Dragonrider Academy: Episode 1

where I could blend in a little bit better, have some fun, or…
Or, I could use it as an opportunity to see what my mom’s employer was really up to.
It was a good thing that I could ace my classes with my eyes closed, because I couldn’t focus on anything for the rest of the day. Would there be a way I could get into the resort? What would I even be looking for? Maybe my dad’s old office had something useful. I remembered where it was because I’d never forget the way my mom described it.
“An office that could overlook the ocean for miles.”
I doubted there were many offices that fit that description. I could get in, get out, and no one would be the wiser.
Because to everyone else, I was just invisible, right?
I didn’t even try to hurry to lunch this time to get in line before everyone else. I waited my turn, spotting Max taking a tray outside with his friends.
I liked to eat outside, too, and I shifted my backpack as I took my tray of sloppy pizza and chocolate pudding out to my usual spot. The yard included benches that the students squeezed onto like sardines, which was why I preferred a giant oak tree out by the campus border.
I settled down onto the ground in the shade and watched the other students talk and laugh. The interactions always fascinated me in how the girls obsessed over each other’s outfits, and the guys made stupid jokes I never found that funny.
A small chirp got my attention just as I’d taken the first bite of my pizza. I set it down and wiped the grease from my hand. “Hey, Solstice, what’re you doing here?”
The tiny yellow finch flapped his wings and perched on my extended finger, flicking his head left and right as he looked up at me with intelligent eyes.
I knew animals were smarter than people gave them credit for. It was kind of like babies. Just because something can’t talk doesn’t make it stupid.
People often made that mistake about me, too.
The little bird had been my one and only friend ever since I could remember, which I realized was odd. According to the research I’d found, finches only lived four to seven years, twelve max, and being sixteen-years-old myself, I couldn’t remember a time when the little fluff-ball wasn’t in my life. That made him at least thirteen-years-old. My mom was convinced that Solstice was really one of many of the little finches that loved to call Oakland their home, but I usually only saw the wild birds out in spring. Solstice stayed with me all year, even in winter.
He chirped at me again, as if saying that he just wanted to say hi.
I carefully scratched the top of his head with my pinky as I smiled. Maybe I didn’t know how to get along with my own kind, but it didn’t matter when I had friends like Solstice.
The sound of someone clearing their throat got my attention and I looked up to see Julie Emmerson staring down at me. She crossed her arms, pushing up her cleavage with the motion. “So, I hear Max invited you to the party. You’re not going to show up, are you? It’s just a gimmick to see if you’ll really go.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “We all know your dad died out there and you’re terrified of the water.”
“Excuse me?” I snapped, rage filtering my vision red as Solstice flew off, leaving me to fend for myself.
Didn’t blame the bird. I would fly from Julie Emmerson too if I could.
She narrowed her overly shadowed eyes that positively dripped with eyeliner. “What’s with the bird? Are you Snow White, or something?” She smirked. “You couldn’t be. Your feet are way too big.” She kicked the bottom of my boot.
“That’s Cinderella,” I replied. At least the dimwit could get her fairytales straight.
She frowned. “Look. I like you. You know your place and keep out of everyone else’s business. You don’t belong here and at least you know it, but if you show up tonight, that’s way out of line, so don’t even think about it.”
Know my place?
I stood up and gave her my best death glare. She flinched, clearly not expecting me to literally stand up for myself. “Listen,” I snapped. “I know my family isn’t rich and I was allowed to attend this school out of courtesy to my father, but it doesn’t change anything. The scholarship that your families opened up in my father’s name says that if I can keep my grades up, I can attend Oakland High.” And by keep my grades up, they meant I had to keep a perfect 4.0 GPA, which I knew none of them expected me to be able to do. “That has nothing to do with my ‘place,’ so go back to your hyena friends whose favorite topics are your waist sizes and leave me alone. I didn’t ask you to come bother me.”
She stared at me, mouth agape, as a group within earshot openly stared.
“Daaaaaang,” one of the girls whispered, only to have one of her friends elbow her hard in the ribs.
Julie scoffed and leaned in. “Listen, odd bird, I won’t have anyone of your class talking to me like that. This is your final warning. You show up tonight? You’re dead.” She turned on her heel and kicked up my food tray on her way, ignoring me as my pizza and chocolate pudding went flying into the grass.
The entire yard lit up with excitement over the “catfight,” including Max Green who watched with those intense blue eyes that dared me to defy those “better than me.”
Well hold onto your jockstrap, Max Green, because this girl is about to show what happens when an odd bird decides to fly.

The rest of my school day dragged on and I was more than ready to jump on my bike and ride home. I