The Naturals

Challenge?

After one very hard decision I grabbed my dr. Pepper out of the machine and we walked back to our table.

"Hey what took so long" Dean asked us as we sat back in our seats.

"Ember was such a badass" Fernanda blurted out.

I immediately punched her arm, "ow" she hissed pulling back her arm and rubbing it.

"What is she talking about" Cassie asked.

I sighed "this guy was with his buddies at the vending machine and he tried to flirt himself into my pants, obviously he doesn't understand the meaning of no..."

"Where is he" Michael asked cutting me off.

I looked over and saw his eyes turned dark, his jaw clenched, and his face was cold stone.

"I already took care of it, it's ok" I explained to him.

Suddenly the bell rang, talk about saved by the bell.

"Come on we have to go to the assembly" Fernanda said to everyone standing up.

I looked back at Michael "I'm okay" I said to him before catching up with Fernanda.

The halls were so crowded we had to make another chain so we wouldn't be separated. Finally we made it to a huge gym with filled bleachers, Fernanda led us to a empty row on one of the right bleachers.

"I'm sorry for acting up" Michael said into my left ear.

"I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself you know" I said with a Bright smile. "Yeah I know" he said, "but I should still train you in self defense"

"I think maybe you want me to teach you" I said with a small laugh.

"Helloooo Vipers!" A short man (who I'm guessing was the principal) with a purple crisp suit yells into the mic. "Today I call this assembly because as you all may know we always want to welcome our newly vipers, and it's come to my attention we have a new group today who will be joining and hopefully enjoying this school this year."

The students roared with excitement, I guess this school must have a lot of pep.

"So now I will call down our new students and give them a warm welcome, Dean, Cassie, Lia, Sloane, Michael, and Ember" the Principal said into the mic.

"Stand up guys" Fernanda said.

We all stood up and walked down the bleachers with Michael leading. We walked over to the short Principal as he beamed with excitement.

"Say hello to our new vipers" the Principal yelled.

The school then began to chant "CHALLENGE"

Challenge?

"Why of course, we have to test these new young vipers." The Principal said through the mic.

I looked back at everyone else and saw we were all confused as to what was going to happen next. The Principal saw our faces and chuckled, "bring out the course" the Principal yelled through the mic.

Soon enough students and staff barged in through more doors along with huge pieces of what looked like... an obstacle course?

"Um, what are we doing" Cassie asked me, I simply shrugged at her as I kept watching people put the course together.

Once the course was complete and the students and staff stepped out of the way the Principal began to put the mic to his lips once again.

"Now, all new students are given the chance to make their mark by this obstacle course, one by one each of you may run the course only if you want to. The school's highest record is posted up there" he pointed up to the left wall. "Now all you have to do is beat it" he said with a smile.

"Now who does want to go" the Principal asked us with a devious grin.

All of us stepped forward.

"Everyman For himself then" Michael said.

"And every woman for herself then" I retorted.

"Now first the course consists of jumping through the round entrance, then it's crawling under the chicken wire, next it's rock climbing, after that you have to step into our smoked laser room, and finally it's the slip slide where you have to climb the big inflatable slide covered in oil and finally slide down and hit the buzzer." The Principal explained to us.

A woman walked over to the Principal with a hat, she held it out and I assumed it had papers because the Principal was reaching inside of it. "Dean's up first" he said showing us the paper with Dean's name on it.

Dean walked over to the start of the course, "ready, set, go" and off went Dean.

He was struggling under the chicken wire but easily made the climb on the rock wall, his big choke was the laser room where he kept setting off beeps because he couldn't get through it, the slide was also a big problem for him but he finally pulled through and hit the buzzer.

"Well Dean hate to say it but you weren't even close to the school record performed by Jake Gyllenhall."

Jake has the record? Oh hell no, he is going down.

After Dean was Cassie then Sloane who also had a lot of trouble with it.

When it came to Lia she zipped right past the lasers thanks to her agility and flexibility. But the slip slide was sadly her defeat.

"Michael you're up next" the Principal said a little bored by the others.

"Watch and learn everyone" Michael said saluting to us.

The chicken wire and wall were no big deal, he hit only a few lasers, and he climbed the slip slide with awesome speed, everyone was at the edge of their seats, even the Principal has wide eyes filled with excitement.

Michael hit the buzzer and we all looked up at his time.

3 minutes and 67 seconds.

He beat the school record, everyone roared with excitement and Michael proudly held his arms up.

I calmly stood straight and held my hand up, slowly the room grew quiet. "My turn" I said in a mischievous voice with a smirk plastered on my face.

I walked up to the entrance and went in a running stance, "well, um, okay" the principal said intrigued. "Ready, set, go" he yelled.

Once he yelled go I felt my eyes go through a quick glow and my energy build up.

Calm down