Queen of the track

I

Chapter 1.

Raven

          The old clock resting behind the mahogany desk ticks by agonisingly slow, counting each passing moment the office is silent. The air is tense, but the faint chatter of passing students in the hallway outside travels into the room.

I sit slightly angled in the chair, legs crossed with my left elbow propped onto the armrest beside me and my head against my knuckles, my right hand fingers are tapping some random rhythm along my thigh. Beside me, AJ is slouched in his chair in a relaxed and uncaring manner—as usual—with his legs spread wide and hands clasped on his chest with his face impassive. He looks unbothered by us being summoned into the Principle's office first-thing on a Monday morning, but I know he's just as annoyed as I am at the moment, he just isn't showing it yet.

Principal Myers, a middle-aged, tired looking man in a light grey suit clearly bought from the city, is seated on the other side of the large desk ahead of us. His back is straight and forehead creased, his hair is mostly grey, and the wrinkles around his brown eyes cause a permanent stern look on his face. Various stacks of papers are sprawled out before him, including multiple letters of complaints from the Senior teachers, and a copy of our attendance records throughout our time here at Mountview High School.

"It seems like the two of you have quickly fallen back into an old habit," Myers comments as he stares down at the records, "a very old habit I must say, of singly skipping your last period of the day, every day."

I hear AJ sigh and I silently agree with him, this is a waste of our time. What is it exactly the Principle's going to do? Give us detention? Fine, it wouldn't be the first time. Suspend us? Maybe, but it's not like it'll do much good.

Myers looks up from the papers before him and leans on his desk, clasping his hands together and glancing between us as if one of us will suddenly speak. Not likely.

"I'm sure that your father's, uh ... recent absence," Myers tries to choose his words with care, but I still sense AJ tense up beside me, "has been difficult to deal with, but this behaviour cannot continue. You are both top grade students, I would hate to see such talent wasted over a matter such as this." He pauses and a sudden light sparks in his eyes as if an idea has just occurred to him.

"However," Myers continues, "it is still early in on in your senior year, but I can tell you with complete confidence that neither of you will graduate next summer along with your classmates if you do not improve your attendance." Myers looks between us impatiently as we sit in silence. I quirk my eyebrow slightly at his 'threat', trying hard not to smirk and put this asshole in his place.

His jaw clenches briefly, before he leans back in his chair, raising his hands in a general gesture as if to say that he gives up. Too bad his mouth doesn't do the same.

"Would you like to enlighten me as to why only one of you can attend your final class of the day?"

The clock continues to tick. In less than one minute, the warning bell with sound, signalling to the students of Mountview that they have five minutes before their first period starts.

"Has it something to do with your father?" Myers raises an eyebrow at us. "Well, maybe we should call your moth—"

In the blink of an eye, AJ is on his feet, the chair he was previously lounged in scraping across the shiny wood panelled floor, most likely leaving marks. The action causes Myers to startle and my eyes to quickly shift to my brother, his uncaring composure is now rigid and commanding, showing his full height and broad build as he towers over the desk, his usual impassive expression is now one of anger as his eyes darken. His hands are clenched so tight his knuckles start to turn white, and I can tell it's taking a lot for him not to knock out Principle out cold.