I dunk the sponge into the soapy water again and start scrubbing the side of my mum's car. "I don't see why I have to clean the paint off of your car, Mum. I didn't even do it this time." My hair falls down into my face again, and I grab the hair band from my wrist to pull my curls back.

Mum scratches at the blue paint on the windshield with her finger. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something, dear. The school play is coming up, and as you know, we'll be working with DreamWorks High this year. I think that you should try out for a part. It should be fun."

I wrinkle up my nose. "And have to hang around a bunch of DreamWorks Delinquents? No thank you. I'll stick with after-school archery practice. Mr. Barton says I'll win at the championship for sure."

Mum sighs and shakes her head. "Merida, you should pursue more ladylike electives. This year's production is of A Midsummer's Night Dream. It'll be lovely! I insist that you try out for a part." Mum hands me a copy of the script, and I wipe my hands on my jean shorts before I take it. "Merida, you are a young lady. Every young lady should have a chance to perform on the stage. And who knows, you might actually make some friends if you try it."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, Mum! I have friends! My roommates are my friends. There's Ariel, and Violet, and the new girl Rapunzel. They're not so bad." I scrub the last of the paint off of the car, or as much as I can manage, and then toss the sponge back into the bucket. Mum is glaring at me over her glasses, and I get the feeling that I'm not getting out of this one no matter how much I complain. "Fine, I'll try it, but you know that Kuzco likes to micromanage things. He may not even want me in his stupid play."…

He claps his hands together to get our attention, and we all turn our gazes to the stage. "Alright ladies. DreamWorks High says that we have first pick at half of the main characters, and I decided that we would provide them with the best leading ladies this side of the country." Kuzco or The Drama Emperor, as he likes to be called, struts across the stage like a peacock. "Therefore, the auditions for Hermia and Helena will be held first. Then you may try out for any other parts you wish." He motions for the two freshmen standing around the stage behind him to hand out the scripts.

Rapunzel nudges me in the shoulder. "I didn't know that you would be here. This doesn't really seem like your… thing." She bites her top lip as she starts to flip through the script.

I shrug my shoulders and find the page for the audition for Hermia, who Mum insisted I audition for. "I'm a deep well, Punzie. You'll be surprised what all I can do." I start skimming the page and instantly feel sick. What if I don't get the part? Mum will be so disappointed. "What part are you auditioning for, Rapunzel?"

She looks down at the script. "I'd like to be Helena, but I'm not sure if I'm good enough."

I snort. "Trust me. Kuzco will tell you whether you're good enough or not."

Ten minutes later, most of the girls have returned to their seats crying or giving Kuzco dirty looks. Rapunzel climbs up the steps and brushes off her pink skirt. "I'll be trying out for the part of Helena." She opens her mouth to start the audition, but Kuzco rushes onto the stage.

"No, no, no! Don't say a word! You're perfect!" He snaps a picture of her with his camera and then fingers her blonde hair. "You must be the most beautiful girl in school! You'll be perfect for the role of Hermia!"

My jaw drops and so does hers. "But I was going to try out for Helena…"

Kuzco shushes her. "Helena is questioning herself and her beauty, but you are too beautiful to play such a part." He turns and looks over the rest of us sitting in the audience, staring up at them with wide eyes. Kuzco scans the crowd of people who haven't performed for him yet. His eyes land on me like a pair of spotlights. "You. You'll be Helena." He points his long, brown finger in my direction, and I can already feel my mum's disappointment…

"Merida!"

My combat boots slap the floor in a rush as I try to outrun Punzie, but she clears the distance between us in moments. She can sing, dance, paint, act, and run track? She's just too perfect. "Go away! I don't want to talk right now!" My quiver and bow hug my back, and I know that if I don't get to the archery range soon to blow off some steam, Punzie might have to dodge some arrows. "Don't try to talk to me when I'm armed and angry."

Rapunzel rests her hand on my shoulder and spins me around. "I didn't try to steal the part from you. I didn't even know you wanted it that bad, but no one can say no to Kuzco when he's made up his mind. Please, he still gave you a really important part. Don't be mad at me over this." Her green eyes are so full of all kinds of emotions that I can't even look into them without feeling guilty for getting upset with her so quickly.

I knock her hand off my shoulder. "Look, Punzie. You seem sweet, and maybe we can be friends. But you've got to learn when to leave me alone, and right now is one of those times." I shove my backpack into her hands. "Here, want to make it up to me? Take this back to our room and leave the door open for me. I'll be back before dark… maybe."

