The Mystical Knights: The Sword of Dreams Read Free Page A

now, they’re just waiting on funds and for the school board to pass it.”
                  Nia fidgeted with the strap of her backpack, before opening the truck door and hopping down to the pavement.  Already people were staring at her.  Nia kept her eyes low to the ground as she turned to say good-bye to Sam.
                  “Now when school lets out,” Sam said, making sure to look Nia square in the eye, “you’re gonna wanna take bus thirteen home.”  He paused, pursing his lips thoughtfully.  “You know, you might wanna ask the office about that, but I’m pretty sure it’s bus thirteen you want to take.  And if you miss the bus, I don’t get off the boat until at least six—so you’ll have to either wait around or take the late bus—”
                  “Dad, I’ll be fine,” Nia reassured, although her stomach proceeded to twist at the thought of missing her bus.  That wouldn’t be a good thing.  “I’ll see you when you get home, okay?”
                  “Alright.” Sam sounded unsure of himself.  Nia gave him an encouraging smile as she slammed the door shut.  He gave her a one armed wave before driving off and out of sight.
                  Nia kept waving until she could no longer see the old pick up any more.  With a sigh, she swung her back pack up over her shoulder and proceeded to enter the school building.
                  The noise level went up another notch as Nia found herself in the front lobby.  Over in the corner of the lobby just outside the cafeteria were two people—a boy and a girl—making out passionately, while an older man, a teacher, hollered at them to “ Get a grip !” from down the hall.  The teacher swatted Nia to the side, barely even noticing her presence.  She frowned at the man and pushed open the doors to the office.
                  The office was buzzing this morning as well.  The phones were ringing off the hook. Students were turning in their absentee notes from the previous day and getting late passes so that they wouldn’t be counted as tardy.  In one of the larger rooms, Nia could see through the glass that the principal rambling on to a petite woman with inky black hair that was perfectly pulled into a tight knot at the nape of black turtle-neck.  Nia took a number off of the desk, staring at the woman's abnormally long fingers that loosely held the hem of her dress, and slumped back into the last vacant seat available.
                  “It’s usually not this busy.”  The voice startled her momentarily, but Nia looked quickly to the speaker.  She was a small spunky looking girl, with short and spiked flaming orange hair.  Nia eyed the eyebrow piercings, the lip rings and the onyx-crested bull-loop that hung from her nose warily, wondering which piercing had hurt the most. 
                  “Why is it so busy today?” Nia asked.
                  “It’s Tuesday,” the girl sighed, waving her tiny hand nonchalantly.  She grinned, flashing brilliantly white teeth.  “Everybody loves Tuesday.”
                  "Sure looks it," Nia replied.  She anxiously bounced her knees together, firmly pressing her lips together.
                  “You’re new here,” the girl went on, summing Nia up with her icy blue eyes.  "What brings you to the wonderful town of Willow Creek?"
                  Nia toed the tiles with her shoe.  My mother died.  No, probably wasn't the best thing to begin with.  She swallowed back a lump that was starting to grow in her throat and asked instead, "Is it that obvious that I'm new?"
                  The girl grinned again, bobbing her head as though listening to music only she could hear.  She pushed her square glasses high up on her nose.  “You look like you’re about to throw up all over the floor.  Trash can’s over there, mind