Can you remember who you were before the world told you who you should be?
Mav Ross High School,New York City ,Earth
March 8
Some deaths are accidents, some deaths are carefully planned out, while some deaths are as a result of countless scenarios in a person's head, each scenario containing intricate and well-crafted details of ways in which they could slowly but surely end another's life.
That's a rather specific scenario. Well, it may or may not be what is currently going through the mind of Skai Ladiston as she is stuck in a room with her ex-boyfriend Jaden Brim.
But first it's important to note that Jaden Brim is easily the most annoying, self-centered, egotistical satyromaniac with a possible brain cell count of 0.5—so it seems.
"I'm not giving you a third chance Jaden, let me out of here" Skai groans dismissively emphasizing on 'third' attempting to push him away from her. He grabs her arm, pulling her close to him. Now Skai knows getting back with Jaden the second time was a stupid decision after everything that he did, but then again, she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box.
Jaden easily towered over her, but she wasn't intimidated by his height in any way whatsoever. "Can you at least let me hit?" He burns his chocolate brown eyes into her blue ones.
Skai scoffs in response "Read the room Jaden. Not now, not ever." She pulls her arm away from him again and tries to leave but he stops her again.
"What?!" she yells at him.
"At least tell me you're going for the class trip" he looks at her, hope glowing in his eyes. Skai had no idea what he was going on about, but she was determined to dim the light in his eyes as soon as it appeared there.
"Nope" she shrugs and just as she wanted the hope in his eyes began to disappear, but as soon as it did it reappeared.
"Then I guess we'll be spending the week before spring break together" he winks at her finally letting her go.
She completely ignores him leaving the classroom as fast as she can in search of her friends.
"Hey guys!" She beams at her friends as she approaches their table at the cafeteria. A chorus of 'hey' and 'hi' goes through the table as she sits down.
"So where were you?" Emily asks Skai tucking her blonde hair behind her ear while eating and studying simultaneously. Emily and Skai being the only girls in the group didn't necessarily mean they were the closest, but they were really close, Skai was undoubtedly the closest to Dexter.
"With Jaden" Skai rolls her eyes, grabbing Elijah's burger from his tray and taking a huge bite out of it. The whole table goes silent, and all eyes are on Skai. Elijah breaks the silence "You've gotten back together with him, haven't you?" his violet eyes practically burn through her in a 'disappointed but not surprised' stare.
"No" she answers calmly before her voice raises in pitch "I'm not stupid guys" the disappointment slowly washes off all their faces.
"Thought I'd have to throw a brick at you this time" Dexter chuckles shaking his head his fluffy brunette curls bouncing softly with the movement.
"I don't even understand why you're still talking to that dude" River, Skai's twin rolls his eyes.
Skai and River might just be the most fraternal twins you'll come across in your life. Skai's curly long hair bounces with her every step, while River has pin straight hair that only moves with the wind, they hardly even look alike. Given Skai's blasian features and River's very Asian ones. Let's not forget how short Skai is compared to River. But hey! They have birth certificates to prove it.
"Ugh, as if. I'm not talking to him. He cornered me in English lit classroom" Skai tells them, but all that information did was cause her to receive concerned looks from her brother. "I'm fine, Riv." She assures him before he could say anything, and he hums in response.
"Guysssss" Dexter draws out excitedly. "Now that we've concluded that Skai isn't being dumb and going back to her even dumber ex" he pauses before changing the topic "Are you guys going on the class trip?" Skai gasps at his demeaning input on her intellect then realization dawns on her. "Wait what school trip?" she asks though all that came out was inaudible muffles with her mouth being full.
Emily shakes her head in response to Dexter's question, not shifting her focus from her book. "Not a chance, there is a 40% possibility that there will be power in the camp site, and you know I hate bugs, we all know there's gonna be bugs there. Ew."
"But sunshineeee" Elijah whines to his girlfriend "You could always look at the bright side" he grins at her. "The experience, there are so many cool things we could do in the woods" he tells her "Like stargazing at night?"
"Or playing games in the forest?" Dexter adds.
"A Ouija board?" Skai adds swallowing the food in her mouth.
