at Diane, closed his locker and started to walk away. She followed him.

"It's happening tomorrow by the way," Diane said and just then the cold and aloof Nick joined them. Although his lips were pressed together and his expression was solemn, Diane still found him very handsome and she was sure that she wasn't the only one.

As they walked, people passed glances of admiration at them. Nick could be said to be devilishly handsome. Nathan on the other hand could be said to be handsome like an angel.

Nathan had chestnut brown hair and ocean-blue eyes and as expected of an athlete, he had quite the build.

"I know. Tomorrow everything changes," Nathan said, his voice solemn.

"Do you think she knows though?" Nick asked.

"I guess we will find out soon enough," came Diane's reply.

******

"Hey, over here," Claire waved at Amari as soon as she stepped into the lab. Amari smiled, and walked to her side.

"Hey Amari," Lucas, who was sitting beside Claire on the other side, greeted.

"Hey Lucas... You were late today, is everything okay?" Amari asked and Lucas heaved in a deep breath.

"His mom was at it again this morning. It was kinda bad," Clarie replied in his stead.

"I am so sorry Lucas," Amari said, giving him a comforting smile.

Lucas was taller than most teenagers his age. He had dark black hair and brown eyes.

"Thanks Amari," Amari heard Lucas say just as her eyes started to trail towards the door, where Nathan, Nick, Diane and the twins Stephen and Stephanie, were just stepping in.

Her eyes followed them, especially Nathan, up until when they found a seat and got settled.

"He is cute, we all know!" Dramatic Claire started and Amari turned to look at her, and then rolled her eyes at her.

"Okay students, let us get settled," Mrs Bridget said as she stepped into the lab. The entire classroom became serene.

"Okay now turn your textbooks to page 307... Take the beaker in front of you and..." As the teacher spoke, Amari eyes drifted to Nathan again. He was staring at her, just like she expected. His ocean-blue eyes seemed to be drowning her soul, inch by inch.

Her lips parted slightly as she just kept looking at him, until she heard Claire clear her throat dramatically and her eyes flew back to the teacher.

At the sound of the siren, Amari flew to the restroom. Her head had just suddenly started to ache. She kept hearing her mother's voice saying, "They are coming Amari, they are coming for you!"

In the sink, she let the water wet her hair slightly, and then she washed her face. Her eyes flew to her wristwatch, it was past 4pm. She had music class to get to. Her most favorite class.

Drawing a sharp breath, she steadied herself, and then started to make her way out of the restroom.

As soon as she opened the door, there he was, gazing at her with worried eyes.

"Nathan!" she blurted out in a rather surprised tone.

He smiled. "You know my name?" his tone was questioning.

"Who doesn't? You are the basketball legend of Beverly hills high," she said, her expression relaxing. They were talking! They were finally talking!

"Are you okay?" he asked and she saw that the worry in his eyes were still there. He was worried about her? She raised an eyebrow.

"You umm, you rushed in there quite fast. I umm, thought you were..." his voice trailed off as his eyes loomed over her face, settling on her damp hair, and then down the little part of her upper top that was wet.

"I am fine, I just... I am having a headache is all," she said.

He started to take off his jacket. Her eyes flew wide open. What was he doing? she wondered.

"You will catch a cold if you keep wearing that," he said and started to give it to her.

She accepted it with a smile. Even though she knew that she had a dry jacket in her locker.

"Umm, see you around, Amari," he said and started to leave.

She chuckled as she watched him leave. He knew her name!

******

She couldn't sleep. She kept hearing their chants. She couldn't exactly make out what they were saying though. They were speaking in sharp whispers.

She kept seeing flashes of silhouettes under the moonlight surrounding a bonfire.

Jumping off her bed, Amari rushed to the window and opened the curtains. It was empty outside. Empty and quiet.

She heaved in a deep breath realizing she wasn't exactly hearing anything anymore, and then she returned to bed.

*****

"Wake up birthday girl, we have got a busy day today," Amari woke up to Clarie shaking her awake and speaking in a loud voice.

"Go away Claire, it's Saturday, I want to sleep in," Amari complained in a groggy voice.

"Not happening darling, it is your birthday, get up, we need to get you an outfit for your birthday party later today," Claire muttered and Amari jerked up.

"Birthday party? What birthday party?" Amari asked. Claire didn't say anything, she just grinned, and that was all the answer Amari needed.

"You and my dad are impossible... I clearly said that I didn't want a party," Amari said, frowning.

"Come on girl, you only turn sixteen once. I am not going to let you miss out on having the time of your life today," Claire said and started to practically drag Amari out of bed.