You ain't part of my system

After the day she'd had, of course something like this would happen.

Right as the blonde rounded the corner, Kayla had been cutting across the hallway, her thumbs hooked into her pockets and her gaze glued to the ground in front of her. "Hey...!" The sudden impact sent her hat slipping off her head and a bag of candy flying out of her hand. A rainbow of glazed jelly candies when scattering across the floor as she stumbled back a few steps to regain her balance. She grit her teeth, a flux of electricity flaring across her back. "How about where you watch where you're fucking going?" she muttered, her eyes locking on the girl still sprawled out across the floor.

This was just her luck, wasn't it?

The whole day had moved past in a stormy haze. She'd jolted awake in a cold sweat three hours before her alarm clock was supposed to go off, and she'd spent the rest of the day since then kicking around in the courtyard and blowing off classes to try and shake the lingering dream from her mind. It hadn't worked.

After days like that, you just wanted to lie down. This was the last thing she needed right now.

There was a blast of electricity as the words left her lips. Kayla's head turned with a sudden jerk like she'd just gotten slapped across her face, and the sudden, random movement felt like an icepick had just been hammered against her temple. It was a sharp pain that faded into a numbing buzz that spread across her skull. The words reverberated in her ears, in-and-out, crackling like static.

It only lasted a moment, and the sensation was gone.

Out of all the things she could've said, that was maybe the worst, and what she'd expected the least.

Kayla narrowed her eyes and stared down at her, a flicker of electricity hissing through her hair. The simmering irritation from a few seconds before had flared into a wildfire. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she asked with a tinge of incredulity, her hands curling into fists. She took a few steps forward, still standing over her. "Are you a fucking idiot? Do you have a death wish or something?" Did she really think she could boss her around like that? In a place like this, looks could be deceiving, but one glance told her that this girl couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag. Electricity crackled in her palm, sparks popping near her shoulders. "Kneel if you want to get off easy, Princess."

If she was smart, she would've ran away with her tail between her legs, or got on her knees and begged for forgiveness. That seemed fair enough after wasting her candy and trying to push her around like a housemaid. Even if she had some flashy power, it didn't take a rocket scientist to see who had the upper hand here. But she didn't. The girl on the ground barked out another order, and a couple went springing forward to the rescue.

A force field shot out between them, and Kayla stepped back, confusion flickering across her face. Her expression settled on a wolfish smirk. "Friends of yours?" she asked, slashing her hand forward. A whip of electricity went raking harmlessly across the psychic wall between them, sending sparks rippling out through the air. No, she thought, looking from one to the other. Slaves. That wasn't how you asked for help, that was a command. Jut what was Princess' deal?

The grin widened. "You should've just knelt."

She held out her hand and snapped her fingers, loosing another bolt toward the force field.

Wasn't it cheap to make other people do your dirty work?

A minute ago, it'd just been a quiet afternoon stroll. She should've just expected fights like this by now. It didn't matter though, did it? Flirting with death, proving your strength, that's what got her heart pumping. For the first time today, she felt alive.

The shield expanded, pressing forward and filling the hall. It slammed into her with enough force to shove her backwards, reeling to keep her balance. Shit...! The force field disappeared, just for a moment, and Anne shot forward through the opening with a knife in her hand. Kayla was barely able to keep ahead as she regained her feet, stumbling back a few more steps and slashing out her hand again, throwing out a shower of sparks that all shot to the blade like a lightning rod.

Nothing?! This girl was insane, and she might've even admired it a bit, if the blank look in her eyes didn't make her feel so sick, and if it wasn't her body on the line. Something told her that none of those three would be content with letting her off with a few bruises. She threw herself backwards to avoid the hand, but the droplets went spraying across, hissing where it burned through her uniform. A fiery pain stabbed through her body. Acid. It was just a few drops, but she could feel it eating away at her skin, burning into her like cigarettes, just under the fabric. With a muted cry of pain, she finally lost her balance, slipping backwards and hitting the floor with a grunt. The girl was still advancing. Her heart was racing.

Kayla slammed her fist into the ground.

Electricity rippled along the floor, slithering across the tiles like snakes until they hit the lockers lining the wall. BOMF. Sparks shot out as lightning rocked through the units, sending the bolts and screws shooting out like bullets, and then there was the creak, a long whining sound as the few lockers in front of Kayla started to tip over. Their doors all flung open, sending out a flurry of supplies and homework and paper hearts.

They started to fall with a groan.