There was once three young girls living life the way they where told. Everything perfect and in order. Wake up at five am for drills, go to breakfast, do your lessons, more drills and then to dinner and bed, lights out at nine latest. Three girl, all surprisingly unique yet alike in nature.
Riley Abel, a pretty girl, soft skin a beautiful colour and the prettiest of hair. Riley was a fighter, through and through, the soldier of the group. She would never let anything happen to her best friends, at least not without a hell of a fight.
Ellie Williams, the shortest and youngest of the three, her pale skin shone in the rough lights of the military school, her eyes a beautiful brown that (in certain lights) had specks of green. The king. Shed take on the whole world if it meant her friends would get it even a little bit easier.
Cassandra Bennet, dirty blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes. Everyone loved Cassie, whether for her attitude or looks. She was the poet of the group, her words sliced harder than the blade of a knife, she could change the world if only given the opportunity.
They where friends, best friends. All placed into military school after becoming orphans at around the same time. They grew up together, each birthday celebrated as a group, they saw everything they could for the first time, together.
Until that trio became two. Cassie was failing Fedra's military school, she started refusing to go to lessons, failing tests. She was thirteen when the soldiers agreed to send her to the streets of the QZ.
When cassie told her friends, they refused, saying it wasnt allowed and that they would hole the girl up in their dorm until absolutely necessary. Cassie denied, knowing she had to face it sooner or later. It was an emotional goodbye but the girl promised to sneak in.
And she kept that promise, every birthday one of the girls celebrated, they'd come back to the dorm decorated with handmade decorations and a shitty cake lit on one of the girls desks. Despite not seeing each other all the time, they never distanced.
Riley and Ellie knew Cassie had changed, her hair no longer straight but frizzy with waves, her eyes homed dark bags and her skin was littered with new cuts and scars each time they saw her.
Cassie never told them much, only that she had her own place and had a knack for pick pocketing. They didn't know the truth and they didn't need to know either. Each time she left them, a kiss on both their cheeks and a promise to see them again.
Cassie truly didn't know how long that promise would last.