'Reflections'
chapter zero~jane austen boy

"You don't find love, it finds you. It's got a little bit to do with destiny and fate, and what's written in the stars."
~Anais Nin

•.¸¸.•'¨* •.¸¸.•*'¨•.¸¸.•'¨'

VIENNA PRESCOTT LET OUT A QUIET sigh  as she stood up from her table in the library for the thousandth time in the last hour.

She spends most of her free time here, reading any book possible, retaining all of the knowledge they contained.

Vienna had gotten used to this pattern, as it had been the same for the last four years. Since her father died, she found books to be the most comforting thing for her.

It had been a struggle since her father died, but one of the things that she found solace in was reading.

She also had take up volunteering at her local library, because she knows that colleges are very interested in volunteer work. And she wants to go to Yale, so it was even more important for her to do all the volunteer work that she can.

But now, volunteering at the library didn't feel like a chore, because she had become very close to the librarian, a sweet old woman named Mabel.

Vienna knew that it seemed quite pathetic that at the age of fifteen, one of her best friends was a seventy year old woman, but Vienna had never been the best at making friends her own age.

Since her father died, she had became a very quiet person, reserving her feelings, only speaking to few, and protecting what happiness she did have left.

Though, things were still hard at times, it had been getting better for her as the years passed. She was happier now, and when she thought of memories with her father, she wasn't sad. She was happy to have known him.

She had previously been in the back room with Mabel, covering some books from the latest shipment when she heard motion near the front desk, and saw someone standing there, leaning against the counter.

She looked to Mabel, who motioned for her to go. Mabel usually dealt with  customers, Vienna rarely did. She found it quite hard to talk to complete strangers.

"Really?" Vienna grumbled, and Mabel merely smiled.

"Yes dear. I'm helping you come out of your shell. Remember?" 

Vienna rolls her eyes, smiling jokingly. "I suppose." She rolled backward in her chair and walked to the front desk.

She was met with a tall boy with dark hair and a small smirk plastered on his face, though she wasn't sure what it was that he was smirking about.

"Can I help you?" She looks up at him, trying her best to come off as friendly and not short.

He smiles as she locks eyes with him.

"Yes, you certainly can." He holds out his hand to shake Vienna's, which was strange. People visiting the library rarely shook hands with the librarian. "Could you direct me to where I may find the Jane Austen books?"

Vienna was taken aback. He didn't seem like the type to read Jane Austen, but she loved the woman's books, so she would be more than happy to assist him.

"Yes, I can." She says, motioning for him to follow her to the section.

"Thank you very much."

"Do you read her books?" Vienna asks, because she hated awkward silence.

"I haven't. I want to see what they're like, though."

Vienna nods. "Did you know that she published her books anonymously?"

The boy raises an eyebrow, curiosity spreading across his features. "Did she?"

"Yep. She did that because writing, specifically novel publication, was a very questionable career for women during her time period. She didn't want people outside of her close circle to know she was a writer because  it could've tarnished her reputation. In fact, she wasn't the only woman to do this, many-" Vienna cut herself off. The boy was staring at her with an impressed look in his eyes. "Sorry."

The boy smiles. "No, no, that's quite impressive. How'd you know that?"

"I read it a few years back in a biography."

"And you still remember it?"

"Mhm." Vienna nods as they reach the correct section. "I have an eidetic memory. Which means I can remember....pretty much everything."

"That's quite impressive, really."

"Thank you." Vienna smiles, because truthfully, she didn't know what else to say.

The boy picks up a tattered copy of 'Pride and Prejudice'

"Great choice." Vienna says. 

The boy nods. "I've been wanting to read it. Do you mind if I look around a bit more?"

"Not at all. When you're ready to check out, I'll help you."

The boy nods, smiling softly as he walked in the other direction.

Vienna hurried back to the table in the back room, plopping down next to Mabel again, who was smiling at her.

"What?" Vienna asks, looking at the woman.

"He was cute." Mabel spoke louder than she should've.

Vienna shushes her. "Oh, he wasn't." Though she couldn't help the heat rising in her cheeks.

He wasn't ugly....

