could be fate

Chapter 4

Vivian joined the track team at the track field, they were all, like her, dressed in their sports attire. She started stretching alone. Not long after, Jaxson showed up. He was wearing shorts and a tank top, he addressed the team as the captain, saying a few encouraging words as it was the beginning of a new season, he stared into every person's eyes as he spoke then he met Vivian's eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He wondered out loud.

Vivian bit back a snarky response, she needed to be on the track team so she needed Jaxson's favor, "joining the team."

Jaxson frowned deeply, his hands resting on his hips he said, "no you're not," in a very defensive tone.

Vivian rolled her eyes, "that's not what coach says," she reminded him that he wasn't in charge.

"You have hypertension, no way I'm letting you run." He reasoned, his voice stern.

Vivian groaned, "I do not have hypertension." She couldn't believe he thought she was pretending to be Vivian when she actually was Belle.

"You are not joining my team." He assured her. Vivian wasn't going to let him kick her off the team before she even joined it, track was her life. Ever since her father discovered she could run so fast that one time she was chased by dogs, he signed her up for the school's track team and she proved him right, Vivian was indeed a great runner, just like he believed.

She proved to be the best by winning multiple medals at district competitions. At first she ran because it made her father proud, then as she grew older she started to enjoy it, it was the only thing that made her feel closer to him, and now, it was also the only thing allowing her to attend THPSS.

Vivian narrowed her eyes at him, "why, afraid I'm gonna take your place as the best?" She teased.

Jaxson laughed in disbelief, he sized her with his eyes, "you think you can beat me?" Even he knew that he was best at what he did.

But Vivian knew she could be better.

"I know I will." She challenged.

Jaxson's mouth hang open, he obviously couldn't believe her. "Tell you what, you win then I'll let you join the team," he had this prankish look in his eyes, "and if I win, you'll go on a date with me." He smiled, confident that he'd win.

Vivian smirked, even she didn't know where the confidence she felt was coming from. She gave him her hand, "deal." They shook on it.

In a short period of time, the arena was full. Even coach Daman was there to witness Jaxson putting yet another person in their place. It must've been the girl's boldness that intrigued most of these people. Some were just there for the entertainment though.

Vivian looked at the crowd, all those eyes staring back at her, expecting her to loose did nothing to calm her nerves. Vivian and Jaxson stretched one last time, preparing to compete. "I won't go easy on you." Jaxson threatened.

Vivian scoffed, unfazed. "I'm counting on it." At the sound of the gun, they both run as fast as they could.

It had ended in a flash. They were both panting and heaving at the end of the finish line. The crowd was oddly quiet, the judges- coach and other teachers that didn't have anything better to do- had a brief discussion, Vivian could see the astonishment spelled on their faces. "It's a tie." Coach announced, his voice sounding uncertain. Sure he couldn't believe that their best runner couldn't fully beat a nobody.

Jaxson didn't trust the results so he went to see for himself, Vivian followed. THPSS used a chip timing system that activated when the runner crossed the starting line and stopped when they crossed the finishing line. They both witnessed with their own eyes, it was indeed a tie.

The crowd clapped, mostly for Vivian because even though it were a tie, to them, Vivian clearly had won. Jaxson returned to Vivian with a courteous smile, "welcome to the team."

Vivian was still trying to catch her breath, "thanks," she breathed, a self pleased smile on her face.

~

Caily waited for Vivian outside the bathroom entrance, she was carrying a banner that said: GO V!

Vivian smiled at the effort her supposedly new friend put. "Congrats on joining the track team!" Caily was pulling Vivian into a hug. Vivian arms awkwardly hang by her sides. "We should celebrate." Caily suggested, eyes brightening. "Penny is throwing a party tonight, we should go." She casually shrugged her shoulders.

Vivian tried to recall who Penny was. "Who is Penny?"

Realization crossed Caily's face, "Penelope, she's my friend..." she paused, "the one I'm always with?"

Vivian recalled seeing Caily with this one girl all the time, she was taller than the both of them, she had cocoa brown hair and baby blue eyes. When Vivian first saw her, she thought Penelope was the most beautiful thing she's ever laid eyes on. Everything about her was so elegant.

Vivian nodded.

"Drop your contact so I can text you her address." Vivian punched the digits and returned the phone to Caily. "See you tonight."

~

It was Vivian's first party in a while, her mother and sister were more than excited for her to be going back out there, socializing again. Mia helped her dress while Josie lingered reciting the rules to Vivian.

1)No alcohol consumption was allowed

2) No taking drinks from strangers

3)No following strangers anywhere

4) Always keep your phone ON and on you

5)No drugs

6)No s*x

"Mimi will come get you at eleven." Josie informed her youngest daughter.

Vivian spared her mother one final glance before disappearing into the car, "love you mom." She learnt to say it whenever she could.

The Lewis's lived thirty minutes from where Vivian lived. Their house was gigantic and very beautiful. There weren't as many people as Vivian expected, it probably was an invite only party. She waved her sister goodbye and entered the house. The moment she stepped foot inside, Caily pulled her into a tight hug.

Penelope appeared beside Caily, she had her hair up in a tight ponytail, showing her out of this world facial features, much of her model like body was showing as the tiny skirt and tiny crop top did no effort covering it up. She let her baby blue eyes roam Vivian's body, her arms crossed in front of her small chest, Vivian thought Penelope had always been hostile with her, she had never spoken a word to Vivian, she always crossed her arms, shutting Vivian out, she also stared at her with a distaste Vivian couldn't understand.

