Ways To Be Wicked

First Days Are Always The Worst

Connor rushed through the halls of Good beside his new friend and bunkmate Chris, hurrying to get to Sword play.
He noticed some girls runninf about maniacally and grimaced.
Was it really that hard to put on a skirt?
Then he saw the powdered faces, blush coloured cheeks and bright lips beinf painted.
Makes perfect sense.
He skidded to a hault outside the Theatre of Tales and panted leaning against the wall. First day and he could've been late. His breakfast gurgled, wanting to make an appearance, and he swallowed a gag.
Not on the first day.
He then noticed the silence surrounding him. He froze.
Did the boys think he was weak?
Did they sense his sickness?
The boy gulped nervously and turned around, steeling himself.... only to be made worse and bolt upright.
Silver hair, frost cold eyes, porcelain skin. It was her.
Professor Espada then appeared.
"Alright boys, morning to you all! Welcome to class!" He cheered. He then smiled at the girl striding towards them.
"Welcome my dear! Come come, I've been waiting a long time to see your fighting skills!" The teacher clapped excitedly and led them into the Theatre.

(NARRATOR POV)

That mornings drill was an early test to see where the classes skills where at.
Naturally, Nix was put up first, having the best fighting boys decide amongst themselves to see who would fight first. Professor Espada was fairly keen to see her skills in action. Not that the boys thought she had any.
Eventually Connor got fed up of beating around the bush and marched into the ring marked on the floor with white chalk.
Professor Espada was happy that a decision was made and clapped excitedly.
"Alright. Last one standing or the last to be knocked from the circle wins. Nothing lethal in this class and remember that this is to see where your skills are at" Espada said circling the ring like a shark.
"Fighters ready?!" He shouted.
Nixia popped her chakram's from her belt smirking. Connor drew his sword, calming his nerves.
"FIGHT!!!"
The order was a simple one to follow.
Connor lunged forward, intent on making this a quick fight. But as he slashed down at the girl, she ducked while also sliding to the side. He twisted with his momentum and made another cut. Nixia blocked it, a smug grin etched onto her face as she saw her opponents shocked look. She shoved back the blade and started a whirlwind of attacks, making cuts at Connors ribs, legs and underarms.
The boy blocked and dodged them as best he could, but more than once he was knocked upside the head by a fist or winded by a kick to the gut.
He couldn't believe how fast she moved, but kept up for the most part.
In a pause, Connor gritted out a single sentence. "That all you got?"
"Nope" the girl replied shortly and the fight continued.
She moved like a wraith. Unstoppable and agile. Quick and strong.
"Who are you?" He panted when they were locked in blades, shoving against the other for dominance.
"No one" Nixia snapped back, bringing her blade down to disengage.
The boys watching grew restless at the ongoing battle, no longer a friendly test.
"Do you not have a name?" Connor teased Nixia  when they began to circle each other. "Did your parents forget? Or did they just not care enough to give you one?"
He regretted saying it seconds later as Nixia charged at him again with a roar. He flinched and blocked his face from the attack. She seethed and twirled around to his back and kicked him in the crook of his knees. He fell forward onto his hands, his sword sent sliding out of the ring.
Connor was flipped over and found one of the girls razor sharp discs leveled to his throat.
He gulped, the ring hovering centimetres above his skin.
"My name is none of your concern Ever Boy. You can bully me all you want...... but if you dare say those things again, you won't have a tongue to do it a third time" she hissed.
She stood, the disc removed from its deadly position, and walked to Espada. He took control of the lesson again and more pairs jumped into the ring.
But Connor couldn't shake the shame of losing to the girl. Nor the fear he still felt lingering in his bones.
That girl, whoever she was, was 100% dangerous. She didn't play by the rules and didn't belong in his school.
So why was she there?

