Chapter 1: Very Emo People and Very Hyper People
The first time Araceli Evans saw the famous LoBella School for the Gifted was through the window of a small airplane. It had drawn her eyes as soon as they descended beneath the clouds, its bright blue roof and shorter stature making it instantly recognizable among the tall, sleek skyscrapers around it that rose higher than the clouds on the small island of Mindsar. Mindsar was just off the coast of Florida and was only known for LoBella School -- even more so the residents of said school. Sometimes called the Prodigy School, it housed some of the world's most gifted students.
But this was no Ivy League school or Juliard arts place. It was for kids who showed immense talent in any area, be it brains, brawn or beauty.
Araceli had been accepted at the age of 13, but it had taken her and her single mother three years to save up enough to pay for the steep admission price. Now, just a month before her sixteenth birthday, she'd be able to go.
She was hoping going to LoBella would help to cure her stage fright. Araceli had a gorgeous voice, but she was so afraid to use it in front of people that she would only sing when she knew no one but her mom was listening. On top of that, she could play the saxophone, flute, harp, piano, guitar and chimes, but had the same issue. She wrote songs regularly, and she could hear a song once and be able to write her own arrangement of it, but never showed these to anyone but her mother.
The only way the school had found out about her was when they sent an agent to her house and her mom let them listen at the keyhole. She had been singing an original composition, and the agent had been in tears by the end of the song.
Araceli laughed at the memory of her mother's guilty face when she'd gotten her acceptance letter on her thirteenth birthday. Thinking of her helped the homesickness as the plane flew in for a landing.
She glanced around at the one other person in the plane. She was about her age, but much taller than Araceli was. She had black streaks in her short, choppy, punk-style blond hair. She wore copious amounts of goth makeup and had two small butterflies tattooed onto the far corners of her eyes. She had a huge gray sweatshirt on, rolled up to her elbows, and she wore black fingerless gloves on both hands, not concealing her dark purple and black nails. Her skin was pale, and she had freckles.
She was listening to a sleek silver iPod Touch, which was sticking out of the pocket of her black skinny jeans. As Araceli watched, she absentmindedly tapped out the beat to the song on her thigh. She stared out the window with deep, dark blue eyes. Those eyes were full of pain beyond her years.
The plane halted, and Araceli grabbed her suitcases and her shoulder bag. She towed her two small packs outside the airplane and waited a little awkwardly in the humid air for the other girl. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Araceli held out her hand to her. "Hi," she said shakily. She was very new to introducing herself to people. She usually didn't ever do that.
"Hi," said the other girl, taking her hand and shaking it without taking her dark blue eyes off Araceli's face. "My name's Layla."
"Araceli." Having those dark eyes trained on her face was making Araceli nervous. But then the girl started toward the school building.
"Follow me," she called back to Araceli. "We're supposed to just walk in."
Araceli followed Layla all the way to the school. Halfway there, she asked Layla a question that had been on her mind. "Layla, did you know that the school building used to be an old opera house?"
"I did know that, actually."
"Is it true that there are secret passageways that lead all over?"
"I'm not sure. We could find out." Layla said this with more emotion than Araceli had ever heard her, and she only sounded mildly interested.
Up close, the building was huge. It was very, very wide, almost as wide as the skyscrapers were tall, and had large, sprawling grounds bursting with bright flowers that contrasted sharply with the stark white of the building itself and the gray, stormy sky. Araceli and Layla walked up to the huge blue doors and opened them, hurrying into the air conditioned building.
"Hello and welcome to LoBella School for the Gifted. Please come here." A tall, stern looking lady was sitting at the front desk, looking down her spectacles at them.
Araceli walked forward. "Name, please."
"Araceli Evans."
"Good. Fourteenth floor, West Wing, Starlily Room. Here is your schedule and off you go."
Araceli walked towards the staircase labeled, "WEST". She walked up flights, counting them as she went. Eight, nine, ten . . .
