• Power. A five letter word. A lot of people want to be powerful but they don’t know the price for it.
    Blaise, a seventeen girl, she had never wanted to have power, especially because of the price she will have to pay for it.

    Part 1- Welcome to my world
    I bolted up in my bed, ‘That nightmare’ I thought remembering the nightmare that I have been having for the last 5 months. ‘Calm yourself, Blaise, it was just a dream.’ I told myself, ‘that’s it now get up and get ready for school.’ I coached myself.
    When I first started having these dreams, I was worried so I told my step-mom. What a stupid idea, because she insisted or forced me to see a shrink. The shrink was useless, the man never cared, so I just thought it was better not to say anything about the dreams and pretend I wasn’t having the dreams anymore. Instead I would picture my shrink without his funny rug of a moustache above his lips. After a while my step-mom finally gave up, and I never when back to see that man again.

    I looked at my reflection in the full length mirror. I was average in almost everything, average in height, weight and brains. My long hair is a mix of brown and black, and I have a heart shaped face. The only things that aren’t average are my eyes; my almond shaped eyes are the darkest black. But they don’t look freaky, they looked wonderful and unique.
    “BLAISE!” my step-mom shouted. “HURRY UP!”
    Just three more years and then you can move out I thought trying to calm myself.
    “If you don’t come down here right now, I’m going to call your father!” she screamed at me.
    HAH! What a threat, I thought my dad won’t care, he won’t even listen! I really felt like shouting that back, but I resisted so instead I grabbed by backpack and ran to school.

    Marie Truncate High School, like every other high school in Boston, is filled of clans. The clan I’m in is ‘BSSJ’ it stands for Blaise, Mandy, Susan and Jane. We’re known for planning, we have planned fundraisers, school dances, activities and pranks, and yeah we’re bad.
    Jane and Susan greeted me when I arrived at the school parking lot.
    “HEY!” Jane said running to give me a big hug, her long brown rooted blonde hair blowing in the wind and hazel eyes the happiest I’ve ever seen them, “How was your spring break?”
    Before I could answer I was in another hug, Susan, I think I missed her the most. Her red hair was covering her left gray eye.
    “Mine was great,” I said pulling away from the squishy hug. “Full of sports and reading. How was yours?”
    Jane was first to answer, “Mine sucked, my little brother got sick and messed up my vacation. I think I still smell like barf.” As she said this she sniffed her arms.
    “Uhh… okay,” Susan said with confusion, “Mine was filled with music and art.” She added doing air guitar while we laughed.
    “Where’s Mandy?” I asked even thought I didn’t really care.
    “See that circle of boys?” Jane said as she moved her index finger toward a group of boys. “She’s ‘attempting’ to get in the middle of the group.”
    As I looked closer I saw a girl with blonde hair, and without seeing her eyes I already knew they were green, squishing in between the group of boys. Mandy was just the same, a spoiled, annoying, boy stealing _____ fill in the blank. We had been best friends until;



    Part 2- The pool
    The warm summer sun blazed on my bare skin. I was waiting for Mandy at the pool. As usual, she was late. I stared down at my silver flip-flops, which of course matched my yellow bikini. When I looked up I heard a husky voice.
    “Hi.” the voice said it was coming from a guy, about 17, a year older than me at the time. He had black curly hair and he reminded me of SUPERMAN, and a buff chest. He’s cute. Who is he?
    “Hello?” his voice brought me back to Earth. “You there? Helloo?”
    “Oh! Yea uhh hi,” I said, “You’re new here, right?” I asked staring into his nice blue eyes.
    “Yeah, I just moved here from New York.” he said.
    “Well, then. Welcome to Boston, uhh” what’s his name?
    “Benji. Benji Rink, and what’s your name?” he asked staring at me with his blue eyes.
    “My name? Oh Blaise! My names Blaise Howard.” He probably thinks I’m crazy.
    “Well Blaise, it was nice talking to you, but I have to go, goodbye.” As he walked away, still facing me and waving, he fell backward into the pool. As I laughed at his fall, I felt a hand tap my arm.
    “Hey!” Mandy said. “Miss me?”
    “Hi… yea sure” I said, still thinking of Benji.
    That’s when I met him and problems began to arise.

    Part 3- So I suck at school
    It’s only the first day back and I’ve already been in the principal’s office four times. The first time was because dumb Mandy put her headphones on me and called a teacher. The second time was kind of my fault because I didn’t finish my chemistry project. The third time was because I had spoken back to my teacher. The last time was because I had been in the principal’s office three times blah, I really didn’t care. By the way, it’s not even noon!