"Whatever you say, dear. What did he need help with?"

"Jane Austen."

"Really?" Mabel's light eyebrows rose with intrigue.

"Yes, really. Why so surprised?" Vienna eyed the woman, because she wasn't good at reading people, so she truly had no idea what she was thinking.

"because there aren't many teenage boys coming into the library asking for Jane Austen."

"Well-"

"I think he's just your type."

"Mabel, I don't date. You know that-"

"I know that you've said that. But you just haven't found someone worthy of your time, dear."

"Well yeah, but I want to go to Yale, and a boyfriend won't get me to Yale." Vienna had been wanting to go to Yale since she was eight years old, but she had really been focusing on that goal these last few years; she wants to study psychology there.

"I know. But you have to have a normal teenage life, you know that. You should have both, you can have both."

"I'm not a normal teenager though, I'm not. I can't make friends my age, and I have this freaky mind-trick. I want to live a normal teen life, but I just can't-"

"Vienna, you are amazing just the way you are. Remember that."

"Thank you Mabel. I've really been trying to be more 'normal' lately, but it's just hard."

"You don't have to be normal. Wherever you are now is just fine." And Mabel smiles her sweet smile that Vienna knows so well. She does give very good advice, maybe some of the best that Vienna has ever gotten.

Vienna returns the smile, her head swimming with what Mabel just said. She had never really cared if people called her a nerd or a freak, but all she wanted was people to understand her for who she was, and so far she had never gotten that.

Mabel silently pointed to the front desk, where Jane Austen boy stood, holding the one singular book that Vienna had helped him find just minutes prior.

Vienna rises from her chair again and walks out front.

"Find everything alright?" She asks, a friendly smile causing her rare dimples to peak out of her cheeks.

"Yes, just perfect, thank you." He hands the book to Vienna with care.

"Alright. Do you have your card?"

The boy furrows his brow in confusion. "Card, what card?"

"Your library card. This is a library. You know that, right?" Vienna asks flatly.

"Of course I do." The boy smiles only slightly, a look of amusement playing on his features.
"I was just hoping that you may make an exception for little old me?"

Vienna raises an eyebrow, smiling playfully. She wasn't sure exactly the reason, but she felt strangely comfortable around this boy. "And why on earth would I make an exception for you?"

"You tell me, Vienna." The boy says quickly, as he walks toward the door, his front was still facing Vienna. "You wouldn't mind re-shelving that for me, now would you?"

Before Vienna could react, the boy was out the door and she was left with the tattered copy of Jane Austen in between her fingers.

How did he know her name? They hadn't formally introduced themselves.

Strange...

Vienna tried not to think of the boy, but her mind was replaying their brief interactions on repeat. Her eidetic memory had never failed her, and she definitely couldn't recall giving that boy her name, and she never got his either.

Just as she reached to place the book back on the shelf in which it came from, she saw a piece of paper sticking out of the top that wasn't there before, almost like a bookmark.

Except it wasn't a bookmark, it was a business card.

Vienna pulled it out, examining the tiny words closely. It was a normal sized business card, though the words were extraordinarily small. It had an unmistakable seal at the top, and three lines of text. A name, a job title, and a phone number.

Tanner Briggs, name.

Special Agent, job title.

Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Vienna dropped the book out of pure shock, her eyes reading the text over and over. Though her eyes nor her mind weren't deceiving her, they never had.

What could she have possibly done to attract the attention of the FBI?

•.¸¸.•'¨* •.¸¸.•*'¨•.¸¸.•'¨'

Vienna arrived home shortly after finding the business card, her mind still reeling.

Her older brother Ronan, now seventeen years  of age, had also thrown himself into studies like his sister. Ronan was studying to become a orthopedic surgeon.

He wasn't home from his job, he was working at a local tire shop to help pay his tuition, which was going to be very expensive in total. And he wasn't currently in school, as it was summer, which made it easy for him to work.

Since the death of their father, Vienna and Ronan's mother had become increasingly more mentally unstable. She had even tried to end her own life twice, and she had been in and out of mental hospitals. She was on all sorts of medications, bur she was not and would never be who she was before. Though she had escaped with minimal injuries four years ago the mental toll of the landslide was greater than anyone could've foreseen.

