Hey, here's another post for you guys. I have finally decided who I'm going to hook Viviane up with, but I will not say. You have to figure that out for yourself. I have to thank my brother for his help on this one. He gave me an excellent reason for it. (Those of you who have read my profile page know who he is.)

I do not own The Covenant or any recognizable characters.

Chapter 3: Bad Boys

I jumped as the bell signaling the end of classes sounded through the room. Someone should seriously shoot it and put it out of its misery. Quickly I gathered up my books and joined the flood of students filing out of the class. Following the flood of students—seriously, people make better wall than doors—I finally made it out to the parking lot and walked over to my new beat up, old, second hand car Jo had given to me. It wasn't as nice as the car I had with my last set of foster parents, but I didn't car too much. A car is a car after all. As long as it got me from point A to point B I was all right. No, I'm not crazy.

I unceremoniously dumped my things into the trunk of the car and started walked around to the front again. I turned around the corner of the car and ran into a large, hard figure. I stumbled back slightly and looked up and the apology died on my lips. It was Derrick. Honestly, he was like a cold sore, only less pleasant.

"Hey Viviane. Where are you going?" he asked politely. The psychotic side of himself seemingly gone. Perhaps he had a split personality disorder.

"Away from you," I said tartly.

He laughed. "Now Viviane, that wasn't very nice."

I glared at him, creeped out by his laugh. It seemed to be pleasant and carefree, but I could detect an undercurrent of malice beneath it. It reminded me of something though I couldn't quite place it. "Who said I was trying to be nice? I most certainly didn't." I suddenly looked interested. "I don't suppose you're schizophrenic as well as having a split personality disorder?"

His eyes flashed for a moment though his brilliant white smile stayed in place. "I think you should try and be nice Viviane. I have the feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of each other in the future."

"Over my dead body," I snarled back, my lip curling in disgust. The thought of being with him for any length of time made me want to throw up. In another second or so I was going to need to find a bathroom.

"Is there a problem here?" I whipped my head around and stared with disbelief at none other than Reid Garwin. All right, now I really was getting angry.

"Is there a blinking, neon sign above my head that tells all the nearby males to come and make my life miserable?" I asked acidly to both the boys. They didn't even look at me as they sized each other up. Finally Derrick looked away

"I'll talk to you later Viviane. Remember what I said." Swiftly Derrick turned on his heel and walked away. I watched him for a moment before turning to glare at Reid.

"Are you stalking me?" I asked tartly.

Reid smirked at me. "Stalking is such an ugly word."

I rolled my eyes. "Ok, whatever. Go and do whatever you usually are doing when you're not bothering me." I unlocked my door and climbed in, slamming the door shut behind me. I quickly started the car, rolled down the window and started driving away, leaving Reid in the parking lot staring after my car.

About ten minutes later I pulled up at Jo's house and lugged all my things up the steps. I staggered through the door and shut it behind me with a foot. Then with a grunt started down the hall to my room.

"Hey Viviane! How was school?"

"Pretty good," I said vaguely, dumping my things on the bed.

"Have you done your homework?"

"Not yet!" Sheesh woman, school just ended less than half an hour ago. Do you really think I would have my homework done by now?

"Get it done please!"

I rolled my eyes. Duh. I would have thought that would have been a given. With so much work to get caught up one I didn't know how I would cope. With a groan I turned on some music then quickly did my homework.

It took me less time than it would for the average person because I cheated a little. I used my powers to get things done more quickly. Yeah, I know. I'm a cheater. But I laugh in the face of authority, mwa hahahaha!

By the time I was finished my homework I could smell supper and I wandered out, my sensitive nose picking out the smell of different herbs and spices. I licked my lips as I stared hungrily down at the garlic bread, spaghetti and meat sauce. It was one of my favorite meals on the entire planet and it always made me feel better about myself. Seriously, there is nothing better than spaghetti and garlic bread. Ok, rolo ice cream would give it a run for its money, but still.

"Hey Viviane, did you get your work done?"

I nodded as I continued to stare at the food. "Yep."

"Excellent. Could you set the table for me again? I have to drain the spaghetti in two seconds."

"Sure, not a problem."

Setting the table was less of an ordeal this time because I knew where most of the things were now. The only real problem I had was looking for the Parmesan cheese. I searched everywhere I thought it could be, placed I didn't think it could be and still I couldn't find it. It was like the disappearing pen syndrome. When you set down your pen, come back and find it's not where you put it. It's after you give up looking for it when you actually find it. I finally gave up and asked Jo.

"Hey Jo, do you know where the Parmesan is?"

