History Always Repeats

Story By StormDancer

Chapter 1


Liz
I smirked and walked away, leaving the head cheerleader, and self proclaimed queen of the school, nearly in tears. I strode down the hall of my school, letting my black hair flow behind me as people scurried to get out of my way. I'm not saying I push them or anything, but getting star treatment isn't bad for a change.

"Liz! Liz, wait up!" my best friend Julia called from behind me, running to keep up with my long strides. I sighed and turned, tapping my foot impatiently until she came to a panting stop in front of me. As soon as she caught her breath, I was once more on my merry way, laughing sadistically as she squeaked and began to run again, her much shorter legs having to make at least two strides for my every one. Call me a bitch, I won't deny it.

I slid into the seat at the back of my history class, and prepared myself for an hour of learning stuff I already know. Sounds conceited, but I'm not kidding. I am the universally acknowledged smartest kid in the junior class, and a good part of the rest of the school. Julia threw herself down in the seat beside me.

"Would it kill you to slow down?" she teased.

"Maybe," I responded sarcastically. She made a face at me, and I sneered in reply.

"Anyway," she continued, "Nice job back there. That poor girl won't be able to lift her head for a month. Is it just me, or were you a bit harsh?"

I grinned.

"She didn't match. I was simply pointing out a fact. It was her fault she had to take it so offensively. And I was distracting her! She was being a bitch to some freshmen!"

That's me, defender of the weak, knight of the young and helpless.

"Really?" Jules questioned incredulously, "That's why you did it?"

"Not really. I just felt like ragging on her."

Or I'm just a bastard. What ya gonna do?

Julia glared at me in disgust.

"Liz, you know you can't just use your amazing gift of gab to put people down just for fun, its-"

I cut her off.

"Chill, Jule. There were some kids there, making Marissa cry was just an added bonus."

Julia smiled at me.

"See, I knew there was some good in you!" she exclaimed. I rolled my eyes.

"Hidden very deep, I suppose. Very, very deep," I observed. Jules shrugged.

"so, who you going with to the Homecoming Dance?" she asked, changing the topic completely. I sighed. This was the price of having a spaz for a best friend.

"Dunno. I was thinking, maybe Trevor Leras."

Jules stared at me in amazement.

"The Trevor Leras? As in, the most popular kid in school?"

"You could call him that."

"And you're doing this, how?"

I smirked at Jules, wrapping a bit of my hair around my finger and grinning innocently.

"Oh, I have my ways," I told her, batting my eyelashes in mock flirtatiousness. She simply rolled her eyes.

"Liz, you are way to fucking arrogant," she informed me. I laughed.

"But, Jules, you know you love me for it."

"Damn right I do," she responded, slapping me on the arm. I responded in kind, and she flinched. So I'm strong, it's not my fault I'm the star of the swim team. Well, I suppose it kind of is, but than again, she knew I was when she hit me and she knew damn well I would retaliate.

"So," I asked as if nothing had happened, "Who you going with?"

"I don't know!" She covered her mouth with her hands in horror, "I could ask Tom, but I don't think I could take the rejection! But if I ask Greg, he would so totally make fun of me forever! And I have no chance with Matt. But what if I did, and he said yeah, and we fell in love, and-"

I cut her off before she could go into her whole hopeless romantic spiel.

"And the chances that that's going to happen are?" I interrupted her rudely. She deflated quickly. Call me evil, but I've never believed in story book romances. And if she did, chances are she'd end up putting her expectations to high. I mean, I intended and hoped she would end up with some really nice guy someday, but I highly doubted he would be her knight in shining armour.

"None," she sighed, and looked so sad I had to cheer her up.

"But it could happen, right? You won't know until you try."

Jules' eyes lit up.

"Really. That is so amazingly cool!..." I tuned her out as she began to gush, leaning back in my chair and picking up my latest fantasy novel.

"You read that, and yet you rag on her belief in romance?" A voice asked next to me, invading my fantastical world of magic and wonder.

"I like romance in books. In real life, it doesn't happen," I informed the owner of the voice.

"Don't you read magazines, like every other teenage girl? There are storybook romances happening everyday," the voice scoffed.

"In answer to your first question, no, I don't. Those magazines are a complete waste of time. And," I imitated the voice's voice, "Don't you read magazines? Those storybook romances break up the day after they get together."

The voice said no more. I had not looked up from my book during the entire argument.

"Elizabeth Farah?" the teacher called.

"Here," I responded, reluctantly putting down my book, in which I was inevitably at a good spot. Annoying how that always happens, isn't it? I slouched back into my seat, hood of my huge, amazingly comfortable sweatshirt shadowing my face. The teacher finished calling role and I grinned. Ancient World history was undoubtedly my best class, and there I ruled supreme. So I like power, sue me for it.

The class continued, and I did my usual routine of making alternately snide and sarcastic or philosophical and deep remarks.

"And so, that is why Greek civilization fell to the Romans. It was for the same reason Rome fell to the Goths later in history, and the Chinese to the Mongols. It's civilization to barbarians, because the barbarians were pure, or at least believed themselves so, and civilization knew how corrupt it was."

The class was as silent as it usually was after I made one of my speech/comment things. I relaxed back into my covering sweatshirt, ready to go on with class. Than the voice spoke.

"I disagree."

The entire class, excluding me, turned to look at the owner of the voice. Don't get me wrong, I was just as anxious as the rest to know why, but I couldn't sacrifice my dignity to look.

"And why is that?" The teacher asked, trying to keep control of the class.

"The Greeks were, or thought they were, just as pure as the barbarians. It's not a question of faith, it's one of superior military skills," the owner of the voice said. I slowly turned my head. Sitting next to me was a boy, or young man, I suppose. Probably new, because I hadn't seen him before. And he was one fine specimen of a man, if I do say so myself. bronzed skin, long, shoulder length black hair. I always was a sucker for long hair, always have been. don't know why, or at least I can't admit it to myself if I do.

"Oh really?" I drawled, pulling back my hood and turning to meet his eye. When I met them, I nearly flinched. I could feel my already pale face grow paler. They were a dark, dark brown, nearly black. The same exact colour of his eyes. I swallowed, than firmed my face once more. Not quite looking into his eyes.

"yeah," he replied quickly, "the Romans defeated the Greeks because the Greeks had become dandified and lost any military skills they might have had."

I smirked, and sat up straighter, keeping my arms crossed across my chest. Eyes scarily reminiscent of memories I'd rather forget aside, this would be one fun class from now on.