Vienna went to her mother's room, and the door was slightly ajar.

"Mom, I'm home." She spoke gently, in case her mother was sleeping or in a bad mood.

"Vienna." She heard her mom beckon her into the room.

"Mom, are you doing alright? Do you need anything?"

"I'm just fine, sweetheart. How was the library?" Her mother sits up in bed.

"It was great. Mabel said to tell you hi, and that she hopes you're doing well."

The woman's mouth twitched up in the corners only slightly, she couldn't manage much more than that anymore.

"Mabel sure is a nice woman. Is Ronan home yet?"

"I didn't see him, but he could be in his room, I didn't check."

her mother nods. "He may still be at school. He's such a hard worker, both of you are."

Vienna's mother forgets often that Ronan is currently not in school, but on summer break. Though Vienna did not feel like reminding her of this now, so she simply nodded.

"I'll send him in here when he gets home if you'd like." She offers.

"Sure, that would be nice. I didn't see him before he left this morning."

Vienna nods. "Well I'm glad you're doing well today, mom. But I've got some work to catch up on, so I'll come talk to you later tonight." Vienna was lying about this. She didn't have any work to do, but she really wanted to look at the business card again to see if it was the real deal.

"Alright, Vienna. Don't work too hard, alright?" Her mother says gently.

"I'll try not to." She smiles at her mother before walking out of the door and into the kitchen. She sat at their old kitchen table, pulling the business card from her pocket. Her eyes traced over the lines of text, and it seemed legit. She turned the card in her hand, to see handwriting on the back. In all captial letters, it read,

"VIENNA, PLEASE CALL."

So that was how the boy knew her name.

Though she thought it was very strange, why would the FBI want her to call?

She wasn't always known for her patience, so she knew she had to call soon.

She looked at the clock on the stove. It was 4:26, and her brother got off at 4:30, and his job was exactly 12 minutes from their home, so she would have time to call now. She just couldn't have her mother hear the conversation.

She walked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She plopped onto her bed, which had several stuffed animals on it, and she looked at her bookshelf, then to her posters on the wall.

Her favorite one was her Taylor Swift poster, she  had been a fan of her music since she was a little girl.

She flopped backward onto her bed, the old springs creaking under her impact. She stared blank faced at the card, a few hours in her pocket did not change the text.

"Special Agent Tanner Briggs" She says to herself, her voice hardly above a whisper.

There is no way that Jane Austen Boy was a special agent, he looked only fifteen, maybe sixteen.

She sat up, pushing herself against her headboard. She has to call, right? Even if it was a hoax, there was a slim chance that it wasn't, and she would be that chance.

She dialed the number on the card, her finger hovering over the 'call' button.

She was nervous, she didn't typically call people, and she wasn't extraordinarily  good at talking to people, and being on the phone was somehow worse for her.

She was hesitant. What if it was a phony number? That would make her look like a total idiot. But if she didn't call and it was real, she would be missing out on something important.

Vienna stared at her phone, contemplating her dilemma for way longer than she should've. She then quickly glanced at her alarm clock on her bedside table to see that it was 4:39, which means that if she didn't call soon, her brother would arrive home before she got off the phone. And she couldn't have him know about the FBI reaching out to her, at least not yet.

Finally, after many minutes of careful contemplation, Vienna finally called the number.

The phone rang only twice before it was picked up, and Vienna's breathe hitched in her throat for a moment.

"This is Briggs."

Vienna couldn't decide what was more interesting, the fact that he had given her the number to his direct line, or the way he answered the phone as if saying the word 'hello' was a total waste of breathe.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Agent Briggs' voice came again, snapping Vienna from her thoughts.

"Hi." She says awkwardly. "This is Vienna Prescott."

"Vienna, I'm glad you called." He was seemingly waiting for Vienna to speak, but she didn't. She knew that this was probably wise because she did not know this guy or what he wanted from her, he'd have to do the talking until she did know what he wanted.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I reached out, why I had Michael contact you."

