• Niome peered around the room left, right, students, teachers and parents everywhere. All eyes were glued on her then a beat of sweat ran down her fore head she cautiously moved her right hand to the black and white checkered board in front of her and grabbed the queen to make her final move check mate. (Game set match niome wins) said the referee. A boisterous uproar filled the tiny library with lots of noise then a crowd started to run to congratulate the third time champion niome heartwood. Niome whipped the sweat from her fore head and slipped through the crowd to congratulated the mysterious boy she was up against the boy was sitting at a round table looking at his second place medal he had earned. The boy had pretty dark blue eyes filled with sorrow but blond silky hair. Good game niome said as she approached him slowly. The boy griped the silver medal in his fist tightly and stood up. He immediately glared at niome as if she had done something wrong. It wasn’t a good game he yelled… what is it that you want… do you want to rub your trophy in my face. The crowd looked over at the commotion that was happening and slowly infused niome to be the center of attention again. The boy turned around and walked away vanishing past the crowd till he was nowhere in sight. The referee handed niome a huge trophy that read Pittsburgh champion of 2012, when the commotion started to die down several minutes later and everyone finished congratulating niome she made her escape out the back door of the public library. I wonder what was with that boy niome thought as she started walking home. It irritated her to have to think about such a rude boy, but he was really cute. On her way home niome stopped at all the places she went to as a kid with her mother. A few blocks away from her house was a bakery that sold pastries, wine, cheese, and bread. Niome entered the shop without a moment’s hesitation even knowing that she forgot her purple wallet in her mom’s car. The smell of this place brings back memories she said as she looked at all of the delicious pastries and different kinds of bread. Niome walked up to the front counter of the bakery and dinged the bell a few times. (Hold on a second) a voice called out from the back. Then out from the back came an old lady who was carrying a pie and had an apron on. (Oh my… I believe my eyes are playing tricks on this old bag of bones) she said about to drop her fresh homemade pie. (Is that really you niome.) She set the pie on the counter to cool and hugged niome. She grabbed her face and kissed her on both sides of her cheek, (how long has it been my dear seven maybe eight years… when I last saw you were eight year old how old are you now my dear.) Niome looked at mrs.peter and smiled it truly had been too long mrs.peter I am 16 years old and I am in the tenth grade. (What brings you here to the bakery?) Mrs.peter said. Well I’m leaving for New York today and wanted to say good bye and thanks for everything. Mrs. Peter’s eyes widened as she stepped back to the counter… (Oh my, that certainly is a big surprise.) Her eyes started to tear up... (Well I don’t want to hold you back talking to me, you should hurry home and get to packing.) Tears started to flow down her wrinkled old face. Mrs.peter went to the back of the bakery once more and pulled out a huge plastic bag. She opened the bag, and put a whole bunch of pastries, bread and cheese in it. She also sneaked a bottle of wine in there hoping no one saw. She tied the plastic bag as tight as she could and staggered over to hand it to niome. (Take this as a token of my thanks and make sure you give the wine to your mother) she said wiping the tears from her face. Niome placed her hand over Mrs. Peter’s hands and sincerely said thank you. Niome grabbed the bag, and headed out the door glancing back to wave one last good bye to mrs.peter. As niome walked home she felt sorry for mrs.peter because her husband died 12 years ago she’s a widow and she can’t have kids of her own, Because of a car accident the happened to her when she was in her late 20s. The closest things she has to a family are the people in the community who come by to buy supplies from the bakery. I wish I could have done something to help her back then niome thought but its two late now. When niome got close to her home she saw the orange moving van and strange men loading up the rest of her moms packages with care. Hey niome her mother shouted it’s time to go so say your last good byes to the house and get in the car, time is money. Yea right time is money niome mumbled under her breath, as she walked in the vacant house. Up the stairs first right two doors down was niome’s old room. She opened the door, and shivered in shock at how empty her room was. Instead of a joyful feeling it once had this time it was different, as if she had just entered a different dimension. It gave off a cold dark aura that would make anyone shiver down to the spine, but niome felt a deep connection that she never felt before, but that feeling was slowly fading away. Niome smiled oh so tenderly and walked out the room closing her squeaky behind her. She went down the stairs and stepped outside, taking in a deep breath of fresh air to clear her mind. You ready honey her mother said anxious to leave the house, yes mother I’m ready to go. Niome jumped into the back seat of the car, and slammed the door. As they were pulling off from the curb niome glanced at the old dull house once more and silent said good bye. From Pittsburgh to New York niome’s mother said I think that will take us about three hours right honey, her mother turned around hoping to get a reply from niome but she was sound asleep. Niome’s mother pulled out a map from the glove compartment and charted a route all the way to New York. The next morning when they got there it was already about 7am, niome get up her mother yelled then she opened the door and niome came tumbling out hitting the concrete drive way. Niome sprang up with her face all red as if she was about to cry and yelled, what did you do that for I fell out and hit the floor mmh- right before niome can finish her sentence her mother covered her mouth with her hand and said pipe down you’ll give the new neighbors a bad impression of us. Realizing what she was doing niome removed her mother’s hand and started to whisper so where’s