I Must Become a Lion-Hearted Girl
"No more waking up at four a.m., huh?"
Kristen Gregory looks up. She frowns once she sees who's at her door. Wavy chocolate brown hair, dark blue eyes and a sickening smile –it can't be anyone else other than James Block.
Kristen remains silent and once again looks down at her notebook. If she wants to remain at the prestigious and expensive Octavian Academy, then she has to keep her grades up. She's not ready to lose her scholarship just because a pretty boy decided he was bored and needed someone to talk with.
Kristen hears James steps become louder and louder until he's right next to her. "How about a 'thank you James for such wonderful news'?"
Kristen dares a glance at him. His smirk has widened and his eyes have a flirty and mocking sparkle in it. Great, just great. Besides the fact that James always has to flirt with her –and no, he doesn't like her (thank God!), he just can't help but drop a few flirty moves whenever a female is around –he usually does it to annoy her. He knows Kristen hates it. But that's why he does it. And let's not forget the mockery that comes afterwards. Just like his younger sister, Massie, he can't forget the fact that Kristen cleans their house every morning as a thank you to the Blocks for letting her and her mom live in their guesthouse.
"Mrs. Block had already informed me of the new maid," Kristen answers simply.
James eyes shift down to her Head Maid t-shirt –courtesy of the class clown. Kristen suddenly regrets not throwing it away when her best friend, Nikki Dalton, told her to. Nikki had thought that it was extremely offensive to Kristen. And once upon a time, it would be. But she'd already spent six years swallowing her pride as her classmates taunted her. And let's not forget the maid jokes from James's and Massie's part at home. Besides, the shirt seemed to be made of a really good material.
As James opens his mouth to speak, Kristen prepares herself for the rude comment that's ahead.
"Green suits you well," James laughs. "As well as being a maid."
Kristen wants to glare at him and shoo him out. But something stops her. She's sure that it's not her quiet and serious attitude. And as much as she doesn't want to admit it, it's fear that holds her down. It has always dominated her feelings, thoughts and actions. Ever since her father passed away six years ago, when she was just a ten-year-old girl, fear had been involved in the equation of her life.
So once again, she remains silent and resumes her previous task of doing her math homework. It's hard to concentrate, though, with a cutie next to you who has decided to bother you for the rest of your life.
Kristen tries hard not to groan as he grabs her golden braid and begins to twirl the end around his finger. "Did I hurt you?"
Kristen presses her lips together and turns to look at him. "James, did you come here to tell me something?"
James grins. "How did you know?"
For any other girl, the bits of British accent he acquired at a boarding school in Britain last year (and the best in Kristen's life) would've made them swoon and instantly fall in love with him. But it has a very different effect on Kristen –it involves whacking his stupid head with the largest book she can find.
Kristen shrugs. "Just thought about it well."
"Well, my dad sent me to fetch you," James says, crossing his legs and managing to look even more snobbier than usual. "He wants to talk to you and Mass."
Kristen perks up at this. It's only thrice a year that she gets to see Mr. Block –Christmas, New Year's and her birthday. So she can't help but be curious as to why Mr. Block would want to see her and Massie at the same time.
"He's waiting for you at the office," continues the seventeen-year-old, playing with one of Kristen's pencils.
Kristen nods and walks out of the room, glad to be out of James's presence. She never thought she could come to dislike a person so much. Not even Massie beat him.
As she makes her way to the main house, Kristen tries to see if she can spot her mother's grey car. Marsha had finally gone to her first job interview in years. That was a big step from the depression stage she had been in ever since Michael Gregory died. And if she got the job, Marsha might finally free herself from that tangling state and return to her old giddy self. She'd feel worthy and as if she could achieve things in her life once again. Only imagining her mom grinning widely as she arrived home to tell her that the bank had given her the job makes Kristen smile. Only her mom can make her smile truthfully. Her, Nikki and sometimes Massie's puppy, Bean.
She enters the large house and makes her way to the end of the hallway, where William's office can be found. Once in front of a large door, Kristen knocks twice.
"Come in," comes Mr. Block's powerful voice.
Kristen finger-combed her bangs before opening the door. She gives Mr. Block a small smile as she walks inside the classic-styled room and sits down next to Massie. Kristen can't help but discreetly examine Massie's outfit. Even when she's one year younger than her, Massie always manages to look older and more mature with her killer outfits. This time, Massie's sporting a beige sweater-dress that hits mid-thigh. The ankle boots, waist belt and headband of the same brown color highlight the caramel strands of hair in her brunette waves and makes her amber eyes pop out. Kristen pats down her messy French braid. She usually isn't so self-conscious of how she looks, but it's hard to remain with that attitude once you're around Massie.
Kristen's thoughts are halted once she spots a student carnet with her picture and name on it next to an old-fashioned key with a 10 engraved on it. Kristen quickly notices that Massie has the same on the mahogany desk in front of her. Except with her name and picture, and a 5 on the key.
"Now that Kristin's here, can you quickly tell us what the matter is? I have a date at the spa with my friends this afternoon," Massie tells her dad, her mascara-rimmed eyes not once leaving her manicured fingernails.
"I'm afraid you'll have to cancel your plans," Mr. Block says, sliding a group of papers aside and clasping his hands together.
"No can do," Massie replies breezily. "It's our tradition to go to a spa treatment once a month. This appointment has been made since July 3, meaning a month ago. I can't just cancel it out of nowhere."
"Well, you'll have to," Mr. Block insists, staring intently at his daughter. "You'll be busy preparing for your departure tomorrow."
That does the trick. Massie's eyes snap up, her glossy bow-shaped lips slightly parted. "Departure?"