Michael.

So, Jane Austen Boy did have a name.

"I have an offer I'd like you to consider."

"An offer?" Vienna was shocked as to how level her voice was. It was nearly as even as Briggs'.

"I believe that this conversation would be best to have in person, Ms. Prescott. Is there anywhere you'd be comfortable meeting?"

Vienna considered this question for a moment, and her mind immediately jumped to the library.

"Would you be alright if we met at a library? The one you sent Michael to today?" Vienna thought this to be the best idea, because if this guy wasn't actually an FBI agent, and was actually a pervert, Vienna knew she wouldn't be alone, Mabel would be there just in case.

There was only a brief pause on the other end before Briggs spoke. "Of course. Let's set up a time, then?"

And so Briggs and Vienna set up a time to meet in the local library. This phone call was an interesting one, but it still did not answer Vienna's question, and it in fact left her with even more: what exactly was the offer that Briggs spoke of?

•.¸¸.•'¨* •.¸¸.•*'¨•.¸¸.•'¨'

The library was eerily quiet, and Vienna was trying to fill the silence with the gentle tapping of her Converse on the carpet floor. The library was quite old, and it still had old featuers, including an old, fancy carpet.

Her eyes snapped up to see a man walk into the library, a man in a suit, looking very official. That had to be Briggs, right?

He looked at Vienna, crossing the library swiftly. He offered her his hand, and gave her a hearty shake.

"Vienna, thank you for agreeing to meet me here. Would you like to sit down?"

Briggs was younger than Vienna had anticipated, he sounded a lot older on the phone than he looks.

Vienna took a seat at the table which she had previously been sitting, just as Briggs had offered.

She ran through their phone conversation in their head. It had been very brief, but she remembered every single word exchanged.

She studied the man's face for a moment, even though that wasn't her strong-suit, she was better at recalling things less than she was at reading people's facial patterns.

"Are you finished?" Briggs asked. He didn't sound short, or rude, he sounded genuinely curious.

"Finished with what?" Vienna asks.

"You're probably running through our phone call from earlier this week, thinking of what I could possibly need you here for. You're probably trying to use things you've read to help read me. You Naturals really are similar..."

Naturals. He said the word like he was expecting Vienna to repeat it with a question mark-like tone behind it.

"Vienna, you are amazing at reading, at retaining information, and remembering small details of every aspect of your life. That is something incredibly rare."

"You're meeting with me because I can read?" Vienna couldn't   keep the shock out of her voice.

"I invited you here because you have mastered something that most people only dream of. I'm sure that I could give you any subject, remind you of any memory from your childhood, and you could recite it with great detail. And your intense interesting and knowledge of psychology is profound for someone your age, only fifteen, correct?"

Vienna nods in response. She was just weeks away from starting her sophomore year in high school.

"I made the trip from where my office is, Washington DC, to come visit you. And I brought Micheal along. I'm not exactly sure where he is currently, but that's beside the point. What I'm here to tell you, is my offer for you."

Vienna stared at him curiously, though she didn't say anything. The ball was in his court, not hers.

"Natural aptitudes, like yours, tend to peak in the teenage years. Formal education, college, bad influence, all have the ability to interfere with the potential that you have now. I want to make sure that you have good influence, that your gift is made into something amazing, and not downplayed by anyone. Your skills will help solve cold cases, ones that the Bureau    hasn't been able to solve yet."

Vienna listens, nodding intently, though she was very confused by Briggs' offer. She could read well and remember things. She knew that was a useful thing, but she didn't think it was worthy of her being recruited for a high profile FBI program. Would she actually be useful there? I mean, dealing with serial killers and that sort of thing, that was serious stuff.

Her head spun a million times a minute. She couldn't think of what to say. This was an amazing offer, it was the FBI for crying out loud. She wanted to take it, she really did.

She wasn't sure what to say, but Briggs kept speaking.

"I will give you all the time you need to think on this, Vienna. I know that this is a big change. But it is also a once in a lifetime opportunity, so you can take all the time you need."

