Atlantis High School was located in Marine Heights. Some would say that it was a city of glamour and wealth, while others would say it was one of discrimination. Either way, Atlantis High was just like any other high school.

There’s the popular group. Normally very discriminatory against those of lesser wealth. There’s the smart group. Occasionally ventures into the cafeteria, but otherwise remains inside of math classrooms. There’s the ‘normal’ group. A group of kids that has no official step on the social ladder, higher than geeks, but lesser than the jocks and partiers. There’s always the set of Gothic, or nowadays, the ‘emo’ kids who hand out under trees in nice weather playing guitar and giving each other strange nick names no one else can figure out. Then there are the freaks. In every school, ‘freak’ is normally defined as someone who can’t find a place anywhere, something that bars them from fitting in. At Atlantis High, not even the freaks would talk to Nova Mora.

Aside from her name, there were several other reasons the school population avoided Nova like the plague. One of the main dominant reasons was that Nova Mora never spoke. No one had school had ever heard her talk, not even the teachers or administrators. Another reason was that she was brilliant. Everything she did, she did extremely well. Teachers had learned to not ask her questions, and it was then common knowledge that Nova was mute.

Or so they thought.

Nova was beautiful. Strikingly so. Her petite, curvy frame had a feminine allure to most of the male population. Her long, fiery red hair ran down her back with bangs that swooped and framed her face. Nova’s eyes were a striking cerulean blue and she had long dark eyelashes that seemed almost fake. Nova’s appearance mimicked her name, she appeared to glow and have a golden aura around her. She was untouchable.

And that was why no one talked to her. She was considered strange and unnatural, and even though her family had a lot of money, possibly the richest family in Marine Heights, and a lot of leverage in the school system no one dared to befriend her. Except one.

Johanna Malone was the only one from a ‘poor’ family that lived in Marine Heights and went to Atlantis High School. People had concluded that the only reason she was friends with Nova was because no one else would talk to her. They were right.

It was the Monday after school had began in August. It was hot and humid in the city by the ocean, and summer was still lingering in the talk of the students. The campus was old, as if it had been around for a very long time, with stone walls which ivy would find its way up. There were old trees that hung over the paths to the front of the school which shaded the entire way from the sun.

Nova sat on a bench in the front of the school by herself, waiting for school to start. It would be ten minutes. The students around her that had arrived early as well were talking, and since Nova didn’t feel inclined to join them, she just listened. She always listened.

“So, like, the guy is supposed to be really hot. Like, Monica saw him down at the beach, and he was like, swimming and stuff. So hot.” A girl giggled as she passed by, and Nova sighed inwardly. Another student to ignore her.

“Oh my gosh! Like, seriously?” The other girl gasped.

“Like, seriously.” They both squealed as they walked up the stairs. Nova twirled a piece of her hair around her finger, and tapped her foot.

“Excuse me.” A voice was above her, but she ignored it. No one ever talked to her here.

“Excuse me.” The voice sounded annoyed, and someone tapped her on the shoulder. Nova glanced up, and her eyes widened. Someone was talking to her. The voice belonged to a male, around her age or so, that towered above her.

“I’m new here,” He continued once he got her attention, “And I’m not sure where to find room five-oh-two. Can you show me?”

Nova stared at him, before shrugging and nodding. Grabbing her backpack, she headed up the stairs and expected him to follow her. He did.

“I’m Phinius, by the way. My friends call me Fin.” Nova nodded as she climbed her way up the next staircase. “And….you are?” Nova paused on her way up the stairs, throwing a look over her shoulder.

“Ah, I see,” Fin smirked, “Playing hard to get, right?” She stopped walking once she got to the room with the numbers 502 printed neatly on the door. She took his appearance in for the first time, and regretted looking at him in the first place.

He was tall, a lot taller than many of the guys at Atlantis High. Fin had black hair that fell neatly to his ears, and a pair of ocean blue eyes that laughed at her. He was built like a swimmer; with broad shoulders and a narrow torso, with sculpted legs. Nova blushed and began to walk to her first class, leaving him there.

“Wait, what’s your name?”

Nova didn’t answer.

(MOO)

Phinius Mantissa arrived in Marine Heights the Saturday before his senior year began. His parents, although feeling extremely guilty, decided that it was best to move due to the trouble he had gotten into the last school year. He had been there all of three days before knowing that this year was going to be the worst year of his life.

