Lightning Dust - Chapter 1

Ms. Gracie’s class was always the worst. She was likely one of the strictest, most boring teachers that taught the eighth grade at Dellville Middle School, and she taught one of the most boring subjects as well. Andrew – or Andy, as he preferred to be called by his friends – wasn’t even sure why they needed to know anything about the wars, or anything else of that sort. After all, Dellville barely even took part in any wars, thanks to a certain local superhero, which brought them to learning about what every other state, country, or wherever did during the time.
Again. Unnecessary. Especially when it was first thing in the morning, when he’d much rather be relaxing in something easy such as Tech Ed or Art; he would even settle for Science, at this point.
Andy flopped down in his seat; second row, next to the window on the left side of the room that allowed him to look out at the front of the school and begin daydreaming as he watched the cars zoom by far down the road rather than listening to the day’s lesson. All other students filed into the class and took their own respective seats, and as Andy looked up to see the familiar girl with the short black hair that had a blue streak in her long bangs, her outfit consisting of darkly shaded blue jeans and a unique pink long-sleeve sweater with a blue-and-turquoise-checked stripe across the middle and a plain white dress shirt visible from the slight v-neck that the sweater bore, he froze. Searched the class. Leaned forward a bit to see if anyone was left in the hallway. Leaned back, turning his head to the empty seat next to his own. He looked up at the girl again, just as she did the same to him. “Kailey…” he started, but she beat him to the finish. “Didn’t see him.” she stated softly, so that Ms. Gracie wouldn’t catch their voices just as she entered the class and slammed the door shut. Andy tugged at the sleeve of his blue long-sleeved shirt nervously, the pair of friends straightening up in their seats when the teacher sat at her own desk in front of the class, her black-turned-grey hair up in the usual tight bun and her lips pursed judgingly as she examined the pages on her desk.
Kailey sat in the row behind Andy – had she been sitting in the same row as her blond-haired friend, she’d be next to the empty seat as well, except on the right side instead of the left. Therefore, this allowed her to see as Andy quietly slipped his phone out of the pocket of his grey sweatpants, typing in a quick message that she didn’t have time to read before he sent it and quietly tucked his phone away once more, looking up when the older teacher got up from her seat once more, keeping a clipboard with the attendance list in her hand as she did and picking up a pencil at the same time, her olden-style glasses going down slightly on her nose. She began to call out the names in the class; in alphabetical order, last-name-wise. Andy bit his lip hard, looking over at Kailey as she mouthed ‘Do something’ to him desperately. Damn it, Klaus… Andy thought in annoyance, turning to face the front yet again. If I get into trouble, you owe me for this… Again.

Klaus Melfton had a bad habit of getting distracted while on his bike. Even with his schoolbag strapped on his back, he always ended up losing himself in the moment as he rode down the sidewalk as fast as he could, his dark chocolate brown hair and his red long-sleeve shirt whipping around in the wind and the sun warm on his skin. So who could blame him if he just rode around town for a little bit? No harm done. Until, of course, his iPhone beeps, and he’s forced to skid to a stop. He sighed in disappointment; keeping one foot on the ground to keep him propped up on his bike as he whipped out the phone, unlocked it with his passcode, and read the new text message. He froze, a look of panic and worry coming to his features.

dude, get over here already. your late!!

“… Shit.” Klaus cursed under his breath before he slapped his phone back into the pocket of his jeans and sped off once more – this time towards the school, as he was supposed to.

