What's a Lifetime

-1-

                   Arianna's Point Of View
Looking down at the ground I pushed a rogue curl out of my path of vision. I was trying to shuffle away from the other students that were milling around the one common room within the school. A leg shoots out in front of me and before I can stop myself I trip, landing hard upon the tarnished and broken tile of the old resort, a few snickers and points were sent my way leading me to try and hide behind my hair to avoid their stares.

I had only been here for a measly twelve hours, in fact this was the first time I let myself roam around the campus and I was just in search of something to eat before classes began. But it seemed students already had it out for me even when I tried to stay out of their way as much as possible.

I pick myself up off of the floor and dust my knees from the dirt that coated the tiles everywhere I walked, it seemed like no one really cleaned the school much.

I push my way through a door I had hoped would lead me into the cafeteria but I find myself entering into the kitchen itself. The whole room was empty except for me and a red headed girl who was slowly making her way across the room to a knife block.

I realize she probably didn't want anyone to spot her so I step back, trying to catch the door before it closes but instead I hit it with a soft thump making her head snap to look at me. Her eyes were narrowed at me and I take a hesitant breath, by the time I exhaled she was in front of me. A dagger held within her palm and her hand was against my throat.

"You tell anyone that I am here.. And you're dead, do you understand me?" Her voice came out in a hiss and I could feel my throat closing from the panic and adrenaline flooding my system.

"I-I won't tell anyone I-I promise," My voice was a strangled whisper as I close my eyes, my brain was focusing on the chill of the metal against my throat. One wrong move from either of us and I will be left on the floor in a pool of my own blood within moments.

"Good, that promise sticks forever, if I ever find out you told anyone at all.. let's just say it wont be pretty." Her glare was intense but apart of me couldn't help but think about just how beautiful the girl in front of me was. She had deep blue eyes and hair the perfect shade of red that when she moved it looked like a lone flame flickering in the dim light of the kitchen.

I couldn't help the panic attack that I felt pulling at my heart, sending it into an irregular rhythm as I stared at her with wide eyes. I decide to close my eyes for a moment to try and ground myself, I didn't need to panic. Not now. Not in front of this girl who has definitely made it her goal to scare me shitless.

Fright was a weakness here, any emotion was. One of the headmasters family members had explained that to me, I think her name was Clementine, when I originally came through the portal and had to attend orientation with her family. She warned me to keep myself strong. But that was much easier said than done, right?

I feel the hard edge of metal fade away and when I will myself to open my eyes, I see the girl had crossed the kitchen within a second and was about to slip out of the back door, but she turns to me. She lifts a single finger to her lips in a silent hushing motion that makes my blood turn to ice and the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention.

Then she was gone, the door closing behind her quietly. I turn on my heel, ripping the door open before stumbling out into the busy hallway, I could feel eyes on me instantly and it made my panic kick into a higher gear.

Bathroom.

I need to make it to the bathroom.

I keep my head down, trying to keep any on lookers from seeing my face which I was sure looked horrendous. I probably looked like I was about to cry... And if i am being honest. I was.

As soon as I see the sign for the bathroom I duck in and rush to a stall. The lock was a bit finicky to deal with as I tried to close the door behind me, a frustrated groan slipping from my mouth before it finally latches. Then I finally let myself rest against the cool surface of the bathroom wall, just as tears begin to fall.

I knew what I did to deserve coming here. But it hadn't been my fault, I never knew what I was until the day of the accident, the day that changed my life forever.

I curl into the tightest ball I could, my cries being muffled by my knees as I hug them to my chest. Panicking like this was never good, it caused my chest to ache and burn from the lack of air within my lungs, but is was better to be closed into a ball like this than to be free crying, at least in my opinion.

By the time my tears finally stopped falling and my face was dry but stained with salty lines I pull myself off of the floor. I smooth my uniform out carefully and then head out of the stall.

I go to leave but my reflection catches my attention. Crying had done a number on me. My usually pale face was flushed and my eyes were burning a shade of pink so dark it was nearly red, my eyes were puffy from the tears I had shed, my hair was a mess all of the curls were scattered around haphazardly.

I didnt even want to adjust myself, and if I was being honest I didnt want to go to class either. I just wanted to go back to my cabin and curl up on my bed. I wanted to sleep the rest of the day away and start fresh tomorrow, but I didnt have that luxury here. They were strict about students being where they needed to be when they needed to be, meaning there was no such thing as skipping class or having a sick day.

So I walk to the sink and crank the old handle until cool water rushes from the faucet. I rinse my face slowly, hoping the stark chill of the water would be enough to chase away the remaining amounts of panic that still laced my system and help my eyes be less puff when I go to class.

I pull a few paper towels from the dispenser to dry my face off before the bell rings, signaling that I needed to get a move on if I wanted to make it across the school grounds for my first period: English.

Thankfully I got to the class without any issues even though I got odd looks in the hall. I kept my head angled down, looking at everyone's feet instead of their faces so I didnt accidentally piss someone off just by looking at them the wrong way.

I slip into the room which was almost empty still and I claim an empty seat in the back that was pressed against a window. The blinds were down as they tried to keep the students from looking at the weather that was quickly moving in. The clouds were all different shades of grey, black, and purple. Nothing good comes from storms like this but little did I know what would really come from it.

As I sit silently in my seat I pull a notebook out, my hand instantly moving to absentmindedly draw in the corner of the page as I wait for the class to begin within the next few minutes.

"Hey Isadora!" A girls voice calls as someone enters the classroom but I was too engrossed within my own art to bother looking up. It wasn't like I knew the person who entered and my luck if I look up at them they might take it the wrong way and think that I am itching for a fight.

But when someone sits in the chair beside me, beating a wolf from the seat with a hiss leaving their mouth I nearly stop breathing. Their hair looked like a living flame as they swiveled within their chair to look at me.

The same girl that was holding a knife to my throat almost thirty minutes prior was now my desk mate.

Could this day get any worse?