Jo frowned and began to shake her head when she blinked and looked down. Giving a sheepish grin she passed the container in her hands.

"I put some on the garlic bread," she explained.

I smirked slightly then put it on the table. Me 1, disappearing Parmesan cheese syndrome 0. I sat down at the table and waited impatiently for Jo to bring the food. Finally after what seemed like forever Jo brought the food out to the table and we sat down to eat. My rumbling stomach announcing that it was about time.

"So Viviane, how were your classes?"

"Pretty good."

"Care to elaborate?"

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. "There's not a lot to say at this point. I'm just beginning to get the feel of them, but all the teachers seem pretty nice so far."

"What's your favorite subject?"

"Art."

"How's that been?"

"Fun. I just pretty much doodled as the rest of the class finished up on a project." Honestly, what's with the twenty questions? Was this an interrogation? I mean seriously, all that was missing was a blinding light.

"How do the guys look?"

What! I choked on the spaghetti I was eating and I blinked up at her once my eyes finished watering. "What?" I finally managed to gasp.

She smirked at me. "How do the guys look? Come on, give me a rating from 1 to 10."

I stared at her in shock. "Aren't you supposed to be my mother? You aren't supposed to ask these questions!"

"Oh really? So what am I supposed to do?"

I floundered for a moment and thought about what my other foster parents had been like. "You're supposed to warn me away from every single guy that you think I might like, and get on my nerves about how I should be careful."

Jo arched an eyebrow at me. "Do you want me to?"

I opened my mouth to reply, thought about the question for a moment then closed my moth and shook my head sheepishly. "No, not particularly."

Jo chuckled. "Good, because I don't want to. I've never been too good with the mother figure anyway. I like to think of myself more like an older sister or an aunt or something. I'm sure you've had enough parental experience to last a lifetime, so I'm not going to do that to you," she said bluntly. Then she grinned slyly. "So you never answered my question. And do you know if any of the teachers are young and single?"

I snickered at her questions and answered them as best I could. "The guys on average are pretty good. I would say about 7-ish. None are really type though."

Jo grinned at me as she sipped at her glass of milk. "How do you know? You haven't met them all surely."

I rolled my eyes. "It felt like it." I gave her a brief and not very detailed version of what happened and she considered it.

"Hey, that was only three guys. There's plenty more guys out there. I haven't heard of this Derrick fellow, but I've heard about Reid Garwin."

I looked at her with interest. "Really? What have you heard?"

Jo shrugged. "I bet a whole lot of it in nonsense, but I know he grew up around here and is best friends with three other guys, one of them I think is named Tyler, but I don't know if he's the one you met. In any case Reid has a reputation of being quite the lady's man. Going out with a girl only long enough to get in her pants then moving on. I'd watch yourself with him," she warned.

I rolled my eyes. "I know, that's the feeling I had about him anyway."

Jo nodded approvingly. "Good. Now about this Tyler, he seemed like a sweetheart." Her eyes went all dreamy. "I'd love to meet a guy my age who was like that."

I shrugged. "I guess, but I don't know. I don't think he's entirely me type." I needed to come up with some excuses why I wouldn't date anyone here. Obviously the truth wasn't going to cut it. I shouldn't have to explain to you why.

Jo cocked her head at me. "Why not?"

Why not? Well why don't we start off with my powers? I think that reason pretty much gets rid of every guy on the planet. "I don't know," I said shrugging again. "He seems like a nice guy and all, but I think he might be a little too nice and shy. I think I might need a guy who can counter my personality a bit. Like if I push he would push back a little too." I wasn't explaining this very well. "I mean I don't want him to roll over if I was in one of my moods."

Jo looked fascinated by my pathetic explanations. "Go on," she encouraged me.

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair and ate a little more spaghetti. "I guess I need someone who would be able to handle my personality without being too soft or too hard on me. I want someone who can be funny, but knows when to be serious. I need someone responsible, caring, patient, sweet, someone who will stick up for me, but still let me be my own person. Someone who will do things for me even if he feels stupid, plan something hopelessly cheesy just because I like it, and all the while just being himself."

Jo smiled at me, almost sadly. "You paint a pretty picture Viviane. I wish you luck on finding your perfect man."

I smiled. "Yeah I know, it's never going to happen." Which was exactly why I said that. Also because it's true. I did need that kind of guy, though I'm sure he didn't exist.

Jo reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "Don't give up hope yet. You're young, you still have lots of time." She straightened and ginned at me. "You still didn't answer my other question. What are the teachers like?"

