•A TEST FOR THE WEAK•
"survive and you earn a place here. fail and you die"
"So I found this haggard-ass homeless lady who told me about this dude. Full hardcore—" Willie grinned smugly, his eyes switching from student to student finding my bored and disbelieving glare in the few rows of desks.
The tall boy stood at the head of the class in Master Lin's usual spot and I watched how his hands continued to fiddle with the buttons on his blazer, before settling on twirling the toothpick around in his mouth.
"—He was collecting memorabilia like we learned about in class"
I let out a long huff, my head falling onto my desk as I thought about how much of an idiot I was for saying what I did to Master Lin, 'I can't complete one and fail another' bullshit that landed me to be Marcus's pledge.
I ever so slightly banged my head on the desk, my eyes wandering back to Willie, "So I waited for him, crept up on him. This dude, he was about to stab me with a screwdriver" I rolled my orbs, glancing behind me to see if Killian bought the crap that came out of Sasquatch's mouth. Killian rose his brows before scoffing—yeah he definitely doesn't.
I let out a breathy laugh my eyes briefly flickering over to Marcus before settling back on Willie. From the brief look at Marcus, I knew something was up. He was simmering in his rage and sooner or later it's going to boil over.
From what though? Maria? Chico? Or has it got something to do with Willie?
"And I found this pipe, I crushed that fool's head in—" I broke my thought pattern and glanced back again making eye contact with Marcus, and saw a cold rage bubbling behind his brown irises.
Fuck it's definitely got something to do with Willie. The more Bigfoot talks, the angrier Marcus gets "—Dumpstered the body, set it on fire and got out of there." Willie finally finished and Marcus's fist unclenched. His eyes still swarming my thoughts as I turned back to the front.
"Did you have help?" I asked Willie, genuinely curious. His eyes shifted from mine to Master Lin's. But Lin only shifted his weight onto his cane watching Willie with curiosity. I let out a sigh of relief, usually, we aren't meant to question such things or speak out of turn. This seems like an exception.
"You don't think I can handle a motherfucker like that?" Willie narrowed his eyes, leaving the question unanswered as he retired to his seat.
"No—no I don't" I muttered to myself, looking down at my hands, the image of blood still painted clearly in my mind. The tapping of Lins cane snapped me out of my trance, as I realised Master Lin was stalking down the middle aisle. "70% of soldiers don't pull the trigger in battle, no matter the stakes. The weak always choke in the face of killing. With fear of expulsion, all your hopes and dreams, all your family's expectations, only one of you could do it...So—", Master Lin aggressively slammed his cane down, a students desk rattled from the contact. My whole body tensing up as a flash of red was sent through me.
"—We'll have a new test, a final chance to prove your worth. Survive and you earn a place here. Fail and you die"
My eyes closed for a second. It's the test. He's putting us through the test now.
"The weak do not belong in my school.
Go! Get out of my sight!"
I immediately stood up sliding my books off the desk and leaving without a second thought.
"Kil" I gripped my fellow gang members arm, pulling him to one side. "He's putting us up to a test now! I don't think it's like the other times" I gulped, my eyes looking through the crowd of students that formed outside of the class.
"Willie isn't here" I muttered, rubbing a hand down my face.
"Shit" Killian breathed out, slamming his fist onto the wall. "I couldn't do it, too many witnesses"
I nodded as I leant against the wood, my fingers lightly tapping my thigh.
"Had a guy, but I couldn't find proof" Saya walked over to us, her hand rubbing her forehead and her eyes were filled with worry.
"You'll still be valedictorian" I reassured her, about to warn her about the test when I was cut off.
"I hobbled a jaywalker, was the best I could find" Viktor's voice made each of our eyes roll, my head banging back onto the wood in response.
"Burning a package for my old man" Chico let his head drop, palm flat down on the wall gaining my attention. Maria glanced between him and me, her voice calm as she spoke, "My fault baby, I should have done-"
I watched Chico from my peripheral vision as he dismissed her with a few words, my eyes narrowed. "Guess you disappointed your daddy, bitch boy" I grinned menacingly at him. Better to have his anger aimed at me than at Maria. Chico grunted, flipping me the bird and I laughed. My smile slightly wider knowing I pissed him off more. Killian huffed, elbowing me in the gut as a warning.
