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Beatrix wandered the halls of her new high school, her last year of school before freedom. As she navigated the unfamiliar building, a voice behind her disrupted her thoughts. "You're new." Startled, she spun around, her gaze falling upon the face of a blonde boy, a familiar yet unexpected sight.
"JJ fucking Maybank." She spoke slowly, in shock.
"You have got to be kidding." He mumbled, rolling his eyes.
"Miss me?" Beatrix teased.
"Never," JJ retorted with a smile, a hint of an old, unspoken rivalry in their exchange.
Beatrix had been in juvie for no longer than fifteen minutes. It was lunchtime, and as she tried to blend into the bleak surroundings. A boy made his way over to her, his gaze met Beatrix's, and for a moment, their eyes locked. She saw something in his gaze, a spark of rebellion that mirrored her own.
He broke the silence. "You're new."
Beatrix met his gaze with a defiant stare."Yes" she replied, her voice steady and unyielding.
His smirk widened as he leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Well, Princess, that's my seat. You're new, so I'll let you off just this once."
Beatrix's irritation flared. "Couldn't care less," she retorted, bitterness lacing her words.
One of his friends interrupted, trying to diffuse the tension. "Come on, JJ, leave the new girl alone. She's probably scared enough as it is."
She looked up, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "Why would I be scared?"
"Just you wait," JJ warned, his eyes narrowing as he snatched her plate of food.
She stifled a mocking laugh. "Are you trying to be a high school bully in a coming of age film? Take it, I'm not hungry and it looks foul."
Their first meeting had started with a spark of rebellion, a clash of personalities and a test of strength in the unforgiving environment of juvie. He was their "leader", and Beatrix ,within minutes had chosen to threaten that.
JJ's casual demeanour masked the complexities of their past, while Beatrix's teasing tone hinted at the familiarity they once shared.
Beatrix, studied JJ with narrowed eyes. "You're still the same pain in the ass, aren't you?"
JJ's lips curled into a half-smile, recognition in his eyes. "And you're still the stubborn Princess who never backed down."
Their words held a touch of nostalgia, and they found a strange comfort in the reunion, despite their hatred in the past.