    “So because of Mandy, you were sent to the principal’s office?” Jane asked while putting a spoonful of Mac n Cheese on her plate.
    As I picked up my lunch tray, I said “Yea pretty much.”
    “And because you didn’t finish you chem. project.” Susan added, as she started walking to a lunch table.
    When I saw Mandy was right by that table I asked, “Why don’t we sit outside?”
    “Sure, and don’t change the subject!” Jane shouted at me.
    “Okay, so because of Mandy and your chem. project you were sent to the principal’s office. What else did you do?” Susan asked as we sat on the bleachers.
    “Ahem! How do you know I was sent to the principal’s office more than twice?” I asked glaring at her.
    Susan gave me a look from under her bangs,” Blaise, I’ve known you since we were five; I KNOW you were sent there more than once.”
    I sighed, “I was also sent there because I spoke back to my English teacher-”
    “MR WORPANO!” Jane exploded, “you were arguing with that softie!”
    “Uh yea… anyway I got in trouble because I spoke back to him and the last time was because I was sent to the principal’s office 3 times” I said putting a forkful of creaser salad in my mouth.
    We sat in silence for a moment, and then when I was finally finished my salad Jane said “She’ll go with you.”
    “Uhh... who’re you talking to Jane?” I asked but before I could finish Susan and Jane where pointing behind my back.
    I turned around to see who they were pointing at and there right behind me was Nate. When I saw him I felt a pang in my chest. Nate had been behind me all this time. Nate with the dark hair that spiked at the top, to give him a lazy and punk look.
    “Hi, Blaise,” he said, his nice amber eyes looked dazed as he spoke. “Can I uhh… to you?”
    I looked at him and nodded. As we walked toward a tree a little far from the bleachers, I kept my eyes on Nate. He looked very nervous. We stood there in silence for a moment.
    “Uh… Blaise I was wondering,” He said breaking the silence, “I really like you and uhh…” I looked up at him. “Uhh... do you want to go to the dance May 23 with me?”
    I thought about this for a moment, considering if I really wanted to go to the dance after what had happened last year, I did wanna go with Nate, but what if it happens again? ‘It won’t, don’t worry. ’ I told myself.
    “Sure. I’ll go with you,” I told him.
    “Okay.” Nate sounded overjoyed, “I’ll pick you up at 8:30.” He said walking away grinning.
    As I started walking back to the bleachers, I saw Jane had her sketchbook out and Susan was helping her draw something.
    As I sat down on the bleachers, Susan and Jane looked up to reveal the large grins on their faces.
    “Okay…” I said trying to ignore the creepy smiles, “what’s that?” I asked pointing at the sketchbook in their hands.
    Their grins only became bigger as Jane lifted up the sketchbook to show me what they had been drawing. It looks like a dress. A beautiful long flowing halter dress, it hadn’t been coloured in yet.
    “What is that?” I asked staring at it.
    “A dress” Jane said.
    “What’s it for?” I asked.
    “The dance.” Jane answered, rolling her hazel eyes.
    “And who’s it for?” I asked.
    “IT’S FOR YOU! SO YOU CAN GO TO THE DANCE WITH NATE, YOU MORON!” Susan exploded.
    “Oh, okay. One last question, how do you know I’m going to the dance with Nate?”
    They both sighed. “We saw the look on his face when he was talking to you, and we figured it out. We’re not stupid.” Jane said.

    As the days went by, I had fittings, for my dress, with Jane and Susan. I couldn’t focus most of the time, during school and at home, because I was thinking about what had happened the year before.

