Tears of Blood (wlw)

turf wars

DEVYN POV

It was a relief to finally hear the lunch bell ring. I went down to the cafeteria, making my way to our designated table. Everyone knew not to sit at our table, it was an unsaid rule. As I got closer, I saw that it was filled with people I didn't know.

"Who are they?" Behind me, Ash, Sierra, Gabriel, and Brianna walk in.

"I don't know, I just came here and I saw them."

"Well then, let's introduce ourselves." Ash says with a smile. "Hello buddies," he says while walking over to their table.

"Hello." I recognize that voice. I look up to see the girl I ran into today.

" So you see, you all are sitting on my table."

"Hmm I didn't realize we had designated tables."

"We don't. But this is ours. You see over there," Ash points to us, " My friends and I have been sitting here every year since sixth year."

"That's good to know." She goes back to eating her food.

"What I'm trying to say is. This is our table. The whole school knows it. All of you need to get up. There's plenty others you can choose from, okay? Now move along." Some of the students start to get up to leave.

"Like you said, there's plenty more. Find you, and your friends one." Sierra walks over to Ash. Anger is clearly present on his face while she grabs his arm.

For the first time in three years we sit on a new table.

"Who are those kids anyway?" Ash asks angrily.

"Don' t know don't care,"Brianna chimes in, "I had to run a mile before this so I am beat."

"They're new kids. From Bolton." Sierra explains.

"Bolton??" We all say almost at the same time.

"Yup. When I went to talk to the headmistress about my schedule, she told me about 'em. Twenty kids from Bolton got scholarships to Arden."

"But Arden is an elite school. Since when did they give out scholarships to Bolton students?"

"Since this year, Gabe. Rumor has it, that they were excelling in Bolton. And since tensions have been rising between the states, they wanted to add some kind of diversity."

"Bullshit. The government has money to send everyone to schools like Arden, so why just them? And why now?"

"Like I said, It's all politics." Sierra sighs.

"Enough about politics, we can't forget we have THE Ms. Ackerman sitting with us. Don't want to say something against the government and piss her off." Ash sarcastically jokes.

"Not funny. You know I don't talk about things like that in school. Plus, those new kids can't be anything we haven't dealt with."

"Ah yes, don't worry you'll still come on top." They all laugh.

"Of course I will." For my past three years at Arden, I've been its top student. No one has come close, except for this boy named Xavier, but he joined the military last year. All my friends have done pretty well too but being at the top is a job made only for me. My father would throw a fit if he found out that I got placed anywhere below number one.

Arden is known to be a high class elite school in Orien. Only the people with brains or bucks get a shot at attending here. Orien is not like other countries. My father has made this country the best in the continent. We've got bustling cities, the tallest skyscrapers, the richest agriculture, and the best education.

Education in Orien is only ten years, but it is so intense. Some parents opt-out of sending their kids to school because you can lead an exceptional life without it, but then you would be stuck working on farms. If you want some of the best jobs, you have to go through the gruesome ten years. To graduate, you have to pass out of every single subject given. Each student has to excel at everything, there's no picking and choosing. An ideal citizen learns the bolts and screws of everything whether it be engineering, math, or science. That's only the mental challenge, there's also the ten years of physical training. You are promised to come out polished.

I went to a private school for royalty before Arden. Arden is a four year intensive. Of course you don't have to go to Arden. There's plenty more four year intensives, but as per my father's wish, here I am. Only fifty students graduate Arden, and they automatically become a part of the elite class, having access to the Citadel, luxurious cars, top jobs, and so much more.

Sometimes I don't even know why I try so hard. It's all for father to be proud. But why? When my future is already planned? I'll graduate Arden by the end of this year and I'll be eighteen. Then father will send me to apprentice and experience business until I'm twenty. Before I know it, he'll be sending me off with a Duke or Prince. Maybe I could stay in Orien and become a colonel like my older sister. Thinking about the future makes me nauseous. The uncertainty keeps me on edge. I hate it.