"Guys are you convincing her or chasing her away?" River asks Dexter and Skai as he proceeds to throw a fry in his mouth.
"Ellie, we stargaze in your backyard already" Emily answers Elijah ignoring her other two friends.
"But my backyard isn't the forest" he responds in a duh tone. Elijah is usually a very logical guy, it's part of why he and Emily click so well, but he also gets illogical at times, 'times' being when he's with Emily.
"Wait but what trip?" Skai asks again, still confused.
"The one that was announced on the class forum, you would know that if you did your schoolwork yourself." River rolls his eyes playfully and she sticks her tongue out at him turning to Dexter.
"Well, where are we going?" she asks Dexter.
"I think it's Forest Lake Camping ground, the spot is really chill, I went there with my mom once" he responds.
"Summer of 8th grade?" she asks, and he shakes his head correcting her "7th"
"Ohh" she briefly reminisces of the time Dexter had told them about with photos and detailed descriptions, she switches her attention back to Emily "You have to come, Em." She pleads.
"Hey!" River calls out "you didn't ask me if I was going to come, you know if I don't go, you don't go." He huffs.
"But I'm going, that's non-negotiable. So, you don't really have much of a choice Riv" She shrugs, and he rolls his eyes.
"Come on Emily" she turns back to Emily.
"Give me one valid reason" Emily tells her.
"I don't want to be stuck with them" Skai shrugs "No offense guys"
"Emily can you just come so Skai can stop demeaning our existence?" River rolls his eyes.
"I'll think about it" She gives Skai a small smile "But we aren't doing anything crazy."
"Okay so it's settled. The girls can share a tent and the guys another" Dexter placed his hands together in satisfaction.
"Wait...tent??? I thought we would stay in cabins"
"Relax Em it's just for three days and you have us, we'll rock it like it's 1985" Dexter smiles cheekily at her while doing a little dance in his seat.
"And we get to spend more time together!" Elijah beams "Isn't that great sunshine?"
"Yeah Ellie" she smiles softly at him. They all knew what that smile was, Emily was in.
"Hello children" approaching their table is a girl sporting brunette hair with blonde highlights. River smiles at her "Hey Maliyah"
The relationship Skai and Maliyah share is similar to that of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr and Skai is probably Aaron Burr, leaving Maliyah as Alexander Hamilton.
They started off as friends, but now it's sort of a love hate friendship since Maliyah voted for Presley Humbers instead of Skai as captain of their ice ring last year, Maliyah claimed that Skai wasn't disciplined enough, Skai's father, Mr. Ladiston keeps telling her to give the girl a chance, but it seems almost impossible as they both seem to constantly get on each other's nerves.
"Hey" Emily briefly looks up from her book and Elijah waves at the girl. None of them had anything against her the way Skai did, but they weren't close with her either, she never really clicked with their friend group, it may be tracing to the fact that she's hardly around.
"Hey" Skai offers her a fake smile to which she seems to return a genuine one.
"Are you going for the trip?" Dexter throws the question at her without offering so much as a greeting.
"Nah, I'm actually travelling with my mom tomorrow" She smiles sheepishly planting herself on the seat next to Skai.
Skai looks her up and down in complete confusion wondering who said she could sit next to her. Everyone else just wished Skai would be more subtle about it.
"Oh where?" Elijah asks intrigued, like he always is. He loves the idea of travelling.
"Mexico" she shrugs with a small smile.
The same thing runs through all of their minds.
The hell is she doing in Mexico?
But no one says anything.
Skai begins murmuring to herself "You're just hating Skai, yes I am and so?"
"Skai, are you going crazy again?" Dexter asks amused quite used to the weekly occurrence.
The school day had come to an end but for River and Skai Ladiston they had a couple more hours to go. Dexter, Emily and Elijah had gone home or at least left the school premises. Dexter had taken a leave from swim practice and Elijah and Emily had no business in school any longer.
While Skai was scrolling through social media, River was finishing up his swim practice.
He wasn't exactly thrilled about it, of course, he loves swim practice, he just finds the rules a little too much.
