Happily Ever...Not

1 - Prince Charming....Not

The tension in the air beat at them. A hush descended over the crowd as the team on the court seemed to pause for a heartbeat before they broke and started to do their best to steal the ball from Jimmy Mason, the captain of Monroe's high school basketball team. He was magic, faster than anything any of them had ever seen. His feet glided, he streaked in and out of the lines of players around him, driving down the court toward the goal. He jumped, the ball flew from his hands, and shot into the basket seconds before the buzzer sounded, ending the second quarter of the game. 

I jumped up and down, my shouts louder than most as I screamed Jimmy's name. I grinned from ear to ear when he blew a kiss at me. We'd been going out for two weeks and I still couldn't believe what a sweet guy he was. He had a bit of a reputation, but so far he'd been nothing but nice to me. His blonde hair, blue eyed all-American boy good looks melted me from the inside out. That and the fact that he'd even looked at me twice. Not that I wasn't pretty. I knew my raven hair and blue eyes could catch and hold attention. Jimmy was rich, I was poorer than a church mouse. At least that's what it felt like anyways. I couldn't wait until I turned eighteen and could leave home and move in with Gran. My step-monster terrorized me on a daily basis. Two more months and I would be free.

"Did you see me make that last basket?" Jimmy asked as he huffed up to where I was. He was supposed to be in the locker room, but he'd managed to sneak up to see me. My heart swelled with happiness.

"I did, didn't you hear me yelling for you?"

"I knew you would be." He swooped in and planted a kiss on my lips. "You always got my back."

"Alw...." I stopped and stared at the entourage that entered the gym just then. Everyone stopped talking. Silence permeated the air, the tension of before came back, only this time, it reeked of fear and trepidation. Ravenwood Academy flooded in. Armed guards. They'd brought armed guards with them which meant they'd be taking someone with them when they left. The men stood at attention, wearing black uniforms equipped with nine millimeters. They oozed danger.

Three guys came in next, followed by a woman dressed in a smart grey business suit. Her auburn hair contrasted beautifully with the charcoal gray of the suit. The boys looked like guards in training. They too wore the same type of uniform, but didn't feel as deadly. Well, except for the one in the middle. He caught my attention. His golden eyes scanned the crowd until they came to rest on me. I shivered, something ghosting over my skin that I couldn't explain. His eyes made me want to hide. He looked beautiful, but more deadly than anything on Earth. 

While Soldier Boy stared at me, everyone else stared at Jimmy. They had to be here for him. There was no one else who could possibly draw their attention.  Ravenwood Academy was a school for the gifted, the unique, and the supernatural.  Hundreds of years ago during the American Revolution our forefathers had made a deal, a deal we still honored today and would honor for as long as our country existed. They helped us overthrow the British and in return, they were given amnesty for being "monsters" and given the option of taking our children to nurture their "gifts" and fulfill their roles as fairytale figures.   

I forced my eyes away from Soldier Boy's and looked at Jimmy. His eyes were wide, but not fearful. Everyone knew he was way too fast on the court.  He could be something other than human. If they took him, I'd never see him again. I wanted to throw my arms around him and scream no. There was nothing I could do, however, and I knew it.  We all did. 

The school officials snapped out of their shock and went over to speak with the woman. The three guys turned and started up the bleachers, heading straight for Jimmy. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. I loved that about him. He didn't hide. He faced everything head on with no fear.