The Modern Four

Chapter 3

Violets final class couldn't have been a worse way to finish out the first day. She hated gym. She wasn't fast, she wasn't sporty, she just wasn't cut out for a gym class. She kept her head down through all of attendance, dreading the entire class. She hurried to get changed, hoping no one looked over at her or tried to talk to her. She tugged on the unflattering gym uniform, and soon after she did she felt a tap on her shoulder. Internally, she sighed, grimacing.

"Hi!" A voice said. A voice she didn't recognize. "Listen, you're kinda like, right in the way of ognize said, much too sickingly sweet for Violet's taste. She looked up, frowning when she saw a short blond girl with an entourage following behind her. Violet glanced over the girls, then back at the blond.

"...Hi?" Violet said, unsure of whether the girl was talking to her or someone else. The girl crossed her arms.

"Yeah. So anyway, you're kinda standing at the locker I claimed! So, do you mind like, I don't know, moving?"

Violet blinked, glancing at the locker where all her stuff was shoved in. She frowned. "Well, uh...my stuff already...-" She mumbled. The girl quickly cut her off.

"That wasn't an option. If you know whats good for your reputation at this school, you'd move." The girl smiled, a fake smile, as her friends snickered. Violet took a step back, opening her mouth to say something, when another girls voice joined in the mix.

"Back off, T." Another short girl, dressed in a sweatshirt and a sirt, stood behind the blind glaring.
"Oh, Vanellope. What're you gonna do?" The blond said, rolling her eyes.

"I don't think you want to know what I have in mind." The other girl, Vanellope, crossed her arms, grinning. The blond rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. C'mon, girls." With a flip of her hair, and a swish of her hips the blond left, presumably to find a new locker to claim. Violet turned to Vanellope.

"Thanks..." She muttered. Vanellope smiled.

"Hey, no problem, it's what I do." She saluted Violet, who nodded.

"Right, okay...So you're Vanellope?" She asked. Vanellope nodded.

"Yeah! Though, you can call me V, or Ella. Vella. No, Vella doesn't sound right. Sounds like veela. You know, like from Harry Potter. You've read Harry Potter right? I mean, who hasn't..." Vanellope continued rambling, which Violet began to tune out. It was as if the girl had a bowl of sugar this morning. She shook her head as the gym teacher, Miss Sinclair, called for the girls to leave for the gym. While walking out, Violet spotted Penny. She considered waving her down, then shook her head, looking down. As it turns out, Penny spotted her and hurried over.

"Hey Vi! Is it okay if I call you that?" She asked curiously. Violet nodded in response, keeping her head down. Penny smiled. "Alright, cool!" She turned to Vanellope, smiling. "Hey, I'm Penny. And you are?"

"Vanellope. Call me V, or Ella. Vanellope is too long and complicated." Vanellope said quickly, hardly understandable. Penny blinked.

"Well...nice to meet you, V." She said, taking a minute to process what Vanellope had said. Vanellope opened her mouth to speak again, when Miss Sinclair blew her whistle.

"Alright girls, warm up! Fifteen laps around the gym. C'mon!" She yelled, blowing her whistle again. Violet sighed, starting up at a very slow jog. Vanellope and Penny quickly followed suit.

"So how're you guys liking Vista so far?" Vanellope asked. Violet shrugged, and Penny grinned.

"I absolutely love it!" She gushed, smiling. "I have been looking forward to high school since like, the fifth grade. It's so big, and there's so many people! And..." Penny continued to ramble on.

Vanellope raised an eyebrow and turned towards Violet, mumbling. "She sure likes to talk, doesn't she?" She grinned, and Violet laughed a bit, nodding.

"She really does." Violet mumbled back.

"...And the teachers just, wow!" Penny paused, taking in a breath. "What about you guys?"

Vanellope shrugged. "Eh, school's school. I can't wait till I'm done and gone."

Violet nodded in agreement. "I'd have to agree here. Not a huge fan of school."

Penny frowned. "Oh, c'mon guys, it can be-" Penny was soon cut off by Miss Sinclair's whistle.

"Times up! Find a partner and start up on this scavenger hunt! It'll teach you where everything is in the gym, so you better not forget where this stuff is. You've got 40 minutes. Go!" She blew her whistle again, and the gym class turned into a scramble 0f kids trying to find their partners. Violet turned around to see that Vanellope had already paired up with some tall buff guy she had trouble believing was a freshman. So, Violet quickly paired up with Penny, wh0 was more than eager to be her partner.

"Okay, so we gotta find the goggles, which have to be by the pool, the basket balls, storage room, the..." Penny continued to list the 10 items and their possible locations. After she finished marking them down, the list read as follows:

Goggles- Pool

Basket balls- Storage

Tennis shoes- Miss Sinclair's office?

Water fountain- Hall

Extra gym clothes- ?

Weights- Fitness room?

Skates- ?

Hula Hoops- Storage

Trophies- Trophy case

Stop watches- ?

"So, what should we look for first?" Penny asked. Violet shook her head.

"No clue. Water fountain?" She suggested. Penny nodded in agreement.

"Works for me!" She headed out into the hall, eyes narrowing in search of the water fountain. "Aha!" She exclaimed as she spotted it, causing Violet to jump. "Found it!" She then marked a huge check mark by the water fountain. "One down, nine to go. Lets go to the pool!" She took off, following the signs to the schools olympic sized swimming pool. Say what you must about this school, but they do not cut corners. The divider of the pool, as Violet knew, could be moved to seize the pool however the school officials desired. Violet watched as Penny scoured the pool area for any sign of goggles. After about three minutes of searching, Violet spotted them by the bleachers. Marking it down, they continued on to the weight room. "Hey Vi, do you want to come over this friday?" Penny asked, out of the blue.

"You just met me, do you really want me coming over to your house?" Violet questioned. Penny laughed.

"Just to like, hang out. Maybe watch a movie or something. Or swim! I've got a pool in my backyard!" Penny smiled. "I just like to make new friends." She marked down the weights, along with the stopwatches and tennis shoes, moving on to the storage room.

"I mean, I'll have to ask my parents..." Violet trailed off, looking down. She hadn't really had many friends before, she was more of a loner. But, she thought, it was never too late to try. "But I'd like to if I can." She said softly. Penny beamed.

"Awesome!" She tore off the edge of the paper, scribbling her number down quickly and handing it to Violet. "Text me when you ask!"

Violet pocketed the paper, nodding. "Yeah, of course. I will." She showed a hint of a smile, and during the rest of the period, even after Miss Sinclair chewed the two of them out for being in her office, she kept that small smile on her face. Maybe this year won't be as bad as she thought.