"Go!" The coach yells and he jumps in the water with his teammates. Other kids swam two laps and got out, but River's father, Mr. Ladiston had bribed the coach to push him harder than the other kids his age, he works three times harder than ever other kid, it's really a miracle his body can take it.
He gets out of the water finally and finds his sister at the bleachers, watching literally anyone but him.
'She's probably looking for a new rebound' he thinks walking over to her. "Hey" he sits next to her.
"Hey" she greets back not sparing him so much as a glance.
"You have no idea how desperate you look" he scoffs rolling his eyes.
She gasps finally turning her attention to him "I'm watching my favorite brother swim, what on earth do you mean" sarcasm drips down her words like it was a second language.
"I'm your only brother bubblehead" he says. "Don't you think you're a little too young to be looking at half naked guys?"
"Don't you think you're a little too old to not know how to mind your business?" she quips back, and his hands go up in defense.
"Chill out, just be careful, okay? They aren't guys you should mess with" River advises his sister, remembering the conversation the swim team had beginning of the school year.
The swim team bet on a new girl each year, and this year it is Skai. River and Dexter never joined their bets, it's part of why they don't get along with the rest of the team. There's no fun in getting along with them though. They are dirtbags and River knows this.
Skai knew about their yearly bets, River would often give her the tea on it, but she didn't know she was the girl they had bet on this year; He didn't have the heart to tell her and neither did Dexter.
"I'm not going to mess with them" Skai shrugs "I'm just bored"
"The same way you were bored when you got with Jaden?" he asks her knowing that would hit a nerve. Skai shoots him daggers with her eyes.
He knew what he did was wrong but she really didn't listen; Skai knew River meant well he just really despised Jaden. Jaden was the only guy that made Skai cry. Skai is a very emotional person, the littlest things made her cry, but not guys. So, you can only imagine how surprising it was to the group seeing Skai cry over a guy. The satisfaction River felt when he broke Jaden's nose can only be imagined.
"Look Skai," River starts "I'm only saying this because I care about you. Don't use these guys as your rebound, they'll use you before you use them."
"What do you mean?" she asks.
"Just listen to me, they aren't good people." He responds curtly.
"What about him" she nods towards a shy looking boy, Denver Carrie. "He's hot."
River shakes his head "He's also the worst of them all" he adds to Skai's assessment of the boy.
"Well maybe I can change him" she tells her brother, a hint of a smile playing on her lips, he wondered if she actually believed that.
"Okay" he nods letting out a little chuckle as if he was buying into her little fantasy of 'changing' him "Go on, change him" he snorts "I didn't know you were rehab" rolling his eyes, he gets up heading back into the water. His fifteen-minute break was up.
After practice, they make their way to the parking lot. "I wanna drivee!" Skai snatches the keys from River's hand.
"Oh, hell no!" he runs to the driver's door standing in front of it.
"Come onnn" She whines. Let's just say, Skai drives like a maniac –and that's putting it lightly.
"I'm not in the mood to die yet thank you very much" he grabs the keys from her hand and climbs into the car as she sulks her way to the passenger seat in defeat.
There are only two words one could use to describe Skai Ladiston 'Free' and 'Wild'.
Growing up, River was taught to be disciplined, according to their dad he was trained to be a man, to be a leader.
Skai on the other hand, she was raised to embrace freedom. While River is training to compete in the world championships, or the Olympics, Skai is a figure skater training also to be in the Olympics—if she doesn't accidentally end her life before then. If Skai isn't at school or a party then she's probably bungee jumping, sky diving or going on some insane ride at the amusement park. She is a risk taker, like Dexter and they both try to get their other three friends in on their outrageous activities and experiences.
"Did you tell dad about the trip?" Skai asks her brother.
"No, didn't feel like talking to him" River tells her. Talking to his dad wasn't always easy. Mr. Ladiston always had one lecture or the other prepared for River's ears.
"Forget it, I'll talk to him." Skai shakes her head in understanding. "I want to ask him when he'll be back from his trip anyways"
"He's been gone for a day Skai" River locks the car door, and they make their way towards their front door.
"One day too many" she feigns despair entering the house.
At the Solaris home, Emily couldn't believe that she was actually going through with it.
