The Heir

Chapter 3

The first day of class is always exciting. On move in day, each student can find their class schedule on their school issued desk. We compare schedules immediately, figuring out who is sharing classes with who. Gossiping about teachers and trying to guess what the new ones are going to be like.

Classes are divided by academic achievement. Ryan, Hannah and Lina tend to have classes together while Akio, Noah and I get thrown into advanced placement courses. This year is no different. Well, except for the fact that Ryan somehow tested into our English class.

First period: Advanced Calculus II

Lockers line the walls of the academic buildings. Each student can find all of their books for the semester inside. Due to the nature of our first class, Akio, Noah and I decided to go early. Attempting to avoid the crowded halls and overwhelmed freshmen.

The boys' lockers are right beside each other and they quickly pull out the necessary books. Mine is down the hall a bit and I quickly put in the combination.

Noah leans his forearm against the locker next to mine, looming over me with a height only a Scandic person could achieve. Akio grabs the door of my locker and looks at the photos taped inside, left over from last year.

"What the fuck are you doing?" the only voice I didn't want to hear this morning snides.

I roll my eyes, not even bothering to look at him, "go to class, Enzo."

"You're not allowed to hang out with guys alone," he insists. "You know this."

"It's not like we're having an orgy," Noah laughs.

"Now, that's an idea," Akio adds. I shake my head.

"C'mon, Elle," Enzo grunts.

Enzo grabs my bicep and utter instinct takes over. I reel my arm back, elbowing him in the ribs. He lets out a grunt but releases me nonetheless.

"Don't grab me, Enzo," I warn him.

I slam my locker shut, rolling my eyes, and move to push past my brother. I shove his shoulder to get him out of my way but he grabs my wrist. Hard.

I lock eyes with him and quirk a brow. No fucking way.

In one smooth move, he swipes my feet out from under me. I grab onto his arm as I fall, taking him down with me. We both hit the hardwood with a thud but I'm quicker to recover.

"Oh my God!" Akio exclaims.

"Elle!" Noah adds, "are you okay?"

I ignore my friends, at least for the moment. For some reason it seems like my brother really wants to fight me today. While I don't typically engage in physical violence, he's perhaps one of the only people who could put up a fair fight against me. I need to knock him down a peg.

I push myself up and press my knee into his chest. Enzo coughs and his brows furrow in seemingly rage. As I reach into my shoe for my knife, he grabs my shoulders and tosses me over his head. I land flat on my back, the wind temporarily knocked out of me.

People are starting to gather. Whispers and even some cheering comes from the growing crowd.  It must be a sight to behold. The perfect princess of the academy fist fighting her little brother in the hallway. And not just street fighting.

Realization hits me hard. Fighting like this is going to blow our cover. Normal people aren't trained the way my siblings and I are. Normal people don't fight like this. Fuck.

Enzo grabs my one arm and twists it behind my back. I reach down and pull out my knife. I swing blindly at him until he hisses through his teeth and releases me.