“Um, Ms. Gracie?” Andy interrupted, just as she got to the “L” section on the attendance list. She gave him a glare as she looked up from her list. “Kellson. Your name was already called.” she stated flatly. “Um… Yes! I-I mean yes, I know, but I think you may have missed someone?” he explained, sounding innocent. “No, I don’t believe I did.” was the growl that she offered coldly in response. Andy smirked, sitting up straight as he folded his hands and placed them on his desk. “Care to prove me wrong?” he challenged with a raised brow. She simply glared for a moment before she moaned in defeat, and started the list back at the beginning. Andy avoided giving a sigh of relief as his form relaxed once more, slumping back in his seat with his arms falling back to his sides and glancing out the window in hopes of seeing Klaus bolting to the door. Nothing.
It didn’t take overly long for the ‘national anthem’ to begin playing over the speakers, and everyone had to get up from their seats while it played through. Andy kept glancing at the window, finally double-taking when he saw a familiar red, orange-and-yellow-streaked bike coming down through the parking lot, to the bicycle rack. Andy couldn’t help but sigh this time. The anthem began to grow quiet, and he quickly knocked on the window in hopes of getting Klaus’s attention while he locked his bike up. His friend did in fact turn his head up to the top floor’s window, to see Andy frantically mouthing to him ‘Get up here!!’ while he glanced over in the direction of the teacher, then back to Klaus, his eyes keeping an almost panicked look to them the whole time. Klaus immediately nodded, making for the front doors as fast as his feet could carry him.
Meanwhile, Andy turned his attention back to Ms. Gracie. “Well! We can’t have our anthem interrupting us, can we?” he stated loudly. “Might as well start over again, hm?” He was surprised that the woman didn’t launch a textbook at his head. Rather, she figured she’d humour him, and started over once more. After a small amount of time of speeding through the names, she was nearing the “M” section. Just before she could start, however, there was a knock at the classroom’s door, and everyone looked over curiously.
Ms. Gracie seemed to give a furious growl before she stalked over to the door, her high heels clicking on the floor as she did so. She whipped the door open, looked from side to side. She didn’t even see Klaus sneak into the classroom behind her on quiet feet, rushing to his seat next to Andy. The boy sighed in relief as the brunette sat himself down in the formerly-empty seat, panting slightly. Kailey rolled her eyes, smirking. “How long was that?” Klaus wheezed out with a smile as he looked over at Andy, setting his binder down on his desk. Andy looked over at the clock on the wall. “About… Two and a half minutes, approximately?” he responded. Klaus immediately did a silent cheer, accompanied with a fist pump. “Do you only care about setting records for yourself?” Kailey wondered with a giggle. Klaus gave a toothy smile, appearing quite cocky. “Well, I-”
“Mr Melfton!!”
Klaus flinched upon hearing his name – or, really, his last name – in such a violent tone, and he turned to be facing the front of the class. “Huh?! O-oh, yeah!” He smiled calmly, clearing his throat a little before he rested his head on the palm of his hand, elbow propped on his desk and his head seeming slightly tilted from the weight being put on his hand. “Here.” he stated in a nonchalant fashion. Ms. Gracie raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly herself. “It’s cute how you think me an idiot, Klaus.” she stated. His expression immediately fell. “To the office with you. You can come back once you have your late-slip.” the teacher explained, seeming pleased that she got to send him to the office for the fourth time this week – and to think, it was only Wednesday. Klaus moaned loudly, dragging himself out of his seat in a sluggish fashion and heading to the door. He snatched the hall pass from Ms. Gracie’s hands when she waved it in front of him mockingly, and he examined it slightly as he went out the door, shutting it behind him and heading down to the office. Andy sighed. “Well… You guys were close, at least?” Kailey stated, hoping to lift his mood at least a little. Andy offered a small, half-hearted smile. “Yeah, I guess…” he agreed. His paler-shaded green eyes went wide, just as Kailey’s soft brown ones did, when the teacher snapped at them to be quiet, and they did as they were told, facing the front for good this time.