And then finally she was at the top, on the fourteenth floor. She walked past the doors . . . Rose, Lilac, Bluebell . . . and finally Starlily. She opened the door and found herself staring into the prettiest room she had ever seen.
A jar of white starlilies was set on a white writing desk and a large white piano. There were two large bunk beds, decorated with white and gold sheets and embroidered with green and gold flowers. There were lacy curtains framing the window, which was made of bubbly glass, and there was a springy green carpet and four small wardrobes. One was labeled "Araceli" and one was labeled "Layla".
Layla came up behind her. "A little too soft for my taste. Oh well," she said. "I call top bunk." She went over to the bed furthest from the door and climbed the ladder.
"Fine by me," Araceli said, running over to the bottom bunk and flopping down on top of it.
The door opened again, and a girl with yellow hair bounced into the room, followed by a girl who was shockingly gorgeous, but would have been more so if she hadn't been scowling.
The yellow-haired girl ran over to Layla, and threw her arms around her. "Oh my goodness," she squealed. "I've been waiting for you two all day!"
Instead of looking annoyed, though, to Araceli's surprise, Layla looked vaguely amused. "Hi."
"Hello!" the girl said. Her curly hair bounced as she rushed over to Araceli and hugged her too. "I'm Kaela, you can call me Kae. I'm so excited, we hardly ever get new girls!!!" She smiled at the other two like she'd be happy just to sit and watch them all day.
"Hi," said Araceli. "I'm Araceli."
"Oooooooooh, that's a pretty name!!! Mind if I call you Ara? Araceli would be too long for me to say, because in case you haven't noticed, I talk really fast!"
"Oh, sure," Araceli said, meeting eyes with Layla and grinning.
Layla was smiling. "I'm Layla," she said.
"Who're you?" she continued, pointing at the other girl.
She had dyed platinum blond hair and huge green eyes. Her arms were folded, and she looked down at the others with a haughty expression. "I'm Brittney Fox. Singer, songwriter."
She sounded so bored. Araceli gave her a tentative smile, which she did not return. Brittney stalked out of the room.
"Brittney is in the Music Department, but she hangs around with the Modeling and Designing department, on the second floor. They're in the Jewel rooms. She hates being stuck up here with all the artsy 'freaks.'" Kaela looked sadly out the door. "I've tried to be nice to her . . . really, she doesn't do anything but sulk nowadays."
"What do you do, then?" asked Araceli.
"Oh! I write! I write anything . . . plays, songs, books, stories, anything! I love doing it!" She beamed. "That's my desk, over there." She pointed to the white desk with the white flowers set atop it. "What do you guys do?"
"Paint," said Layla.
"Music . . . in general. My mom's sending my saxophone, flute and harp over. I brought everything else, besides my piano. That's not a problem, though," said Araceli, gesturing toward the piano.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! Could you play something for us?"
"Er, I'd rather not."
"Why not?" asked Layla.
"I . . . I have stage fright."
"Not for us, you don't." Kae dragged Araceli over and sat her down on the piano bench. She stood behind her, smiling encouragingly. "I've got your back."
The words comforted Araceli. It was only Layla she had to play for. Just Layla. Who wouldn't care if she messed up. And Kae had her back.
She shocked herself when she tapped out a few notes to "Kiss the Rain". (http://grooveshark.com/ look up Kiss the Rain by Yiruma) And then, like it was for all the music she'd ever played, once she played the first part she couldn't stop. She played the whole thing, with her eyes closed, swaying to the beat.
After it was over, she opened her eyes to see Layla with her eyes wide open. "That was awesome. Yiruma, right?"
"Yeah," Araceli said, blushing at the compliment.
"You're amazing! I don't know what you have to be afraid of." Kaela winked at her.
"But you can't tell anyone about me! Then they'll want me to play for them!" Araceli couldn't imagine performing for more than two people at once. "I still have stage fright."