"Nice party." Vivian attempted at starting a conversation with Penelope. Maybe if she saw that Vivian wasn't so bad she'd warm up to her.

"Nice..." she trailed, her eyes scanning Vivian, it seemed she felt obligated to give a compliment back, "outfit."

Vivian wore a black leather body con dress that went up to mid-thighs and matching black high heel platform sandals that made her as tall as Penelope was. "Yeah," Caily agreed, "didn't know you were so stylish."

Vivian didn't feel the need to explain that it was her sister who was stylish and not her.

Penelope gave her one last intimidating look before evidently deciding she liked Vivian and dropping her hostility, "come, let's go get something to drink." She grabbed Vivian's hand, pulling her to the direction of the kitchen. There she mixed something for the girls, handed them each a red plastic cup and lead them outside through the back door where the pool was. The girls joined a group of boys sitting at the edge of the pool, among them was Jaxson. Caily and Penelope sat down, placing their feet in the water. Vivian just stood there awkwardly.

She wasn't immune to the stares she was receiving tonight, especially the one from Jaxson. "Dude," Caily hit him in the chest, "you're making her uncomfortable."

Jaxson snapped out of it, clearing his throat he excused himself.

Vivian tried not to think much of it. She took her place beside Caily as she was the closest person she was with in New town and tried to mingle with the rest of the group. Somebody suggested they played never have I ever and everyone agreed, except for Vivian of course, she was told not to drink, but she wasn't going to be a party popper, she never was one, so she didn't voice out her mind.

Vivian's drink was finished before the game was over. Everyone looked at her in shock, she just didn't seem like the type to engage in all those risky things. "I should refill this." She excused herself.

In the kitchen, she felt the need to pee so she asked around and someone was kind enough to point her in the direction of the bathroom. Either the person gave her the wrong directions or she'd went right instead of left somewhere back, Vivian was lost. So she opened every door in hopes of finding the bathroom, she ended up in Penelope's bedroom, there was another door in the room and she hoped it were an attached bathroom because her bladder was going to give up on her any second.

To her luck, it indeed was the bathroom, Vivian relieved herself quickly. She reappeared in the bedroom, sparing some seconds to admire it before rejoining the party downstairs. She found herself on Penelope's balcony, which had an overlook of the pool. She could see Caily and the boys.

"You're not supposed to be up here." Vivian yelped at the sound of a manly voice coming from the shadows. Shawn appeared into the light, an amused expression on his face.

"You scared me." Vivian sounded deadly.

He stood next her, hands gripping the balcony railings tight, he turn to her with a silly smile, "why aren't you with the cool kids?" He signaled at the pool with a nod of his head.

"I was looking for the bathroom," Shawn raised a suspecting eyebrow, "I got lost." She felt the need to explain herself further.

"If you're here to trash Penny's room, I'll help you." He offered, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

Vivian looked at him as if he were insane, "and why would I do that?"

Shawn lean on the railings, "because she stole your boyfriend?" He paused as a question. Vivian's eyebrows crest, she followed Shawn's gaze, Jaxson stood with Penelope, they were having a heated conversation. Penelope was throwing her hands in the air, shouting and Jaxson was pulling his hair. Vivian figured Shawn meant Penelope stole Belle's boyfriend.

She shifted her attention to Shawn, she recalled their first ever encounter, he stared at her and said: hi, I'm Shawn. He didn't address her as Belle, but as a stranger. She decided to get the confusion out of the way, "when we met," she started, getting Shawn's full attention, he directed his gray eyes at her, they were as she remembered them, unexpressive, "you knew right away that I wasn't Belle, how?"

Shawn smiled blissful, "the scar on your face." Vivian had a small scar on her temple. "And Belle is taller than you." He added. The latter explanation making sense to Vivian. Because Belle could get scarred over time.

She had to give him credit, he studied her to the very last detail in that small amount of time and concluded confidently that she wasn't Belle. And nobody else could do that. Not even Belle's best friend. "How come no one else noticed?" She voiced out her thoughts. Not even her boyfriend whom she noticeably was inseparable with.

He responded with a self pleased smile.

A gush of wind blew by, causing Vivian to shiver, it was getting unpredictably cold by the second, and Vivian didn't bring a jacket with her. Not that Mia would've allowed her to. The first advise Vivian ever received from her sister was to never grab a jacket when going out, either on dates or to parties. She said this gives guys a chance to "save you". Vivian wasn't going to help satisfy these ego-manics so she always carried a jacket with her when she felt the need. Tonight she didn't.

She felt something warm go around her shoulder, before she found out what it was, she saw that Shawn was missing his black hoodie and was now wearing a black t-shirt that hugged his muscles. There was a warm feeling in Vivian's chest, she couldn't quite figure out if it was a result of the gentlemanly gesture or Shawn's extremely hot body that demanded her attention causing her heart to hammer.

She was going to give the hoodie back, sticking to her morals but she needed it so bad, so she swallowed her pride and pulled it over her head. It was extremely huge on her with Shawn being much taller and bigger than she was. She loved the way the material felt on her skin, and the smell of his cologne, it instantly calmed her.

The vibration of her phone in the pocket of her dress almost made her jump, it was Caily asking where she ran off to. She texted back: coming. "I should get back to the party." She excused herself.

Shawn just nodded.