Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-43347423-20200126154845

'''Okay so this is the first chapter. It has nothing to do with KotLC. Let me know what you think!'''

Chapter One

Valerie was in class with the other fourteen-year-olds at the run-down school the government somehow hadn’t closed. The desks were covered in graffiti, and Valerie may or may not have added to what was already there before. The walls were a stark white. No posters in any of the classrooms; like they had a budget for that. All the teachers were paid little to no money, and they all hated their jobs. Society forced them into teaching -- just like all the jobs. Valerie herself would be getting assigned in two days, just like all the other kids turning fifteen.

Valerie caught herself spacing out and decided to at least try and pay attention to class. She needed to score high on the Test if she was going to get a decent job.

Mr. Lenbaugh was droning on about their history, as usual. “...after the war. Now we live in our little society and no one dares bother us.” He was talking about how their society was started! Now this is interesting, Valerie thought to herself. “We needed to try something new, so we created the Rite of Fifteen and the Test, which you will all be undergoing tomorrow. Depending on what section you score highest on, and how high your scores are, the government decides what job you will have for the rest of your life.” The bell rang, interrupting the only interesting lecture Valerie had ever endured. “Now, to your next class.” Valerie hopped out of her seat and walked to the door. She stood waiting for her best friend, Mina, to reach the door. When Mina got there, the two girls began their walk to science. Mina was a short blond-haired girl with big green eyes that were always peeled wide. She had the best eyesight of anyone Valerie knew, and Mina could use it to pick up on pretty much any emotions on someone’s face. Because of this, Valerie had learned to keep a straight face. She didn’t want Mina knowing all of her secrets, after all.

“That class was actually somewhat interesting,” Valerie remarked, looking at Mina beside her.

Mina side-eyed her. “I know you want to be in the government and stuff, but come on. History sucks.”

“Well, we’re heading to science, your favorite. Maybe we’ll get to work together.”

That seemed to perk the moody girl up, and by the time they’d reached the science room they were already back to joking around. As soon as they ducked into the classroom, though, they stopped. Reprimand was a serious thing. Talking in class–that was bad. They’d certainly be beaten for that. They went to their individual desks and sat down.

The white-haired teacher, Ms. Kay, began her instructions a few minutes later. “Today we’ll be observing plant cells under microscopes. You may pick a partner.” Valerie and Mina immediately looked at each other and grinned.

“Before you all start looking at your friends,” Ms. Kay said, interrupting their shared look, “know that I’m not done giving directions. You must record what you see in your notebooks. Make sure to include a labeled drawing. Now get to work!”

The two girls grabbed their notebooks and pens and met at Mina’s desk. They walked over to the microscopes on lab tables and made wet slides with the plants. Their society may have been poor, but they invested in science. With science, they could make breakthroughs to make life there better. It was their most important subject.

Valerie slid her wet slide under the lens and looked through the eyepiece, pulling her hair out of her face so she could see. She centered the plant and began to observe the cells, sketching the little chloroplasts and cell walls.

“Ooh, I see a nucleus!” she exclaimed when she looked into the eyepiece again.

Mina pushed Valerie away from the microscope. “Let me see!”

Valerie tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for her friend to give the microscope back. “Do you see it?” she asked.

“No.”

“Here, let me see it again…” Valerie said, pushing Mina aside. She looked into the microscope and located the small organelle. Then she backed away and let Mina back in. “See it? It’s near the top.”

By this time, Ms. Kay had heard the commotion and had walked over. “You found a nucleus?”

Valerie smiled proudly. “Yeah.”

“Huh,” Ms. Kay remarked. “It can be tricky to find nuclei in plant cells. Good job.”

Valerie grinned as Mina said, “Ooh, I see it now!” She pulled her head from the eyepiece and grabbed her pencil to begin sketching it in her notebook.

“Nice job, girls!” Ms. Kay said before walking off to help another group.

“See?” Mina argued. “Science is more fun.”

Valerie laughed. “I guess,” she consented.

A bit later the bell rang and the girls rushed outside for breaktime. Valerie headed to the bathroom first to fix her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror -- tall, straight brown hair with blond highlights, and hazel eyes. She swept her hair into a loose ponytail and nodded at her reflection, then headed out to get some food.

Mina was waiting for her at the cafeteria. She already had a table saved for them and was eating her meager supply of food. Valerie sat down next to her and got out her lunch of oats and granola. They didn’t have much food around, so everyone got a daily supply. That was one thing Valerie hoped to help if she did get into the government.

Mina looked over at her. “Excited for the Rite? We’ve only got the rest of today before we’re kicked out of the Home, you know.”

The Home was where all the children under the age of fifteen lived. You could be hired to work there, but you had to be kind, responsible, and helpful, none of which either girl seemed to be. No one had parents; parents were only in fairy tales. You lived in the Home until your Rite of Fifteen and that was that. No sooner or later would you move out.

“Yeah, I’m excited,” Valerie lied. In truth, she’d been worrying over her Rite her entire life. What if she got a job she hated? What if she got a demeaning job and was scorned for the rest of her life? She hated every part of the Rite, but Mina didn’t share her anticipation, so Valerie kept quiet about it.

“I can’t wait,” Mina said. “It’s kind of like a personality quiz, isn’t it?”

Mina was referring to a game they used to play where they’d ask each other a series of questions and then make up a “result.” It was true, though, the Rite and their old game were very similar. Except the Rite was a thousand times more important. And stressful. And hard. And judgemental. And… Valerie had to stop herself from listing more terrible adjectives.

Valerie swallowed the granola in her mouth and said, “I guess.”

Conversation carried on until eventually the bell rang. Time for math, Valerie’s worst subject.

Mr. Yech was an excellent teacher, but Valerie hated his subject. She hated how easy it was to mess up a single number or copy one equation wrong and then the whole problem was automatically ruined. She didn’t like the way he had them do their work, or the way they needed an “answer column.” Math is pointless, Valerie grumbled to herself. ''When am I ever going to need to know y=mx+b? At least today’s the last time I’ll have to take this class.'' The thought perked her up a little.

Valerie worked her way through the problems he gave them that day. Finally the bell rang. Only one subject left.

Valerie walked with Mina to English, grumbling about how number fourteen had been impossible the whole time. Mina just laughed. Math came easily for her.

In English, Ms. Hattray assigned them a summary paragraph of a short mystery story. It was easy enough. Valerie had always been pretty good at writing, although she had bad spelling.

Finally the day ended and everyone walked to the Home. They ducked into their separate dorms and Valerie went right to sleep, wanting to be as rested as possible for the next day. Her last normal day, and then she’d have to take the Test.

This is actually only the '''first half of the first chapter because it switches perspective and it's super long so.... i hope you enjoyed! please let me know what you think! it's kind of confusing when it switches perspectives because it goes to a character who doesn't even know Valerie, but it all comes together. Let me know if you want me to post more!''' 