Ascension

Chapter 2

My new school isn't any smaller than my old one. Both have somewhere in the neighborhood of three thousand students. But this one seems more intimidating somehow. It's a lot newer and much nicer than my old school—which should probably be less frightening—but everyone around us looks so peppy, and sparkly, and bouncy, and the twins are going to fit right in. I'll never be able to blend here.

Before any of us get out of the car, Elena turns around from her spot in the passenger seat—of course they made me squish in the backseat even though I'm a head taller than them—and sneers at my outfit. "I can't believe that is how you chose to look on you first day."

I look down at my jeans and my favorite Chris Bryant T-shirt. "What's wrong with this? It's just jeans and a T-shirt."

"Exactly, just jeans and a T-shirt. And your hair is just in a ponytail, and you don't have any makeup on. Really, Sydney, take some pride in your appearance."

I scoff. "If I had gotten all cute, you'd be pissed that I was trying to call too much attention to myself. I'm trying to be low key, which you asked me to do. Believe it or not, I didn't enjoy what happened in Chicago. Psycho stalkers aren't romantic. They're scary. I don't want a repeat of it."

Elena's eyes narrow, but Eli stops her from snarking back. "She's right, Lena. It's better if she downplays everything. You don't want to have to move again, do you?"

Elena rolls her eyes and turns around to reapply her lip gloss in the vanity mirror. "Whatever."

When we get out of the car, I move next to Eli, but Elena grabs his arm and pulls him away from me. "Stay away from us today. There're enough kids at this school that people won't necessarily have to know we're related."

I huff out an exasperated breath. She's unbelievable. My eyes move to Eli, and though a look of guilt crosses his face briefly, he shrugs. "That's probably best." He cringes and rubs his hand over the back of his neck. "It's just that we always get so much attention being twins and all, and when you're with us it's worse because you look so different. You know we'll be in the popular crowd. If you really want to keep off the radar here, you should stay away from us."

Well. At least he's being nicer about ditching me. At least he's pretending he's saying it with my best interests in mind. But we all know neither of them have ever liked me hanging out with them. They have their special twin thing, and they hate when I steal any attention away from them. The fact that I look so different from them—exotic almost—always gets everyone's attention. And not that I want to hang with them, or care to be in the popular crowd, but it really bugs me that Eli's right. If I want to blend, I need to be far away from my siblings.

"Whatever," I mumble. "I'll count to thirty before I walk in."

Elena gives me a relieved smile as she weaves her arm through Eli's. "Thanks. Good luck today."

"Yeah, you too," I mutter.

I lean against the car as I watch them head toward the school and don't start walking until they disappear. Once I hit the front steps, I immediately head for my first class. I want to be there in time to grab a seat in the back.

"Hey, new girl."

The low voice is quiet, but it comes from so close behind me that I nearly jump out of my skin. A small yelp escapes me as I whirl around.

My gorgeous neighbor backs up a step, holding both hands up in apology. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

My heart is racing, only it isn't from the scare. He's even more beautiful up close. He's wearing his riding jacket, but it's unzipped and beneath it he has on a faded Metallica T-shirt. So he's gorgeous and has good taste in music. If he likes sports and is a good cook, I'll marry him right now.