"Hey! Cinthia! María Andrea!" a singing voice shouted at us from behind.
It was Anna. That day she looked younger than usual, she had her golden hair in two lower pigtails that turned into short curls, these gave her a more childish appearance despite how tall she was. Her half-green half-brown eyes were beaming with excitement and her cheeks were flushed. What could be on her mind?
"Good morning," I said, first of all, and I gave her a naughty smile, "Who are you trying to win over with that cute outfit?"
She laughed and her blush accentuated.
"One must always be prepared for surprises," then, her smile languished a little, "By the way…"
"What?" I asked.
"There was something I needed to tell you," her expression suddenly became bitter, the corner of her lips fell noticeably, "It's about a boy who's been stalking me."
Anna was pretty atractive and very sympathetic, so she usually received a lot of confessions from boys. She never reciprocated anyone lightly, which led to many confessions being declined. To me, all of her suitors shared a common characteristic: they were dramatic. Because of this, some didn't accept rejectment so easily and would not stop texting her, calling her, watching her from afar, or simply tried by any means to be close to her. They were getting on Anna's nerves, to the point of her not knowing what to do. I'd be lying if I denied feeling sorry for the girl.
"But first, Cinthia," she looked at me, regaining the jovial gesture her facial features seemed accustomed to, "Abril wanted to talk to you, I think it was important. She was in the basketball court."
I muttered a bad word. Abril's problems were usually a headache.
"It's ok, you can start without me," I said, indifferent. Anyways, her stalkers were anything but original, "I'll be back."
I headed to the courts, trying to prepare myself for the drama I was about to face. Abril was tall and brown-skinned, with a long, black, wavy hair that reached her shoulder blades. She had a small mouth, just like her eyes, but a smile that always spread happiness. A crazy girl full of passionate and exciting ideas; some would even say she was sick in the head. Despite her daily, strong and energetic attitude, sometimes she showed a peaceful and sweet side.
When I arrived at the courts, I thought I saw the entire school but the person I was looking for. I scanned the whole place with a quick glance and spotted two friends on the court stands, Jollibeth and Diana, both lively chattering and laughing. I approached them to ask for Abril.
"She was here a minute ago," Diana mumbled, and her skin paled for an instant, "¡Oh, right! I just remembered. I'm gonna get her, you stay here."
I shaked my head, not seeing the point.
"I can go."
"No, don't worry," She beamed at me, "It's just, I'm also going to buy some water before the class starts," the girl insisted, her dark blond ponytail slided through the air when she jumped from her place, "On the way, I'll tell her you are here"
"Ah," I dithered, "Ok."
I sat next to Jollibeth, who was absentmindedly combing her long ginger hair and saw as Diana walked away. She was wearing her characteristics violet glasses that made her look innocent. Her green-hazel eyes, adorned by freckles over her white skin, were lost, deep in thought.
"What's wrong?" I hesitated before asking.
" Uh? " She looked at me, back on Earth, "¡Oh, no! Sorry, it's just... Don't tell anybody, but I think I'm moving out of the city soon."
I felt my heart stop.
"What?" I said, in disbelief "Why?"
"It's a long story, but in a few words, my parents don't feel the city as safe as before." she explained, embarrased.
Jolly was referring to the rebel uprising commanded by "J". The biggest problem started a few months earlier, when they mysteriously began "sealing up" portals to other planets, causing economical havoc for the entire universe. Not that I really cared about it, Earth hadn't suffered mayor repercussions, yet, and while that was the case, I'd be at ease. Violence had increased a little, but nothing new. Almost every species had a blood stained record.
Nevertheless, I acknowledge that, if the crisis does get to our planet, I'll be in serious trouble I internally mourned I wish someone stopped those crazy-for-power people, before it gets any worst. It may sound selfish, but I don't believe I'm the only one who thinks like this.
"When are you leaving?"
"When the school is over"
Two weeks I thought, pained. I considered that girl to be one of my best friends and to think that she was leaving, to never return, was woeful. She'd seen the worst from me, and still remained by my side. Before I could tell her anything else, someone called out for me with resolution, making me jump a little in my seat. Both turned to see Abril running towards me, distressed. I knew that face, she was in trouble and was expecting me to fix it for her. This happened so many times, that sometimes I was seen as her accomplice for coming to her defense.
She stopped in front of me, jaded, and took me by the shoulders, wild eyed.
"I need you."
"I can see that" I squinted at her.
She returned the gesture and snorted.
"I'm serious! This is a level alpha emergency or whatever you want to call it"
I nodded.
"It always is," I said and shrugged, "What happened now?"
She hesitated for a moment, shame crossing her face, but she never let go of my shoulders.
"In the name of our five-year old friendship," she started, "I beg you to let me copy your homework"
I frowned.
"I never let anyone copy my homework, Abril" I let out, quite annoyed, "Not without a good reason,"
"VICTOR IS MY REASON" she screamed, "That runt teared my work this morning, I don't know what to do!"
Oh, right…Víctor her little brother, the scariest and most stressful child of all times. I wasn't surprised to know that he'd do that to his sister, despite how much she cared for him. Jolly stared at us in silence, she wasn't really friends with Abril so the girl didn't seem to know what to do. Abril was in the same situation.
"Well.... fine," I reluctantly agreed, preferring to break the silent tension between the two of them rather than keep seeing how they stared at each other awkwardly.
The face of my friend started to lighten up with excitement when the sound of a siren coming from the sky changed it to pure astonishment. Confused, we all raised our heads, looking for the source of the commotion and, at the beginning, we weren't able to find it. A black dot on the sky flew slowly towards the school, some kind of airship whose purpose was clear only when it overflew us. The ship carried an holographic sign that read "The Universal Government does not want your happiness but your blood, how long are you planning to be under their control? 'J' HAS COME TO RAISE US". At the end of the message there was a drawing of a soldier cutting a hangman's rope, whose face was covered with a bloodstained bed sheet.
All of the students stopped their activities to pay attention to the rebel's statement, balls bouncing away from their hands and frindly circles breaking apart to focus on it. For a small moment, I thought the scene looked funny and creepy. I remembered that, at the start of the biblical Christian Apocalypse, trumpets would be heard from the sky announcing the beginning of the seven years of tribulation, so I couldn't help but to wonder if that siren would represent the trumpets in someone's life.
Maybe they're for me a bitter grin formed in my lips as the thought crossed my mind.
"How the hell did they came by a government ship?" Abril muttered, with suspicion.
"There's rumors." someone answered at out back. Diana, Anna and María Andrea joined us, their eyes still following the ship on the sky. The former was the one who spoke "My mom says they're suspecting traitors hiding in the military, someone must have let him in without the others noticing."
"He won't be there for long." My voice sounded way more somber than I expected.
As if answering to my call, two other airships intercepted it like wildfowl, flanking it. Whoever was flying with the betrayal message tried to escape from them, but the speed of his own airship couldn't compare with the more advanced techonology that surrounded him. Two bright ropes came out of each authority airships and they stuck on their enemy aircraft, expanding like a root-like virus over the entire surface. At the end, it was tied up on the air, making it impossible to escape. The sound of metal being pierced by an unknown substance and the screech from the machine trying to separate itself from the claws of the other two pilots were so loud that everyone on the school ground was able to hear them. The lights coming out of the aircraft blinked irregularly until they shut down completely, the energy was being drained by the agents from the government, finally making the rebel's hologram disappear. I could imagine the desperate screams from the infiltrate inside the ship, vainly trying to escape from its captors; as if the rebel was a peaceful pigeon, trapped between the claws of two enraged ravens.
Eventually, the authorities took the ship away and the calmness was restored.
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