Chapter 9

"Alright, class," man said harshly after he blew his whistle. We called him Sergeant because of his voice, but in all honesty he didn't use that voice on us because he hated us. He used to be in the army- was in it for two wars- and now that type of voice just comes to him like breathing does. We don't take offense to it, but sometimes it takes us by surprise.

Like, for instance, right now.

I jumped from where I was casually leaning against the wall, away from my friends and others like those guys back at the house told me to be, on high alert and waiting for something interesting to happen.

"Listen up! You people, from what I've heard, are going through some type of test in each class today!" he barked, making my eyes widen slightly.

Test?

What test?

We have a test?

"I was going to have you weaklings run a mile today, but I decided that instead we'd play a game- since tests will already make your lives miserable and my life enjoyable," he said in a humorous way, making a couple people chuckle.

Wait, does that mean I have a math test? Godda-

"Queen bee, everyone! Kyle! Put the dodge-balls down the center of the gym!" he said before blowing his whistle, making the class automatically split apart into two groups and went to the separate sides of the gym.

"Um... What's queen bee?" a shy voice asked me faintly, making me turn towards a little freshman girl that looked almost the height I was in seventh grade.

"Queen bee is basically like dodgeball," I said to her, surprisingly not being bothered or hungry by her being around me. I pointed towards the dodge-balls that were neatly lined up, splitting the gym in half. "When the whistle sounds you run and grab a ball, then you go back to home base- the wall I'm on-, and after that you just play dodgeball. If you're hit you're out, if you catch it the person who threw it's out, etc. The only difference is, if the person who got you out gets out then you can come back in.

"And there's a person called the queen bee. If the queen bee gets out then your team automatically looses," I added, almost forgetting the most important thing.

"Oh..." She murmured, looking around the room with nervous glances.

"Don't worry," I chuckled. "If they chose you to be queen bee it's okay. The teams don't know who the other team's queen is, so-"

"Oh, no, I'm not the queen," she said quickly, but still looking very relieved by what I told her. "That's actually why I came here. Some guy from a group over there," she started as she threw her arm behind her "told me to tell you that you're the queen bee."

Oh, well how perfect.

I'm the queen.

Which means I'll be completely surrounded by people trying to "protect me".

Which means people will be by me.

Son of a-

The sharp sound of a whistle blowing echoed slightly in the enormous gymnasium, a million people's footsteps pounding on the wood floor to get to the ball not even seconds later.

"Find the queen!" guys were barking from both sides as if they were soldiers ordering someone to stand up and go to war.

What's with me and war references today?

"Eeeek!" I heard, piercing my ear like a banshee's screech. I winced and looked over to my right to see who it was.

The girl from seconds ago was still there, right next to me, her eyes shut tightly like she was preparing for a bullet to enter her brai-

Okay, I really need to stop that.

"What?" I asked curiously after what felt like an hour of her just standing there looking scared for her life. But that's when I realized...

My right arm had a dodgeball in it, positioned like I caught it.

And it was literally right in front- not even two inches away- of the girl's forehead.

"Oh, uh...." I said, turning my head to see some random red headed boy glare at me angrily before stomping off to the bench where the people who were out went to.

At that point she realized she wasn't dead/ on the cold floor unconscious, and opened her eyes slowly- her eyes crossing at the closeness of my hand and the ball to my head.

"Oh my God," she gasped, jumping away from the hand with the ball, like the ball was a bomb. "That was a close one... I could've been k-killed."

"Yeah, well, may be that a little exag-"

"And you s-saved me," she said as looked up at me with big doe eyes, not even caring about the fact another person could throw a ball as we spoke.

"Yeah, well, you better- watch out!" I rushed out as I pushed her away from me, the ball that was aimed at her with inhuman speed hitting the ball seconds later.

I threw my stare up to where I think it came from, just to see Rahab and Ioael staring at me with a raised eyebrow. 'Get away from the human,' I heard Rahab say in my head as clear as if he was right next to me talking really loud.

I glared at them with the hardest glare I could muster, making Rahab smirk and Ioael look at me with a blank face. 'You would hurt an innocent girl just to prove a fucking point?' I growled through our mind link.

That's what I called it, a mind link- for lack of a better word, of course.

Last night was possibly the most eventful night of my life. I was still tired from lack of sleep, but I surprisingly wasn't on the floor sleeping right now, which is what I thought would happen in the morning when I woke.

I was so sure of it, that I actually brought myself a little pillow to rest my head on.

"Again... You saved me again..." she whispered quietly, as if I was some sort of angel.

Oh, how ironic.

"Listen..."

"Sierra," she breathed out making me nod and continue.

"Sierra," I repeated "you better start running."

"Why?"

"She's the queen bee!" a guy said, pointing towards her, making her frightened eyes widen towards me before she began to run around the gym like her life depended on it.

'Stay away from the humans,' Ioael said slowly, like he was talking to a child.n

'I'll do what I want to do,' I said in the same way, making Rahab start laughing. Students around him turned to stare at him with weird faces as they ran around, since he- to them- just stared randomly laughing out loud.

"Hey, Antoinette!" Sergeant yelled harshly, making my head spin towards him in confusion. "Here! Now!"

I sighed, not knowing what I did wrong, as I walked over to where he was- a little limp in my step. "Yeah?" I replied loudly when I was about ten feet away from him.

"You got a letter. From the office," he said, walking towards me as he loosely held out a crisp, sealed envelope. "Go into the locker room and change. You're needed over there, with this letter in hand."

"Um... Okay?" I said cautiously, carefully taking it from him so that the envelope wouldn't bend of tear.

I had a thing about papers being ruined. I would classify it as paper OCD.

