The Young Bloods

Chapter One

Chapter One

He lands with a thud and I roll over on top. Finally, on mount. I punch him in the face, putting all my pressure on him, my arm on his neck, my knee on his wrist so he can't protect his heart I lift my stake, a metal practice device, and it hits the center of his chest, hitting his chest shield, I hear the normal zing of the devise, and Head Mistress yells. "Xandra's the winner, the first in the Junior class."

I jump up from Levi Rutherford, and I smile at Head Mistress Louis giving her a small bow.

Levi glares as he gets up, and gives Ms. Louis a small bow.

We walk off the mats to the weapons room, both have heads tall and I have a small smile.

All I get is a couple of nods in congratulations, some even glare at me, but that's it, making my smile falter.

"Thought things were going to change?" asked Levi, as he put his practice stake away.

"Leave me alone." I said, doing the same and putting away my shield.

"It's been eleven years Xandra. If things were going to change, they would've changed the first time you got best in our class."

"Shut up, Levi."

"It's just the truth. It's time you faced that, and taking your anger out on me, isn't going to change that. Things don't change for us." He said, turning and walking away.

I glared at his back, turning away, going to the locker room.

He acted like I didn't know that already. It didn't matter to me, it hasn't mattered to me since I was seven and my mother died.

I knew it was the truth. Here, people like me didn't get friends, no matter how good they were. Maybe it didn't change the fact that I didn't have any friends, but it did change the way others treated me. I never got picked on, or bullied not like Asteria was the first couple years we were here. Being best in our class was the only way I could gain respect, no one messed with someone who could obviously beat you up. Now, no one messed with her either because that would even dumber.

I frowned. "Stupid boy." I mumbled.

"Who's a stupid boy?" ask Poppy Franco, following me into the locker room.

I look at her for a second. "Levi."

"Oh." said Poppy. "Well, I think he's nice. Maybe. Actually, I'm not really sure."

"He's just sour that I beat him." I told her, putting my gear in my bag and checking my phone for the time putting it on the bench.

"Oh. So, this has to be quick before everyone comes. Anyways, um do you have a pad?"

"Um, yeah? Do you need one?" I said, searching through my bag.

"Yeah. I know you're like one of the only girls that still use them so..."

"It's no problem." I said, handing it to her.

"Thanks." She said, grabbing it. "Actually, that's not all though. Um, I know we're not friends, but you know that I just can't be friends with you, right?"

I look up at her. "Yeah, I know." I sighed. "What do you need?"

"I'm not good at fighting, and I just- I'm small so it makes things kind of harder, and-"

My sharp look stops her in the middle of her sentence. Being only four feet eleven inches, that's one thing I can't deal with. "Being small doesn't mean anything, you know that."