School for Assassins (Rewritten) - Complete

Chapter 8 - The Beginning

The original started here. Most of this chapter is brand new, but very similar to the original.

Ely:

I glanced around the dining hall before quickly making my way towards the food. I glanced through at my choices until a voice appeared behind me. "You want the breakfast burrito."

I whirled around and ended up stabbing Shawn with my fork. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry." I said, talking so fast that my words ran together.

"It's fine, El. You didn't draw blood, so we're good." He replied with a grimace. It had been three weeks since I had decided to give this whole 'friend' thing a try, and I was surprised he hadn't gotten tired of me yet. I'd sent him to the doctor twice already for stabbing him, once with a knife, and once with a fork. I was glad that I didn't actually draw blood with my fork this time though.

He quickly grabbed a breakfast burrito and set it on my tray, "My recommendation still stands. You want this." He said. I sighed and grabbed some fruit as well before I headed towards our usual table.

Shawn followed me and sat down across from me, "Are you looking forward to the assembly later?" He asked. I pushed down the queasy feeling in my stomach and shook my head as I pushed a strand of my shoulder length blond hair behind my ear.

Today, those who were graduating would be getting split into teams. At the mandatory assembly right after breakfast, we'd be finding out what teams everyone was on. We wouldn't be allowed on the field if we didn't pass the testing week with our teams.

I let out a shaky breath just thinking about being on a team with more people. Teams were usually kept small, with usually four to six members. Occasionally there were teams that had more or less, but not very often. It had taken me six years here to make one friend and I was nervous about being around three or more new people.

I hadn't eaten much of my food when I finally got up to take care of my tray. Shawn frowned and grabbed my wrist to keep me from getting up, "Eat more, El. You're too small as it is, I don't want you passing out on me."

I sighed, but plopped back down. I didn't have anything else to do anyways. I took a few more bites to appease Shawn, and waited for him to finish eating. We sat in a comfortable silence until he was done eating. Before I could say anything, he grabbed my tray along with his own. "I've got it, El." He said. I tried to protest, but he simply shot me a look and I followed him while he put the trays away.

"Ready?" Shawn asked, giving me an intense look. The blue shirt he was wearing made his dark blue eyes stand out and I walked into the door. "God, are you okay?" He quickly asked, moving closer to me.

I felt my cheeks heat up as I nodded. I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die, especially when someone at a nearby table laughed at me. I was surprised when Shawn shot the person a glare and they stopped immediately. "I'm okay." I muttered, looking at the floor as if it were the most interesting thing on earth.

He ruffled my blond curls and said, "Let's go, then." I simply nodded as he led the way out of the dining hall and towards the gymnasium.

I stepped through the door in front of Shawn as I adjusted one of my knives, just as someone else was stepping out of the room. "Watch it, Klutz." She murmured as my knife clattered to the ground.

"S-sorry." I managed to stammer.

Bridget smirked at me and I grabbed Shawn's wrist to keep him from going after her as she said, "I hope I'm not unlucky enough to end up with you on my team, or we'd never graduate. I'd never trust you, and I doubt you have a specialty, because you seem to be a klutz at everything!" She huffed and spun on her heel.

I sighed and pulled Shawn towards the bleachers, "Leave it, Shawn. She's just stating the truth." I said as I led him towards the top row.

He frowned, "That's not fucking true, El." He said.

I simply gave him a look. When he looked like he was going to argue, I replied, "I am a klutz, so she isn't wrong." It usually only happened when I got nervous or startled, but I could still understand why no one would really want me on their team.

Shawn and I sat down in the top row, and I pulled out my phone to play some Angry Birds. I watched from the corner of my eye as Shawn leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. I knew he probably hadn't slept much last night, so I left him alone while we waited.

Less than an hour later, the assembly hall was packed. I put my phone away and nudged Shawn gently to wake him up. Mr. Cason stood on the stage with a microphone in his hand. His dark hair was neatly combed back, and he looked younger than he really was.

"As you all know, today you'll all get separated into teams. We'll have some all-male teams, some all-female teams, and some mixed teams. No matter what, your team will be sharing a suit of rooms, sort of like a mini apartment. You will learn to play nicely with your teammates." He stopped to glance at a group of kids who were known troublemakers before he continued, "You'll learn everything about your teammates. You'll learn what makes them tick, what they like and don't like, etc... You'll learn how to live with them, and you'll learn to enjoy their company. If you don't, you won't pass. It's as simple as that. If you don't pass, well... Don't let that happen." He looked around the room at everyone before he added, "There is no time limit on this part. You will start your testing this week, and if you pass, you'll be tested periodically to make sure you're improving as a team." He cleared his throat and took another glance around the room. "Each team will be assigned a mentor after the tests this week. I'll be keeping in contact with them, and if you aren't making improvements, I'll employ the three strike rule. I find we're fairly lenient here, so please talk to someone if you're having problems. Now, with that being said, we'll turn the floor over to Mrs. Smithinson, who will give us our teams."

The tall woman that I hadn't had much contact with for the last six years moved over to Mr. Cason and accepted the microphone from him. She murmured something to him and he nodded before he moved off to the side.

Mrs. Smithinson's glacial eyes scanned the room quickly, and then said, "Please listen to your name and come to the front when you're called. Mr. Cason will be handing out your room assignments, along with anything else you'll need to know. Let's get started." Her voice was low and husky as she continued.

"Alyssa Hayes, Jessica Norton, and Hailey Benton, please step down. Hayes, you'll be the team captain, and the liaison between your team and the leaders." I watched as three pretty girls stepped off the bleachers. They each left a group of friends behind, and I admit to feeling a bit of jealousy at the amount of friends surrounding each girl.

I watched the next few groups walk to the stage. A group of five guys went up, followed by two guys and two girls. Another group of all girls went up and then a group of three girls and one guy. I sighed softly as I listened to the next group get called. "Shawn Eirhart, Jordan Stein, Dominic Weston, and..." There was a brief pause before she continued, "Elyzabeth Wilson." I'm pretty sure that I just died. Actually, I wouldn't be opposed to death right now. Or at the very least, a giant hole opening up underneath me.

Shawn quickly stood up and let me squeeze past him to the stairs before he followed me. I guess the good thing was, at least Shawn was part of my team. That would make this a lot easier to get through.

I moved shakily down the bleachers. Why did I choose to sit at the top, again? Oh yeah. I figured I'd be inconspicuous that way. I had nearly made it all the way down the bleachers without a mishap, when someone stuck their foot out. I let out a small yelp as I crashed to the floor. My face flushed in humiliation as two of my knives fell to the floor with a clatter.

I heard both knives hit the floor, I knew I had quite a few more, not only hidden on my body but also packed with my belongings, but I refused to worry that someone else might kill me with my own blade someday. Yep. That's the way my brain worked.

I glanced up to see Shawn glaring murderously at the person who had tripped me, but ignored him as I thrust my fingers under the bleachers, searching for my damn blade. I was about to give up when I noticed a pair of black boots next to my arm. "Missing this?" He asked in a deep, southern voice.