-Laelyn-

First hour went horribly. I sat in the wrong seat, had to listen to Soryx - Mr. Jev drone on and on about the class in his sad, monotone voice, and to make things worse Link was nowhere to be seen. The people I did recognize didn't attempt to speak to me, and I made no effort either.

Chemistry was even worse. I never knew the people in that class in the first place, not to mention in a new dimension. Link wasn't there, either. Where are you? I silently pleaded throughout class. Maybe he was on a field trip. Yeah! Maybe he was in some sort of club here that took overnight field trips, and that was all. I would be stressing over nothing. But what if he was missing? What if he was... Not here at all? No, he had to have a dimensional counterpart... Didn't he? Ugh, the next time I see Beckham, I need answers!

The next class was English. Good, there's no way Mrs. Turner could be any worse than she is on Earth. I walked into class and sat next to the only other two kids in the class already. They looked like massive nerds, but not necessarily in a bad way. They just looked like they really enjoyed school. One of them had floppy brown hair past his ears, falling just over the top of his circle frame glasses. His blue shirt was collared, he had a pencil behind his ear, and he was in deep conversation with the boy in front of him. The other boy had unruly light blonde hair styled into a quiff and thick orange glasses. He was wearing black headphones around his neck, and a green and yellow zip-up running jacket over a black shirt. He was almost... Fashionable, for a nerd. Where do I know them from? I wondered. They were so familiar to me, yet I didn't know anyone like that. Then I thought about the class I was in. If all of our schedules were the same, and they were the only two people I recognized... I looked at their facial features. Treyden and Isaac? I laughed, audibly, then quickly covered my mouth with my hand. Isaac was the one with the blonde hair. If he could see himself right now, he'd laugh too. They turned to me.

"Laelyn! Could you come to robotics club today? We're prepping for regionals, and we could use some help." Isaac said, tapping the pencil in his hand.

"Oh! Uh... Maybe. I'll have to see if I'm... Free." I said.

"We need one more person. Cowyn said he couldn't get Tayvis to join- no surprise there- but now we're one short." Treyden explained.

"Yeah, I heard about that." I replied. Technically I did.

"I wish Link was still here, he was so good at it!" Isaac said sadly.

"What did you just say?" I asked excitedly. I had stopped listening once I heard his name. Link! He was alive!

"I wish your brother didn't drop out last year, that's all." Isaac answered. Link dropped out? He wouldn't do that. Would he?

"Yeah, it's been hard finding people to join our clubs once he left. He had all the girls willing to sign up." Treyden added. How different was Link in Soryx?

"Oh, um, right." I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat. I couldn't show how much of a shock that had given me. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I really miss him around here too." That was the complete truth. Treyden laughed.

"I don't know if miss is the word you're looking for. We all hated him. He just helped a lot because of how smart he was." He said.

"Hated him? Why in the world would you hate my brother?"

"Perhaps a year of separation is making you forget everything he did to us? All the pranks and the jokes. He acted like a bully sometimes. You said it yourself, a few times." Isaac reminded me.

"Right, I did say that..." I lied, blinking back tears. Where are you, Link?

"Even though you didn't get along, it must be hard since he moved out." Isaac said. That's why he wasn't at home?

"Yeah, it's been hard to get used to. Mom is sad about it, too." I replied. I just wanted to be done with the conversation. Thankfully, that was the exact moment that Mrs. Turner decided to bound into the room. She smiled wide and clapped her hands.

"Today you will be writing your own short story, with your nonhuman character! I would like you to finish your character outline and turn it in, before you begin your rough draft. And remember, even though this is for a grade, have fun!" She chirped. This is so not Mrs. Turner.

"We started this already?" I asked Isaac.

"Yeah, you should have the outline from yesterday." He explained.

"Oh. My friend and I went on a canoe trip and lost all of our school stuff," I said, mentally thanking Beckham for his story. Treyden turned around in his seat.

"Just ask Mrs. Turner for a new one." He said. I got up and walked over to her desk, scared still. What am I scared of? She's totally different here.

"Um... Mrs. Turner?" I said quietly.

"Yes, Laelyn?" She said happily, looking up from the book she was reading.

"Well... I need a new outline."

"Of course, dear. Here you go, freshly printed." She handed me a paper over the desk. I took it gratefully, and rushed back to my seat. Isaac gave me a weird look.

"What's up with you today? You're acting really odd." He said.

"What? No, I'm totally fine! Having a great day, actually, thanks for asking."

"Um... I didn't." Isaac said, confused.

"...I knew that." I lied. "It was a... joke."

"Oh, well, in that case, it wasn't very funny." Treyden disclosed.