While Connor and Nixia recovered or rested from there fight in their first class, things were much different for Rowan across the shore of the School for Evil.
Rowan was first of all, very late for class that morning with Castor. And the big dog was notorious for his brutal and sadistic punishments and words.
When Rowan arrived late the first thing Castor did was insult him, asking the boy for his name.
"R-R-Rowan" he stuttered.
Castor scoffed then growled. "Well R-R-Rowan, your going to be first up when I deal out your first challenge" the huge dog snapped. "And if you have any complaints, keep em to yourself because I don't give a crap unlike my wet nosed brother" he said like a military officer.
"Understood?" Castor snarled into Rowans face, his hot, rotten smelling breath burning the helpless boys nose and lungs.
"Y-yes sir" Rowan muttered staring at the razor sharp teeth bared at him.
"Speak up boy!"
"Yes sir!" Rowan yelped and was shoved back into line.
He almost collapsed in relief.
He wasn't having a good morning. He barely got any sleep last night thanks to his half troll roommate, who snored like giant. Not to mention that another boy refused to close the window, so cool windy air was always gushing over the boys.
He had tossed and turned all night until his exhausted body finally collapsed into sleep. When he woke up, it was due to his new friend Remus shaking him awake.
"Dude get up!" He had shouted as Rowan groggily awoke.
When he realised the brightness in his room and the panicked look on his friends face be jolted from bed, managing to whack his head on the bunk above, and scrambled about to put his uniform on. Then they had to bolt downstairs to find breakfast was finished, then climb back up, to get to class.
He was tired, sore, and sleep weighed him down like a sack of rocks anchored to his feet as they dragged him down into the moat that guarded the school.
Castor barked his name and his head snapped up. Judging from the look the fullbodied dog was giving him, and the awkward stares and glances his class was giving him, he knew he had zoned out. The dog likely said his name multiple times.
"Ahhh good. Now that you've returned from fairyland you can be the first in our challenge" the dog snickered.
Rowan gulped, knowing he wasn't going to like this.

By his fourth class, Rowan was keenly aware of the strange girls presence in the School for Evil. Rumors had spread through the students since his third class. About a girl with white hair and frosty eyes walking the black halls of Evil. He waited outside the Theatre of tails to begin History with Professor Hort when he felt a burst of icy hot wind shoot through the hall. He turned to the doors and felt his stomach drop as the odd girl strode towards his class.
She stalked right up to the doors and waited, impassive and standing at ease like a soldier. Rowan shook himself out of his dazed state to realise that everyone had shrank away from her. He could tell she had noticed too. From her clenched jaw, tight fists held behind her back, and stiff posture.
Before he could move or speak, Hort threw the doors open from the inside of the Theatre and ordered his class in.
The pews had been replaced with rows of desks, and the class hung back as the girl took the front middle row seat. Rowan was both too late and too stubborn to care as the class suddenly rushed to take a seat at least a single desk appart from the girl.
With an exaggerated sigh he stood to the girls left.
As they waited for Hort to signal them to be seated, he glanced at the girl and only saw a soldier. Deciding to take a leap of faith he turned to her and extended his hand.
"Name's Rowan" he said with a smirk.
She hardly spared him a glance.
"This is the part when you say your name" the boy prodded.
She turned to him glaring coldly, then stared at his hand. She lifted her gaze brows raised, still silent and brooding.
"What? You never seen a hand before? You shake it" he said sarcastically.
The girls gaze sharpened, her jaw set yet again as she glared.
"Watch your mouth" she warned coolly.
He felt a shudder crawl through him at the icy threat. And he was also very surprised that she even responded. But his head was a step ahead of himself.
"Oh I'm sorry. My manners slipped" he smirked.
She raised herself up like a cobra preparing to strike and he suddenly regretted saying anything.
"You don't want my company" she muttered.
He dropped his hand. That wasn't what he was expecting. He was waiting for a dagger to slice him in two in fact.
"Well you have created quite the cafuffle. Usually you would want a friend" he stated.
She eyed him suspiciously.
"I'm not a bad person. I may be a Never, but even we need friends" he said.
She eyed him a moment longer before crossing her arms. "What if those friends could get you killed?"
He stopped to think before shrugging.
"Sophie and Agatha are still together aren't they?"
"You're a smart one aren't you?" She observed.
Rowan shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm an intellectual."
She huffed a laugh.
"You like big words don't you? Cafuffle? Intellectual?" She shook her head. "Glad to know I'm not the only strange Never around here."
She lifted her hand.
"Names Nixia, Nix for short" she said.
Rowan smirked and shook her hand.
"Rowan. But I already said that" he rambled.
She flashed a smile. Small but bright.
And Rowan didn't feel like questioning whether she was an Ever or Never.