Our complainants were cut short as the clatter of bars caught our immediate attention, sending some of the students into a frenzy. Bars slammed shut, our exits closed off. Some ran forward their hands wrapping around the metal, trying to pry open any possible exit. I rolled my eyes, discarding my books on the floor and tried the handle on the classroom door. Huffing I brought my leg up, kicking the door wanting to knock it off its hinges but of course, it didn't budge.
A loud ringing from the speaker shut everyone up and Killian gripped me by the waist. His arm protectively staying around me even as I tried to shrug him off.
"I'm alive without breath and cold as death. I'm never thirsty but always drinking. What am I?"
My brain scoured for every possible answer but came up blank. I was never amazing at riddles, not ones like this anyway.
"To pass this quiz and survive the poison gas, you need to make it to the botanical classroom and answer that riddle in five minutes"
Gas seeped out the vents quickly and I shortened my breath, both Saya and Killian doing the same. Marcus, on the other hand, was almost hyperventilating.
Gripping him by his shoulder I shoved a bandana into his hands and brought it up to his mouth. "Control your heart rate and take it slow" I instructed, my voice colder than I intended as I glared at Viktor pulling at the bars. Marcus followed my gaze, "Hey, I think I can help" he moved towards the dumb jock, Brandy taking notice of this.
"I think you can screw off!" She exclaimed pushing at Marcus's chest. Killian groaned as I scowled at the dumb hillbilly. "Don't do anything stupid"
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you" I grinned sheepishly. Quoting his favourite comic, making him scowl at me.
"What is this loser Rat doing in AP class?" Brandy shouted, her massive hair bouncing as she did. Marcus took this opportunity and pulled out a hairpin, moving past her quickly. I snorted watching Brandy screech, her arms flying about "Get your hands off of me"
I caught hold of Brandy's shoulder. My grip hard, intending to hurt a little.
She groaned, rolling them so my hand fell to my side, "Don't you touch me either, rat fucker"
I responded with a smirk as I moved past her, my hand patting her arm as a way to mock her. 'Rat fucker' that's a new one, it's not creative but none of the insults that come out of her mouth usually are.
Eventually, the bars swung open, all thanks to Marcus and I could just picture the smug look on his face. The racist hillbilly pushed me out of the way doing the same to Marcus. "Out of the way rat!" She strutted through the open gate with Viktor close behind.
"Your table awaits Jocko!" Marcus called after them, a smirk plastered onto his adorable face. The four of us waited until the rest of the class flooded through the gate before we followed. I stayed silent as I watched Saya lightly gripped Marcus's arm, whispering a few words in his ear. Since when were they so chummy.
I narrowed my eyes, following after them just as Killian laced his fingers with mine. He grinned, a charming smile. The one I liked. Until his eyes locked onto my lips. I tried not to flinch as he brought his other hand up to brush his thumb over my top lip showing me the red liquid that followed. He squeezed my hand wiping the blood away on his blazer.
We descended down the stairs following Chico's lead as we came out onto the hallway. Each step was calculated as I moved my way up so I was just behind Marcus and had Maria to my right. I have to protect him, he's my pledge after all. Killian was beside me his hand still firmly placed in mine, refusing to let go. I guess it's his way to keep calm.
My eyes almost bulged as Marcus stepped onto a sunken tile making walls drop down slowly beginning to encase us in the hallway. Cloaked monks closed in on us, staffs in hands stopping us from leaving. I huffed my back banging into Brandy's and she looked at me with worry. I guess her hate for me isn't as important as getting out of this right now.
I dropped Killian's hand, shooting Saya a look "We need to work together", she nodded and we struck. Jumping into the air we kicked the monk in the chest sending him backwards. He groaned locking the staff behind Saya's knee, her head hitting the ground first. I responded quickly my foot smashing against his throat. I made another attempt to do some damage but he blocked each hit that I threw him. He grabbed my arm pulling me forward, his staff swinging around to slam into my jaw. Blood splattered from my mouth, running down onto my chin. I grimaced as he kicked me away the butt of his staff hitting me in the gut sending me flying over someone's body that hit the floor just before. I turned my head finding Marcus grinning at me sheepishly. "Move it Arguello" I rolled my eyes, scrambling up and ran at the same monk blocking the hit he threw at Saya. Both of my hands wrapped around the staff and Saya took this opportunity slamming her elbow down taking the monk by surprise and Marcus struck, bring his foot into the man's stomach sending him back. I grinned, swiping the staff from his hands, and swung. The sound of wood coming in contact with his Jaw filled my ears and I watched him hit the ground.
