Lion's Gift

Chapter 1

"Hey! Watch it!"

I sent a glare to my friend, Belle, who knocked over her water bottle. Before it fell, my hand shot out from my pocket and I grabbed it without looking. Belle gave an apologetic look before continuing to eat her sandwich. We were standing at the side of the hallway, next to a couple of shelves.

"Look, we already eat lunch outside of the cafeteria, which has gotten us scolded by Ms. Brummer," I hissed, continuing after her blank look, "And if we spill something they will definitely make us sit inside with those pigs." Belle swallowed a bite of her sandwich.

"It's fine," she replied, "Aren't we known as the best-behaved kids in our class, if not the whole school?" I scowled, and she changed the subject, "But anyway, how do you have such fast reflexes? I mean, you caught my huge tank of a water bottle without even looking!" I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, and knew I was blushing.

"I-I um..." I stammered out, caught by the question. Get a grip, Vivienne, remember your mask. I straightened my expression, knowing there was nothing I could do about the roses blooming on my cheeks, and told her, "I have a lot of practice from playing around with my brother." She gave me a look that said I don't believe you, but I'll drop it before going back to eating her sandwich and looking at her math test results while I scanned the hallway out of habit.

We go to River Mountain High, a school that is known for the students' academic achievements, since the school offers literally no sports or any other side activities. The hallway we were eating lunch in has seven sets of heavy double doors, one down the right of the hallway that leads to classes, one that is closer to us at the right that serves as the entrance into the gym behind us, another entrance to the gym to the left behind us, an exit down the left of the hallway, next to the exit is the entrance to the locker rooms, and in front of us there are two entrances to the cafeteria, one at the left and one to the right. There are also two single doors leading to the small, boxed-in courtyard on one side and to the humongous field on the other.

The hallway ceiling is probably around ten feet high and has that tasteless paneling like all schools, and there is the same type of tiles for the floor. A dark blue carpet covers the floor in some areas, and there are two bathrooms, one female restroom and one male restroom. The walls are a beige color and the lighting is the worst, but hey, I wasn't doing a photo shoot in there. There is this smell of chemicals that were used to clean the area and the whole atmosphere is depressing.

I scan outside the only windows, next to the single doors. It's raining, as usual, and the grass is slick. Something made me want to go outside and dance in the rain, as I would do if I was at home, but I kept that longing locked up. The sad but good news was that the rain is light compared to earlier today. I look back to Belle, who had finished her vegetarian sandwich and was packing up. I glance at my watch and see that it is almost time for our next class. I start to hear the voices of our classmates coming from the cafeteria doors, anger flaring up in me. I quickly shoulder my white and teal large backpack while Belle took her black and maroon one and we both hurried away. We were half of the way to the doors to our classes when the cafeteria doors burst open, a wave of students pouring out. I subtly walk faster, tugging on Belle's bag straps for her to get the hint.

"I'm shorter than you! I can't walk that fast!" She whispered under her breath. Belle looked back, paused, and sped up. I roll my eyes as I quickly overtake her. No wonder. Belle is a 5'2" blonde, with green eyes and a petite frame. She is shorter than me, but even if she was my height, her legs would be shorter proportionally. Thanks to my dad, I have broad shoulders and a much more muscled torso. I had to work out a lot more than what a boy would have to do since female bodies aren't really built for as much muscle, but I had a little help from my genes.

Belle and I are complete opposites - she has blonde hair while I have brown hair with natural highlights of red, auburn, and gold. It makes my hair look like a mix of colors when it's free and in the sun. That's why I always keep my hair tied and tucked in when I went to school. Belle has normal green eyes with short, light eyelashes, while I have big brown eyes with gold flecks and heavy, thick eyelashes that were so long they always got into my eyes or crossed. Belle has this beautiful golden tan skin while I'm stuck with my fair skin and rosy cheeks that get redder when I am embarrassed or angry. Belle is about five feet and two inches, while I tower over her with my five feet and ten inches.

I also have two outrageous dimples on my cheeks, so I always try to either cover my face or not smile at all, and I have a strange pattern of natural beauty spots, one by my nose, by my mouth, my chin, my forehead, my hairline, my ear, and then I have one near my collarbone, my shoulder, my elbow, my arms, my waist, the small of my back, behind my knee, on the inside of a thigh, and on my ankle. They look like moles, but flat and very small, and they are technically birth marks. You probably wouldn't catch most of them unless you were looking. She has a petite frame but was curvy, while I looked like I was leanly muscled but really, I had to compact my muscle so it wouldn't be too bulky. No matter how much I trained or exercised, I always had a feminine figure, so when I go to school, I dress in multiple layers, no matter how hot it is. In short, she is beautiful while I'm not, my features clash.

As we briskly walk to our next class, chemistry, we hear the other students' loud talking get quieter and see them lagging. Belle sees this and mutters, "I'm glad that this is the second to last day of school," she gestures behind us, "I don't think I could take another week with them." I nod, and we make the rest of the way to the lab in silence.