Read Lumium :: Chapter 2 | Tapas Community

My eyes shot open. I didn't move from where I was curled up in my lavender covers, too busy trying to convince my body that it wasn't actually falling. Eventually, my stomach stopped commiting mutiny, and I could breathe normally again. Turning off my blaring alarm clock, I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, trying to remember what had caused the little organ rebellion in the first place. I couldn't remember much, like much of the dreams I had been having lately. They weren't new, those kinds of dreams. Yet they'd always end the same way— falling through pitch-black before waking up and having nothing left but flashes and weird feelings. This one wasn't any different, either.

Sighing, I sat up and shook the small bits of what was left of the dream out of my head. I'd deal with it later, if I even remembered it by the time later came around. After a moment or two, I was awake enough to get up and ready for the day, so I made my way across the white carpet in my room, to the bathroom across the hall. Standing in front of the sink, my hazel eyes looked up and met their reflection in the mirror, only to startle me when I realized that the eyes looking back weren't mine. Staring back at me were the heterochromatic eyes of the little girl, only older now. I stood there, too surprised to do anything else.

"Lin!" I jumped, my mom's voice breaking me out of my trance as she called from downstairs, "Are you awake yet? Breakfast is almost ready!"

I turned towards the door, still open to the hallway, "I'm up, Mom! Be down in a bit."

I heard her leave as I looked back at the mirror, my reflection normal again. I sighed, putting the strange little incident to the back of my mind and writing it off as me not being as awake as I thought. I brushed my teeth and got my nest of brown and green hair under control. You probably don't care about my self-care routine, so I'll introduce myself in the meantime.

My name is Lin. I am a 15-year-old brunette with a green ombre in my shoulder length hair. I’m relatively tall, probably taller than the average for girls but I’m not a giraffe. My eyes (on top of being hazel) have little gold flecks, which is one of the few things I like about my appearance. They are always behind semi-rimmed glasses, since my eye-sight is not as good as I’d like it to be. Contacts weren’t an option either; they made me uncomfortable, although I could wear them if needed, like in cosplay.

During the school year, I go to XX high school, aka a place where idiots try to figure out who has the best fashion and who’s a bigger mindless blockhead, instead of actually learning. It’s not the best school, but it isn’t the worst, and as long as I mind my own business, I could probably survive well enough. All I will say is that, in the end, I'm horrible at minding my own business. At the moment, it was summer, so I was volunteering at the library during the week.

For as long as I could remember, I’d lived in the city, like I said before. We did have to move a few times, I think because of my dad’s job, don’t really remember but it was always away from any forest. We didn’t even go to the park if it had a big forest next to it, although that was probably because of me. Um.. what else? I’m a nerd and bookworm if you really want to put a label on me like everyone else does. I’m not that worried about labels though, so think what you want. I’m not that pretty or special; I’m just a normal person trying to get through life alive.

Little did I know life had more in store for me than I’d thought.

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Twenty minutes later, I was ready, wearing white jeans and a cute yellow top. I headed downstairs with my camo green mini backpack slung across my shoulder, going through the kitchen to get to the dining room. The two rooms were connected, only separated by a counter with chairs lined up next to it on the dining room side. It was where I usually did homework after school or hung out while Mom was cooking.

Waiting for me on the table in the center of the space was a plate of warm chocolate chip pancakes and a cup of orange juice. I sat down, my dad already getting up and bring his dishes to the sink. Putting his coffee in a to-go cup, he grabbed his stuff, kissing me on the cheek and Mom goodbye before heading out the door for work.

"Dad!" I called, jingling the keys he'd left on the table. He peeked his head through the open door, holding his hand out when he saw them. I smiled as I tossed and he caught them, leaving once again. As I turned back to the table and started to eat, my mom handed me a paper bag with my lunch. A tuna salad sandwich and some chips, my favorite. I put it in my bag for later, continuing to eat. Once I had finished, Mom took my plate, washing the dishes while I drank my orange juice at the counter.

"You should get going soon, too. Don't want to keep the kids waiting." She was drying her hands now.

For my volunteer job, I worked with kids at the library. I read to them, helped them with arts and crafts, and even tutored some of them, if they needed it. I hated most kids my age, since they’re always worried about the wrong things, but I adored younger ones. It was a lot easier for me to make a bratty child behave than it was to socialize with my peers. It wasn't like I didn't have friends though, of course. It was just most people I'd met always seemed to somehow get on my nerves.

"I know, Mom. Going right now." I grabbed my stuff, hugging her, and went outside.