our new house niome said eagerly. Her mother pointed behind her to a large white house with two floors, a basement, and an attic with one circular window. Niome looked at the house in disappointment, and said that’s it? Niome’s mother scowled at her ungrateful daughter and grabbed her hand. They ran to the house and opened the door, she let go of her daughters hand to grab a picture that was sitting on a box in the house, and handed it to niome. The photo consisted of a happy family with a husband, a wife, and a cute baby girl. Niome crumbled the photo in her hand. I hate this photo niome said furiously I hate it I hate it I hate it. Niome’s mother rapped her arms around niome and hugged her tightly. It’s ok I know how hard it is to accept the fact about that man. But you got to get over it. Niome glared at her mom I will never forget what that man did to you and me. Niome stormed off up stairs to pick a new room. Three rooms including two bathrooms were up stairs, there were an attic and a basement in the house also. Niome ran upstairs and picked the room closest to the attic; she ran into the room and sat in the corner of the room. She uncrumbled the photo in her hand and looked at the happy family in the photo. Things can never go back to the way things use to be niome mumbled as tears started to flow down her face. Niome left the photo there and went to get her packages from the moving van after whipping her salty tears with her sleeve. By the time the packages were loaded off the vehicle, and inside it was already lunchtime. Niome went into the car, and took out an old sandwich from yesterday’s lunch. She sat on the porch of her new house and unwrapped the last half of her sandwich. Then a touch of a cold wet can tapped niome’s face. She glanced up to find her mom handing her an ice cold can of brisk ice tea. Niome grabbed the can and opened it. Where were you the whole time I was unpacking? Niome’s mother looked at her oh umm I was just taking care of some work on my laptop down stairs, she chuckled. You know you have school tomorrow, so you should hurry up and unpack your things. She bent down to kiss niome’s four hear and went back inside, to finish her work down stairs. Niome pressed the cool can of brisk against her face. It was nice in the middle of May after a hard day’s work with no help or support she thought. Niome switched back and forth from drinking her brisk only to stop to breath and take a few bites of her sandwich. When her sandwich was gone and the brisk was finished all that remained was an empty can and a clear sandwich bag that once rapped the full sandwich. Looking at the clear sandwich bag niome remembered the remnants of a memory that was long gone. The memory consisted of a wife and husband fighting over something important, the wife was crying and there was yelling, until everything stopped and the husband left her there crying on the floor. Niome glanced at her watch, time to go she thought as she got up and brought the last of her things inside. She carried the package all the way up to her room where she had put three other of her packages. One box had all of her most valuable treasures and memories, another box had her cloths in it, the other box that was red had her books in it, and the last box that she was carrying had her blanket and book bag filled with her school supplies in it. Niome set the box down and opened it, she took out a blanket and laided it out on the floor, she went to the corner of her room and picked up the old crumbled photo to place it in her memory box. Niome put out a set of cloths for tomorrow and crawled into her bed thinking about all the interesting people she will get to meet in the new school tomorrow till she fell asleep. The next morning niome removed the blanket and looked at her watch; it’s only six fifty-two she mumbled as she gently pulled the cover over her head. Several minutes later niome looked at her watch again, holy crap I have my first day of school today she yelled, niome hopped out of the cover and grabbed her set of cloths to put on. She ran into the bathroom and grabbed the brush that was on the sink to brush her long black hair, then she ran out the bathroom grabbed her back pack and ran down the stairs almost tripping on the last one. She ran out the door and looked up the street then down the street looking for the bus stop but instead saw a boy her age getting on a yellow bus further down the street, niome ran to the bus but by then it was all ready too late, the bus was long gone before she could even get close. I think the bus deliberately did that niome sighed, she gripped her book bag and threw it over her shoulder as if it was a satchel and slowly walked down the street to school. After fifteen minutes of walking which felt like an hour to niome she finally reached the new school know as Leona high school. Niome walked up to the front door and hesitated before opening it, she grabbed the knob and twisted it ever so slightly until the door opened. Step by step niome thought as she cautiously entered the school, scoping out the magnificent place before her, then she heard footsteps approaching her. Niome looked down the long hallway and saw a young lady about her age coming her way. Excuse me but are you the new transfer student niome heartwood the young lady asked. Niome nodded her head and said yes; good then please come with me then. The lady grabbed niome’s hand and dragged her to the principal’s office. Right before niome entered the lady said don’t say anything to make the principle up set, good luck. She opened the door and forcefully pushed niome in, wait I didn’t get your name niome yelled but the door all ready closed. Niome stood up straight and walked closer to the brown chair and desk that was in front of her. On the desk was a plate that read principle Kate. Excuse me miss I heard that you requested me, my name is niome heartwood. Then the large brown leather chair spun till it reached a stop facing niome, in the brown chair sat a beautiful woman maybe in her twenty’s, welcome to Leona high school niome. My name is Ms.kate she said. The principles voice was so heavenly and sweet niome thought, thank you very much principle Kate niome said. Please allow me to escort you to your class, the principle insisted as she got up from her chair and walked over to open the