"Really?"
"Yes. Just the thought of performing for a whole audience makes me weak in the knees."
Then a bell rang somewhere outside the room. "Time for lunch!" said Kae, grinning and bouncing out into the hallway. "You both have to meet everybody!"
"Guess we should follow her," said Layla, a slow smile spreading onto her dark purple lips.
"Guess we should," said Araceli, smiling back.
Today was looking up in a way Araceli hadn't ever imagined.
CHAPTER 2: PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACO . . .
Araceli watched Kaela's hair bounce from behind. It was very fascinating. She followed her down the stairs into a long corridor and then into another set of double doors. They entered a huge room, and it wasn't hard for Araceli to guess it had once been the theater itself. Since there were no seats, it was hard to tell, but there was still a stage and several balconies. Several huge tables were set up.
"Usually people sit by sections," Kae said. "But sometimes people like to mingle."
Araceli noticed Brittney sitting by a bunch of girls who gave off that "popular" air. Pretty, with flashing eyes, long eyelashes, and full lips, they chattered with those "oh no she didn't" expressions on their faces. As Araceli looked at them, one of them noticed her looking. She pointed at her, and all of a sudden a dozen beautiful faces were staring at her. She gave a little wave. They all frowned.
She hurried after Kaela, who had settled down at a table next to an eccentric-looking girl and three boys. One of the boys, a short Hispanic kid with curly black hair, was asleep with a vacant smile on his face. Another, who looked like Alex Pettyfer, was holding a camera and twiddling one of the dials at the top. The third was drumming on the table, nodding his head in a steady rhythm. The girl, who had pink streaks in her black hair and was wearing neon orange makeup, was feverishly studying a book of some sort.
"Hi, Bridgette," Kaela said to the girl, who, without looking up from her script, said, "Hey, Kae."
Kaela rolled her eyes in a long-suffering way at Araceli. "Hey, Paco."
This comment was directed at the sleeping kid. He didn't even move.
"Paco! Paaaaaaaaacooooooooo . . . anyone home in there, Paco?" Kaela said, poking Paco in the head. He still didn't move.
"Paco!" said the drumming boy sharply.
Paco sat up with bleary eyes and said, "Uno momento . . ." after which he put his head down again, closing his eyes.
The other guy laughed. "English, man. English."
Paco snored.
"Hey, Todd," said Kaela to the boy who had briefly woken Paco. "This is Araceli, and this is Layla."
Todd stood up and shook Layla's hand, then shook Araceli's. He had tan skin, dark brown hair, and big brown eyes. He had a nice smile, and was very handsome. "Todd Goodman," he said as he shook their hands.
"Layla Bloodfresh."
"Araceli Evans."
"So, where are you from?" he asked casually.
Layla blinked at him. "Colorado."
"New Mexico," said Araceli.
"Sit down," Kaela invited them. Layla sat across from the girl reading the script, and Araceli sat down across from the boy with the camera.
Todd rolled his eyes at Camera Kid. "Taylor, the rats are coming to eat you."
"Mmm," said Camera Kid Taylor.
"Hey Taylor, we have some new girls."
"What?" He looked up, spotted the two girls, and said. "Hey! We never get new kids!"
"Yeah," said Todd, "and when we do, they aren't EVER both in the Music and Arts Department."
Randomly, out of the blue, Taylor raised his camera, pointed it at Layla, and snapped a picture.
Todd shook his head. "He does that."
Taylor didn't listen to Todd. "Being a photographer, I always have to ask the Modeling and Designing Department to have a human subject. But I think," he continued, "that you are much more interesting," he said, pointing at Layla. "Would you be willing to have me take a picture of you every once in a while?"
"Sure." Layla sounded a little surprised.
"What do you do?" Todd asked Araceli.
"I . . . I sing," she said, hesitating. "And I play six different instruments. You?"