Mr. Block's stern gaze shifts toward Kristen, who's just as confused as Massie is.
"Do you know how your father died?" asks Mr. Block.
Kristen's aqua eyes widen, the question taking her off-guard. She can feel Massie's eyes on her now. Blinking, she slowly nods. "He died in an accident at his job."
"And what did he work as?"
"He was part of the government security, protecting the president," Kristen answers.
Mr. Block slightly smirks, looking a bit like James. "Now that's where you're wrong."
Kristen is taken aback. How can she be wrong? She'd seen her dad leave everyday to the White House with his uniform and proper gear on. He'd always return home and teach her brand new defense moves, telling her what an amazing day had been at work as security.
"It was World War Two when everything began," Mr. Block begins, snapping Kristen out of her thoughts. "The government needed new ways to defeat the Nazis, since their strength was growing with every passing day. Finally, one scientist came up with different chemical solutions –each containing a chemical compound that would give a different superpower to any human that was injected with it."
Kristen's eyebrows furrow into a confused frown. Superpowers?
"A set of orphans were chosen so this solutions could be tested," Mr. Block continues. "They were each injected and maintained for a day in the laboratory. The next day, each of them woke up with an inhuman ability. These orphans were trained and served greatly in the war. Of course, they grew up and had children, who demonstrated the same ability. If not, stronger. Those children… they are our ancestors."
Kristen's face paled. She knew where this was all heading to.
Mr. Block turns to look at Kristen. "Kristen, your dad did die at work. But not protecting the president –training his powers to protect the entire nation, maybe the whole world."
Kristen remains silent, not knowing what to say or do.
"You two both have different powers," Mr. Block explains. He motions at the carnets and keys on the desk. "It's your turn to begin training."
The room is enveloped by shocked silent. Not even Massie, who usually has something to say, can speak. She looks just as surprised as Kristen.
After a while, the fifteen-year-old finally speaks. "You're saying… that we have superpowers? Like, x-men and all those superheroes?"
Mr. Block smiles and nods.
"That's impossible," Massie says, her sing-song tone replaced by a slightly husky one. "I've never felt myself different or stronger."
"That's because powers need to be activated with a catalyst. And to be activated, they need to be clear in your DNA. They usually clear up once you turn fifteen or sixteen," Mr. Block tells them. He sighs. "You'll leave tomorrow to a facility where you'll be both taught the normal education and trained. You'll be able to come home in winter break and summer. Once you're eighteen, you choose to either graduate or to be transferred to another facility and trained further."
Leaving…
A worry edges in Kristen. She can't leave. She can't leave her mother alone. She can't go to a place where there's no one she knows. No Nikki, no mom… no Bean. Fear begins to dominate her once again.
"I can't leave," Kristen blurts out. "My mom… I just can't leave her alone."
Desperation begins to dawn on Kristen.
Mr. Block glances at Kristen before gazing at Massie. "You should go say goodbye to your friends and pack. I want you ready tomorrow by seven a.m. A private jet will be taking you to a secluded area in Westchester with your future classmates."
Massie nods, grabbing the key and carnet before strutting out of the room.
Once she's gone, Mr. Block sighs. "You can't afford to think like that anymore."
Kristen breathes in, trying to calm down her jumbled feelings.
"There are people after you for several reasons," Mr. Block explains. "There will be people trying to confuse you, to trouble you… even to end your life. That was the main reason I made you move here. To protect you."
Kristen bites her lower lip, looking down. "I don't think I'm strong enough to fight all of that off."
"Yes, you are. You just don't know it because you're afraid."
Kristen sighs. Mr. Block is the type of person that makes you feel as if you're an open book.
"Your mother will be fine. She got the job, and I'm sure that that will help her greatly. She'll get better… but she won't recover completely if she's worried about you. If you don't want her to worry, you need to face your problems with a brave face on and the assurance that everything will turn out to be okay."
Kristen glances up at Mr. Block. Instead of the stern and unreadable face that he usually has on, a serene and assuring expression is reflected in his features.
"Go get ready," Mr. Block says. "And tomorrow, you'll leave and you'll make your father proud. And I'm sure you'll be capable of doing that."
Kristen nods, standing up. "Thank you, Mr. Block. I'll make sure to do that."
"Try your best, and never give up," Mr. Block smiles.
Kristen nods, feeling slightly less insecure. But the feeling still lingers. Before she leaves, an idea is placed in her head. She turns around, curiosity reflecting in her eyes. "Is it you or Mrs. Block the one with the powers?"
Mr. Block grins. "Both. She's a telekinetic and I'm a-"
"Mind reader?" Kristen asks, smiling.
"Don't forget telepath."
It took a while for Kristen to realize that Mr. Block hadn't said that with his mouth.
Smiling in amusement, Kristen says goodbye to Mr. Block and leaves to prepare for the biggest adventure in her life.
note: I just wanted to ask two things:
1. To thank you for all those wonderful reviews, I'll let this be you choice: would you rather read Massington (Massie/Derrick) or Cassie (Massie/Cam)?
2. Would you prefer it if this story was told by the alternating POVs of Kristen and Massie, or by several of the characters in no particular order?
And all of you who guessed: you were right. The song is Let the Flames Begin by Paramore. Let's see if you can guess from which song this chapter's title comes from. Thanks for reading!
By the way, CandyFreak211. Before you go calling someone a "stealer", read the author's notes first: I clearly stated that this story's title came from a song, and it wasn't mine. I wasn't aware that another author had used the title "Let the Games Begin", in which I wouldn't be stealing the name either since it's not exactly the same.