In case, after reading this, you'll ask why there is more to the character's thoughts than the dialogues... It's still the first chapter!

But I promise to include a lot more dialogues in the succeeding ones. So WAIT !

Characters are not mine but Lauren Kate's. I recommend you read her books, the new Fallen series.

Enjoy!

1

Hostile Hits

Luce bustled past plain door after plain door, her backpack flying in her wake. She would not be nervously hurrying now had it not been her forgetting to set the alarm. A day since her arrival here and already she has set a record for being half an hour late? Not a good way to start anew.

Just the night before, after a long, silent, and tense ride, her ever-thoughtful parents dropped her to enroll in Sword & Cross, a reform school for screw-ups.

Her mind had been unsettled: Were they, the police, doctors, lawyers, her friends and neighbors, really seeing her as a screw-up after that awful night with Trevor? How can they accuse her of something she didn't and wasn't planning to do? Will they ever forget the bad names they called Luce even if she can't? Even if she won't?

At least, she was positive about one simple thing: That her parents still and always love her, no matter what she turns into or how she tries to deal her life. They have been supporting and helping Luce cope with the worst events after the incident at the party she attended to. They have been Luce's fresh air after she was losing hope in breathing and continuing her life. Had it not been for their love, Luce would have been nothing, her flesh and blood scattered over an immensely arid and abandoned land.

She owed her life to them.

Busily reaching over for her backpack, Luce took a turn to the left, narrowly missing the edge of a wall by inches. Her hand went inside the bag, searching for the photocopied hand-drawn map that was given to her by a barrel-chested attendant, who introduced herself as Randy, last night before proceeding to her room. She was sure she placed it in there somewhere –

Until she clashed with a tall, husky profile.

Luce head hit the person's chest, causing her to stumble backward. Closing her eyes, she pressed her right hand fingers to her temple, giving it a slow massage. A low, anguished moan escaped her throat and she retreated further backward until her back found a wall.

That was some collision, so much force that gave her a headache also made her want to vomit. Luce half-opened her eyes and stars, beautiful, size-changing stars, danced before it. She blinked a few times before her eyes sharpened the surroundings.

A couple notebooks were on the floor, her bag an arm and leg away, and the person she collided with towered over her.

He was dressed just as the dress code violation requires them to wear – black, black, and nothing but pathetic black. His shirt tightened his upper body, revealing the perfect curves of his muscles and, Luce did not know why she even cared to notice it, the soft rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

Luce searched his form until her eyes met his. They held each other for three heartbeats that it made Luce's heart happily constrict, though for reasons she did not know.

Suddenly, as if time was defying gravity, she did not know, did not care – oh, for heaven's sake – the time that elapsed from their immediate encounter or if she was going to be kicked out for cutting a half day of class.

Luce was beginning to enjoy the sight when the boy's eyes narrowed to slits.

His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides and his whole body abruptly hardened.

"Hasn't anyone told you the rules in this school?" He said through gritted teeth while bending to pick up Luce's fallen notebooks and bag.

"No," Luce nervously whispered. "I'm just new –"

"Of course," he interrupted, harshly giving back her things. "The new kid in town, waiting to be pampered." He made a rude face at her.

What was wrong with this guy? Did she know him or the other way around?

And why was he suddenly all so hot even though Luce did not know and realize she was walking in his direction?

The boy started to leave, but after a few steps he turned and was not at all surprised to find Luce still rooted to her place. His eyes, his violet-flecked eyes, were all Luce could see but the message it gave brought her back to reality.

Hatred? Disgust? Pity? She could not decipher what.

It's her first day at a new school and she's late for the first period class and has made, what thought to be her first friend, her first enemy.

He stood straight and leaned his head to the side. "I pity the people you'll meet after this if you won't bear in mind your limits. I'll summarize the rules to." He ran his long fingers through his golden blond hair and the way the sun reflected his stunning locks left her astonishingly breathless. Luce wanted to run to him and touch that precious mane and just stick to it for how long it takes. She wanted to feel those long fingers. She wanted to be near him, be with him, be –

"Watch where your stupid brain is heading!" He spat then turned to leave.