Fin supposed that the only upside of this town was the beaches. The entire community seemed to be fake and he hated it. If there was one thing Fin could hate more it would be the snobs of the society. Which, he decided by glancing at the parking lot of his school, apparently were all attending his school.

He ran a hand through his hair, pulling at the ends of it when he realized he needed to cut it. Fin looked at his schedule and realized that Calculus was his first period, in room five-oh-two. He inwardly groaned realizing that math would be his first period for the rest of the semester. He was only about five, maybe ten, minutes early when he arrived and noticed that there was no one there. No, really, there was no one there. Except one girl. Fin smiled as he approached her.

She was gorgeous, he noticed when he got closer. But she looked bored, and he wanted to get her attention.

The girl didn’t speak to him. The entire way up to his class he tried to make conversation, but she didn’t take the bait. She would smile politely or do something of the like, but never open her mouth to form words.

Fin, being a complete Alpha male with his male hormones and all, couldn’t help but notice the way her shirt would ride up as she took a step up the stairs, and the way her jeans fit her snugly. He smirked, but that faded when she stopped abruptly, reaching their destination. The girl was walking away.

“Wait, what’s your name?” Fin called as she walked away.

“Don’t bother.” Fin spun around to see a guy his age with black sunglasses, shaggy hair and a casual blue button up shirt on. Fin raised his eyebrowns.

“Why not?” The guy smirked.

“That’s Nova Mora. She hasn’t spoken to anyone….ever.” Fin shook his head.

“That’s such shit. Of course she has. Just not to me ‘cause she doesn’t know me.” The guy snorted in response.

“Trust me, bro. If there was anyway I would be able to get a sound out of that girl, I would’ve figured it out a long time ago.” Fin glanced back over his shoulder, but ‘Nova’ was gone.

Nova. He liked the name.

“My name’s Christian.” The guy held out his hand.

“Phinius. Fin, for short.”

“Welcome to Atlantis.” He smirked as he walked into the classroom. Fin followed him into Calculus.

(MOO)

Nova regretted taking Fin to his first period, because she missed her best friends arrival. Her first class, English, was on the opposite side of the school. Nova huffed, realizing she was late. The thing about her school was late the kids arrived late. At the bell, or a few minutes after, and so she had to push her way through the halls to get to the other set of stairs that led her to her class.

The teachers had realized awhile ago that Nova Mora never spoke. No longer did they bother to coerce an answer out of her, and no longer did they even attempt to get her to do an oral presentation. She simple wouldn’t do it. But what always perplexed them was the fact that Nova was amazing at every project, worksheet, exam and quiz she did. Everything she did, she did well.

Nova walked into her English class to see her best friend Johanna already sitting at the desk next to hers. She made her way to desks in the middle of the room and sat down next to her friend.

“So…where were you?” Johanna obviously didn’t expect a response. Nova shrugged.

“Ah. Okay, want to write it?” Nova stared at her blankly as Johanna passed her a piece of binder paper and a black ball-point pen.

Nova had elegant, almost swirly, calligraphy type handwriting. She scrawled her response on the piece of paper and handed it back.

“Some guy?” Johanna scrunched her nose up as she read it. “The new guy?” Nova nodded, tapping the pen in her hand.

“Huh,” Johanna smiled, “I heard he was really hot. What’d you think?”

Nova didn’t blush, but she felt close to it. She shrugged instead.

“So he talked to you?” Nova nodded.

Johanna sighed. “What a bummer. I bet he thinks you totally blew him off.” Nova smiled at her friend, and looked up as the teacher began the lesson.

(MOO)

“Hey, Fin!” A voice called out to him as he walked down the hall. It was lunch, and he had met many people during his first four periods. Fin turned around to see a girl walking briskly toward him. It was a girl, he had forgotten her name, that he had met during Chemistry.

“Hey, Fin!” She was out of breath by the time she reached him. “Do you know where you’re sitting at lunch?” He shook his head.

“Nah, I was just planning on seeing who would accept me first.” The girl was an average height, with pale blonde hair and pale green eyes. Her skin was fair, and he thought she was very pretty.