Vienna's eyes snap to Briggs'. All of the previous professionalism that had been in his face before was gone, and she could tell that this was personal, that he really believed in the program, really believed in Vienna. 

"A big change, what do you mean?"

"Vienna, how would you feel about moving to Washington D.C?"

•.¸¸.•'¨* •.¸¸.•*'¨•.¸¸.•'¨'

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE OFFER INDEED, one that Vienna couldn't pass up.

She had told Briggs yes, of course.

She had always been very interested in psychology, and an offer from the FBI themselves at the mere age of fifteen was remarkable.

Briggs had told her that there were more teens in the program other than Micheal.

She had only gotten their names, Briggs hadn't told her anything else just yet, he said to wait until she gets to the program.

The members's names were Dean and Lia, (and of course Michael) who were all Vienna's age. She was their newest recruit for the program.

Vienna had been very excited at this oppertunity, and she was even more excited when both her mother and Ronan agreed that it would be an amazing experience. She was worried that her mother wouldn't let her leave at the age of fifteen, or that Ronan would want her to stay in case anything changed with their mother's mental health.

Though, he assured her that her mother had been getting better in the last year, and she was even showing interest in things that she hadn't for years. She wasn't quite better, but she was getting there.

And as for Vienna's mother, she was incredibly proud that her daughter had been granted this opportunity, though she was sad to see her go.

Nearly a month after her initial meeting with Briggs, Vienna was making the move to Washington DC from her small town in Connecticut.

She had all of her bags packed, and she was preparing to get into the black SUV that occupied the driveway of their cozy home. Vienna gave her final bag to the driver with a gracious smile as he walked it to the car, setting it gently inside.

Vienna turned around and ran to her brother and mother, running into their comfortable embraces.

Since her father died, she had grown incredibly close to her mother and brother. She was excited for this new stage, but also was worried about leaving her family at such a young age.

She was welcomed into the warm and familiar hug of her mother, who was gently running her fingers through her hair.

"Vienna, I am so proud of you. You are going to do amazing things. This program is going to be perfect for you."

Vienna was instructed not to tell even her family that the program was run directly by the FBI, as it was very secretive. So, her mother and Ronan simply thought it was a program for gifted kids. Which it was that, but she isn't supposed to tell them the full extent of details.

She let go of her mother, who kissed her gently on the head. "I will miss you, Vienna. But don't forget to call, alright?"

"I would never forget." Vienna smiles gently as Ronan ruffles her brown hair, which was neatly straightened.

She swats his hand away playfully, which she always did when he messed with her hair.

"I'm gonna miss you, Vienna."

She narrows her eyes. "Really?"

Ronan and Vienna had a teasing relationship, but she really would miss him.

"Of course I'll miss you. You're my sister of course."

Vienna sighs. "Are you guys sure I can go? Because I can tell them that-"

Vienna was cut off by Ronan's gentle words.
"You have to do this, Vienna. Your future self will thank you. Mom and I will be fine here without you, you don't have to worry, really."

"If you're sure...." Her eyes burned with tears.

"We are quite sure, sweetheart." Her mother chimes in, smiling only slightly, though a bittersweet look was present on her features.

"Alright." Vienna looks back to the SUV behind her, and the driver was waving her over, signaling that it was time to go.

She ran in for one more hug, and then she turned and walked toward the vehicle, waving as she went.

As the car turned out of the driveway, Vienna's eyes were glued on her family, watching closely until they rounded the corner.

•.¸¸.•'¨* •.¸¸.•*'¨•.¸¸.•'¨'

THE HOUSE IN WHICH THE NATURALS stayed was a very nice one. It was a large Victorian house in Quantico, Virginia that was close enough to the FBI headquarters yet far enough away so that no question would arise from suspecting people, as this program was incredibly secretive.

Judd Hawkins, ex marine, was showing Vienna around. He is the man whom Briggs had found to look after the house, and the kids. He was a graying man, who appeared to be in his early to mid sixties, though Vienna was bad when it comes to age.

"Living room, media room, library, study." He was a man of few words. "Kitchens in there, your room is on the second floor." He pauses for only a second to look at Vienna.

