Zero Hour

ZERO HOUR

Chapter 1 — The Girl Who Ruined My Lunch

Everyone is fighting.

Everyone wants to be first.

First in grades.

First in sports.

First in popularity.

Everyone wants to stand at the top, even if it means stepping over someone else to get there.

They say being first can change your whole life.

Maybe they're right.

I wouldn't know.

I don't really care about being first.

Right now, I'm more concerned about surviving the next five minutes of math class.

I stared at the equation written across the blackboard.

There were numbers.

Letters.

Symbols.

Probably some ancient language disguised as mathematics.

I stared at it for another five seconds.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

I rested my cheek against my palm and slowly looked toward the clock.

Three minutes.

Only three minutes until lunch.

I could survive three minutes.

Probably.

“Saint Aurora.”

My eyes opened.

I looked toward the teacher.

“Yes, ma'am?”

“Are you listening?”

“Of course.”

The teacher stared at me.

I smiled.

She didn't smile back.

“Then tell me what I just explained.”

I looked at the board.

Then at the teacher.

Then back at the board.

“Something about... numbers?”

The classroom erupted in laughter.

I heard someone behind me whisper, “She's hopeless.”

I couldn't even disagree.

The teacher sighed and picked up a piece of chalk.

“Aurora, if you're not interested in my class, you may leave.”

I blinked.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Like... right now?”

“Yes.”

I smiled.

“Thank you, teacher. You're the best.”

I stood up so quickly that my chair nearly fell over.

“Wait—”

Too late.

I was already out the door.

Freedom.

I walked through the hallway with my hands behind my head, enjoying the feeling of not having to look at another equation.

Hi.

I'm Saint Aurora Rousetillo.

But everyone calls me Aura.

I'm seventeen years old.

I like a lot of things.

Food.

Sleeping.

Walking around when I have nowhere to be.

And most importantly—

Not studying.

I don't understand why everyone makes such a big deal about grades.

If some stupid bad guy ever pointed a gun at me, was math really going to save me?

Would I suddenly look at him and say,

“Wait! I know how to calculate the trajectory of your bullet!”

No.

I'd rather run.

Or punch him.

Probably punch him.

Speaking of which...

I headed toward the rooftop.

The rooftop was my favorite place in school.

Nobody bothered me there.

No teachers.

No annoying classmates.

No one asking me about homework.

Just fresh air and my lunch.

Perfect.

I pushed open the rooftop door.

The wind blew against my face.

I smiled.

“Finally.”

I walked toward the railing and sat down.

I opened my lunchbox.

My entire mood improved immediately.

I took a bite.

Then another.

This was peace.

This was happiness.

This—

“Stop!”

I froze.

I slowly lowered my food.

Someone was shouting.

I looked toward the other side of the rooftop.

There were three girls standing around someone.

A fourth girl was sitting on the ground.

One of the girls grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head upward.

“What's wrong?” she said. “Did you suddenly lose your voice?”

The other girls laughed.

The girl on the ground didn't say anything.

She just held her arms close to herself.

I sighed.

I looked at my lunch.

Then at them.

Then at my lunch again.

I really didn't want to get involved.

I had just gotten here.

Why couldn't people leave me alone?

“Hey.”

Nobody responded.

I took another bite.

“Hey!”

One of the girls finally looked at me.

“What?”

I pointed at the group.

“Can you stop?”

The girl holding the other girl's hair laughed.

“Who are you?”

“Aura.”

“So?”

I shrugged.

“You're being loud.”

The girls looked at each other.

Then they laughed.

I didn't understand what was so funny.

The girl released the victim and walked toward me.

“You came all the way over here just to tell us we're being loud?”

“Yeah.”

“You're weird.”

“Thanks.”

“That wasn't a compliment.”

“I know.”

She frowned.

“You think you're funny?”

“Sometimes.”

She stepped closer.

“Then maybe you should mind your own business.”

I glanced at the girl behind her.

She was still sitting on the ground.

Then I looked back at the bully.

“I was trying to.”

I pointed at my lunch.

“But you're ruining my lunch break.”

The bully rolled her eyes.

“Just leave.”

“No.”

Her expression changed.

“Excuse me?”

“I was here first.”

She stared at me.

I stared back.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then she kicked me.

Right in the stomach.

I stumbled backward.

My lunchbox fell from my hands.

It hit the ground.

My food spilled everywhere.

Silence.

I looked down.

My sandwich.