Honestly, one track mind here, but I didn't mind. I laughed and gave her brief descriptions of the teachers I had met so far. We laughed and teased each other in our tastes in men, making fun of the funny things teachers do, and in general had a good time. It was late when I finally went to bed, and as I got ready for bed I realized something. For the first time in a long time I was genuinely…not quite happy but content.

What is this place doing to me, I wondered sleepily as I closed my eyes beneath my sheets. Maybe there's something in the water. I didn't have time to consider this before I drifted into sleep.

The next day I woke to the rude blaring of my alarm clock. I propped open a bleary eye and stared dejectedly at the red numbers on the screen. 7:00. I moaned. It was too early to be alive. Any sane person wouldn't even consider getting up that early. Reluctantly I rolled slowly out of bed then stumbled to the bathroom to shower.

The hot water on my skin felt deliciously relaxing. I scrubbed myself all over, shaved my legs then finally stepped out of the shower. I didn't want to waste all the hot water when Jo still needed to shower.

I dried myself off with a large, fluffy blue towel then scampered back to my room to change into my uniform. I dressed quickly and tried not to look at the uniform as I brushed out my brilliant red hair and brought half of is into a ponytail, leaving some bangs down to frame my face. I then put on my favorite dragon necklace, my watch, and applied a tiny bit of make up. I had always thought make up was too much of a nuisance to do too much with it.

"Viviane, are you up? You got to go soon!"

"I'm coming," I called back to Jo as I picked up my book bag and raced down the hall to the kitchen. I poured myself a bowl of cereal, eating quickly as I ran over my schedule for the day.

"Viviane, here's a house key. I forgot to give it to you yesterday." Jo walked into the room and passed me a key on a 'If you drink and drive then you're a bloody idiot' keychain. Of course. That's a subtle warning. I stuffed it in my purse and listened to what Jo was saying.

"I'm going out today to run some errands so I might not be home when you get back. Don't worry about anything except doing your homework though. I've got something good planned, ok?"

"Yes ma'am," I said mockingly. She snorted and grabbed the keys to her car.

"Talk to some boys," she called as she was leaving. "I don't want to have a hermit on my hands."

I snorted as she shut the door and quickly finished gobbling down my food. I rinsed out my bowl in the sink then rushed to the bathroom to brush my teeth before leaving. In record time I was ready to go and I grabbed my bag before heading out to my car, locking the door behind me.

The drive to school was extremely uneventful. I drove carefully on the slippery streets—it must have rained last night—and before long I was parking in the school parking lot. I swiftly grabbed my school bag, locked the car then walked briskly to the front doors. Time for another day at Spencer Academy. Yay.

XXX Reid POV XXX

Reid watched the new red head student walk confidently across the grass and to the front doors. Half her hair was gathered messily in a ponytail, with some bangs coming down and framing her face. She only wore a dash of make up, but looked stunning nonetheless. She even made the uniform look good, a feat Reid never thought he would see in his lifetime. Her long, lightly tanned legs rippled with muscle as she walked, and he knew without a doubt that she worked out, hard. He liked the thought.

Her face was alert, but closed off. It was as if she was telling the world that she didn't want to know them, and was ok with not knowing anyone. But Reid could see a tiny trace of sadness in her eyes, a secret that she never told anyone and was getting tired of carrying around all the time. He wanted to know what it was, he wanted to help her.

'Whoa, dude. Where did that come from?'

You like her.

'Well sure, she's hot. Every guy wants to get in her pants.'

That not what I mean.

What?

You are genuinely attracted to her. Admit it.

'What? You're crazy!'

If I am then you are too. I'm you.

'Shut up! I don't want to hear it.'

Hey, are you standing in water? Can you see the pyramids?

'What?'

Because you are knee deep in de-nile!

'Shut up!'

"Earth to Reid."

Reid blinked and turned back to face Tyler. "What?"

Tyler smirked at him. "You've been watching Viviane ever since she stepped out of her car. I think you were beginning to drool."

Reid scowled at his friend. "Shut up. What did you think of her when you talked to her?"

Tyler shrugged. "I dunno, man. We didn't talk too long, but you're right. I got a vague feeling that she might be hiding something."

Reid smirked triumphantly at his friend. "I told you so. Do you think we should tell Caleb and Pogue?" he asked, talking about their other friends.

Tyler shrugged. "It's up to you. You're the one who first sensed it. But if it's any help look at it this way." He looked his friend in the eye with a small smirk. "Do you really want to face them if something bad happens and you don't tell them?"

Reid looked at his friend and smiled back and clapped him on the back. "Well when you put it that way," he said grinning. Together the two boys picked up their bags and sauntered up the steps and into the school.

So there you have it. Now, you know the drill. Press that little blue button down there and tell me what you think! It ain't rocket science people!