𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑| 𝐋.𝐂.

1: Qualifying

"Has anyone seen my number two pencil?!" Carter shouts as he gets to the kitchen.

I roll my eyes as I continue to eat my oatmeal while scrolling through my phone.

"Val, have you seen my number two pencil?" Carter asks, checking a cabinet.

"Why would you look there for it?" I say, swallowing my food.

"Dad, we should leave now!" Carter exclaims, checking his watch.

"It's not gonna happen, Carter. He's still in bed." I huff aloud.

"What do you mean? We're supposed to leave now!" He exclaims.

"I don't know what to tell you." I sigh, swirling my spoon around.

"Get him some red bull from the fridge, please." Carter says, bringing dad into the kitchen.

"Only because you said please." I say, grabbing a can and then handing it to him.

"Dad, do you know where the car keys are?" Carter asks.

"Huh?" He croaks out, squinting his eyes as he removes his hands from the can.

"Oh, come on!" Carter groans.

"Carter, enough! He can't get into a car like this." I point out.

"It's a two hour drive from here. I'm not gonna make it if I leave now." He informs me.

"Mm." Dad croaks out and he turns on his heels.

Carter lets out a sigh as dad walks back upstairs to his room.

"It was my last year to qualify." He states, sitting down dumbfounded.

"I'll drive you there." I blurt out, fiddling with my fingers.

"Really?" He says, turning to me.

"Mmm." I nod at him, pushing his pencil forward.

He picks up his pencil and scoffs, grinning at me.

                                        ||

"That's the chemistry lab where mom worked. I can't wait to see the new gymnasium." Carter says as we enter through the doors.

"Responsibility is the price of greatness!" I say in a fake british accent as I read the quote off a trophy in the case.

"Shh! Everyone can hear you!" Carter says and I let out a laugh.

"Oh, what are they gonna do? Arrest me for disrespecting the regime?" I joke.

"Yeah, very funny." Carter says, closing his tour guide.

"Oh, yeah! Good joke, bro. Eagles! Eagles! Eagles!" We hear deep voices say and Carter and I turn our heads.

"This school takes competition a little bit too seriously, don't you think?" I scoff.

"That's Daniel Hayward!" Carter says, tapping me and I furrow my eyebrows together.

Who?" I ask.

"That's the captain of the Eagles." He says and walks over there.

I let out another scoff as I take my phone out of pocket and send dad a text, saying that we arrived safely.

I then turn around and overhear Daniel and his other friend talking shit on Carter.

"Yo, stop psyching out my brother!" I say through gritted teeth as I stand in front of Carter.

"There's a hundred applicants and one spot on the Eagles. Just saying." Daniel nods his head up at me.

"It's okay. She didn't mean it." Carter says as he grabs my wrist.

"You're the one who looks scared. What, you're afraid someone younger and more talented will replace you? Just saying." I say with a smug grin as Carter pulls me away once again.

"Why you gotta do that?" Carter mutters to me.

"He was being an asshole to you." I say as we continue to walk down the hallway.

"Thanks but, I can fight my own battles." He huffs as he stops by a door.

"Whatever. Just take the test. You're gonna do great." I say, patting his shoulder.

"Okay, I can do this." He breathes and walks in.

I let out a sigh as I take out my phone, going through my apps until Carter is done.

                                        ||

"Oh, honey, you did your best." I hear a voice chirp and I look up to see a blonde girl crying while her mom and dad hold her.

Damn.

"There are plenty of other schools you can go to." The mom says as the daughter stops in her tracks.

"Hey, don't cry. Have you ever heard The Wall? That's what this place is. It's a place that takes freethinkers and turns them into nuts and bolts on their own assembly line." I say to the family.

The family shares a look with one another but then walks off.

"Excuse me." A voice says.

I take out my earbuds and turn around to see a blonde girl with blue eyes and a tan girl with brown hair and dark eyes.

"What gives you the right to talk about the Greenhouse like that?" The blonde girls says, clutching the straps of her backpack.

"Forget her, Brooke. She's just bitter because she got rejected." The tan girl says, crossing her arms.

"I didn't even take the test. And besides, why would I ever wanna get accepted and become charming girls like you?" I grimace at them.

"We are charming, aren't we?" Brooke says to her friend.

"Totally charming." The tan girl laughs as her and Brooke walk off.

I then turn to see Carter come out.

"Finally! How'd it go?" I ask him as I put my earbuds away.

"It's was alright. It didn't help that some
dude was playing his guitar very loudly during the exam." He huffs and I give him a quick hug.

"Wow, very relaxing. I'm proud of you no matter what." I say and he sends me a grin.

"That's the guy." Carter whispers and I see a guy with brown hair sling his bag over his shoulder.

"That's the torturer? He doesn't look that scary." I scoff as I watch him walk off.

"That's what's so cool about this place. It was a nightmare, sure, but at the end of it, I managed to feel-"

"Brainwashed." I say, crossing my arms and he scoffs.

"Funny, Val." He says, shooting me a quick glare.

"C'mon, relax." I say, swatting his arm.

We then stop at the front entrance and stand on the side to make sure we don't block anyone from passing through. 

"Look, you've survived the heavy metal. Now, you get to shine at the gym." I say to him.

"I don't know, Val. This place is harder than I thought." He sighs.

"Hey, since when have you ever given up? You're the most determined person I know. Just like mom." I say, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Carter and I both turn our heads and beam at the picture of our mom.

"You have to mention her?" He says, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Hey, sorry. Think about your poor sister who had to listen to you shoot hoops until two in the morning." I say, putting my arm around him and we share a chuckle.

We then walk out of the entrance and then to the gym.

Wonder if that Daniel guy is ever gonna leave.