Tigress ➳ An Avengers Fanfic (Book 1 of the Scepter Chronicles)

1

       Back straight. Don't make eye contact unless spoken to. Be polite. 

        I ran over the rules in my head, careful not to forget any of them.

        Stand still. No talking. Smile. 

        Failure to keep these rules meant no dinner for three days and a harsh beating. It could be worse, depending on how badly you behaved. 

        The Headmistress stalked the halls outside, snapping at the children to hurry up or to stop being lazy, saying that whoever it was, it wouldn't be them. She's such a ray of sunshine. 

        I smoothed out my white lace dress, the nicest thing I owned, and ran my fingers through my wavy blonde hair. "Calypso!" a shrill voice yelled. I held back a groan. 

        "I'm coming, Headmistress!" I called, hoping I sounded cheerful enough for her. Shoving my feet in a pair of white wedges I had "borrowed" from an older girl and, checking my reflection one last time in the hand mirror in the bathroom, I opened the door and stepped outside. 

        "Hurry up, girl," a voice hissed. I whirled around to see the Headmistress glaring at me, her beady eyes roaming over my appearance. She grabbed a fistful of hair and dragged me down the hall. Trying not to scream or trip, I followed her through the kitchen and into the front room. The other kids were already there, looking nervous and hopeful. I was shoved next to the older kids. 

        The Headmistress leaned in close. "Don't break the rules," she spat, her sour breath making me cringe away from her. She stalked down the row of kids, tugging on shirts and dresses, yelling at the kids who had done something wrong. 

        A small tug at my dress had me looking down into a pair of bright green eyes filled with tears. 

        "Caly, I'm scared," a small voice whispered. 

        "It's okay, Leah. It'll be over soon." I leaned down, careful to avoid the Headmistress's watchful eye. Leah's anxious gaze shot around the room. 

        "Hey." 

        Those eyes shot back to me. 

        "It's okay. You're okay." I pulled her into a quick hug. "Now go stand in line so you don't get in trouble." Leah nodded and scurried off towards the other little kids. 

        Sighing, I straightened and ignored the strange looks from the other kids around me. 

        Suddenly, a lady bustled into the room, her skirt swishing with every step. "They're here," she hissed urgently, and everyone instantly brightened. Except me. I could care less who it was or what they wanted. It was always the same. The little kids were always taken first. They were adorable, innocent, and small. Who would want a cute little kid? I didn't know why the rest of us even bothered to come. 

        The Headmistress followed the lady out of the room with one last sinister glare at each of us. Everyone held their breath as voices sounded outside the room and grew closer and closer to us. 

        The Headmistress reappeared, a bearded man and a pretty woman at her heels. "These are the children," she hummed pleasantly, gesturing toward us.