Flavia was aware of the looks she was getting from her classmates. It was to be expected, it had been an hour since she ran out of the changing room crying and missed a class. So much for that Spanish test, she glared at the floor. By the end of the day, the whole school would know and there was no stopping that fact.

Damn small schools, she growled as she slammed her class materials on the desk. Everyone jumped at the sudden noise but she ignored them. Damn small schools. Damn humans. Damn everything!

"Flavia?"

"What?"

She snapped turning to face Nalia. The two girls stared at one another before Flavia looked away and sat down on her seat. Nalia took her seat beside her best friend but didn't speak another word. Soon Julian, Markus, Nico, Will, Paula, and María took their seats. The boy decided to migrate to the table closest to the girls and Flavia realized then that their small group became bigger.

Great, she narrowed her eyes. More people to lie to.

Sighing she rested her chin on her hands waiting for Computer Science to start. Her eyes were strained to the front knowing that if she met anyone's eyes they will find a dagger through their eye. The sound of a door opening caused her eyes to dart towards the teacher and the boy following after him. Flavia growled and Nalia jumped beside her with wide eyes. The Rider ignored her as another low growl erupted from her throat as Adam scanned the class until his eyes landed on her.

"Flavia, we are going home." She glared at him before standing up with her materials and stomped towards him.

"I said not to tell mom and dad," she hissed her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Flavia," she turned around to face her teacher. "I have sent an e-mail with a permission slip to a field trip we will be going in the coming week. It's highly suggested to go."

"Of course Mr., where is it?" Her voice became sweet almost angelic, Adam glanced at her.

"Miami Conversion Camp."

She froze before nodding stiffly and walking out the room not caring if her brother was behind her or not. She walked down the empty corridors aware of her brother's presence behind her, she went towards her locker and took out her bag stuffing it with all the books she would need for homework before slamming it close. Turning on her heel she continued to storm out of the school until she was on the pickup zone waiting for her mom's car. Adam appeared next to her and she openly ignored him as he tried to make conversation.

"You and Julian, huh?"

You and your big mouth.

"Are you two... dating?"

No.

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

Of course, you would.

"Just talk to me."

When I die! Which might happen soon considering that I'm a fucking Rider!

"I'm sorry ok!"

"Are you?" She snapped turning to face him. "Are you actually fucking sorry? Because I'm sure you didn't give a shit about my request. If you were sorry you would have kept quiet. If you were sorry we wouldn't be having this conversation!"

"You are my sister!" He yelled at her, "I'm just trying to do the best for you!"

"I don't care if you are older and if you have more 'experiences', but you cannot help me with this!"

"But Julian can?"

"At least he knows what it is about!"

"Then tell me!"

"No, because you will tell mom and dad!" She growled, "You will tell them and everything would be ruined! Everything!"

"How bad can it be?"

"Bad."

"Bad enough that you don't trust your own brother?"

"Bad," she whispered but that seems to hurt more than yelling. "Really bad." With that, she turned around once more just as their mom's car stopped in front of them.

Their mother waved and the two put their bags on the back before entering the car. Flavia noticed that their mom wouldn't be turning on the radio and she fished for her phone and earplugs. Tapping play on the first playlist she saw she looked out the window watching the cars, trees, and people pass by. Adam and their mother glanced at her every now and then but she ignored them. Her face remained blank and from the corner of her eyes, she noticed how worried they looked.

The car ride, continued in silence safe for the music coming from her earphones. When the car was parked Flavia pushed the car door but it didn't budge, sighing she raised the volume of her music and crossed her arms. She was in no mood to speak. Adam looked between her and their mom who was looking at her daughter with worried brown eyes. Flavia stared at her mom congratulating herself on not speaking what was on her mind, she didn't need to be grounded.

"Your dad is waiting inside."

Flavia kept herself from shrugging and rolling her eyes as she left the car, and made her way to the doors of her house. She knew Adam was whispering to their mom and she could hear everything he was saying and it took all of her wills to not snap at him.

Warmth spread through her body, urging her to become calm and Flavia smiled mentally thanking Fawn, and to make sure she knew that she send her own appreciation. Flavia felt a low rumbling on her head and she knew Fawn got the message. She opened the door to her house and entered, leaving her bag leaning against the wall. Entering the kitchen, she found her dad sitting on the chair waiting for her, closing her eyes for a second she went to the cupboard and took out a plate to serve her ice-cream.

"Flavia."

She stayed quiet. She knew when it was dangerous to retort or speak up, something her older brother never learned, but she did. She did because she was aware of history, she was aware that there was a time where if you were the 'wrong' type of human and you spoke out of turn it wouldn't end well for you. She knew she was the 'wrong' type of human for this century, and even if her parents didn't know that she still kept quiet.

