I was changing my clothes when my parents called me down to talk to me about my 'trials'. Yes, I said 'trials'. This is very complicated so I will explain in brief.

Every year when we turn eighteen, that is, when we officially become adults we have to face some trials, so as, to become fit for the society. Now, the question arises whether they come back alive or not. Most of them come back alive but there are who don't come back. If they don't, it means two things, either they are dead or they have chosen to live at the place where they were sent to for their Trials.

Mainly the latter happens but what if in my case the former happens? I really should stop thinking this way. I can't afford to think this way if I have to go for the Trials.

When I went downstairs, my younger sister was sitting on the dinning table, eating her breakfast. My father was watering the plants. My mother was in the kitchen. A normal day but it would be my last day with them until I came back from the Trials.

"God Morning."

"Oh! Good Morning. Come, sit and eat your breakfast, darling. Your mom and I wanted to talk about the Trials. See, darling, whatever happens don't be afraid. I have complete faith on you that you will do your best."

I smiled. My dad is always looking on the positive side. My mom came with my breakfast.

"We both also had to perform those trials and we both are here, now right? Just do your best. Okay? Nothing will happen to you."

"Umm.....mom are you aware that the system is changed now? In your time, you had one Trial now our trials will last for a whole year."

"Maybe, you will get an easy one, darling. Be positive about things."

"That will be a miracle. In my whole eighteen years I haven't heard anyone getting an easy trial."

"Miracles happen."

"Only when your fate is good. With my luck, I would be getting a trial to kill myself in different ways. Worst of all I don't even know who will be my Trial Partner."

"Maybe, Julian will be your partner," my sister said.

"Anne, no two students of the same school can be eachother's partner."

"Well, you can try to fool the people who will give you your trials."

"Anne, you do know what happened to Charles and Julia last year right?"

"Ah... I totally forgot about it. Please don't get yourself killed. It will be messy."

"Thank you for caring so much about me. I feel honoured. I will try not to get killed."

"Good."

"Wait a minute, you two. What happened with Julia and Charles?"

"Dad, Charles and Julia were dating each other and so they thought it would be extremely cool to fool the Trial conductors, last year."

"What happened to them?"

"No one knows-"

"What?"

"Geez, mom. Let me complete what I am saying." I said.

"Go on them."

"Nobody knows what happened to them except their family, well at least till now. We recently found out what happened to them."

"And?"

"Julia's sister is Anne's friend. So she told Anne about it."

"Oh yes. Mom, its so awesone to know the things only a few people know. You feel like you are so intelligent and special."

"Moving on. We found-"

"WE?"

"Ok calm down. Anne found that Charles and Julia are banned here. They can't come here at all. They have to live with the-"

At the time someone knocked at the door. My dad went to answer it.

"Hello Julian, a big day for you guys, right?"

"Hello, Mr Jensen. Yes, it's a big day."

"I know you guys will do just fine. Kiara, Julian's here."

"Coming."

"Hey."

"Hey. Let's go. Bye mom, dad, Anne. See you guys around one."

Once we started walking towards our sxhool, Julian asked, "Worried about the Trials huh?"

I looked at him. He didn't looked tensed even a little bit. Everything about him was so like.. well like Julian. I wondered whether I will ever see him again. His dark green eyes, hooked nose, those eyelashes that I was always jealous of-

"Kiara?"

"Huh?"

"Trials?"

"Oh yeah. Actually I am more worried about my partner because this is all about team work and if we both don't like each other we won't be able to ace our Trials."

"Well, don't worry. We will make sure he suits you otherwise poor him. He will have to face my wrath."

We both laughed.

" What if it's a girl? Still your wrath, huh?" I smirked.

"No, your partner will be a boy."

"Why?"

"In case you didnt realise, you are a girl."

"OH MY GOD. How did I not notice?"

"Well your welcome."

"Geez, but seriously why?"

"Because they choose a girl and a boy as partners in trials."

"How do you know all this?" I asked him, narrowing my eyes.

"See, lady when you have four elder siblings, you know things."

On reaching our school, our teachers told all the eighteen years old to go straight to our school bus so as to go to the Trial Deciding House.

On the way to the House, no one talked much. You could tell each and everyone was tensed apart from Julian because Julian.... well is Julian.

It was a yellow coloured building with 9 to 10 big halls. All eighteen year old from different school were cimg and gathering. We went to the allotted hall and waited for our turn.

Both of us were too nervous to talk. Yes, at least Julian was nervous now. Four students from each school were called to Hall Number-2, where they waited till they knew who was their partners.

