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Under the Dome
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Erica couldn't remember her first seizure. She couldn't remember her first couple dozen. She had just been too young when they had started and they came too frequently for her to really keep track.
She did remember the only other kid her age that seemed to not be a complete jerk about her seizures. In fact, the kid was actually protective in a way that was different from her parents who just wanted to wrap her in cotton and forget about it all. This kid would shut down the mocking and bullying that had plagued her since she had started school.
Then again, their entire second grade class knew better than to cross Stiles. The only one who continued even trying was Jackson who had the broken nose to prove why it was a bad idea. Honestly, no one had any clue why Jackson just couldn't leave the other boy alone.
Boys were weird sometimes.
"All of the time," Cora Hale corrected as she hung upside down by her legs over one of the top bars of the jungle gym. Erica looked up at her from the cool sand beneath the dome of interlocked metal bars. Cora was wearing a tangerine camp shirt over hot pink shorts. Her long jet black hair was hanging loose except for a small braid coming from her left temple and tied off with a burgundy ribbon and a series of gold charm beads. The beads made a haunting tinkle whenever Cora swung her head even a little. She was also wearing bright cerulean gloves with the fingers cut off. Strangely, she was missing one of her violet sneakers.
"What?" Erica asked. She just blinked at the other girl. Cora was from the grade below her, even though she was only a month or so younger. Stiles would probably be able to explain why, but Erica had also had him explain certain things from the doctors to her. He might be a bit of a squirrel in the classroom, but he was still scary smart. But Erica didn't need any help to know that the first and second grades were scheduled for the same playtime.
"Your inner monologue broke," Cora answered, still watching her from upside down. "But boys aren't weird sometimes. They're weird all of the time, especially when they have a crush. Jackson likes Stiles. That's why he pushes. Stiles likes Jackson, which is why he doesn't just ignore him."
"Are you sure?" Erica eyed Cora suspiciously. Cora grabbed one of the other bars and flipped herself into the dome before dropping into the sand beside Erica. Only then did she give a very solemn nod. Erica choked a bit in denial. "That's so weird."
"That's boys," Cora said with a dismissive shrug. "Brothers are even worse."