PE

Wonderful, knew I'd forgotten something this morning.

As if reading my mind my phone buzzed, it's the one person who'd manage to rub salt in the wound and save me at the same time. "Hey idiot, since you were so late this morning, I'm guessing you've forgotten your kit? I left mine in my locker, you know the code, clean it before you put it back." There are benefits to being a twin, like there always being spare kit, but her lording it over me is definitely a negative.

You'd think me and my sister would get along with the whole twin thing, that she'd weather the same **** that I do, just goes to show you how life isn't fair. You see, my sister's smart, like, real smart, like going to become a doctor or a scientist or a CEO smart, and I don't just mean book smart, she uses it. You want an A*? You work with Rouge, you want advice with how to deal with an argument with your BFFs? You ask Rouge, you want you homework done? Guess what? Rouge does 3 copies of hers and only submits the best one, the other two go for whatever she wants. She's wicked smart, super personable, endlessly diligent, and can you imagine having that as your sibling?

Is it irony that the Nerd gets idolised and the plain Jane get the bullying? Probably not, but I wouldn't put it past Rouge to figure out how it would be.

I sigh to myself and put away the timetable, not like there's a subject I'd prefer to be in, pretty much all of them are their own versions of Hell. Attendance ends and I trundle by myself to Rouge's locker, you might find it odd that no one's spoken to me, honestly, I'm just surprised it hasn't started already, I suppose I've got to at least give them until Break before I start declaring world peace.

2-0-0-2, the year of our birth, one of Rouge's attempts at comedy, apparently she had to set it to something even I would remember. Having to go to the locker means I'm late to change, still, at least I don't have to worry about if I'm looking at a wall too much to avoid looking like I'm perving. As I arrive my assumptions are proven wrong. Coach Reva is chatting to a student, but displays her masterful method of intimidation my turning and shouting at the same time.

"Scarlet!" She bellows. Reva is a particularly butch woman, not that there's anything wrong with that, not my type, but that's probably a good thing in a teacher, it did make her absolutely terrifying to be disciplined by. "You're 10 minutes late, where have you been?

"I, uh, had to borrow my sister's kit, I forgot mine." I admit, preparing myself for the onslaught.

"Well, seeing as you're here you can buddy up with Elise here, show her the warm-up." The large woman instructs as she begins to walk out. Well that wasn't as expected, usually Reva will tear you up for being late, not that she's awful or anything, just big on punctuality.

Only at this point do I notice the girl left in the changing room with me, and wow, do I notice. She's about an inch taller than me, her skin is almost as white as mine, but unlike mine it's flawless, her hair is onyx black, and pinned back on one side, and her bright blue eyes seem to glow, though in this dingy room, anything might seem bright.

This is too much looking for a changing room.

"Merci, my name is Elise, and you are?" The artist rendering of pure perfection asks. Her accent was clearly French but it was very clear, she'd obviously had some practice, that being said every word made my heart skip a beat, is this a prank? This doesn't make sense, this person shouldn't be talking to me. That being said, given how the rest of the school treats me it's possible she won't ever again, so I suppose I'd best enjoy it.

"I'm Scarlet." I murmur. "I mean, I'm Scarlet, we should get changed." I repeat, louder, perhaps too loud, and it's left me with an unenviable question. Am I looking at this wall enough to avoid looking like I'm perving? Because I'm not. Every part of me wants to see, but, come on, gotta have some class.

Once changed I lead the supermodel through the halls out to the field, towards the corner where the class is warming up, upon arrival, the other begin to group off, the odd look of disgust or snide chuckle thrown in my direction, nothing new, those ones don't even phase me anymore. Elise and I begin the joint stretching, the main event is a timed lap of the course, so you'd better believe I don't want to try that unprepared, yep, focused, nothing on my mind but-

"So, is everyone usually like that to you?" a serene French lullaby asks me. May not have been a lullaby, but it felt like one. "The way they looked at you? Seems cruel."

"Cruel? I guess, I'm used to it, just normal for me, they decided when we were kids that I was the outcast, decided being red-headed was enough of a reason, I don't care, better off being left alone." I ramble, damn, that makes me sound like a real depressing sort, I should make a joke. "Still, could be worse, I could be beloved by everyone and destined for future greatness, that'd be the worst."

The girl looks confused, which is when I realised that made no sense without context.

"My sister, she's the popular one." I explained, quickly.

"Your sister?" she inquires, "But doesn't she have red hair too?"

"Like I said, it's an excuse, there's no real reason for them to single me out."

The beauty frowns, as if trying to understand a foreign language, which she may well be trying to do, I really assumed a lot about her English skills.

"Well, I like your hair!" Elise states, "I don't like cruelty though." She continued, I couldn't hear pity in her voice, it was more like, she'd heard a challenge. Maybe it was the accent, not like I'm a great translator. As the warm up ends we begin the laps proper, I don't even want to know my time, gonna guess it was average, I learned a lot about Elise though, apparently her dad is some kind of ambassador, moved between the UK and France a lot, so she's grown up with both languages, maybe my assumptions aren't all awful.

It was a double lesson so now it's time for the question of the day. How's Break gonna go?