"You have your own room for now, but I expect that that fact may change as we're looking for more recruits. I expect that's not a problem?"

Vienna shook her head as they continued walking down the hall.

Vienna expected that Judd had more soft spots than people expected, despite his harsh exterior and short sentences.

"Now, you'll meet the other Naturals, they're in the basement." Judd looks back for a moment as they descend the stairs to the basement.

It was a chilly, wide room, two couches spaced evenly. On one sat Micheal, whom Vienna had already spoken to twice. Lying opposite on the couch, feet kicked off the back was a girl with jet black  hair. This was presumably Lia, considering the third Natural on the other couch was a boy, who Vienna assumed was Dean.

"Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Vienna Prescott. She's our newest recruit, a natural rememberer." Judd says, smiling slightly as the three Naturals rose from their spaces.

"Vienna you know Michael, I'm sure." Vienna's eyes wander to the boy standing in front of her, that same smirk plastered on his face.

"Yes, I am responsible for your presence now." Michael says proudly.

"That's simply not true." The girl, Lia, cuts in. "Briggs sent you with his card, you were only his little messenger pigeon."

"Oh, shut it." Michael says.

Judd interrupts. "Lia's talent is deception. And she's also a very good liar."

Lia grins, but before she could speak, the third teen, the blonde boy, cuts in.

"Dean, my name's Dean. I'm a profiler." He offers his hand to shake Vienna's. 

He seems a lot more serious about this whole thing than Michael and Lia were.

"Nice to meet you, Dean." Vienna smiles gently.

"Dean's a bit grumpy today, forgive him." Michael stated. He knew this fact extremely well, because he is a natural emotion reader, that's why he is here in the first place.

"He's always like that." Lia adds.

That was seemingly the one thing which Lia and Michael could agree on.

"Would someone mind showing Vienna to her room? I've got to start on dinner," Judd says.

"I'll take you, Vienna." Lia says. "It's next to mine, so we're almost roommates." The girl smiles as they walk upstairs.

"Those people are killers. Those in the picture." The girl smiled almost wickedly. "Serial killers."

Vienna's eyes widen in shock, why were the photos of serial killers here?

"I personally think it's a bit dark for my liking, but then again, I'm no profiler." The girl twirls her black ponytail around her finger.

Vienna was silent for a moment. She wasn't sure what to say.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Lia continues.

"Not really, but the serial killer photos sort of threw me off too."

Lia smiles as they walk to Vienna's room.

"Is that normal? The photos, I mean." Vienna asks.

"Define normal." Lia mumbled as she pushes the door open.

"According to the Oxford dictionary, conforming to the standard. Usual, typical, or expected are synonyms."

"I didn't mean literally." Lia takes the bag from Vienna and sets it on the bed.

"Oh." Vienna mumbled. "Sorry."

Lia picked up on her embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I just meant, things aren't really normal here."

"Oh, that's certainly comforting." Vienna says sarcastically.

"You know Vienna, I think it'll be good to have you around. Now there's finally another girl. It's just been me, Dean, and Micheal for so long. And you seem fun."

"Fun?" Vienna asks as Lia unzips her bag, helping her unpack. She had never really been called fun by someone her own age before, especially not somebody who seemed as relaxed as Lia was.

"Yes, fun, interesting."

Vienna sits on the bed as Lia pulls clothing from her bag. She pulled a white sweater first.

"This is cute. If this mysteriously disappears sometime, don't go looking for it." Lia says jokingly.

Vienna laughed, like really laughed. Not because what Lia had said was particularly hilarious, but because she finally didn't feel super awkward, Lia provided some sort of welcoming comfort.

And Vienna had never really had a friend before.

As Lia has said, this place wasn't 'normal' , but it didn't necessarily seem bad.

Despite the smiling serial killers on the wall, Vienna thought that this could be quite interesting for her.

   •.¸¸.•'¨* •.¸¸.•*'¨•.¸¸.•'¨'

cam's notes!!

HERE WE GO !!

This little introduction was so fun to write I hope you love it too :)

Little known fact: I also want to go to Yale and study psychology!

Please lmk what you think of this chapter in the comments<3