“Ah, well, I’m not very popular, and I don’t have a lot of friends. But if you have nowhere to sit, you could hang out with me and Nova. We’re by the willow tree. I heard you already met her so I figured you’d feel comfortable. But I totally understand if you want to sit with the popular kids. I figured I’d ask anyway, you know?” She was rambling, and Fin smiled. The name Nova seemed familiar. Nova. Nova. Nova Mora. A light bulb went off in his head. The girl from this morning.

“No,” He said cutting her off, “I’ll hang out with you. It’d be better than eating with a bunch of kids I don’t even want to know.” The girl beamed.

“Great. Are you buying lunch?” She asked.

“Nah, I don’t eat lunch.” Her face fell.

“Well, you can go and just sit with Nova until I get back. She doesn’t eat lunch either. The tree is right behind the cafeteria.” She pointed to a stone building, and he nodded.

“Okay, I’ll see you then….” He felt horribly guilty for not remembering her name.

She giggled though, “Johanna. From Chemistry, remember?” Fin nodded, and smiled back.

“Sorry. I just met so many people today. I keep getting confused.” Johanna shrugged.

“It’s okay. I’ll see you over there then.” She waved him goodbye and headed toward a different building. Fin turned around and made his way to the willow tree Johanna was talking about.

He had turned the corner and stopped abruptly seeing a girl, Nova, sitting delicately beneath the tree. The sun hit her face and made her hair glow in a way that looked like a halo framed her head. She seemed to be on fire and he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Fin took a step, and Nova glanced over at him. They caught each others gaze, and Fin began to walk slowly as if not wanting to scare an animal.

Her doe like gaze had him transfixed.

“Hey,” Fin cleared his throat when he got close enough, and took a seat next to her. She just stared at him, her eyes sparkling. “I never did get your name officially. Nova, right?” She nodded at him jerkily before looking away.

“Well, good then. Now we’re officially acquainted.” Nova sighed, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.

“Sorry if I’m bugging you,” Fin apologized, and she looked at him curiously. “Johanna invited me. I didn’t think I was a problem.” Nova stared at him, and shook her head slowly.

“Oh, so it’s okay? That I’m here, I mean.” She smiled at him shyly before nodding. Fin was overcome by her beauty in that smile, and his breath caught in his throat.

“So,” A voice called from above them, “You guys have met, right?” Johanna was smiling down at them, with a sandwich in one hand and a water in the other.

Fin shook his head to clear his thoughts before smiling up at Johanna. “Oh, yeah. And it was a blast. Great conversationalist.” He glanced over at Nova who was still staring. He didn’t blush, but he felt a little bad for the jab. Nova glanced away and looked up at Johanna.

“Hey, Nova. This is Fin. He decided he wanted to eat with us today. Cool, huh?” It seemed that Nova’s lack of speech was definitely made up with Johanna’s chatter box persona. Nova nodded and shrugged.

Johanna turned to Fin. “Nova doesn’t talk. Like ever. But she’s my best friend. That’s why we’re such great friends. She just knows how to listen.”

Fin raised his eyebrows at the statement. It didn’t seem fair that Johanna would talk her mouth off while Nova just had to sit there and take it. He smiled.

“I can tell. I bet she gives great advice.” It was supposed to be a joke, but Johanna began to nod enthusiastically.

“Oh, definitely!” She sat down in front of the two. “Nova is like, amazing at everything. Seriously. But she’s really modest.” Fin glanced over at Nova, who didn’t appear to be listening anymore. The sun was hitting her hair and gave her an unearthly glow. Fin sucked in his breath, and forgot to respond to Johanna.

(MOO)

Nova waited for Johanna to meet her under their tree. She waited. And waited. She glanced over toward the rest of the school when she saw that boy walking toward her. He looked good, possibly better than he did this morning with the sun rising behind him. She sighed to herself but didn’t take her eyes off him.

He attempted to talk to her. But she wouldn’t. She wasn’t going to talk to anyone, because she wasn’t allowed. It almost physically hurt her to not talk to him. Like he was someone that she was almostdrawn to speak to him.

Which has never happened before. She kept her jaw clenched shut and her mind on something else. It was only a few hours before she got to go home. Johann came, and her and the boy, Fin, struck up a conversation. Oddly, about her. She shifted uncomfortably, and refused to listen.

