Angels Falling Down: Chapter Two

Chapter Two
Fallon

       

After the sun began to rise, I put my book into my knapsack along with the notes for my chemistry exam and the essay for history, and started to get ready for school. I dressed in black jeans slung low on my hips, a tight fit black t-shirt, a slim-fit hoodie, and black and blue Nikes, stopping only to run a quick brush through my long hair, apply a bit of mascara, and put some black eye-liner around my eyes. Once I was done, I took minute to examine myself in the mirror before I slung my knapsack over my shoulder and walked to the kitchen.

Many people think I’m Goth because of the way I dress, which is understandable considering how much black I wear, but I’m not, I’m one of those few people who refuse to be stereotyped. I guess the main reason that I wear so much black is because I’ve yet to completely get over my parent’s murders, and the way they came about. They’ve yet to catch the killer, and after what happened that night, what I remember of it that its,  it’s hard for me to believe they ever will.

Without giving Mary or Ben so much as a passing glance, I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowel on the counter and began my three mile hike to school.

        The thing about going to school in Bellum, Colorado is that it’s a rule that any kids above grade five, who live less than three miles from school, have to walk. I’m a fast walker, but it still takes me around half an hour to get there.

I walked through the doors of Bellum High, home of the Avenging Angels, with my head held high, and ignored the sympathetic looks that people always threw my way. As always not one of my friends waited for me by my locker-they world have to exist first. Not that I wouldn’t mind one of course. I used to have friends, just like I used to have parents, but when my mom and dad died, I guess my friends just didn’t know what to do or say around me anymore. On the other hand, I didn’t really make it easy for them- I couldn’t really tell them the truth about what had happened, and, unlike the police, they saw right through my lie, so they thought I didn’t trust them.

I sighed, opened my locker, and tossed my bag in.  I grabbed the materials for my morning classes- Lit., Calc, and Choir- and hurried to homeroom with Mr. McKee.

Mr. McKee, well, he’s not exactly what you’d call a role model, and by that I mean that the last time there was a school wide drug search, McKee was MIA by the time the dogs made it through the door, and was spotted on some back road in his van.

“Welcome to the fun zone Falon,” Mr. McKee greeted from his perch on top of his desk.

        “Morning, Mr. McKee,” I replied.

McKee ran his hand through his dark curly locks, and laughed like I’d just told the funniest joke making his blue eyes, as diailated as they were, sparkle, “Fall, when are you going to start calling me Mark like everyone else?”

“It’s only two weeks into the school year sir,” I answered.

“Still.”

I felt my lips twitch, “When you show up to work sober,” I paused and sniffed- yup, definitely more than a little booze.

He attempted to look surprised as well as offended- and failed miserably at both, “I am sober!”

At that, a quiet girl named Hannah looked up at him from her book and rolled her eyes, “Please, Mark, drop the act. We all know you’re higher than a kite.”

Mr. McKee tried again and his words slurred slightly, “Well I’m not drunk,”

He hopped off his desk and attempted walking around to prove his point and was surprised to find himself stumbling and having to grab onto his desk for support.

We all just raised an eyebrow and Mark muttered something under his breath about ‘annoying smartass kids’ as the bell rang.

The first part of the day passed slowly and when the bell rang to end choir I was the first one to burst out of the room. After grabbing my lunch I bolted to the doors and escaped to the outside.