The Game

Senior Year

                     ~Senior Year~
                      Present Time

"Juniors you are dismissed, Seniors please remain in your seats. We will begin once all the Juniors have cleared out." Headmistress Loralee steps away from the podium and takes a seat in the only vacant chair at the table on the stage in the mess hall.

Chatter fills the air as the Juniors leave and a few of the Seniors talk amongst themselves while we wait.

Sydney sits beside me. Her face thinner than I remember. Our junior year we were taught how to exercise properly, to build muscle and how to eat well, in order to replenish ourselves after an intense work out. I can only hope Sydney followed those guidelines. I'd hate to lose her, especially now.

Moving from Junior year to Senior year, we lost more than a few friendly and not so friendly faces. Some quit on their own, others were forced to quit, and some, well I'm not entirely sure what happened to them. So far though, no deaths have been reported. Which seems crazy and I would have thought so too but last year, shifting into second semester. I learned a lot of new things. Many of which I would have sworn were crazy but now I know better.

"Sydney," I prod her side causing her to jump about a mile high. "Jesus, sorry."

"Sorry, what?" Sydney blinks and the distant look on her face is replaced with her usual charming smile.

"You okay, Syd?" I lean in closer resting my hand on her arm and holding her wrist, checking her eyes when she finally faces me. Something happened to her but I don't know if it's just from all the shit that we went through last year or if it's something new.

Sydney smiles and lets out a laugh throwing her arm over my shoulder.

"Oh Natalie," she pauses and looks like she's about to say something then her eyes look past me and she grins for real and stands up excitedly. "Tom! J.T.!" She throws herself at both of them hugging them at the same time. Which is a little difficult considering the staggering differences in their height but she manages it.

"Hey Syd," they both respond. Tom's voice no longer that of a child and it seems he's grown a few inches. Not a lot but still. J.T. slides into seat Sydney just vacated and bumps my shoulder.

"Hey Nat," I give him a smile and squeeze his arm briefly before turning my attention and concern back to Sydney. She and Tom have squished in across from us and Sydney leans over the table a bit for J.T. to hear.

"Were you guys late? Hopefully nobody noticed." My eyes shift to the doors at entrance of the mess hall, where two men are currently shutting it. I guess all the Juniors are gone. I turn back to the front.

"We weren't late. We came in right on time we just didn't find you guys before Loralee started talking so we found the closest spots to us." J.T. explains then stretches his feet out under the table. Sydney looks a little annoyed and I'm proud of her when she kicks his legs over a bit, and she smirks when he groans.

"We would have been here early but J.T. got distracted by his girlfriend." Tom teases and earns a scowl from J.T. I can't help laughing.

"Marlow is still here? How on earth has she not quit already?" I know it's rude but Marlow is not cut out for this school. Probably one of the people Sydney dislikes because their parents paid for them to be at the school.

"Those damn parents," Sydney curses under her breath and it's not the first time she said a bad word but it's still shocking to hear. She looks up and blushes when she finds all of us staring at her. "What?"

"It's not her parents. She did well last year, she told me she even has a few offers to work off campus this year." J.T. sounds defensive and I narrow my eyes at him. Now it's his turn to blush. Although it's more of just a darkening of his cheeks.

"You're defending her. Cute." I comment, then turn away from him, dismissing the conversation.

Before he can say anything in return a gavel like banging quiets the room. Loralee has taken her place behind the podium once again.

"Alright Seniors. Time to start The Game."

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A/N:

Sorry this chapter is a little short, I was just excited to jump into Natalie and her friends senior year!

The next chapters will be longer as we go more in-depth of what's to come and play catch-up with the group of four and find out some of the stuff they got into while they were away from one another.