"Sorry I yelled at that kid," I said quietly to Hazel. She was still holding my arm after I tripped on another student and we had a bit of a fight. I suddenly felt very warm and gently shook my arm out of Hazel's grip.

"It's ok, Remi," she said, giving me a smile that made my stomach suddenly know how to do flips. Her smile always did that to me.

Hazel and I had known each other for a long time, since we were eight and seven to be exact, me being the older of us by a few months. I had never known my parents and I didn't know what happened to them or if they were even still alive. My earliest memories were of my aunt and uncle, who didn't like me a whole lot. Hazel's mom died when she was too small to remember anything and she didn't even know her dad's name. Her grandparents in Pira were all she could really remember. She wondered what her actual parents had been like sometimes, but her grandparents were good to her and she was happy.

"Accidents happen."

"Yeah, they do," I said as we opened our lockers. I still felt slightly angry but I had to control it.

"Are you ok?" Hazel asked, looking me in the eyes.

I shrugged "Yeah, why?"

"You just seem a little... off, and angry," She said.

"Off...yeah," I said, trying to find the right words to describe the weird feeling I'd been having that day. Gosh, she knew me too well.

"Hmm," Hazel said and pursed her lips, "Can you make it through P.E do you think, or should we go to the nurse in case?"

I shook my head, recognising our own code words. "I think I can make it, maybe it will pass."

"Ok," she said. She hid the hesitance in her voice well. "I trust you."

And I knew she did.

In the gyms, we found Coach Mace leaning against a wall playing around with his clipboard and pen. He just gave us an impish grin and waved us toward the locker rooms to change.

I came out of my stall wearing tennis shoes, a dark grey tank top, and black leggings with a sweater around my waist. I glanced in the mirror above the sinks and I noticed that my complexion looked slightly green. Only noticeable if you've seen it before.

"Remi, are you sure you're ok?" Hazel asked, coming up behind me and probably noticing the same thing.

I nodded, "I'll be fine." But I knew I didn't look fine.

"Remi if you're gonna have a fever, we really need to-"

I waved my hand dismissively, "I'm ok Hazel, seriously, I'll let you know if we should worry."

She nodded as well and we went back out to the gym.

"Alright," Coach Mace said as soon as everyone was in the room. He was a tall man with a large beard and short brown hair and a kind demeanor. I had always liked him.

"We're going to start off today with a little running, then we're gonna play some dodge ball and then I'll give you the morning announcements." He said, pointing at different spots in the gym as he did.

Most of the class cheered and started forming 'secret' alliances. I glanced at Hazel with the most wicked grin I could muster and she nodded, we were always allies in everything.

I was normally one of the dodgeball champions, but that day, my reaction time seemed slower, and I got hit more.

Suddenly, Coach Mace yelled, "Alright, stop, please! I still have announcements so we need to stop so you all can still change and get to your next classes."

We all dropped the balls we were holding, except for a couple of kids who just had to hit each other just one more time.

At first, it was just normal news, what was on the menu for lunch that day and stuff like that. Then he said, "Last announcement: next week, you will all report to the cafeteria at 10 am for mandatory Choros testing."

It felt like my insides were melting and freezing solid at the same time. I glanced at Hazel and her look of horror was very noticeable. Luckily, several other students had confused faces too. I didn't even want to know what my face looked like.

"Now don't be afraid," Coach Mace said, "It doesn't hurt a bit, the Zorg just want to flush out any second-generation Dragons who might be a threat to them and us."

Several of the students relaxed, but the look of absolute horror and terror that must have been on my face stayed put.

Hazel nudged me but I couldn't force my face back to normal. A sensation of pure dread washed over me, so hard it physically hurt.

"Remi," Hazel hissed at me, "Lose the face!"

"Hazel," I choked out. Pain was beginning to spike through my body in random places, like cold ice knives. It wasn't the dread that was hurting. "I need to go. Now."

"Okay, just hold on for a minute," she whispered back. She scooched closer to me and gripped my shoulder tightly. Her hand was my grip on reality.

Coach Mace kept reassuring the other students about how harmless the testing would be. Worry about Zorg later, worry about not murdering everyone now, I told myself.

"I've got you, act normal," Hazel whispered, and I nodded, betting that my cheeks looked even greener.

The Coach let us go and the students flooded back toward the locker rooms. Hazel and I stayed behind. She helped me up.

"Coach," Hazel said, "help!"

He looked up, surprised, then put down his clipboard and rushed over, crouching beside me. I moaned as convincingly as I could and rocked back and forth.

"What's wrong Remi?" The Coach asked, shaking my shoulder lightly.

"Stomachache," I groaned, "really sudden." I had pulled that act so many times before, I was pretty sure half my teachers thought I had some sort of weird stomach disease.

"Should I take her to the nurse?" Hazel asked.

The coach nodded, "Please, that would be very helpful Hazel. What you need is a blanket and rest."

Hazel nodded and grabbed my hand, steering me out of the gyms.

I put an arm around her shoulders and we walked out. As soon as we were through the door I dropped my act and walked faster.

"Nice work," Hazel told me.

"Yeah well it's not hard to fake the pain when everything hurts," I said and winced. I couldn't help feeling a little proud though.

We walked down the hallway and down the stairs, Hazel supporting some of my weight.

We trudged down past the main office and right past the nurse's office, heading for the side door. As we stepped outside, I allowed the fresh air to clear my aching head for a moment.

From inside, the bell rang out loud, and then softer as Hazel closed the door behind us.

Hazel turned to me and said: "We have to go!" But I barely heard her.

We made our way toward the forest but I knew that we wouldn't make it there without being seen through the big windows by the front door.

Hazel stumbled over to one of the pillars that held up the front archway and leaned me against it, facing the forest so that the students inside wouldn't be able to see us.

Hazel knelt next to me and took my pale green face in her hand, making my skin tingle.

"Remi," she said, "We need to wait for passing time to be over, there are too many people who could see us."

The only answer I could give was a groan.

We waited for what seemed like forever but finally, I heard the bell that signaled the end of passing time. It seemed like a long ways away.

Hazel got up and grabbed my shoulders, lifting her with all her strength, but it was no use, I was too sick and she wasn't strong enough.

She desperately started dragging me toward the forest. I wished I could do anything but be a sack of dead weight.

We've been in a lot of tough situations but this time we really are doomed.

Through a haze of pain, I saw a hand on Hazel's shoulder.

She let go of me and turned, bewildered, and I heard someone's voice as if from a long, long ways away say, "Hey, what's going on?"

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Written by justasnarky_sandwing on WATTPAD