door. She smiled and walked out the room expecting niome to follow. And so she did niome followed the principle till they came to a stop in front of a noisy room, wait here Ms.kate said as she smiled, and walked into the room. When she entered, the room suddenly went quiet the principle poked her head out of the room and said you may enter. Niome entered the classroom with the principle standing next to her. Listen up everyone! This is niome heartwood and she will be entering this third semester, so be nice to her and show her around. The principle scoped around the room looking for an empty chair. There the principle pointed to an empty chair diagonal to a boy who was reading a science text book. The principle turned to the teacher who was sitting in the corner at her desk and glared… that will be all she said and walked out the room. The moment she walked out, the room got noisy again. A crowd of people headed towards niome as if they a pack of hungry wolves about to attack and niome was the helpless sheep. Within seconds niome was surrounded, and attacked one after another with questions. Until an overwhelming voice out powered everyone in the room. Sit down the voice said eagerly, when everyone sat down the young lady who escorted niome principle stepped up to the front of the classroom all eyes were on her. She wore glasses and a dress that was past her knees. You should all be ashamed of your self she yelled. She turned towards niome and smiled, I’m sorry you had to deal with that people these days have no manners oh by the way my name is cherly, but every one calls me cherry. Nice to meet you. I’m the class president so if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. Thanks niome replied, I hope you don’t mind but we have a tradition in this school, that when a new student comes each person in the class gets to ask one question. Niome looked at the class president and mumbled, this doesn’t help my problem at all. Cherly cleared her voice and stepped in front of the room. Ok then let the questions begin we start with the right bottom side and end with the top left side. Niome went along with the little game and after twenty three minutes of pointless questions, all that was left were three more people. The next person is maranda lynch cherly announced. Maranda stood from her chair and patted her red silk dress. Yea I have a question for you, maranda slouched to the side and folded her hands across her chest. My question is where did you get those ugly shoes from? Maranda chuckled along with two other girls sitting next to her, till the rest of the class broke out in laughter. Maranda look at niome and grinned, niome glared at her and knew she would be public enemy number one. Everyone shut up the class president stepped in between the two enrages girls, maranda this isn’t the time to make new enemies, do it on your own time she yelled. Niome looked at the clad president and stepped in front of her, she looked directly at maranda face and smirked. Where I come from my shoes are the latest… niome looked at her crimson red hair that was tied in a single pony tale and looked back at her face. That hair style is so last season, and that fake hair color dye doesn’t suite you. Everyone in the class in the class looked at niome and cheered her on. Maranda looked around the room and walked out the classroom with two others, the teacher tryed to stop her but it was too late. wow that was intense the class president said as she went back to the front of the room. now that that's settled lets get back to work we have two more people left. the president pointed to the smallest girl in the class with glasses on her face. she stood up and shifted her glasses my name is maria she said in a softly. the class moved in to hear her question, my question is d-d-do you have any used or unwanted books you don't want? because if you do then i would like to to take them off your hands, she said with a eager voice. for a moment niome thought she saw a sparkle in her eyes but it must have been her imagination. niome sighed lets talk about this after class ok, maria looked at her and smiled. on to the next question! last but not least is Luke Addams. luke stood up from his chair and glared, niome looked into his dark blue eyes and realized that she had saw luke somewhere befor. luke shifted his glare else where i have no question for you he said, and sat down to continue reading his science book that was on his desk. Luke's voice was stern but had a certain ring to it niome looked at luke who was fascinated by the science book in front of him and knew he was the mysterious boy she met at the chess tournament. president cherly cleared her throat once again and that concludes our awesome tradition she announced thank you everyone for your time. cherly stepped down from the front of the room back to her seat next to the teacher. the teacher looked at niome and got up from her little desk in the far corner of the room, she slowly moved to make her way to the front of the room but the students ignored her. when she stoped in the middle of the class everyone groaned and started throwing paper and pencils at her. please everyone stop throwing things the teacher said trying to evade the items being thrown. the students laughed at the defenseless teacher until cherly stepped in and threatened to tell the principle on the whole class. very few of the students stopped while others continued there uncivilized behavior. then luke closed his book and got up from his chair he walked to the door and opened it, he turned around and glared at the class pathetic losers he said as he walked out slamming the door behind him, everyone stopped what they were doing and sat down in fear. minutes later the bell rang and people walked out the room whispering about how luke is anti social, weird, and mean. the teacher also scurried out the room as if she didn't want to be seen, i wonder why everyone bully's the teacher niome thought until she bumped into someone breaking her concentration. umm do u remember my name? she said softly niome looked at her in puzzlement until she remembered about the books. oh yea your name is maria, i remember you asking me about my discarded books i don't need. maria poked her head out into the hall way an looked around quickly as if someone was watching her. ... to be continued....