Instinct made her seem shy.

"Flavia."

And Flavia was not shy but she was smart and manipulative. She connected the dots of the best way to survive. She was quiet and watched others, she learned who would protect her and who wouldn't. Who would betray her and who wouldn't, who wouldn't and who would help her survive even if it meant sabotaging their own survival.

There was the reason she didn't talk to Julian and many of her classmates. There is always a reason.

Just like there is a reason I now talk to Julian, she growled silently at the thought as she grabbed the tube of ice cream. Now I can't avoid him and with him come along Nico, Will, and Markus. She didn't need to turn around to know that Adam and their mom entered the room.

"Flavia, answer me when I talk to you."

Boom.

She didn't look up from her serving of ice cream, "School was great. Guess what! Today in Art I finished my portrait and Ms said it was amazing! Today on PE I also finished first on running the laps!" She gave her dad a fake smile that she knew he wouldn't be able to see past.

Her father watched her in silence and Adam was the first one to break the silence.

"Then why did you cry today?"

Flavia cursed as she placed the tube of ice cream back, "Right." She continued to around the kitchen as she shared for her special spoon for ice cream. "That. It doesn't matter, I'll deal with it later."

I'm done watching Riders suffer.

"Flav, what happened that made you cry?" Her mom asked, "We are family, we can help you."

I'm sure you can.

Flavia looked up from her bowl filled ice cream and with a sickly sweet smile, she responded, "It's fine. A... silly reason to cry over. Everything will be fine." With that, she left the kitchen ignoring the calls of her family.

"Maybe she is being bullied?"

Her mom asked once Flavia was out of earshot, problem was that inside the house she was never out of earshot.

"She would tell us, love."

"Adam, did she tell you anything?"

"She was going to in the condition I didn't tell you."

Quiet.

"D-do you think she has become... that?"

Flavia almost tripped on the last staircase at the venom in her mom–mother's voice, clutching her ice cream bowl tighter so she wouldn't drop it. That. She gave a pained chuckled, Not Rider, no we are that now.

"She isn't stupid! Our daughter would never join such savages!"

Savages. Stupid. Join.

"But she always wears long sleeves..."

"We raised our daughter properly. She is our daughter, she is smart and most of all she is human! She isn't a monster!"

Monster. Stupid. Savages. Join.

"Would it be so wrong for Flavia to become a Rider?"

Monster. Wrong. Become. Join. Stupid. Savages. Not Human.

"Riders are human too, after all."

'Human, too'... we aren't human, we truly aren't. But we should be treated like one.

"Don't make such jokes, Adam!" Their mother's voice echoed around the house or maybe it was Flavia's super hearing. She wasn't sure. "Riders aren't people. They are monsters!"

"Right."

Monster. Wrong. Become. Join. Stupid. Savages. Not Human. Not Human. Not Human. Not Human–

Flavia slammed her door shut.

"Agh!"

Flavia yelled as she stabbed her pillow with her dagger. The weapon glowed the golden of Fawn's scales, a glow she never wanted to see fade away.

Fade away.

The image of the dying Riders flashed on her mind and she growled as another dagger appeared on her hand and she threw it towards the door. Her eyes flashed golden before flashing a deep oceanic blue until they settled into a harmonic swirl of both colors. She whipped around and yanked off the hoodie something she only did when her door was locked and her curtains drawn. She was sure that she did both things, her eyes darted to the closed blinds before going to the closed door.

She definitely did it.

Closing her eyes for a moment she stormed to her bathroom leaving her door semi-open. Staring at the mirror she noticed that her eyes weren't brown and she knew that could be both good and bad. She began to breathe slowly watching as the gold and blue left and her brown returned. Once her eyes were fully brown again she looked down at her marks. They were glowing a dangerous gold and more sparks crackled from her fingertips, and her hand flickered back and forth from existence.

I want my bow and quiver. She stared at her hands as the sparks began to take shape of a bow, Maybe if I–

"Flavia?"

She froze. Her eyes darted to the semi-opened door of her bathroom and saw Adam standing there, staring at her.

She didn't lock the door.

Her parents could have entered.

Her. Parents.

Her breath hitched and the bow that had been disappearing became real and the familiar weight of her quiver came as it took form on her back. She was frozen her hands tightening on the weapon and the two siblings stared at one another. Flavia watched as his face became one of horror from the shocked one he had only seconds ago. She watched as Adam's eyes darted to the door of her room, and before he could do anything she was already locking the door.

"Don't even think about it." She hissed as she turned to face her brother, "You will keep your mouth shut." Her bow and quiver disappeared but Flavia didn't relax. "Goddammit!" She yelled, "I knew everything was going to wrong! I fucking knew it! I should have left the moment he found out."