    Part 4- Unexpected
    It’s been two weeks since I met Benji, and during these weeks he asked me to the dance and I agreed. Ever since he asked me, Mandy hasn’t returned my calls, and at school when I wave she ‘pretends’ not to see it. Well whatever, I’m going to the dance tonight so blah her. Benji is going to pick me up at 8pm so I have about an hour to get ready.
    In 15 minutes I have managed to take a shower and dry my hair. I walked into my room to start getting dressed, fix my hair and do my makeup. Before I sat down, I took a look at the clothes lying on my bed. There was a beautiful black dress which I'm going to wear with my black ankle boots. The outfit looked great on my bed. Hopefully they’ll look even better on me. As I took my last look at the dress and boots I saw that my necklace wasn’t there. I'm so dumb. I left it at Susan’s house which was about 30 minutes away. I think I have enough time. I pulled on my black tracksuit and flip-flops and started to Susan’s house.
    Before I left I called Susan to tell her I was coming, she told me that her sister would give me the necklace because she was still getting ready. I looked at the house along my street remembering pulling pranks on the older kids and having water balloon fights with Jane and Susan, and learning how to ride my tricycle with my mother. My mother. I miss her so much. She had died when I was 10, by stray bullets. Two years later my dad remarried. I thought that it would be great someone to take me shopping and teach me about growing up. I was wrong. The woman my dad married just yelled at me and sent me out shopping alone. Well that doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done.
    I looked at my watch, it was 7:30. I looked up at the path in front of me. If I go through there I will be at Susan’s house sooner. It was pretty dark in the path, but even though I'm not afraid of the dark, I still had an eerie feeling like I was being watched. I tried to distract myself by thinking of the dance and how fun it will be. At the end of the path was Susan’s house. The tall glass house her father designed. It looked great in the summer. Most of the bottom level was glass, so you could see their kitchen and family room and dining room. Everything else was blocked by their fire place.
    When I rang the doorbell, Susan’s 23 year old sister, Ariel answered. She was wearing a ripped pair of jeans, and an old white t-shirt.
    “Here’s your necklace. Susan says she’ll see you at the dance.” Ariel said, sounding annoyed because she had to be her sister’s messenger. I grumbled my thanks and my goodbye. Then started back home.
    I walked back through the dark path when I heard a noise coming from the bush. I looked behind me and saw nothing. While still in the path I felt a gaze on me. I turned around to see a person behind me, because it was dark I couldn’t see who it was, a tallish, girl with a modelers body. After staring at her for like half a minute I knew who it was. Mandy.
    “Hello Blaise.” She said her lips curving into a crazy grin.
    “Hey Mandy.” I said sounding a little happier than I intended to. Then I saw that Mandy was holding something. Something shiny, a mirror or a bottle or uhh… a knife. A KNIFE! Why did Mandy have a knife? Calm yourself, Blaise! It’s probably just a pocket knife or uhh-
    Before I could figure out why Mandy had a knife, she said “So Blaise going to the dance later? With Benji? Did I ever tell you that I really like Benji? I did, I told you I really hoped he would ask me to the dance, but when he asked you to the dance you forget all about that and said yes. Do you know how that makes me feel? Angry. Very angry. And then when I was going to tell you, at school, you walked away with Susan and Jane. So now, I'm going to show you how I felt.”
    The whole time she was talking I just stared at the knife, which she was waving around. She’s crazy, truly crazy. As I opened my mouth she dropped the knife, and took a step toward me. Her face the angriest I’ve ever seen it. Then she grabbed my arm dug her nails into my skin.
    “What are you doing?” I asked hearing the fear in my voice.
    “What I should have done a long time ago. Eliminating the competition.” She said, twisting my arm behind my back.
    “Stop it Mandy! Please! I'm sorry, you can go to the dance with Benji, I won’t.” I said this, but Mandy didn’t stop, she only kicked me in the shin and punched me in the stomach.
    “STOP IT!” I shouted. Why didn’t anyone hear me and come and help? “STOP IT!” I screamed, and I held out my hand, trying to push her away. Then to my amazement she let go and flew backwards into the fence. She fell after hitting it, her head was down and her hair was falling all over her face.
    I stared in awe at where she had flown. Did I do that? Or did she just stumble backwards and fall. Questions like these rose in my mind. I took a step toward Mandy, and then she moved. I jumped back fearing she would attack me when she got up. She didn’t, she just stayed in that spot, her hair, which was the only moving thing was blowing in the wind. I took one last look at her and ran home.
    When I got home, I ran straight to the bathroom. As I examined myself in the mirror looking for any evidence that I had been attacked, but the only marks were the lines in my skin, from when Mandy dug her nails in my skin, and the soon-to-be bruises on my stomach and shin. I sighed at the problems and called Benji to tell him I couldn’t go to the dance with him. He didn’t sound very disappointed, he actually sounded like he had other plans and was happy that he didn’t have to escort me. When I called Susan and Jane they asked if I wanted them to come over, and so we could have a sleepover. I said no, and told them the only reason I wasn’t going to the dance was because I wanted to be alone, which in a way was true.
    As the months went by I never did tell anyone what had happened on my way back from Susan’s. The next time I saw Mandy, she said she didn’t remember anything that happened that night. I knew she was lying because after that night she acted different around me. A bad fearful different.