The conversation failed, and the bell rang. Her heart rate slowed down, and while Fin wasn’t looking, she assessed him again. His dark hair fell in front of his eyes, but she could still see the bright aquamarine blue in them. She clenched her fist to keep from touching his hair, and bit her lip to keep from speaking.

She was not going to lose everything just because of some boy.

Nova pushed the thoughts from her mind, before making her way to her next class.

She walked to school everyday, unlike most of the kids who had fancy cars to show off their wealth. Nova preferred walking. She normally detoured to the beach and spent her time there. It was perfect for solitude because all of the kids from her school went to their own private country club to hang out.

Nova sighed as she made her way down to the beach. It was quiet here, far away from the streets and town, with only the sound of the waves and the seagulls to keep her company. Even though it was a hot day in Marine Heights, she was wearing a pair of tight jeans and a plain white shirt. Nova fanned her shirt and squirmed awkwardly in her jeans. She adjusted herself before sitting down on the sand and laying on her back. It was a few minutes before she was disturbed.

Nova glanced up toward the ocean, seeing a figure caught in the waves. She watched it for a few minutes before realizing the person was caught up in the undertow of the waves, and unable to come up for air. She quickly shed her shirt and jeans, before diving into the water, and swimming at an unnatural pace to the person.

It was a male. She couldn’t see who, but she wrapped her arm around the large torso, and began dragging him to the shore. For anyone else, it would’ve required a lot of strength, but for her she was just worried about not getting there in time.

Nova laid out the body on the shore, checking a pulse, before performing CPR. She recognized the boy quickly as the boy from earlier today, and breathed a sigh of relief when he began to open his eyes.

Fin gave out a moan, coughing up water, and turning on his side to throw up. Nova gave him a worried look, soothing her hand over his back. He glanced back at her with a grateful expression.

“Thank you,” He croaked out, “You saved my life.” She shrugged, and ran a hand through her tangled hair. Fin took a deep breath and closed his eyes before turning back on his back. There was a few moments of silence before Fin opened his eyes and looked back at Nova.

She was sitting up where her arms around her knees, only in her bra and underwear. She wasn’t blushing like normal girls would’ve been, and he took his time to look her over, his breath catching.

Nova glanced over him, sensing he was well enough to sit up on his own. She stood up, not bothering to wipe the sand off her legs and out of her hair. She turned to go retrieve her clothes from her spot further down the beach.

“Hey, wait,” She only paused to make sure he wouldn’t fall over when he stood, but kept walking as he caught up with her, “What’re you doing down here?”

Nova stopped walking to look up at him. She raised and eyebrow as if to ask, ‘I could ask you the same thing.’ He laughed softly. They continued walking until they reached a pile of her clothes.

“Point taken. At least you didn’t drown. I feel humbled. Normally it’s the guy saving the girl.” Nova smiled at that, before bending over to pick up her clothes. Fin looked away pointedly as she dressed.

“I’m sorry I had to make you get all wet.” Once the words were out of his mouth, he couldn’t get the picture of her glistening with ocean water hovering above him out of his mind. “You really did save me.” She nodded.

The boy was driving her crazy. In a good way, she decided. He tagged along behind her as she walked up the beach to the road.

“Hey, wait, where are you going?”

He shouldn’t have expected an answer. Especially from her. Nova just smiled at him, beckoning him to walk with her. He happily complied.

“I know you don’t talk much, and I feel kind of bad about that. You really can’t talk? Are you mute? Oh, wow, that was real smooth of me.” She almost laughed but shook her head.

“So you aren’t mute?” Again, she shook her head. “Then why don’t you talk? I bet you have a beautiful voice.” Nova blushed.

Either this boy was a charmer, or a real good guesser. They continued walking, with Nova’s shoes in one hand and Fin on her other side.

“Well, I left my car down at the beach so I should probably get going.” She shrugged, waving him off.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Nova!” Fin called as he walked backward, laughing.

“Yes,” Nova whispered to herself, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Her voice rung like a bell, and it was good that no one had heard her, because even the small weeds that grew up between the concrete responded to it. The grew up around her and she blushed as she side stepped them. The ocean, twenty feet away down a hill, roared up further as if the high tide had arrived. Things around her drew closer, and she hurried her way home.

And thus was the devastating power of her voice.