"Come on" Saya breathed out as I threw the staff across the floor and Marcus' hand tugged me towards the exit. I followed after them, my wrist firmly planted in Marcus' grip as we skilfully slid underneath the door—Killian was just behind us and managed to scramble through before it entirely closed.
I let out a sigh of relief blocking out the complaints from the other side of the door as I lay still on the floor for a moment, still feeling Marcus warm hand laced around my wrist. Taking a small breath I heaved myself up along with Arguello who still refused to let go.
I wasn't complaining, it was comforting in this situation.
I moved closer to him as the remaining students worked their way to the botanical classroom, trying our best to keep moving as blood seeped out of our noses and mouths. Each of us was fighting off exhaustion, the gas slowing our movements down making them sloppy. Marcus supported me, his hand moving into my own, as blood spluttered out of my mouth into my other palm as I let out a wretched cough. "Fuck" I grimaced, wiping my palm on my skirt ignoring the looks I got from both Killian and Marcus.
Chico and Maria were the first in the classroom the rest of us flooding in behind them. All leaning onto the tables for support. My hand left Marcus's as I struggled to stay upright. "One of these is the antidote" He yelled
"Yeah, no shit! which one?" My eyes dropped in and out of focus, unable to make out any of the symbols on the plants. I stumbled back into Killian, he gave me a pained smile. Looking worst off than I did even as he moved towards Saya, trying to inspect to plants around her.
"Take the wrong one and we're dead" Saya leaned on another table, watching Killian as he tried his best to focus on the symbols. "We're gonna die" she muttered.
"Forever the eternal optimist"
"Not the right time Kaiya" Saya coughed her body dropping into Killian's arms who was unable to stay up with the extra weight. They hit the ground, Saya's fall cushioned by his body.
I glanced at them worriedly, almost going over to see if they were okay but I stopped myself. The only way I can help them is if I get the antidote.
"Alive without breath" Marcus took a shaky step forward, towards the table directly in front of us. "Cold as death, and never thirsty.
They're always drinking—Fish" He moved closer, as I felt myself sink to the ground dropping in and out of consciousness. I focused on my breathing as my lungs scratched for air. Quiet wimps left my mouth as I tried to move an inch so I could see Marcus but I didn't have the energy in me.
I was tired, so fucking tired.
After everything I've been through I was going to die in a school over a stupid test that I shouldn't even be taking.
My lids continued to droop but I refused to let the darkness in no matter how much my eyes stung. I heard clatter around me as a blurry figure came into view, slightly shaking me before shoving a bitter plant between my lips.
They stayed over me waiting for me to move so I swallowed it with the last amount of energy I had and I blinked showing them I was awake. They immediately moved away once they saw I was conscious. It took a moment but my chest loosed allowing me to breathe in deeply—I stayed on the ground as I watched each of the students slowly get up. Saya was helping Killian. Brandy stumbled out of the classroom with a few other students, one of them being Viktor. Maria was pulling Chico up, a look of rage in her eyes. And Marcus, he moved to sit beside me, watching my eyes flicker between everyone.
"You okay?" he gained my attention as his brown eyes stared into mine and I laughed "I've had blood pouring out every orifice, do you think I'm okay?"
"Blood out of every orifice huh? Even from your—"
"Don't even finish that smart ass" I rolled my eyes. A small genuine smile crept onto my face as I watched him chuckle— I focused on the dimples before I forced myself to look away. I don't deserve him, not like Maria does.
She needs him and I don't. Maria's my friend so if she likes him I'll stay as far away as my pledge to him allows me to.
I sighed, "Come on Arguello, we should move"
🖤⚔️
I decided to rewrite this chapter as I felt like it needed a massive improvement. Sorry for slow updates I will keep trying to do them as quick as possible I've just been struggling with it recently. Also, tysm for 2k reads... See you soon x
(Also with the little Bucky/Steve reference, I actually have no idea if this was in the comics around this time or if was just in the films. But I thought I'd include it, since it's a cute little thing:)