Sofia: Phoenix Rising - Fire Within! Book 1
Chapter One

The myth of the Phoenix:

Human beings have clung over time to symbols and stories that help them hope that everything will improve.

The Phoenix is a recurring theme, which shows through a myth that the idea of renewal and reinvention has always been present in the history of humanity.

In many cultures and religions, we find that creation, resurrection and new beginnings are also associated with a mythological creature called the Phoenix. In ancient times, these symbols were mostly associated with religious concepts, but today they have evolved to become emblems of self-improvement, reinvention, and new beginnings.

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Chapter 1

I sit in my car trying to give myself the pep talk of the century; this is MY year! This year is going to be different; I’m going to be different! I’m a senior after all. There is no reason to be that shy little girl from the past (roughly) ten years. I can be the fun, bubbly, outgoing girl that everyone loves to be around. I can do this… With a slump of my shoulders, I shake my head and huff out a meek chuckle. Pushing the driver’s side door open with a shove of my left shoulder, I swing my legs out and feel them fall against the pavement of the parking lot and heave my body out of my car as the weight of the world feels like it has descended upon my shoulders.

Shutting the door by bumping my hip against the teal metallic metal of the door frame, a shudder runs the length of my spine as the click resounds in my head, like my life really is changing, an ominous or foreboding feeling takes hold and I try to shake it free of me. Taking a deep breath, I manage to force my feet forward, one in front of the other and make my way into the high school.

“Oh my gawwwd!” Lori speaks in a low drawn-out whisper with awe in her voice as she nudges her bony elbow into the side of my ribs, causing an oomph to fall from my mouth as the gesture is quite unexpected. For someone so petit, she sure as hell puts a powerful thrust into jabbing me.

“What?” I respond quickly shifting my eyes from my silver/metal locker that I had just finally popped the lock on (gah! I hate those stupid spin-dial locker knobs!), glancing up and down the hallway of our two-story brick school building. We are huddled near our lockers on the second floor, killing time until the bell rings. As I try to figure out what in the world has her in such a state, my light-brown shoulder-length curls bounce around my face as I swivel my head back and forth looking up and down the hall to sort out what has distracted her attention so.

Tipping her head discreetly sideways, Lori sighs appreciatively as she utters, “look” before the entire senior hall falls into a curious whispering hum. You could darn near feel the silence as it descended upon the kids loitering in the hall, Lori and I included. I look up just in time to see the most gorgeous guy I have ever seen in my life, saunter by, confidence rolling off of him in waves. His jet-black hair is just long and shaggy enough that it falls into his sea-blue eyes that seem to sparkle with mischief as he passes by us; almost like he knows he has the attention of every person in the hallway.

Biting my bottom lip, I shake my head slightly, causing my hair to fall like a veil over my goldish hued eyes. I do this on purpose so that I can look at the male god without being caught watching him as he walks up to a locker that is just two down from mine. I have never been a believer in love at first sight, nor have I ever been much of a romantic. I’d rather watch action flicks and read mystery crime thrillers than be that girl who gets all sappy over romantic, lovey-dovey, crap. At this exact moment though, I am having second thoughts regarding my previous sentiment about all that ’love junk’.

Crap! The stranger suddenly turns his head my way, catching me in the act of staring at him. I think I must have made some type of noise or sighed a little louder than I should have as I watched him remove his black leather jacket, hanging it up inside his locker which caused him to look over when he did. Good lord, his muscles! As he shuts the locker door, I note how his soft cotton black tee shirt strains against his well-defined biceps, and how nicely the shirt clings to his chiseled chest and upper torso. Seriously, I have never wanted to be a shirt so badly in my life.

“Sofia!” I hear Lori hiss next to my ear as she tries to get my attention, but I can’t seem to pull my eyes away from the stranger’s gaze. It feels like he is dragging me down into the undertow of his beautiful sea blues! He now blatantly stares back at me, causing my heart rate to speed up and my cheeks to burn as I feel a blush creep across my skin and down my neck warming my flesh.

Running a very strong looking hand through his soft, smooth, shiny hair, he lifts a corner of his mouth into a sort of half smile, nodding at me ever so slightly before throwing his black book bag over his shoulder and walking away from us to disappear around the corner of the hallway and out of sight, leaving every student frozen where they stand staring after him. As soon as he is gone, everyone who has been quietly standing by, observing him, all erupt into whispered and not so whispered questions of ’who he is?’.

