Mate I never wanted

High scores

Vivian POV

Rebecca released a sigh and I felt myself relax a bit.

Shooting was good. I can manage it even in pain. It won't require a lot of physical effort, so I am sure that I can manage it. It also doesn't hurt that I have a few things that will improve my accuracy.

"Vivian... you didn't eat..."

Shit, she was right. I only managed to finish only one of my coffee's.

"You should eat, now that you are taking those drugs, it's really important that you eat. Want me to tell the trainers that you will be late?"

"No, it's okay, I will be fine. I will eat after."

"Vivian..."

She was about to start, but the announcement for the beginning of the next test filled the cafeteria, and it cut her off before she could say anything else. I was thankful for that.

Quickly, we carried our trays to the cleanup area and made our way to the test area. It was already crowded when we arrived, but somehow we managed to squeeze through the crowd, so we were close enough to hear the trainers explaining the taste tasks.

It was quite a simple task. We had a hundred shots, and we had to make each one count. The targets will be moving, and each area has a certain number of points assigned to it. And then they will calculate the accuracy of your aim, which will be the grade you will get for this test.

Easy enough.

Each student was called to the front while others watched.

As everyone concentrated on the student in the front, I pulled out the gear I had stashed away in my bag. I chose to use optical glasses, which would help me locate the target and keep my concentration on it even if it was moving.

The other thing I pulled out was stabilizers. It looked like a wrist brace, but it had nanotech that prevents the slight shaking or movement that comes from the human body naturally or from the blacklash of the shot. With these two, my score should be great, if not perfect.

Sure, there was only one person that has ever got a perfect score in this test and it was, of course, Lucien. He did not only not miss any of the shots, but he also managed to hit the highest score on each.

If I had not been so annoyed with him, I would have been impressed.

Even if I can't stand him right now, there is no denying it, he is beyond good. Hell, he is light years away from everyone here and that is me included.

Before I realized it, my turn had come, and now I walked to the front of the class. With every step, my body was making me regret moving at all. The pain was bad and got worse with every movement. Everything in me resisted moving right now and all I wanted to do was curl up in bed... no... better in a nest with Lucien. I craved him... I craved his touch... and I was sure that he could ease the pain and discomfort I was suffering right now.

But that was not an option.

Even if I called him and asked for his help, stepping over my own pride and self-respect, there is very slight chance that he would be willing to help me. So there is no point in even thinking about it.

Slowly I lowered myself to the ground and turned on my gear while positioning my gun.

It took me a few deep breaths until I managed to push away the pain and any other distraction. It was painfully hard, but somehow I managed to lie down and aim. With the help of the gear, I started shooting. The first ninety shots landed in the perfect score area and as I reached the last five I felt cramps grip my lower stomach.

With the last grip of will and self-control, I managed to land four shots for the perfect score... but the last one my hand slipped and I missed it entirely.

"Shit..."

I whispered under my breath out of frustration and pain.

Slowly I climbed to my feet, feeling a bit shaky.

"Vivian! You got the highest score in class."

Rebecca screamed in joy.

"You beat Mark by two points."

She said as she pulled me into a hug as I stood frozen in her arms.

She hugged me like that for a few moments until one of the trainers came to take the gun.

"There is no way that she did it on her own. I'm sure she cheated."

James' voice filled the room as I walked back to my spot in the crowd.

"She most definitely cheated, there is no way she scored so high."

His words turned the crowd into a sea of whispers.

"Do you have any proof?"

Robert, one of our classmates asked.

"Accusations like that, especially for a test as important as this one, are quite a heavy claim. You should not throw words around like that without having solid truth."

My eyes turned to James and I saw that he was not happy with someone calling him out like that.

"N... No I don't, but I don't need to have proof to know that she is a cheater. Everyone saw her with that guy. She cheated on me and I am sure she cheated on this test.

"James are you crying about that again? We all know that you cheated on her first. You made your choice, and she was just moving on. What do you now want her also? Sorry to break it to you, but that ship has sailed and you slandering her like this will not help you."

Robert said in a calm tone, but it looked like he had slapped James across the face.

"I am not jealous of her. I'm happily engaged to Margaret Cliffwind. A real royal with a great family and a future. Her family is already planning the wedding. Why should I care for that frigid cheater?"

"Well, you look pretty jealous right now. You were almost foaming at your mouth when you saw them together."

He looked ready to punch the guy and I could not let him hurt a person that was defending me. This little jealous act had to end. He had no right to act like that when he was the one to end everything between us. Frustrated, I stepped forward, putting myself in front of James.

"Do not dare hit him. He is right. What's your problem? You made your choice, you picked to spend your heat with her."

"But... but we are still engaged."

"Yes, but everyone knows that we are over."

"You humiliated me by dragging him around school."

"Yes, because Margaret signed me up for a genetic matching, and he was in heat. It's not like I could just throw him out."

My voice was shaking as I continued to talk.

It was not only my voice that was shaking... I was shaking.

Like completely physically shaking.

"Margaret... she wouldn't... why would she need to do that?"

I rolled my eyes at his question.

"Because the only way she could get you is if I was mated to someone else."

Black dots filled my vision as I felt myself sway.

"Vivian?"

I heard Rebecca's voice through what felt like a fog.

"Now leave me alone James."

With those words, I turned on my heel and started walking back to my spot next to Rebecca. Two steps away from her, I felt everything around me melt away as my legs gave out from under me and I fell.

I'm pretty sure I heard someone call my name, but I was too deep in the darkness to really know what was going on.