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Indigo stretched lazily in her bed, pulling the covers up around her ears, smiling happily. No school today. She\u2019d slept in for the first time in a while, glad for the day off. She paused. A day off. She sobered instantly. For her and her friends, there was no such thing as a day off. They hated it, but they had no choice. It was the life they\u2019d chosen years ago. None of them ever thought that it would come to this, though. The running. The hiding. All of the endless waiting and looking over their shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n There were no sounds in the bunk below her, as she had expected. Looking across the room to the small cot she saw that it, too, was empty. The dorm the three of them shared was really only supposed to house two students but they\u2019d convinced the housing authority to let the three of them stay together even if it meant some slightly cramped quarters. It was safer that way.<\/span><\/p>\n I should have some breakfast,<\/i><\/span> Indigo said to herself, climbing out of bed while trying to avoid hitting her head on the roof. <\/span>I should make lunch, too. It would be nice to get out and enjoy the local scenery. It\u2019s not home but Elysium Valley is still a lovely place. Perhaps Ari would like to come.<\/i><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Walking into the kitchen she picked up the device the humans called a phone, dialing the number of the place he was staying at. Ari was staying with some of the boys from their school. The school didn\u2019t allow the dorms to be coed so he\u2019d been assigned to a dorm elsewhere on campus. From what he\u2019d said it was a four-person dorm with a vacancy and his roommates were nice enough. One of them was in her history class, as it happened, though she couldn\u2019t quite recall his name. Human names were difficult to remember. It had taken them months to practice the ones they were using.<\/span><\/p>\n After a few rings someone on the other end picked up. \u201cHello?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGood morning. Is Ari there?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll go get him.\u201d There was the sound of the receiver being placed on a hard surface and footsteps walking away, then footsteps approaching again. Someone picked up the receiver.<\/span><\/p>\n A familiar voice came over the phone line. \u201cHello?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTide\u2019s blessings. Did you sleep well?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHey, Indigo. What\u2019s on your mind?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had the urge to go out and enjoy the local scenery. Would you like to come with us? There\u2019s a park not far from our dorm that I think would be nice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSure! Just one little problem, though. Teir\u2019s supposed to help me with my homework this afternoon. I\u2019m having some trouble understanding this novel I\u2019m studying but he says he\u2019s read it before and he\u2019ll help. Do you mind if he tags along?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTeir!\u201d Indigo snapped her fingers. \u201c<\/span>He\u2019s<\/i><\/span> the one in my history class. I guess that would be alright, but I don\u2019t know what Ember has in mind. If it has something to do with\u2026 you know, or just a picnic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOne never quite knows what goes through that mind of hers. And you know her better than any of us.\u201d Ari sighed. \u201cI\u2019ll see if he wants to come. I\u2019ll warn him about Ember beforehand, though, just to be on the safe side.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo, what time am I supposed to meet you guys there?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAbout lunch time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOk, see you there. Bye.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBye.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Teir walked into the room as Ari hung up the phone. \u201cWho was that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat was my friend Indigo. My friends are meeting at the park for lunch and wanted to know if I\u2019m coming along. Indigo said it\u2019s ok if you tag along.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cKousei and Yan were planning on going to the park, too. I think Kousei was planning on playing some basketball with Corentin and Yan\u2019s working on some weird art project for school. Do any of you friends do that kind of stuff?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHunter and Ember. Hunter is more into sports than Ember, especially active ones like basketball. On the other hand, she\u2019s dangerous to play with; she takes full contact to a different level.\u201d He rubbed his head, wincing. \u201cBelieve me, I made that mistake one too many times. Ember\u2019s more musically inclined, but she plays sports on occasion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI guess I\u2019ll come along. The fresh air will be good for me after being in classrooms and lecture halls all week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ember and Hunter sat down on a park bench, both out of breath. They\u2019d been running around the park for hours all in the name of exercise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is what I get for letting you talk me into a morning jog,\u201d Ember gasped.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou knew full well what you were getting yourself into,\u201d Hunter replied. She wasn\u2019t quite as out of breath as Ember. \u201cAh great.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLook over there. It\u2019s them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ember groaned. \u201cOne\u2019s missing, though, the tall one with the brown hair. What\u2019s his name again?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTeir, I think. Didn\u2019t Ari say he was living with them?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPoor guy. Wait, what are they doing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Hunter looked disgusted. \u201c<\/span>Ei<\/i><\/span>. They\u2019re coming this way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGood morning!\u201d Kousei said, waving cheerfully at the girls. \u201cYou\u2019re in some of our classes at Stargazer, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ember looked down her nose at him, an impressive feat considering that she was sitting. \u201cSome.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Kousei Prince and this is my friend Yan Diamono.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI know who you are. You can\u2019t take two steps on campus without seeing basketball posters.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat are your names?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEmber Dragon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHunter St.John.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDragon, huh?\u201d Kousei said. \u201cThat\u2019s not a last name you hear very often.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ember stood and planted her hands on her hips. \u201cYou have a problem with it?\u201d she snarled.<\/span><\/p>\n Kousei blanched and backed away. \u201cNo, that\u2019s not it at all. It\u2019s cool, actually.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPff. Whatever.\u201d Ember shook her head. \u201cI have better things to do.\u201d She walked away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Hunter rolled her eyes and followed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPass the chips, Ari,\u201d Hunter said, picking up a plate.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s your third helping,\u201d Teir observed. \u201cAll that salt isn\u2019t good for you. Maybe you should have some vegetables?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Hunter wrinkled her nose. \u201cNo veggies, thanks,\u201d she said, grabbing a piece of jerky. \u201cAt least this has some semblance of flavour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Just then, Kousei and Yan showed up. Kousei, spotting Ember, grinned. \u201cYo!\u201d he said cheerfully and sat down beside her. Ember rolled her eyes and continued eating.<\/span><\/p>\n Hunter narrowed her eyes. \u201cWhat are you two doing here?\u201d she growled.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCool it Hunter,\u201d Ari warned. \u201cI invited them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re going to fight, please try not to get any blood on the blanket, alright?\u201d Indigo asked, picking up her book and began to read. \u201cThe old one is completely unusable now.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yan wrinkled his nose. \u201cI\u2019m not even going to ask what you\u2019re eating, Hunter. It looks like leather.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s what\u2019s left of my old boot,\u201d Hunter said, tearing off a piece. \u201cWant some?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPlease tell me you\u2019re joking,\u201d Yan gagged.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHer mouth is open and words are coming out,\u201d Ari said. \u201cOdds are good that she\u2019s joking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Hunter socked him in the shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Act 03: A day in the Park\u00a0 <\/p>\n Indigo stretched lazily in her bed, pulling the covers up around her ears, smiling happily. No school today. She\u2019d slept in for the first time in a while, glad for the day off. She…… <\/p>\n
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