'On the bright side' she thinks 'I can take photos to add to my scrap book' She searches her drawers for her digital camera that her older brother Callum had gifted her on her birthday a couple years ago. She had it hidden for safety purposes.
'a few more days' she thinks with a small smile on her face 'And then...Dare devil'
She could already see the title staring at her. Finally, she could feel like herself again...it had been so long. Between fencing class and working to pay for them after her father had pulled her out, she hadn't been privileged with the time to do anything daring, to feel like a normal teenager.
She knew the camping trip wasn't as big of a deal as she was making it out to be, but it was a start, right? The start of a much-needed change for her.
"Lily!" She flinches at the name being called from downstairs.
"Lily!" The name is called again.
She sighs in resignation deciding she was not going to be dealing with that today. She was finally in a good mood, why would she subject herself to feeling otherwise. She grabs her phone and her overnight bag which she makes sure is always packed, simply because she chooses peace and happiness now.
Opening her window, she climbs out of it quietly landing on the roof of the back porch, she carefully climbs down the ladder which she ensures to always leave there, and she runs.
She switches her phone on immediately and calls Skai. Whenever she can't deal with her home issues she goes to the Ladiston house, if they aren't home then she'd go stay with the Starlings or at Dexter's place but that doesn't happen often.
Skai doesn't pick up the phone, but Emily is positive that they'll be home, it's Wednesday, Skai doesn't have practice on Wednesdays and River finishes by 4.
It's 5:03
Four years ago, Emily's older brother Callum died, and since then her life has been a living hell.
"Help! Help!" 12-year-old Emily screamed fighting to stay afloat. In the distance she saw her brother Callum, diving into the water but that was all she saw before she lost consciousness. She woke up, sand sticking to her skin her parents frantically shaking her for answers
"Where's Cal" Mrs. Solaris screamed as tears gushed down her face.
"Where's your brother?" Mr. Solaris asked calmer than his wife but still fairly hysterical.
"I-I don't know" Emily choked out water coming out of her system.
After that her parents stopped treating her like their child. They would fight every waking moment of the day, it lasted about two years till they finally decided to get a divorce, Emily had thought it was a good idea, she was relieved, but little did she know that her life was only about to go even more downhill from there. Now she lives with her alcoholic and abusive excuse of a father with no knowledge of where her mother is.
Her father always called her Lily when he was drunk. Mockery of some sort. That's when she knows to steer clear, he gets aggressive under the influence—more aggressive than usual. And she's stuck with him because to make it worse, he is the chief of police so it's not like she could talk to the law about it. She just had to deal with it till she graduates.
Arriving at the Ladiston home after a twenty-seven-minute walk she rings the doorbell. River opens the door as usual welcoming her in.
"You staying the night?" He asks her his eyes darting to her duffel bag.
"Yeah" she smiles in response and he seems to understand the situation almost immediately, his facial expression changes "Great timing, we're about to watch a movie" he smirks walking over to the couch turning the TV on.
"Skai!" he yells walking to the foot of the stairs yelling up it "Emily's here!"
"I'm going to grab a glass of water" Emily informs River handing him her duffel bag and walking to the kitchen.
"Emily?" Skai runs down the stairs into the kitchen in nothing but a towel and a bonnet.
"I'm glad you're here" she squeals "We were just about to watch invasion of Arrakis, and you know River is such a downer during movies" she proceeds to groan rolling her eyes at her brother.
"No, I'm not!" River yells, coming down from the stairs...he probably went to keep Emily's duffel bag in Skai's room. "I'm just realistic" a beep comes from the microwave after that.
"Take the popcorn out Skai!" River yells.
"Stop yelling" Skai calls out to him taking the popcorn out as he instructed.
"Just choose your snacks, I'm gonna get dressed" Skai tells Emily acknowledging the fact that she doesn't like popcorn like they always do and Skai scurries away, handing the bowl of popcorn to her brother in the living room on her way up the stairs.
Emily smiles to herself, embracing the love warmth and love. One of the many reasons why she loves the Ladiston home. It actually feels like home.
She rummages through the cabinets for Takis, her favorite!