Queen vs. Queen Bee

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image [https://i.ibb.co/9gP5RS6/toppng-com-line-dividers-png-1000x200.png]

The cafeteria's mahogany wall panels glowed in the golden light filtering through the stained-glass windows. Dazzling colors danced across the crystal chandeliers, their chimes ringing in the morning breeze as students began to fill the hall. To Eydis's own surprise, the scene wasn't entirely unpleasant.

A mischievous smile tugged at her lips. Wouldn't a sculpture of her pet, Cerberus, be perfect here? Maybe replace that artificial light with flickering candles... and some strategically placed nightshade.

"Eydis? Daydreaming again?" Natalia's voice snapped Eydis back to reality. A fork twirled playfully in Natalia's hand.

"Just thinking this place isn't so bad," Eydis admitted. "Though, a Cerberus sculpture wouldn't hurt."

Natalia snorted. "Ha! Now that's a funny one."

Colette, a French girl with a confident tilt to her head and skin that seemed to absorb the light, chimed in, "Wait, you're serious?"

Birgit, a German with wide, curious eyes magnified by round spectacles, echoed Colette's surprise. "A sculpture of a... three-headed dog?"

"This school is certainly a curious mix," Eydis remarked, spearing a bite of the unappetizing scrambled eggs.

Natalia, ever the chatterbox, filled the gap. "Our academy is quite prestigious, you know. I don't think a mythological beast would exactly fit the vibe."

Eydis raised an eyebrow. "Prestigious for what? Certainly not the institutional food."

Colette leaned closer. "Have you forgotten? There are three castes here: Gifted, Talented, and Elite."

"And the difference between Gifted and Talented?" Eydis pressed.

Before Colette could elaborate, a voice, shrill and laced with disdain, sliced through their conversation.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the loser brigade," Tiffany cawed, her entourage trailing behind her like a gaggle of crows. Their laughter echoed in the cafeteria, bouncing off the stained-glass windows with a distorted chime.

Tiffany stopped right in front of their table, her designer bag with its metallic clasp clanging sharply as it brushed against Natalia's shoulder. The cloying scent of her expensive perfume was insufferable.

Eydis met Tiffany's gaze, a subtle quirk playing at the corner of her lips. The rest of the table seemed to shrink under Tiffany's icy stare. Colette and Birgit exchanged a nervous glance, their carefully maintained neutrality cracking slightly.

Natalia, ever the loyal friend, slammed her fork down with a clatter that echoed in the sudden silence. "Don't think we'll just forget what you did to Eydis yesterday, Tiffany," she said, her voice trembling slightly but her chin held high.

"And what exactly are you going to do about it, little ginger?" Tiffany cooed.

Natalia rose from her seat. "I'll report you to the Dean! You can't get away with this!"

A ripple of nervous laughter ran through the nearby tables. Everyone knew reporting Tiffany rarely yielded results.

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‘Wrong move,’ Eydis grimaced internally. Natalia's impulsive defence should have grated on her. Yet, a strange warmth bloomed in her chest. Naivete was a forgotten language in Eydis's world. Here was Natalia, heart on her sleeve, worlds apart from Eydis whose every move was calculated. The dissonance was... almost endearing.

As if on cue, Tiffany leaned in close to Natalia. "Report me, and what proof do you have? Unless you want everyone to know what a clumsy oaf your precious loser friend is."

Suddenly, Tiffany shoved Natalia, who stumbled backwards. Eydis's instincts kicked in. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Natalia's waist to steady her. But the impact sent Natalia's tray flying. Food splattered across the table, soaking Natalia's skirt and leaving a trail on the floor. Gasps erupted from the surrounding tables.

"Oops," Tiffany chirped, feigning innocence. "So clumsy! See you later, losers. Don't trip over nothing again!"

She sashayed away, her posse trailing behind her with triumphant smirks. A tense silence descended on the cafeteria, broken only by the clatter of Natalia's dropped silverware.

Colette and Birgit rushed to Natalia's side, murmuring concern. Natalia's face burned with anger and humiliation. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them back fiercely.

"I'm going to change and report this to the Dean first thing today," she muttered.

Eydis watched her go, a cold glint replacing the amusement in her eyes. The cafeteria incident, while predictable, had just ignited a fire within her. This school, with its rigid hierarchy and playground bullies, was about to get a serious lesson. Pushing back from the table, she tossed the remains of her untouched lunch and headed towards Natalia's dorm room, a plan already forming in her mind.

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Eydis leaned against the doorframe, watching Natalia peel off her blazer. "Any information on Tiffany's associates? Perhaps a visual reference or two.”

Natalia's cheeks flushed a rosy pink. "Uh, maybe? Can you give me a sec? I'm, uh, changing."

Eydis quirked an eyebrow. "We're both girls, are we not?” Then, a flicker of memory jolted her - her teenage self and the awkward encounter with Astra. With a sigh, she turned away.

"Just... silly," Eydis muttered under her breath. "Falling for another girl..." The whole concept struck her as nonsensical. Love was a foreign language, one she seemed incapable of speaking. Perhaps that was the missing piece—the vulnerability that had ultimately cost her power.

The rustle of fabric filled the tense silence. Natalia spoke again, her voice softer this time. "Look, about turning around... it wasn't because of some... preference, okay? I just feel self-conscious."

"Preference? What makes you think I have one of those?"

"So you're over Astra, then? She looked pretty upset last night."

"She wasn't exactly there when I returned," Eydis said with a shrug. "Can we request a private dorm room?"

"Private room? Only two students in this academy have that privilege, Eydis. The highly gifted." Natalia paused, then added, "Athena and Theo, our student president and vice president. Though, come to think of it, Astra is gifted too. Strange she didn't request her own room."

"Gifted? Define gifted," Eydis pressed.

Natalia ran a hand through her fiery red hair, gathering it into a high ponytail. "Honestly, you don't even remember that? There are three kinds of students here, Eydis. The Elite, like Tiffany and her cronies, who rely on their families' influence. Then there are the talented, like you, with exceptional academic performance or skills in various subjects." Her crimson eyes locked with Eydis'. "And finally..."

"The gifted?"

"Students with supernatural power," Natalia declared.

Eydis quirked an eyebrow. Magic. So that explained Natalia's nonchalance regarding the monstrous eye.

"Are you also gifted?"

Natalia's composure faltered. "How did you...?"

"Your reaction to the Eye was different," Eydis mused, her amber eyes catching the sunlight. "But seeing Tiffany bully you, I take it you're keeping your abilities a secret?"

Natalia sighed, her gaze flitting around the room before settling on a bookshelf. "The gifted students attend classes like everyone else," she explained, "but with extra training to hone our abilities. We're a small group, constantly under the microscope. It's… suffocating."

"So the attention bothers you?"

Natalia fidgeted, her fiery hair falling across her face. "I just want to be Natalia," she mumbled, avoiding Eydis's gaze. "Not some 'gifted' label with a random power attached. It doesn't define who I am."

Eydis's eyes widened a fraction of a second before softening. A genuine smile played on her lips. "There's more to you than meets the eye.”

Natalia blushed, unable to process the compliment. “Listen, we need to head down to the Dean's office soon..." Her voice trailed off as she pulled out a thick yearbook. "Aha!" Natalia slammed a heavy book on the desk. "You want dirt on Tiffany's cronies? Look no further than the school yearbook."

Eydis leaned closer, her gaze fixed on the yearbook pages. "Tell me about them," she commanded, her voice a low, dangerous murmur. "Everything."