"Flavia–"

"Everything is over." She whispered ignoring her brother, "Everything. I thought I was being smart too," her chuckle was cold. "I should have known better. Dammit!" Her voice cracked and she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Flavia."

She sat down on her chair, "I'm going to die." Her voice was soft, defeated and it pained Adam to hear it. "This is it. I'm done for. I'm going to die–unless. Yes, that can work." She stood up and took a bag from her closet and began to stuff clothes inside it.

"Flavia!"

She froze and turned to look at Adam who was watching her, "What are you doing?"

"Surviving."

"Why? You can stay here. Mom and dad they'll–"

"They'll what?!" She slammed her bag, "Be happy? Hug me? Be proud of me? You know what they say about Riders! About us! We are monsters, savages, stupid, not human. And yeah, we aren't exactly human but that doesn't mean we are monsters."

"You are their daughter–"

"Don't even try." She scoffed, "Do you know what we are? Do you?" His silence was everything she needed, "Our senses are much more enhanced than the average human. Super-hearing, better eyesight–seeing colors humans can't–, we can feel things better too."

Adam blinked at her, she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Tasting? Same thing, our taste buds are much more sensitive to tastes. But our eyesight, smell and hearing is much more useful. Trust me, there is no secret in this house that I don't know. How's Steve?" She asked to prove her point, "I hope that you two figure out whatever is going on. Also, asking Tiffany for advice about him she is his sister."

"H-how?"

"Super-hearing." She smirked, "I heard everything after I left the kitchen. Am I a Rider? Well, you saw my marks."

"But... don't run away."

"What do you expect me to do? Be a sitting duck? No thank you. I actually like living and I wasn't saved when Haven Central was attacked for nothing. I am not dying when I know I can help other Riders."

"Haven Central? Wait, that's the lair in Miami?"

"No." She rolled her eyes, "Haven Central is another. Yes, it is the one in Miami."

"Y-you were there? Is that the place where you become a Rider? Do you have to do something to become a Rider? Like, tattoos? Wait! You are fifteen and you got a tattoo to ride a dragon?!"

Flavia growled, "You don't become a Rider."

Adam stared at her, "But the News say that–"

"Just like some say you become gay? Or bi? Or pan?" She raised an eyebrow and she knew her blow was a low one but it got the point across. "Well? Do you?"

"No, but Riders–"

"How are Riders different?" She went to pick up her bag, "We are born as Riders. It can skip generations, that's why mom and dad aren't Rider or you. I was the lucky one."

"Then. Then if you are born a Rider how did we never see your marks?"

"Covered them." She gestured to the marks that were now fully shown, "I'm not stupid you know, don't listen to the stereotype of my kind. We aren't stupid. We just don't use our skills in front of humans."

"How did you cover your marks? Wait, skills?"

"Long sleeves, jackets, hoodies, sweaters." She told him ignoring the second part, "When mother forced me to wear short sleeves I would use my powers to cover them, but that wasn't enough sometimes. So I stole her makeup kit and used that." She shrugged and continued to pack.

"Don't go Flavia–"

"Do you seriously want me to die?"

"They don't kill you! It's the dragons that kill!" She flinched at the words. At the lies. "We can save you, send you to the conversion camps and you can be–"

"Normal?" She scoffed, "This is normal for me, Adam." She opened her hand and the dagger that had been stuck on her door reappeared on her hand, another followed and every dagger that she had thrown came back to her. "I am normal, Adam. You don't know what they do in the camps, but I do. We do. Or at least we know more than you do."

"They are lies spread by Riders!" He argued, clenching his fists, "We can help you!"

"Help me?" She growled, "Help me?! You want to help me by helping peel off my skin?! By separating me from her?! By letting me rot?! By letting me die?!" She slammed the bag back down to the floor and stomped towards him. "By making me suffer?! By having them kill her?!" She pushed him into the bed glaring daggers at him, "Is that how you want to help me? Is it? You wanted to know why I was crying." She took out her phone and opened the News app again, "This. This is why. This is what your kind does to my kind." Adam stared at the pictures, "Monsters. That's what you are."

"We can..." His voice cracked, "W-we... y-you. We..."

"I thought you would understand, y'know." Flavia chuckled taking her phone back, "After all, some consider you a sin too." He stayed quiet as she shoved him out of her room, "If you truly love me, don't tell. Stay quiet and... and I might stay too. After all," she gave him a sad smile. "We are both alive, right? No matter if we are marked or who we love. We aren't sins."

She closed the door, and Adam had the feeling that the action was more than just literal.

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~Dani