The bell shrills loudly from the ceiling speakers and suddenly the students are all scrambling to get their needed items for the day before rushing in all different directions as we all try to get to our homerooms before the tardy bell from above forementioned speakers. I am never this late for homeroom.

Yes, I am one of ‘those’ girls… Not one to be noticed (if I can help it), a little more than on the shy side, I always try to be one of the first students in each of my classes so that I can grab my seat and not have anyone watch me walking in. I think this is the first time ever since my freshman year that I have walked into a classroom this late and say a silent prayer to the stars above that we have assigned seats.

I slide into my chair as the final bell rings and take a deep breath. Releasing it slowly, I look to the front of the classroom where Mr. Davis, our homeroom teacher is standing in a charcoal suit and tie, getting ready to read off the students’ names for attendance purposes.

“Alright everyone, settle down.” We do as we are told but before he can begin to rattle off our names, the classroom door is pulled open and in walks the new guy. I and the rest of the class watch as he walks up to the teacher, towering over him by a good four inches as he hands Mr. Davis a green slip of paper. Glancing at the piece of paper, he nods his head and says, “it appears as though we have gained a new student. Everyone please welcome Mr. Dritan.”

The boy automatically responds, offering Mr. Davis and, I guess the rest of us too, his first name. “It’s Ash. My name is Ash.” As he says his name though, he isn’t looking at the teacher, no. At that exact moment, his gaze has landed upon me and my heart trips over itself, causing butterflies to flutter in my stomach. I have never been the one that guys notice so as I feel his eyes on me, I shift in my seat unsure how I should act. Do I pretend I don’t know he’s looking at me? Do I look back at him? Should I smile or keep my eyes glued to my desk where they are currently?

“Mr. Dritan, you make take the empty seat beside Miss Einan.” I look up my eyes growing wide at hearing my last name and then glance quickly to the unoccupied desk to the left of me. I suddenly feel like I might pass out. I would love nothing more than to say hi to him, offer him a smile however, I could never be that smooth. Nope, instead I freeze up, not able to move a muscle and hate myself for it. I have never been able to get over my shyness, it bounds me in fear. I guess that pep talk I gave myself less than twenty minutes prior just went right out the window.

Thank the stars homeroom is only ten minutes long because I’m not sure how much longer I could stay a human statue. Picking up my belongings, I exit the classroom and make my way to the art room. Berating myself for not being confident enough to chat with the new guy, my thoughts have me focused on the should have’s, could have’s instead of paying attention to where I’m going, and Oomph! I have collided with the trunk of a tree. Well not really but that’s what it feels like. Taking a step back, I look up to apologize to whomever I have just walked into only to find Blake Tama staring down at me from his six and a half, foot height. Laughter and what seems to be a twinkle in his brown puppy dog eyes and a smile touching his lips (picture a younger version of Justin Timberlake and boom you’ve got a picture of Blake, growl), Blake reaches out a hand, placing it upon my upper arm, making sure I won’t stumble backwards any further than I already have.

“Hey, sorry Sofia. I wasn’t paying attention. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” He grins and my heart thuds loudly in my chest. The most popular guy at Buckeye High is talking to me, little miss invisible. I look up at him in shock, eyes wide in surprise that he knows my name. I didn’t think he even knew I was in the senior class with him let alone knew my name. He continues to look at me and ends up arching an eyebrow before I realize he’s waiting for me to answer.

Seriously, twice in one day! Embarrassment floods my face causing my cheeks to turn as bright a red as the red light of a stop light. I squeak out a yes! and then quickly make my way past him, shuffling to my workstation. Plopping onto my seat, I close my eyes briefly and shake my head at myself for how awesome I am!

I take a deep breath in and then release it slowly outward, trying to gather my bearings. Once my nerves are settled, I begin to pull out the items I plan on using to complete my current art project. I suddenly have a feeling that someone is watching me as I mold my lump of clay into what I hope to transform into a small white barn owl.

Peering around the room, my eyes stop their roaming as I gasp, taken aback at who I have caught staring at me. Blake is watching me, scrutinizing my movements and even when he realizes that I have caught him looking at me, he continues to do so. I can’t quite determine the expression on his face as I glance at him though; confusion, curiosity, thoughtful maybe… I am lost but don’t get to think on it because the bell rings and it’s time to head to my next class.

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