"Hurry up Antoinette, wouldn't want to keep the principal waiting," he said sharply, blowing the whistle gently in my face before walking away to a group of guys who were trying to pound the little freshman girl to death with dodge-balls.

* * *

"Miss Antoinette," the principal called out professionally as she walked into the main office from where her office was. I've been sitting there for almost six minutes, and my legs were twitching in impatience for the principal to come. Seriously, you make someone get robbed out of getting taught something, just to make them wait and miss the lesson, then you decide to do it again and talk about your failing grades when them and their stupid meetings with you is the reason you are fai-

"Are you coming?" she challenged with a cocked eyebrow from where she was, in between the door's entryway.

I held my tongue, forcing down my sarcastic comeback, as I stood up slowly and casually stared walking towards the door as well.

'S. O. S. I'm going past Hell's gates as we speak,' I said through mind link to all the guys except for Ioael.

That jerk can never take a joke.

'The actual gates, or the principal's office?' Ariel chuckled, making me smile slightly.

'What's the difference?' I questioned, making Ariel and Rahab laugh through mind link.

"Now, I called you here for something you might be proud of," she said when we finally got to the office that was at the end of the hallway of offices- in a separate section of the school so kids couldn't sneak into there.

"And... What's that?" I asked her, interested in what she was going to say and showing it by leaning in towards her casually- putting my elbows on my lap.

"Well, you know senior year, how you decided you wanted to try Junior year graduation instead of graduation at the end of this year?" She question, making me nod and force myself not to roll my eyes.

Yes. I know. I was the one that signed it after all.

"Well," she continued "it's obviously not Junior year, but you might be interested in this.

"We started something new this year. Instead of graduating at the end of your junior year, you also have a choice of graduation after the first semester of senior year.

"Now, I know this is short notice, but your grades are outstanding and you have went over and prove your required credits," she cheerfully.

'Yeah,' I said in my head 'because if I didn't I would be at home being as bored as shit everyday.'

"So... What do you say?" Mrs. Piper asked, making me lean back in my chair slowly and think it over.

"Tests?" I asked her suspiciously, making her sigh.

"Yes, you still take an SAT and ACT and whatever test is needed to actually be allowed to graduate," she answered, making me nod unenthusiastically.

"Units?" I asked her, making her smile.

"You still have to finish the units left of your classes, but you will be in different classes.

"Actually," she said with a smile. "If you do decide to join there is already a couple people in the classes as well. You aren't going to be the only person if that's what you are worried about."

'Actually the exact opposite is what I'm worried about,' I muttered in my head as I held back a sigh.

"So... Are you interested?" she asked me, making me close eyes eyes and let the sigh escape from my mouth.

"Well..." I drawled weighing my two options- mentally doing a pros and cons list. "The option is tempting, but I don't know... What if I can't learn everything that's going to be taught quick enough..."

'Michelle,' Ioael said slowly, his irritating voice echoing in my head.

If my eyelids weren't covering my eyes my they would've twitched by now.

'Yes?' I replied, trying to sound nice.

'Do it. Trust me. Take the offer,' he said seriously, making my eyebrows raise slightly at the demanding tone in his voice.

'So what, I don't even get a say in it?' I asked in an offended way, making him sigh.

'You have no say in anything that happens from now on, Michelle, let alone this,' Ioael said, making my hands clench from under the chair- away from the principal's eyesight.

'Ioael, that's too harsh. You need to quit it,' Belial scolded, making someone chuckle.

'Someone, please keep the argument going. I need energy right now,' Rahab chuckled, though he did sound... Off. Possibly.... Somewhat tired?

'Everyone grow up, we are at least th-... We are mature adults. There is no need for unnecessary comments and rude behavior,' Cassiel said- in the beginning sounding like he was going to rip someone's head off, but quickly choosing a calmer way of ending a fight.

Wait. How old are they?

"Michelle?" Mrs. Piper mused, snapping her fingers at me playfully "Have you reached a decision yet, honey?"

'Shit, she's still here,' I grumbled, not realizing I said that through mind link until Rahab cackled and Belial snorted.

"Um... Yes, I'll do it," I answered, hoping Ioael didn't set me up for failure like I think he did.

"Great!" She said happily with a grin, making me smile halfheartedly.

Yeah. Great.

"Thank you for informing me of this new option for requiring graduation earlier in the years," I said, forcing myself not to make any shocked facial expressions when I said that.

Those weren't my words. It was like they were fed to me... As if someone just talked through me.

'Yeah, your welcome, darling,' Ariel chuckled, making me relax. 'You know, getting on people's good side is key. Don't waste your time trying to create damage when you won't make anything from it.'

'Spoken like a motivational speaker, congratulations Ariel,' I said dryly, though there was an accidental slip up of humor in my voice.

"No-No.... Problem, dear," the principal said in a bewildered way, looking at me as if I grew three heads.

Actually, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the "three heads" thing was true.

"Well... I'll be on my way now," I mumbled, quickly getting out of the chair. "See you in the hallways!" I called out as I jogged out of the office and closed the door.

"Miss, no running," the new secretary said softly, making me want to snap her neck in half in anger. How dare she try to tell me what to do!

"You know, getting on people's good side is key," I remembered Ariel's witty and "all knowing" self say to me when I got frightened a couple seconds ago, making me sigh and slow down my steps.

"Thank you," she said shyly with a smile before going back to her work just as I left the main office hallway/room.

I sighed out in irritation- which I realized I've been doing a lot- and fatigue, hoping nothing else would happen while I was in school today, that wouldn't be unexpected.

But, I think I jinxed it or something.

Because boy was I up for a surprise.