Fan Fiction ❯ Dark ❯ white rain fell ( Chapter 1 )

White rain fell against the window glass of the commuter car as it pulled to a stop in front of the beige domed building for Dark's first day of school. The doctor had arranged it so that they were in some of the same classes together. It was intentional that they were not in all the same classes, or else Dark wouldn't lose the feeling of always being under the lab's watchful eye, especially when she knew she had that monitor implanted in her arm. It was Rain's job to help her adjust, a task Rain had told her father she didn't mind doing. But if she walked just a little bit ahead of Dark, well, it was only because she didn't want to be late, not because she wanted to ditch the new girl.

By the first class introductions, the other teens were fixing the newcomer with open scrutiny. The instructor wasn't able to pronounce her name. Rain had expected this. The entire lab was unable to pronounce her name, hence the tag "Dark." It might have started out as a joke, but the name was appropriate, if a little malicious. In front of a class of light-haired, pale-skinned, blue- and green-eyed students stood Dark, with skin that was light brown, eyes that were almost black, and choppy raven hair that ended in sharp points around her face, the longest strands grazing her chin. Her coat hung like a shadow from her shoulders; her boy's cut pants showed dark patches from the downpour outside. The expression she wore on her face was the only one Rain had ever seen her wear -- nonchalant and just the tiniest bit cocky.

By lunch period, Rain knew that Dark would wear that expression for the rest of the day. Possibly for the rest of her days here. Rain knew that Dark would always walk through the halls fully upright, shoulders straight, refusing to duck, bend or turn for other people coming her way. She knew that Dark would always sit slouched in her seat in class, looking out the window or staring at the ceiling while other students took notes. She knew that Dark could smile condescendingly and would do so whenever someone asked her a question, instructors and classmates alike.

Dark had that smile on her face as she sat across from Rain at their lunch table, watching the other students. Rain glanced at the table where her friends were seated and sighed.

"Are you adjusting okay?" Rain asked.

Dark never took her eyes off the crowd. "Very okay," she said, grinning a little around the words.

Rain shifted uncomfortably. The grin was unnerving. She stole another look towards her friends. "Well, if you're fine, I'm going to go say hi to my friends. I'll see you after school?"

Dark only nodded, and Rain left their table. She thought she felt those eyes follow her.

From then on, even though they had classes together, they didn't talk or walk together. Rain hung around her group of friends, and Dark was always alone. Occasionally their eyes met in the hallway, Rain clutching the flat panel of her computer to her chest, Dark carrying her slim attaché case over her shoulder. Dark would nod at her and pass by without a word.

It took her less than a week to get into a fight.

She had bumped shoulders with Sugar in the hall, a girl Rain knew by reputation. Dark, in her usual manner, had kept walking, but Sugar had stopped and yelled after her, demanding an apology. Dark stopped then and turned around. She smiled that vicious smile, and something in Sugar, who was known to be short-tempered, had snapped. She jumped on Dark, kicking and pummeling.

Dark ended up on the floor, curled up, arms blocking the blows to her face. The administrators eventually broke up the fight, but not before witnesses had seen and heard Dark's reaction to the beating. They had distinctly heard her laughing.

She wore the battle scars with pride for the next couple of weeks and refused to let the doctors touch them. Just as they had started to fade, Dark was at the same place in the hallway, on another collision course with Sugar. They roughly bumped shoulders and took a few steps past each other before they both stopped. Sugar turned; Dark turned. The other students, sensing the rising tension, started to clear a space around them. It was then that Dark held out a hand and made a small beckoning motion. Sugar launched at her.

The first punch was one of the strongest anyone had ever seen her throw. And Sugar was known to throw quite a few. But Dark spun at the last moment, and Sugar was sent stumbling into empty air. She swung again in blank frustration, but with the slightest of steps, Dark had danced out of the way, head turning to avoid the bare knuckles aimed for her face. So it went. Sugar threw punches; Dark dodged them all. Flustered, panting, Sugar screamed for Dark to "hold still, you bitch!" At that command, Dark stopped dancing and planted her feet. Sugar flew at her.

When Sugar's knuckles glanced her face, Dark was already moving out of the way. She snagged Sugar's arm and spun her, threw her, into the wall. Her forehead struck hard. It made a noise that almost echoed. She fell like dead weight.

No one bothered Dark after that, not even the meaner boys. Sugar's parents were the most upset at having to get their daughter treated for a concussion. They complained to the administration. They wanted Dark pulled out of school. The school contacted the lab and Rain's father. So Doctor Edinger came up with a peace offering.

The lab would use the monitor to control Dark's aggressive tendencies. It wasn't exactly what they wanted, but Sugar's parents had to satisfy themselves with that. They had the power of wealth, but Edinger's lab carried greater weight.

Rain, though, knew that her father wouldn't really try to control Dark's aggression. He would not want to somehow adversely affect her abilities, which were more valuable to them than Sugar and her family.

Rumors had circulated the hallways at school ever since Dark made her first appearance. Her classmates kept their distance, but their interest was apparent in the whispers and quick glances that followed her whenever she walked into a room. "Is that the one?" they asked each other the first day. "Is she the one who'll stop the Front?"

Rain almost wished that wasn't the case. Dark just didn't seem like she gave a damn about anything.