[CryCandice]

A new reality formed and I kicked suddenly at the loss of ground beneath my feet. My alarm clock was buzzing at top volume and I was wide awake because of it.

I reached over, groping for the snooze button. Finally, my morning-fingers found the button and pushed down on it. All at once, the room was silent.

I rolled over and looked at my wall. I didn't want to get up yet, but I knew I wasn't going back to sleep. I just stared at the paint streaks that lined my wall from top to bottom.

After about a few minutes, my mind went blank. I was awake, but I wasn't. Time seemed to pass, while no thoughts could. For a long time I forgot where I was, only vaguely aware that I was still breathing.

It took me a while to notice that the buzzing sound was back. I glanced over at the alarm clock and saw that it was seven thirty. I cussed and hopped out of bed.

Well that's just perfect, I thought. I'm late.

I ran to the front door and saw that the bus hadn't passed yet. The crowd around the bus stop was still waiting.

I'd only been in front of the screen door for a few seconds when a girl nudged her friends and pointed at me. I looked down and saw my own pale skin and baggy plaid boxers. Immature little girls. Why do they act like I'm naked or something?

I looked right at the girl who'd noticed first and her face turned bright pink. She looked away and giggled. After her little fit was over, her lips were moving, forming words first, and then sentences. I figured it had something to do with me after her friends looked up. They all looked down at the same time when they'd noticed I was still watching. All but one.

The boldest girl continued to stare, neither embarrassed nor ashamed. I remembered that she wasn't one of the gigglers either.

She was pretty, maybe even beautiful. Her dark brown hair was long and thick, yet still smooth. Her eyes were big, but not bulgy. She had pale, slender arms crossed over her chest as she continued to stare. Her lips were small, but they had a brilliant contrast to the color of her face; like blood on white paper. She had a thin frame and tiny feet to support it.

From the short distance between us, I could see no flaws. I must've been watching her for a while, because the bus pulled up and blocked her from my view.

I started to walk out of the door, but then I remembered that I had only my boxers on. Looks like I'm walking to school.

I walked back to my room and pulled on my old jeans and a tight black t-shirt. A quick look in the mirror told me that I didn't need to brush my hair, so I just grabbed my wallet from my dresser and left.

The walk to school didn't take long enough. It was too short. By the time I’d cleared my head and gotten focused, my castle-like high school had blocked out the morning sun. The highest peak was surrounded by a golden-red halo of light and all else around it was dark.

When I walked into the door, I could tell that the first bell had rung. I was late for class. Perfect start to a perfect day. I winced.

The whole day, I walked around in a daze, only stopping to awaken some small, superficial awareness to remember which class was next.

At lunch, I shed my outer-zombie layer just to see if the girl from before was around. No such luck. After I gave up my hopeless search, I climbed back into my emotionless shell. I remained like that for the rest of the day.

I decided that today wasn’t good for my little forest, that dad might want to talk to me if I arrived at the house after he had. He never worked very late on Tuesdays.

I walked home, got a quick shower and climbed into bed. Homework didn’t seem very appealing. Nothing did, really.

I said no prayers, I counted no sheep. I wished only for sleep to come, and for it to bring tomorrow along as well.

Before I knew it, my eyelids shut out the light and nothing was left but blackness.

[dearest]

Another great piece of description, and a nice hook for the next chapter. Who is the girl? Why is Jack so emotionally scarred? Great chapter!