"I'll work on it," I laughed, turning back to my work. A nonhuman character, huh? Should be easy. What about a dragon? I do really like dragons. Oh, wait! What about someone with humanoid form, but with the traits of a dragon? My mind went crazy as I scribbled in the blanks on the paper. I turned it in shortly and got halfway through my short story. All too soon, the first enjoyable hour I'd had in Soryx was over. The bell rang, and even though I didn't want to, I scrambled to pick up all my things and be the first to gym class. I needed to talk to Beckham. I ran down the hallway, bumping into countless people. Finally, I made it around the corner and in front of the gym. I only saw a few people getting there already, but nonetheless I entered the gym and went into the locker room. Crap! Was my locker number and combo the same? I ran to number 16, and sighed in relief when the combination opened on my first try. Thank the Lord, I thought. I didn't want to be marked down for not having clothes on my first day here. Like usual, I grabbed the first pair of clothes I found, and this time I ended up with tight purple capri leggings and a hot pink scoop neck tank top. I put them on quickly and went back into the gym, scanning the room for Beckham. I found him at the top right of the bleachers, reading. How could he be reading at a time like this? When I got closer, I realized he was reading a journal full of writing.

"What've you got there?" I asked, interested. He looked up quickly and slammed the journal shut.

"Nothing, just a bit of school work." He said. He was a bad liar.

"Sure. Show me." I demanded. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"And why would I do that?" He challenged.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you knocked me out a few times, almost didn't even tell me a demon was out to kill me, lead me into a second dimension, or never told me that my brother wasn't even living with me anymore?"

"All viable points... Wait, Link doesn't live with you? Then where is he?"

"He dropped out of school. Thank goodness, I thought he was dead." I said, tears stinging my eyes again.

"He couldn't be dead. If he's alive on Earth, he's alive in Soryx."

"How do you know that?"

"Because the lives are connected. If one dies, so does the other."

"And you didn't tell me that until now because?" I raised my voice.

"It wasn't important until now."

"Alright, whatever. Show me the binder."

"Oh right. You remembered." He said. I rolled my eyes.

"Hand it over." I said, extending my arm.

"You might want an explanation first." He warned.

"Alright, fine. What is it?" I asked, grabbing it out of his hands.

"They're... Notes." He trailed off. Without waiting for him to finish, I flipped the journal open to the first page.

Soryx-Entry 1

 Alright, so I'm starting a journal to write down everything my dad tells me about Soryx. He tells     me it will be easier to track Daeva if we know all the facts, so he's telling me everything he knows.

So, Soryx is an alternate dimension, from what I understand. Everyone who exists here, also exists there. Except, they are really different, like their personalities. Also, Dad says they have... Magic potential. I'm not quite sure what that means yet, but everyone has one. Including me. Dad's going to help me unlock my potential next lesson. I'm very excited!

"Beckham?" I asked. "Whose is this?"

"Mine." He said quietly.

"So your dad knows all about this place?" I questioned. "How?"

"He was... A demon hunter."

"A demon hunter. As in, he hunts demons?"

"That would be what that means, yes." He said. "Just keep reading. It should clear up a bit of confusion."

Soryx-Entry 2

Yesterday, Dad taught me how to use my magic! I'm not very good at it though... But it's so cool! I can give people visions! Once I learn how to control it properly, Dad says I will be able to make it seem like the person just had a fleeting thought, or it was part of a dream. That way, they will remember it, but they won't know it was magic. Like I said, though, I'm not very good at it. Apparently, without proper training, it can go awry. I wonder what happens? At least whatever it is doesn't last too long, according to my dad, but it's kind of scary. Dad said that in 8 years, I should have full control. Everyone should have full control of their powers at 18, though. I want to gain control quicker!

"Beck, how old were you, ten?" I inquired.

"Yeah." He mumbled, looking up from the ground.

"So you've known about this thing for seven years?"

"Yeah."

"And I'm expected to just understand everything in a day?" I said, louder.

"...Yeah." I shot him a look, and he looked down again. How was I supposed to help get rid of Daeva if I haven't even unlocked my magic potential yet?

"Alright, class. Pick partners. We're running." Mr. Sark said, sitting down on the bleachers. Where went all of his energy? Putting the journal down by the rest of Beck's stuff, I grabbed his arm and pulled him down the bleachers. I didn't want to be partners with a stranger. When we were at the starting line, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Whipping around, I smiled, seeing a familiar face. Chanson. He didn't look too different, but his brown hair was longer and darker, almost black, and his blue eyes had turned brown.

"Chanson!" I said, happily.

"Lyn, we always run together," He said, wrapping his arms around my waist. Oh my God his arms are around my waist.

"Right, sorry. I didn't see you before school- I didn't know if you were here or not." I lied. I was getting too good at this.