At eleven am, Julian and I were called to Hall-2. I took a glass of water on our way there. When we entered Hall-2, there were at least fifty students in all together.

I, being a klutz, stepped on a pink headed girl's foot and dropped my glass of water on her clothes.

"Are you BLIND?"

How do people have pink hair? Like are they natural or dyed because?

"HELLO. EXCUSE ME. ARE YOU BLIND? Or you are probably are deaf as well."

Geez, Kiara, forget about pink hair. Focus on the pixie, right now.

" Are these your natural hair?"

Oh shit. Fuck me. Why did I said this?

" I mean, I am sorry."

All the people in her group were starting to laugh.

"Really? You stepped on my foot. Dropped water on my clothes and you have the audacity of saying sorry? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

"Geez woman, calm down. No need to get hyper. It was a mistake. I am sorry. I have a spare hoodie. I can lend it you if you want. Once again, I am sorry."

"Kate, come on. It's okay. I have a spare shirt. I will lend it to you."

"Lou. Shut up! She stepped ony foot purposely."

"Why would I do that?"

"You just asked me whether my hair is natural or not. Jealous much?"

"Oh no. I wasn't jealous. I was just curious."

"That's why everyone says."

"Well, I am sorry if people step on our foot, drop their glasses on you because of your pink hair but I didn't did all this on purpose. And I even said sorry and I will say it again I am sorry."

" Kate! Grow up. It's okay."

" You are no one to tell me to grow up! She didn't stepped on your foot."

"I said sorry."

" Kate, you are right I am no one to tell you to grow up. And so I am no one , you shouldn't be friends with me. " With that the boy went away.

Woah Dramatic much?!

" Lou! Lou! I am very sorry. She was jealous of me. Come back. I am sorry."

Her group also went away.

Wow. Everyone is dramatic.

" Guys! Come back . She was jealous of me. Come back."

" Woah! Wait. Why would I be jealous of you?"

" About everything. From my pink hair to my foot. I. know a lot of girls like you."

Julian was trying hard not to laugh.

''Self obsessed much?''

The pink headed girl or Kate rolled her eyes, looked at Julian and said," Its a pity that she is your girlfriend. A boy with your looks should not go out with jealous type girl."

" First thing, she is not my girlfriend. Second, you aren't my mother . Third, you have no right to say things about my bestfriend. Fourth, get the hell out of here

Before it was too late, I late, I took Julian's hand and pulled him away from the pixie.

"What just happened? One second you were trying not to laugh, the next second you were ready to fight."

"Thought I should help you. If I left you, you probably would be arguing with her. And PINL HAIR REALLY?"

"Huh?"

" Who asks someone whether their hair are natural pink or dyed?"

" I was curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

" Satisfaction brought it back."

"Really no one asks these questions."

" I asked pixie. No big deal."

"Save your sarcasm for your Trials."

Before I could say anything, the pixie

came back with a boy and a lady. The lady with her square shaped spectacles and black suit was definitely a teacher. Wow. What are we? Three?

The boy was dark haired with dark brown eyes, lean and muscular. He was more than six feet tall. How can someone people be so tall? Then there's me, stuck with 5'6." It's totally unfair. Judging by the way the boy was looking at us, we were in trouble.

"Miss Stevenson, she is the girl who abused me."

"Are you sure, Miss Hale? "

"Yes, Miss Stevenson. She is the girl".

Wait abused her? I don't want to be rude but that will be animal cruelty. WAIT. I abused her?

" Why did you abused her? "

"I didn't abused her."

"Did you not stepped on my foot?"

"Yes but-"

"Did you not called me self obsessed?"

"Yes, but only-"

"Didn't your lover boy told me to get the hell out of here? "

"Yes but-"

"So, you see, Miss Stevenson, she abused me. "

"Excuse me! First thing, I stepped on your foot by mistake. Second thing, I did apologised but you said I was jealous-"

"Girl-"

"My name's Kiara."

"Okay. Kiara. Just apologise for what you did."

"I won't apologise for something I didn't did."

"You stepped on her foot."

"And I did apologised for that."

"In that case, you leave me with no choice. "

"What do you mean? "

"Till your trial is given you will be with Zack. Zack please see that they don't cause anymore trouble. And if you are given your trial earlier than hand them over to me, okay?"

"What about troubling him?" Julian asked.

"I don't think you will want to hear my answer. Is that okay Zack?"

"Why would I ask if I don't want to hear your reply,"Julian mumbled.

" Yes, it's perfectly fine, Mrs Stevenson."

With that 'Mrs I can punish you for anything' went away.