My rice.

Everything I'd been looking forward to.

Ruined.

I slowly lifted my head.

“You.”

The girl smirked.

“What?”

“You ruined my lunch.”

She laughed.

“So?”

I sighed.

I rolled my shoulders.

“Okay.”

I took a step forward.

“Now I'm angry.”

She swung at me.

I ducked.

Her fist passed over my head.

I grabbed her arm, pulled her forward, and punched her in the stomach.

She stumbled.

Before she could recover, I kicked her legs out from under her.

She fell.

The other girls froze.

One rushed toward me.

I stepped aside.

She tripped over her own feet and crashed onto the ground.

The third girl tried to grab me from behind.

I turned around and shoved her away.

A few seconds later, all three were sitting on the ground, groaning.

I looked at them.

Then at my lunch.

Still ruined.

“Great.”

I sighed.

“That didn't fix anything.”

I turned around.

The girl who had been bullied was staring at me.

Her eyes were wide.

She looked terrified.

I walked over.

“You okay?”

She nodded slowly.

“Yeah.”

I held out my hand.

She stared at it.

Then she looked at me.

“Why?”

“To help you up.”

“Oh.”

She hesitated before taking my hand.

I pulled her to her feet.

She brushed dust from her uniform.

There was a small tear on her sleeve.

“You're hurt.”

She looked down.

“Oh.”

I frowned.

“You didn't notice?”

She shook her head.

I sighed.

“People really need to learn how to fight back.”

She looked at me.

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“I don't know how.”

“Then learn.”

Her expression became confused.

“It's not that easy.”

“Sure it is.”

I raised my fists.

“Just hit them.”

She stared at me.

“That's your advice?”

“Yep.”

“That sounds terrible.”

I laughed.

“Fair.”

For the first time, she smiled.

It was small.

Barely there.

But I noticed.

“You should smile more.”

Her cheeks turned slightly red.

“I don't really.”

“Why?”

She looked away.

“I'm just not good at talking to people.”

I understood that.

I wasn't exactly a social butterfly either.

I preferred being alone.

The difference was that I wasn't scared of people.

She seemed to be.

I picked up my empty lunchbox.

“What's your name?”

She hesitated.

“Mira.”

“Mira what?”

“Mira Laurent.”

“Mira Laurent.”

I nodded.

“Nice name.”

“Thanks.”

I looked toward the girls still sitting on the ground.

“Those three usually bother you?”

Mira nodded.

“Sometimes.”

“Why?”

“I don't know.”

“Did you do something to them?”

“No.”

“Then they're just idiots.”

Mira looked at me.

“You're not scared of them?”

I laughed.

“Why would I be?”

“They're popular.”

“So?”

“They have friends.”

“So do I.”

Mira looked around.

“Where?”

I paused.

“...I have me.”

She stared at me.

Then laughed.

I smiled.

“See? I'm enough.”

Mira covered her mouth as she laughed again.

Something about that made me feel strangely happy.

Maybe because she looked less afraid.

I picked up my bag.

“I should go.”

“Okay.”

I walked toward the rooftop door.

“Aura?”

I turned around.

Mira was standing there, holding her bag against her chest.

“Can I... ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you help me?”

I thought about it.

Honestly?

I didn't know.

Maybe I hated bullies.

Maybe I couldn't stand watching someone get hurt.

Or maybe I was just annoyed because they were disturbing my lunch.

I shrugged.

“They were bothering you.”

“So?”

“So I didn't like it.”

Mira stared at me.

“That simple?”

“Yeah.”

She smiled.

“Thank you.”

I nodded.

“No problem.”

I opened the door.

Then Mira spoke again.

“Can I eat lunch with you tomorrow?”

I stopped.

I looked back.

“Why?”

She looked nervous.

“Because... I usually eat alone.”

I looked at my ruined lunchbox.

Then at her.

“Sure.”

Her face brightened.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

I pointed at her.

“But you bring your own food.”

She laughed.

“I will.”

“Good.”

I smiled.

“See you tomorrow, Mira.”

“See you, Aura.”

I walked down the stairs.

I didn't know it yet, but that lunch break would become the beginning of something much bigger.

A friendship.

A competition.

A group.

A whole lot of trouble.

But for now, there were only two of us.

Aura and Mira.

And one very important problem.

I still hadn't gotten to finish my lunch.

End of Chapter 1

Author: Hi everyone, I want to try something new, so I hope you like it guys!!