The Serpent Queen

Strike First | Part Two

Even though Miguel lived next door to her, her parents and Carmen both insisted on driving their respective children themselves to school. Which meant they met each other in front of the school.

A bright yellow school bus drove underneath the large canopy at the front of the school. It stopped to let a stream of students off.

Phoebe stood under the same canopy closer to the red brick and white stone school building watching the stream of students enter through the glass doors. Above her head on the building, in large brown letters read: West Valley High School.

Underneath it, hanging from the ceiling support bar, was a white sign that read in large green writing: Welcome to the Lion's Den.

She smiled at Miguel as she noticed him stroll up to her after Carmen dropped him off. She flung her backpack strap on one shoulder. "Morning, Miggy." She grinned.

The boy wore a slightly baggy simple grey T-shirt with a faded out red, blue and white checked shirt that he kept fully unbuttoned, jeans, and red vans. Miguel rolled his eyes at the use of the nickname, "Good morning, Phoebe." He turned and waved goodbye to his mum and watched her drive off. He walked to the door with her and then halted. "You ready to do this together?"

"Yeah."

"Are you nervous?"

She looked at him while opening the door, "Yep."

The teenagers walked into the cavernous foyer to the school and saw all the students stand around on the white tiled floor greeting their friends from the previous year, veering off through doors and other hallways trying to find their home room and classes and finding their lockers, or standing on their phones.

A two large mahogany trophy cases sat in the far left corner of the foyer. In the centre of the room sat a staircase. The stairs went straight and then veered off to the left, while a smaller set veered off to the right that lead to the next floor above.

They walked through the foyer and down a small corridor that lead to the main offices and went up to the receptionist, who handed them their class timetables. Walking back into the student hub of West Valley High, Phoebe looked down over hers and then curiously peering at Miguel's. Funnily enough, he peered over at hers as well.

"You're in Spanish with me."

"Yeah..." She furrowed her eyebrows, "...Wait, why are you taking Spanish? Aren't you fluent?"

Miguel shrugged, "Easy A. Why are you taking Spanish?"

"Just because. It seems more interesting that French. I call dibs. You're my forever Spanish partner."

"You can't call dibs on me."

"I can and I did."

"You're not cheating off me, Phoebe."

"Aww..." She pouted. "Pretty please? I have my memory pen with my biology work on it. I'm not doing work again that I've already done."

The boy sighed, "I'll think about it, if you give me a few Biology pointers." A smirk grew on his face.

"Okay, you've got a deal, Mr Diaz. Spanish for Biology." She held out her hand.

"Alright, Miss Alexopoulos, Spanish for Biology." He shook her hand and then chuckled, "You also picked sports. Sports, really?"

"Yeah. Practice, Miguel, for Cobra Kai and Gymnastics."

"That makes sense. So you only have Home Room, Biology and Spanish with me. The rest you're on your own for.

"English and Maths are going to kill me. They're so boring. I hated them back home and I still do."

"Are you going to sign up for any extracurriculars?"