Making the day go by faster was something Klaus wished he could’ve done. Having Social Studies first period was bad enough. But following that had been Math class, which he had recently been feeling that he was just barely managing to trudge through with his marks. And then there was Healthy Living, which was simply a drag all together, no thanks to a certain substitute teacher with an impossible to pronounce name that Klaus forgot easily- unlike the torturous class she put them all through. Lunch couldn’t have possibly come any slower.
“Jeez… Am I the only one who’s starving?” he wondered aloud as he, Andy and Kailey went down the cafeteria line, picking out the items they wanted and placing them onto their plastic orange trays. “Trust me, you aren’t.” Andy assured. He reached for one of the wrapped sandwiches, but then caught sight of mayonnaise covering the ham and recoiled with an uneasy look. He shook his head and grabbed some grapes instead before continuing. “I swear my stomach turned into a baby Godzilla partway through Health class. You should’ve heard it moanin’.” he joked. “Dude. I do not want that image in my head.” Klaus chuckled as the trio headed off to their usual lunch table, allowing them to have a decent amount of space away from everyone else. The table wasn’t in the corner, though it was quite close to it, which was why no one ever ventured near it. The corner was ‘too dark to eat in’, most people claimed. Which was more than just a lie. It was just plain stupid.
Once they were all seated – Andy on his own on one side, whereas Kailey and Klaus sat next to each other on the other. They rotated who sat next to whom each day –, they began their usual chatter. It wasn’t long before Andy started with his usual vampire jokes. Of course, Klaus got some garlic bread just for the occasion, per usual.
He picked up the food item and waved it in Andy’s face, just as he began quoting the film Hotel Transylvania (“I do not go ‘Bleh, bleh, bleh’!!”) with his overly-dramatic ‘Dracula impression’, complete with a phoney, cheesy accent. Andy noticed quickly, and began his usual joke, right on cue. “No, no!! Not ze dreaded garlic on ze bread!! Anyzing but zat!!” he howled dramatically, pretending to shield himself from it with his arms. Both Klaus and Kailey were having a hard time not bursting into giggle fits at their overly dramatic friend. “Back, foul beast!!” Klaus snapped jokingly, shoving the garlic bread in Andy’s face and making it harder for him not to laugh. “Aaahhhh!! You have defeated me!!” Andy announced before faking his death; hands on his throat, he dramatically flopped onto his side in a fake choke. Klaus rolled his eyes, poking his friend’s head that rested on the table. “Oh, great Dracula! What is the cure for this dastardly crime?” Kailey asked dramatically, continuing their little ‘scene’. “Zere iz no cuuuure…” Andy drawled out ‘weakly’.
Suddenly his head shot up upon seeing a familiar red box on Klaus’s tray. “Wait!!” he corrected, snatching up the box of Pocky in a flash and causing both Klaus and Kailey to jump slightly from the sudden movement. “Zat iz ze cure!!” Andy smirked, opening the box for himself. Klaus let out a laugh, chucking the garlic bread at Andy’s head in annoyance. “I actually paid for that, asshole!!” he laughed out as his friend dug in anyways, laughing as well. “Your point?” Andy asked, his mouth now full. “You could buy a lifetime supply of these babies, if you really wanted to!” he finished. “Why, so you can steal them all from him?” Kailey wondered with a chuckle. Andy pointed at her with one of the Pocky sticks. “See? She gets it!” he exclaimed, looking back to Klaus as the boy rolled his eyes once more. “Yes, Andy. I’m gonna use my dad’s money just to buy you lifetime supply of Pocky.” he stated sarcastically. “You should.” Andy smirked before biting off the chocolaty top of the Pocky that was in his hand.
The conversation would’ve continued on, had they not been interrupted by a sudden burst of laughter from next to them, causing them all to turn their heads. Each released a groan upon seeing the teen in front of them, with her black hair back in the usual ponytail, her usual makeup on, and – of course – the usual group of snobs and bullies around her. “Well, well, well! If it isn’t Dummy, Dumber, and Dumbest, playing their stupid childish games once again.” Katrine Darsenia sneered mockingly, causing the group surrounding her to all laugh on their cue once she finished gesturing to Kailey, Andy and Klaus, in that order. Each of the three moaned in annoyance, Kailey turning her attention to her food as Klaus scoffed and Andy struggled not to punch their attacker straight in the jaw. Klaus cleared his throat and sat up straight, batting his eyes mockingly as he imitated Katrine in the brattiest and most ‘spoiled’ voice he could muster. “Well, well, well! If it isn’t Latrine, come to wave her fake boobs in our faces like the brainless slut that she is!!” he stated dramatically, smirking at Katrine upon hearing her growl. The dark-skinned boy to her left snickered. “Heh heh… He called you a latrine, instead of-” Katrine stomped on his foot hard with her red high-heels and he released a loud cry, instantly shutting his mouth. Her mocking smirk returned and she stared Klaus in the eye. He stared right back, his glare refusing to falter for her. He wouldn’t give her the pleasure.
After a moment she took a step back, shaking her head with a pout. “Oh, that’s cute… You’re like an angry puppy dog.” she smirked. Klaus’s scowl deepened with a grunt of annoyance. “Would you kindly screw off? We’re kinda trying to eat here.” Kailey finally spoke up, barely glancing up at them. Katrine turned her attention to the girl, blinking with wide eyes and a cruel smile. “Oh! What do you know? The ugly witch can talk, after all!” she remarked. Andy growled, shooting up from his spot with his fist raised. Katrine snapped her fingers. The blonde yelped when a familiar almost-pale-haired brunette punched him back down hard, chuckling afterwards at his victim. Klaus went to get up in defence of his friend, Kailey still wide-eyed from the action, when Andy raised a hand to stop him. “I’m fine… Don’t bother…” he wheezed out, pulling himself back into his seat. His attacker – Brandon Williams – went back to his previous position in the group, a step or two behind Katrine, to her left, with his arms now crossed. “That’ll teach ya…” he smirked, and the group’s snickering continued.
Klaus looked back at Andy, then over at Kailey. He huffed and he turned to Brandon, instantly getting to his feet and coming over. Katrine laughed. “Oh, you want a black eye too?” Brandon smirked, preparing himself for the punch by smacking his fist into the opposite palm and returning forward three steps. Klaus smirked. “Oh, try it! I’d love to see how much shit you get into when a ‘Dr. Melfton’ finds out who tried to smack his son’s brains out.” he spat, smirk disappearing in a pure instant about halfway through his threat as if it had never been there at all. The group in front of him faltered, and Katrine’s glare returned. Klaus turned to her. “I assure you; it won’t be pretty.” he growled out. It took her a moment of giving him the evil eye, but Katrine finally huffed and turned, waving her now hesitating group to come with her as she stalked away with her jet black ponytail bouncing along behind her, just like one of her dumb followers.
Klaus sighed in relief once they were out of hearing range, turning back around to see Andy trying to calm himself with a few deep breaths, as usual, and Kailey at his side, examining him to makes sure he wasn’t hurt too badly. “You sure you’re ok?” “I’m fine. I’ve been through much worse.” Andy answered quickly, trying not to snap at his friend. He looked up at Klaus as he sat back down, running a hand through his dark brown hair with a deep breath. “Thanks, dude.” Andy attempted a smile. Klaus looked up at him, then sighed, doing the same. It faded quickly, and he buried his face in his hands. “I hate bringing dad into these things…” he murmured, defeat in his tone. Kailey and Andy glanced at each other in worry, both them and Klaus looking up as the bell’s tone rang through the air. They all sighed. “Guess we better get to class…” Kailey stated quietly. There was a moment of silence, and none of them moved at first. Andy ended up being the first to get up from his seat, Kailey and Klaus following right after. They sure hated dealing with the Clique; but dealing with the gym teacher’s rage would be just as aggravating if they didn’t get a move on.