Luce stared blankly, her eyes damp and her vision blurred, at the retreating figure of the first person, aside from Randy, she met. The first person to make her heart tighten then shatter. The first person to frankly insult her and then turn away...

The first person who she thought could be a friend.

She was really starting something new.

A bell rang overhead, signaling the beginning of another weary hour, which made Luce mentally calculate – has she been fixed to the cemented floor for about a quarter of an hour already? What was she thinking?

After swiftly placing back her things inside her bag, she continued searching for her first class period room, and she was still confused which among the plain, ashen doors in this dimly-lit hallway it was. Mind so preoccupied about the violet-eyed, friend-turned-enemy lad, she stopped in her tracks and took a long, deep breath.

She needed to cool down.

Surely the school staff would understand her absence in class on her first day, wouldn't they? She'd have to make a list of reasonable excuses in case they try to interrogate her. They'd have to let her be, but only this one time, and she's gonna have to make it up to them. Luce heard a soft, buzzing noise to her right and, for the first time, noticed a camera, its red lights flashing, watching her every move. Her eyes widened, remembering last night's conversation with Randy.

"Reds" Randy had called it, but Luce hasn't had any idea why it was called as such. Now she did.

She moved away from the spying device, while placing her left ear over small fissures she could find on the doors. What was a better idea than this? Barge in to every room until she found the right one? Yeah, she's been making a lot of attention lately.

Her body ached to be in her dorm room. Her mind wanted badly to rest. And her heart dreamed to be in the violet-eyed guy's arms. Suddenly, annoyingly, she felt the need to see him, talk to him, and be with him. She could almost feel her gravity shift towards him. It was surprisingly disturbing. She did not even know his name yet!

The sound of a door opening made Luce jump. It was in the hallway to her right, not far fro where she was standing. She knew the people who could find her would be curious, questioning her presence in the corridors during class hours. Faint footsteps filled the quiet atmosphere and it was nearing Luce's place.

Her back to the incoming person, she grabbed a book and started flipping through its pages. The footsteps were louder this time, she was sure it was directly behind her. Then all of a sudden, as if a pause button was pressed, it ceased.

The only audible sounds were Luce's rapid, short breathing and the zooming in and out of the camera. Tense moments passed but the steps have not yet returned. She assumed it went the other way. She assumed she was safe. Or was she really?

"Enjoying your pre-class school tour?" A voice filled her ears. The warmth of his breath seared her skin, but in wonderful way that made her want more. It was a soothing sensation that belonged to a boy. She faced him.

"I'm rather surprised, though, that you decided to spend it on your own," he laughed. "A friend can be a useful guide, I'm telling you."

The boy was a foot taller than Luce and he gazed down at her with green eyes that showed happiness even upon finding her straying. His black v-neck shirt harmonized his body.

"Oh!" He smacked his forehead with his right palm. "Let me guess, you're through touring, aren't you?" His tone was taunting.

"I wasn't even…"

"I bet you haven't visited the most pleasant piece of this happy campus! No irony intended. "He winked at Luce.

She laughed. He was taking everything so lightly, as if Luce's wandering was the least of his problems. His smile was tempting, she wanted to ditch her stuff, ignore the boring class, and fly away with this guy's easygoing heart.

She knew he was waiting for an answer. Two choices, one decision.

She heard herself say, "And where is this place you're talking about?"

He bowed and offered his right hand. "Will you let me do the honor to take you to a whole new world, Your Highness?"

For a brief, stupid moment, Luce's mind drifted to the golden-haired guy and imagined him to be the one offering her to skip class with him.

He'd never know this kind of stuff.

"Yes," Luce smiled, placing her hand in the boy's and allowed herself to be steered away from the old building.

"You'll never regret this," He turned to look at her. "I promise."

- my very 1st FanFic ! Your reviews are so much appreciated ! (=