Rivers

Disclaimer: I own neither The Power of Five Series nor Alex Rider or any of their characters.

Scarlett gazed at the river without blinking. She was sitting beside it, on the lush green bank. The river was flowing gently, washing her feet. The water was crystal clear. She could actually see fishes in it. Scarlett smiled and she let her hand into the river. Oh, the water was so cool! Scarlett laughed.

There was another laugh.

It was a girl's voice. Scarlett turned behind to look at the newcomer.

The girl was tall and had long dark hair. Her eyes were brightest blue. She was fair and had small freckles on her face. Scarlett guessed that she was around sixteen. The girl had a smile on her face, a smile that suggested that she was the 'popular kid at school'.

Scarlett did not think she would like the girl.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you."

Scarlett scowled. She wanted to punch the girl. She turned back to the river.

"Well, if you don't admire this river, you can just go away."

"Why should I listen to you?" the new girl taunted.

Scarlett was getting annoyed now. The new girl sat down next to her.

"So, you are one of those children who fought against those weirdoes? What were the called now? Yeah I remember now! The Old Ones? You fought the Old Ones?"

"Yeah… How do you know?"

"Not very bright, are you? The whole world is talking about you. Well, congrats, for defeating them."

"Thanks," Scarlett said and smiled at her. But she was feeling rather odd.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Sabina. Sabina Pleasure. And you are…?"

"Scarlett Adams," Scarlett said and brought her hand forward. Sabina took it and flashed one of her smiles.

"Where are the boys? Don't they admire the river?"

Scarlett felt herself burning with rage. But she controlled herself and said, "They are taking a rest."

Sabina nodded and said, "They are so lucky. And my friend, Alex, poor guy! He's always on a mission!"

"Mission?"

Sabina turned to her.

"Yeah mission. My friend works for- MI6."

Scarlett raised her eyebrows then bent over laughing to the point that she nearly fell into the river.

"N- Nice one!" she said.

"What's so funny?" Sabina asked.

"Are you friends with James Bond or something?"

"You don't believe me, right? What else could I expect? I mean, a girl like you…"

Scarlett stood up angrily. "What was that supposed to mean?" she demanded heatedly, "What do you mean by a girl like me?"

"Aww Scarlett, don't take it that way! I didn't mean to offend you. I just meant that a simple girl like you will obviously find it hard to believe that somebody can be friends with an MI6 agent. Not your fault. I mean, you might not have made good friends-"

Scarlett gasped at being called simple. "ENOUGH!" she said and interrupted Sabina.

Sabina stopped and looked at her innocently.

"I don't give a damn whether your friend is in MI6 or CIA. But let me tell you, I am not a simple girl, and if you say anything for my friends, you'll have hell to pay!"

"Oh, don't get angry! I just know how to make good choices. I mean, you are a good girl, but your friends… how many of them have actually attended school? I mean, Alex was on a mission to save the world so many times-"

"How dare you! My friends might not have had attended school but they are way more intelligent, wise and humane than you are! And why do you chatter about Alex? Do you have anything to your credit?"

It was Sabina's turn to turn red. Scarlett smirked. "I knew it."

"You and your friends cannot beat Alex even if you work together!" Sabina replied angrily, "Alex can finish all of you!"

Scarlett laughed and flicked her hair.

"Really? And what exactly can your friend, Alex, do?"

"He can shoot you all down or blast you or just kill you all in a second! He has the best gadgets and he knows how to use them."

"Gadgets? Gadgets? Ha! Ha! Ha!" Scarlett laughed.

"Well, what can your friends do?" Sabina asked mockingly.

Scarlett smirked again, "Ask what they can't do. I'll start with Matt. Matt can do what no one else can. He has telekinetic powers. He explode things, break them, make them fly, deviate them! He once deflected all the bullets that were fired towards the enemy! And that is only the beginning!"

Sabina's eyes widened at that and her mouth was open.

"Then Scott and Jamie. They are identical twins. They know telepathy and can make anyone do anything. Like, say if Scott wanted you to die, he just had to command you to stop breathing; and you would stop breathing! How cool is that?"

Sabina's eyes became even wider, her mouth opening up even more and her fists were clenched in anger. How dare she suggest Sabina's death!

"And then, there's Pedro. He can healing anything! Anything! Can you believe it? If in the previous example, Scott didn't kill you, left you alive in the condition that you are half dead; Pedro is the man! He'll heal you, and you will be as good as new!"

If it was possible Sabina's eyes became even more wide, her mouth as well.

"Sabina, narrow your eyes a bit, otherwise your eyebrows will disappear. And close your mouth, so that the moths don't hatch eggs in it."

Sabina's eyes came back to normal and she gritted her teeth.

"And you know Sab, I hope you don't mind me calling you Sab, none of them need a gadget to do their work," Scarlett finished and smiled gracefully.

"Well they are not educated enough to use gadgets," Sabina retorted and flicked her hair.

"Oh they can use gadgets. But they don't need to. Who will, if they can do everything without some machines? Now, that's what I call being self-dependant. And I have more friends. A journalist who is quite good with weapons, and knows how to survive. Oh, and also a Triad leader. He's awesome. People look at him and shrink away. Maybe because they know that he can massacre many people without even blinking. I am proud of them; they're cool!"

Sabina did not know what to say.

She managed something at last, "What about you? I mean, you are not pretty, or smart. You don't use makeup. You don't look popular. And you are so skinny! Why would anyone want to be your friend, apart from losers?"

Scarlett grinned at that, a genuine grin.

"The river will answer that question," Scarlett said in a sing-song voice.

Sabina turned towards the river and cried out.

The river had risen like a huge wave, ready to crash on her. And crash on her it did, drenching her completely, whereas Scarlett was completely dry.

"I am soaked! I AM SOAKED!" Sabina howled, "You ruined my dress! You ruined my shoes! YOU RUINED MY MAKEUP!"

"That's all you need to know about me," Scarlett said with a grin, "And that's why I admire that river. Adios, Sab!"

With that, Scarlett ran at top speed towards home, laughing, leaving Sabina howling.

"I WILL MAKE SURE ALEX GETS THE BETTER OF YOU! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! ALEX! ALEX!"

Scarlett laughed even harder and turned towards the river again. It rose once more, soaking Sabina!

"I am soaked AGAIN!"