BitterSweet (Book Two) (The Blood Moon Chronicles)

-
Zelenia
-

Mamá calls up the stairs. “Zelenia, hurry up, mija. You're going to be late!"

Today is my graduation day.  School is finally over, and I will be leaving for college in a few months.

Ever since my freshman year, I have been eagerly awaiting this day.  I should be thrilled, but now that it's here, I’m a complete nervous wreck.

Mamá planned a party for my friends and me after the graduation ceremonies.  Unfortunately, I had only a few friends.

I went into high school promising myself I would try my best to fit in.  I'm not quite like other teens, so I try to hide behind dorky glasses and dull clothes.  Sometimes I wish I could just be normal like everyone else.  It is much easier to hide away from the world than to have them know my true abnormalities.  
Even if it means being called a geek or dork.

As I give myself disgusted looks in the mirror Mamá’s voice floats up to me again.  “Let’s go Mija!”

Mamá is probably the most impatient person I know.  She has fair brown skin and short black hair that she never lets grow past her shoulders.  She still has her Latino accent, and she has a way about
her that my friends just adore
.  She is an average woman, not beautiful but pretty in her own way.

I, on the other hand, have long silky black hair that I keep pulled back in a ponytail.  There are a lot of things about me that are pretty weird, like the color of my
skin.
  My skin is pale white, nothing like my mother's darker tone.   I heal swiftly.  I've been in so many freak accidents I should have broken over half the bones in my body, but somehow always managed to walk away with nothing more than a scratch or two. I have big brown eyes that I swear glow red in the moonlight. 

I have a tattoo on the back of my left shoulder that Mamá said was there at my birth.  Who the hell is born with a tattoo?  It's of a Red Moon with a heart-O-gram in the center. I've always wondered what it meant.

After staring a few more minutes in the mirror, I
finished putting
on my eye liner.  Quickly, I slipped on some overalls and tennis shoes and ran downstairs. 

"You could have worn that nice dress I bought for you,
mija,
" Mamá said, a hurt look in her eyes.

"Mamá, you know how much I hate wearing dresses,"

"I do know, but I don’t see why. Most girls would kill to have your beauty. I wish you could see that. I just thought today would be different." she said wistfully.

I hated hurting her. She worked hard to take care of us.  She had two jobs and babysat in her spare time.  I didn't even want to wonder which bill got skipped for her to buy me that dress.

"If it will make you happy, I'll go put it on for you, Mamá."

"No, it’s your day and you should be comfortable.  Besides, aren’t you going to the carnival afterward?"  Mamá grabbed her camera.

"That's the plan," I mumbled.  I wasn't looking forward to going to the graduation.   I hated to be around large crowds. 

Before I could say another word, my mom pushed me out the
door.

***

“Zelenia Mendez," the principal called out. 

I slowly strode across the stage. 

“You are a special soul, my dear Zelenia.  I see great things for you in the future.” The principal smiled as she handed me a diploma and shook my hand.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cercy,” I replied.  She had been my teacher back when I was in kindergarten.  She became the principal at Shadow Valley High when I started my junior year.

School had been easy for me.  I never studied; I didn't have too.  I could read novels by the time I was five, and by the time I entered school, I excelled way past everyone else.  Even though I was doing high school level work in second grade, Mamá refused to let the administration place me in a higher grade.  I was already different enough from everybody else.  I didn't need or want the extra attention.

After the ceremony, pushing through the crowd and camera flashes was like dodging bullets.  Mamá was somewhere around here looking for me, ready to torture me with her evil camera.

"Over here,"
Zoriada said, jumping up and down.  Zoria
da, my best friend since second grade, had vibrant cocoa skin and deep chocolate eyes.  She had Daddy’s money and she loved to spend it. 

I nervously tucked a stray hair behind my ear and glanced around as I made my way over to join her and Zeeb.

Zeeb laughed. "Hiding from your mother again?"

Zeeb is the captain of the baseball team here at Shadow Valley High. I don’t think they’ve ever won a game. He was tall, lean, and had beautiful, caramel skin.  His beautiful long black hair was his pride and joy.

Zoraida and Zeeb were the only kids I considered friends in school.  I wasn't really into the whole social thing.

"You know how much I hate people taking pictures of me," I replied.

"Hi, Ms. Mendez," Zeeb waved behind me.

Sucking in a deep breath, I turned around to face the inevitable flash. Both Zeeb and Zoraida burst out laughing. My mom wasn't there.

"Don't do that to me ever again!" I said in mock anger. I bopped him in the arm and he flew to the ground.

"Ouch...What did you do that for? I was just joking. Geez, Zelenia, what a spaz." Zeeb clambered back to his feet.

"Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn't think I hit you that hard." I had barely even touched him, but he had a big red knot on his arm that surely would become a bruise tomorrow.

I felt awful.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

“I think that a little kiss would make me feel better,” he replied with a smirk.

“Keep dreaming,” Zoraida said, laughing. I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Yeah, well, watch it next time. That thing is lethal," he said, pointing to my fist.

I've always been so weak that this boggled my
mind.

Stepping between us, "Group hug, everybody!" Zoraida yelled. 

We all gathered and hugged one another. It was almost sad to be leaving school and my friends. Even so, I was ready for a change. 

Suddenly, we heard music nearby as the rides started at the school carnival held in honor of the graduates.  

I had hoped to escape before it began, but just as the thought occurred to me, Zoraida called out, "Come on you guys, they started the rides already!" 

A while later, the temperature dropped and the sky turned dark.  My head spun just from watching all the rides. I used to love the thrill of them, but my stomach couldn't handle it anymore. I mostly just sat and watched while my friends enjoyed themselves.

After Zoraida and Zeeb got off one of the rides, we walked over to one of the stands to get a drink.  Zeeb noticed a tent with the title 'Carmen the Fortune Teller'. "Let's get our fortune told," he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “Now that we’re done with high school, maybe we’ll be rich and famous!”
             

"Oh no, not me.
Fortune tellers are just kooks." I sat down on a nearby bench to take a drink of my soda.  Zeeb settled next to me with his arm around my shoulder.

"Oh come on, Zelenia, you have got to learn to lighten up a little." Zoraida wedged herself between us. 

She had been doing that a lot lately. Every time Zeeb would get a little close to me, she would push between us. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was jealous.  Feeling awkward, I
stood and
threw away my empty cup.

I strode towards the tent. "Fine, have it your way. Let's get this over with."

"It'll be fun, you'll see." Zeeb dashed up beside me, smiling.

He really did have a nice smile.  I found myself mesmerized. He could have any girl at our school, but for two years he has followed me around like a lost puppy. He would make some lucky girl a wonderful husband someday. I simply could not see us together that way.
That’s what ruins friendships,
  I never wanted to lose him or Zoraida as a friend, ever.

When we entered the tent, we found a little old lady with crazy hair in front of some tarot cards. The only light came from a single candle in the center of the table. 

"Come, sit down." The fortune teller gestured to the chairs opposite her. “Let Lady Carmen tell your fortune.”

Lady Carmen shuffled her cards. She stared at me, and her eye twitched.
She flipped the first card over and gasped. The three of us leaned forward.

She took a good long look at me, then flipped the second card.  "You
r
poor souls. You are all doomed to darkness," she whispered.

Lady Carmen spread the cards on the table.  After staring down at her cards for what seemed liked hours, she slowly looked up. Sweat glistened on her forehead; she looked genuinely concerned.

“You all are in
great danger,” she said finally
.

The three of us glanced at each other and burst out laughing. 

“Nice try, lady,” Zeeb said. “You’re not going to scare us. We’re not high
schoolers
anymore.”

Lady Carmen simply continued to stare at us, a hint of fear in her eyes.

“Ah, screw it,” I said as I stood to lea
ve. "I told you this was stupid, it’s
Just a gimmick to steal our money."

Zeeb stood to follow me. "Yeah, she's right."

Lady Carmen pointed at him. “Son, I see you have already begun to see the darkness.”

“You’re crazy!” Zeeb ducked under the flap and left.

As we walked away, Lady Carmen called after us. "You can't escape it. It only gets worse as time goes on."

"Wait for me here you guys." I
went back in. 

Lady Carmen pushed one of the cards across the table so that it faced me.

"You drew the High Priestess card." 

"And what exactly does that mean?" I asked.

"Something in your life remains yet to be revealed. Duality and mystery.  Hidden influences affect your life and intuitive insight brings new solutions.  You will have great things happen for you, child, b
ut you will suffer tremendously
."

I couldn't believe I was sitting here listening to all of her mumbo-jumbo. I hated psychics. Even so, something in my gut knew she was right. I could feel it. 

"You belong to the night my child. Use it wisely. "

"What do
you mean 'I belong to the night?”
I asked.

"Your time is up, that's all I can tell you." She shooed me out the door.

I should have known better than to fall for this crap, but I let her lure me into her game. I stormed out, angry at myself for listening to the old hag.

I gave Zeeb and Zoraida my congrats and told them I would see them both later at the party .

"I'll walk you home if you want," Zeeb said.

"Thanks, but I need some time alone, if you don't mind." I said politely.

He didn't seem to mind.  He was probably used to me rejecting him by now. 

"See
ya
later then."