"Well, I'm here," He said, smirking. "I like running with you." He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. Wait, what? I turned to look at Beckham. "Sorry," I mouthed. He smiled sadly and walked away. Why was he disappointed? Weren't we supposed to be trying to fit in? I looked back up at Chanson and smiled. I could play the part, for today. I always had liked him. We turned around and got ready to run. Mr. Sark clapped his hand, and we were off. I was lightly jogging- apparently Soryx-Chanson was slower than the Chanson I knew. But either way, it was nice. We made it back to the bleachers the second time, and he sat down on the bottom row. I followed him. Hey, I was apparently dating the guy. Had to fit in, right?

Mr. Sark instructed us to divide evenly into two teams for volleyball. We picked our own teams- there were no captains. Running was just part of the stretches here. Afraid I'd say something wrong if I spoke, I remained silent and went into the first group that called me. In the end, Beckham and I were on opposite teams.

The rest of fourth hour was pretty boring, and I stayed away from the ball as much as possible. I couldn't help but notice how down Beck was, though. What was up with him? On my way to lunch, I almost stopped at Link's locker again. He isn't here, Laelyn, I reminded myself. I found my lunch in my locker, which was thankfully the same number and combination as on Earth. I practically ran down the hallway- I wanted to read the rest of Beck's journal. Once I entered the cafeteria, I realized I had no clue where I usually sat. Correction: Where Soryx-Laelyn usually sat. I surveyed the tables, and immediately saw Isaac and Treyden waving me over. Chanson was sitting there, too. I sat across from Isaac and Treyden, and next to Chanson. We were the nerd table, and I realized it from the second I sat down. This school had a clear division of cliques. The jocks and cheerleaders, the populars, the theater geeks, the nerds, and the rest. I saw Cowyn, Tayvis and Daniella sitting in the middle of the populars and the jocks and cheerleaders. Tayvis was obviously a popular, and Cowyn was there because he was his brother. Daniella was a cheerleader, but she sat by Tayvis because they were... Dating. That would take some getting used to. There was another boy sitting by them, with luxuriant swept back indigo hair. He wore a purple dress shirt with a black vest, and he seemed like a really popular kid. After staring at him awhile longer, I realized it was Joshua. Josh? Was that right? He looked so different, I almost didn't recognize him at all. He looked half asleep, and he was very laid back.

"Hey Laelyn!" I heard someone say. I looked up to see Britta walking towards the table, holding her lunch tray. Her hair was a powdery blue, but that was really the only difference between her and the Britta I knew, besides the fact that she had glasses now.

"Oh, uh, hey Britta," I stumbled over my words, trying to adjust to her appearance. I watched her sit down in between Isaac and Treyden, giving Isaac a side hug after setting down her tray. They were friends in this dimension? They couldn't stand each other on Earth. "What's up today?"

"Actually, Isaac and I were wondering what you were doing after school today. We're going to the movies to celebrate six months, and we wanted some friends there."

"Um... Six months of what?" Please don't be what I think it is, please don't-

"Our relationship?" Isaac answered me. "Geez, there really is something wrong with you today. It's like you don't know anything." That's because I don't.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I'm just... Tired." I lied. That, and I didn't know who any of my friends were, or who I was. God, I wish Alyrica was here. Alyrica! Where was she?

"Okay. Well, think about it, if you aren't busy." Britta said.

"Think about what?"

"The movies." Isaac rolled his eyes. "You need more sleep, Lyn." Mental facepalm.

"Of course, the movies. Well, I think I'm busy, but if anything changes I'll let you know." I said hurriedly. Calm down, Laelyn. These aren't the people you know. In this world, Isaac and Britta are dating. Not your friends, their Soryx counterparts. "Thank you for inviting me though."

"Yeah." Britta waved it off. Just like Alyrica used to.

"I have a question," I blurted.

"What kind of a question?" Chanson asked, turning to me.

"Do any of you guys know Alyrica? Alyrica Bailey?" I asked.

"Your brother's girlfriend? Everyone knows her. Wish I didn't, honestly." He answered. Everyone around the table grumbled in agreement. So they were dating in Soryx, too. But what was so bad about her?

"Why?"

"Laelyn, think about it. She smokes, she drinks, she wears super tight clothes, she got your brother to drop out of highschool for her... She's just bad news." Isaac explained. What? Alyrica? No, she couldn't.

"Oh..." I whispered, taking it all in.

"Why do you ask?" Treyden wondered.

"What? Oh, I just wanted to know where she is nowadays." I said, making it up as I went. If I found her, I could find Link.

"Same place their group always is, I expect. That back alley way into town." Britta answered. Well, that's where I'm going after school then.

"Oh, alright. Thanks," I said. She gave me a sideways look, then smiled.

"Welcome, I guess." I stayed silent until I was done eating.

Author's Note!

Hey guys so I accidentally published this one... But I'm not going to change it! I think I'll just give you an extra update this week. Thanks for over 180 reads already! Like, AAAUUUGGGHHH! That's crazy. I'm so thankful for your continued support and I can't wait to keep writing! Love you guys!

Savy Pearson