"Music for me as well. I mostly play guitar and piano and I sing, but teach me the basics of how to play an instrument and I'll probably be able to play a couple songs on it. Of course, most of the time the songs don't really sound like songs," he said, blushing.
Kae snorted. "He learned how to play the piccolo in five minutes . . . how's that for a prodigy?" She winked at him. "He's insanely modest. He's a musical genius."
"I am not! I know I'm decent in the musical field, but that doesn't make me the best person!"
Kae shook her head. "He doesn't know what he's talking about. He's brilliant."
"I'm sure he is," Layla said. "But Araceli is as well."
"Uh . . . that's debatable."
"No it isn't! You're here, aren't you? You had to be amazing to be here!" Layla's eyes were flashing.
"Yeah, I know, but I have the worst case of stage fright the world has ever known. It'll be a miracle if anyone ever ends up getting me to perform in front of someone."
"We'll fix that," said a voice. The girl with the crazy hairdo and clothes had spoken. "I know I'll be able to cure your stage fright," said the girl. She had looked up from her book, which Araceli saw was a script for Phantom of the Opera.
"When I first got here, I couldn't even stand up in front of an audience. I'd just pass out. But I can now, and I know how you can." She held out her hand. "Bridgette Law, Actress."
"Araceli Evans. You can help?"
"Definitely."
"Thanks." She looked at the script.
Bridgette noticed her looking. "You act?"
"A little."
"Well, this is the show we're doing this year. I hope you'll audition."
"Maybe," said Araceli uncertainly.
Just then, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and the smell of sickly sweet perfume hit her nose. The group of pretty girls she had waved at were looking down at her, Brittney in the front.
"Hey," she said, not sounding remotely pleased to see her. "So, are you good at singing or whatever?"
"Well . . . I guess," Araceli said slowly.
"Hum," Brittney demanded.
Araceli could hum in front of people. She hummed a single note.
"Hum a tune."
She hummed the tune to Kiss the Rain, which was now stuck in her head. Brittney's smile grew wider and wider with each note.
When she was finished, Brittney beamed at her. "Good job. You are, like, so good." She gave Araceli a kiss on the cheek, and with that she flounced off.
"What was that all about?" Araceli asked as she turned around.
"She was looking to see if you were any competition," said Layla darkly. "Obviously, she doesn't think so, from how happy she was.That's totally ill-used emotion. She could use her fear to create something."
"I'm surprised. I'd have had you at least sing, if I was her," said Taylor.
"I think she's too scared." Bridgette said this while reading her script.
"Scared? Of what?"
"Scared you'll be better than she is."
"She may be the best model here, and possibly the best singer, too," said Todd. "But she's insecure. She knows that somewhere, somehow, someone is going to beat her at something."
Bridgette laughed. "Yeah, and with your looks, and your musical talent, I'd say you're the one to beat now."
Araceli stared at her plate, blushing furiously.
But just then, she realized everyone else was eating. The food around her looked delicious. It smelled amazing. There was pork, salmon, noodles, fruity juice . . . it all seemed so tropical.
Seeing the look on her face, Todd laughed. "Yeah. Not your ordinary cafeteria food." He took her hand and pulled her down into a seat. "It's different for the different tables. The modeling table gets salad and lean cut meat. Everything there is under 55 calories, that's the rule. The geniuses," he gestured to a table in the far corner, "get normal lunches. The jocks," he pointed to the table closest to them, where a bunch of guys were yelling and the girls were all wearing sweats, "get healthy, filling foods that make you stronger. Us, we get a table full of food from different countries. Every month, it's different. Last month it was Russia. This month, it looks like somewhere Polynesian. Maybe Samoa."
"Cool," said Layla, taking a bite of pork. Her eyes got wide. Taylor snapped a picture. "This is amazing!"
Araceli laughed as Taylor showed her the picture. But in the back of her mind, she was worried that something more was coming from Brittney and her crew.
Boy was she right.