I spin around on my heel and stomp off down the hall. Mr. Barton is cleaning up from his after-school practice. "Hey, Mer. Where were you today? I thought we were going to practice for the state finals." He unbuttons his purple vest and leans against a pear tree. "You know they'll be coming up in a few weeks."

I look down and see his sunglasses lying next to a hay bale we sometimes use for shot practice. I hand them to him, and he slides them on without a word. "I know, I know, but my mum wanted me to audition for the school play."

Barton raises an eyebrow at me. "You were trying out for the school play? The one with DreamWorks High?" He sounds disgusted. "Your mom is a great Head Mistress, but I'll never understand why she wants you to be a lady when you can be the best archer in the country. You know, aside from me." I'm sure he winks at me through his sunglasses, but I can't tell for sure. "Well, I'm out of here. Natasha called and needs me to help her interrogate Stark. This should be fun." Barton jogs over to the trail where he parks his motorcycle. "See ya kid!"

I wave as he roars off. Then, I shrug my bow and quiver off of my shoulders and walk over to the range. At first, I start slow and easy, trying to focus, but before I know it, arrows are flying from the string faster than I've ever shot before. Sweat starts to accumulate on my brow, but I don't bother to wipe it away as I retrieve my arrows and start again. Darkness creeps up on me, and soon, I can hear crickets chirping over the sound of the arrows hitting their targets.

My arms drop to my sides as I suddenly feel exhausted. Then I hear something, the sound of bodies approaching from inside the woods. Something makes me hide behind the supply shack that we keep the targets and extra arrows in. The people, whoever they are, reach the clearing of the archery range, and I peek at them around the corner of the shack. One of them has white hair that glistens like snow in the moonlight. It's the boy from the dance, the DreamWorks kid who crashed the party. There a three others with him who all have dark hair and ruddy skin. Snow boy looks out of place among the others, but he also seems to be the leader. They all look to him for their next move.

"Where is the hockey ring anyway?" One of them asks.

Snow boy motions to the left of the dorm building behind me. "It's over there. We can slip in if we don't get in sight of the dormitory windows."

My fingers find their way around the shaft of an arrow. Without thinking, I notch it in the bow and wait for them to make a move. Snow boy takes a step forward so I throw myself around the side of the shack and fire near his feet. When the arrow sinks into the ground, he leaps back with a yelp. They all look up at me with gaping mouths. Then they practically trip over each other trying to get away. "Whoa, she's crazier than Eep!" I pursue them into the woods even though I'm out of arrows.

Three of them, including Snow boy, get away from my pretty quickly, but another, who seems to favor his right leg, struggles to run through the underbrush. He trips and falls, grunting when he hits the dirt. I step towards him, and he turns to sit down instead of laying there, face down. He looks up at me with moss-green eyes that barely glow in the darkness of the forest. "Who… who are you anyway?"

I tilt my head up and look down on him. "I am Merida DunBroch. My mother is the Headmistress here, and I suggest that you and your friends don't come back. Ever." My grip on my bow tightens, and I wish that I had another arrow to chase him away with. His eyes are starting to get to me.

He offers me a hand. "I'm Hiccup Haddock. My dad is the Principal at DreamWorks High."

At first, I'm not sure what to do, but then I take his hand and help him up. "What were you doing here tonight anyway, Hiccup?" His name feels odd in my mouth.

Once he gets to his feet, he brushes himself off a little. I look him over. He seems to be about eighteen and is a little scrawny for his age, but he's got some slight stubble on his chin that gives away his age. His hair is shaggy and brown with little braids here and there. And those eyes stay locked on mine. "My friends thought it would be funny to steal some of the hockey team's supplies… You won't tell anyone will you? I'm already in trouble with my dad. I don't want to disappoint him even more than I already have." He groans and hangs his head.

I swallow hard and look around for the rest of his friends, but they seem to have abandoned him. "No, I guess I won't. You didn't actually steal anything. But just promise that you won't do anything like this again, agreed?"

He looks up at me and smiles crookedly. "Agreed, and thanks, Merida."

I put up a hand. "Don't bother. Just go."

He turns and begins to walk back in the direction that the others disappeared in. He still favors his right legs, and then I see it. His left leg from the knee down is a metal prosthetic. This boy with the bad leg and the weird name and the striking eyes. I shake my head, trying not to think too hard about him and his friends… and him. I wander back to the archery range and gather my arrows, including the one I shot at Snow boy's feet. I put it and the rest into my quiver and head back to my room. Rapunzel has left the door unlocked for me, and it seems that they are all still at diner in the Dining Hall, which is fine by me because right now, I still just want to be alone.

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And just wait for Jack's chapter...