Eden's Gate

Chapter 5: Grading Day

The next morning, the bell rung at 7:30 as it usually did during the school year. The children all got out of their bed, with 15 minutes to get ready and get down to the Cafeteria for breakfast. Kids often woke up before the bell, but the bell was your last chance. One by one - or in groups of friends - children left the Common Room to go to the cafeteria downstairs. In Kaitlyn's case, she waited for her friends. The five of them went down together.

When Kaitlyn saw the selection on offer - bacon and eggs, oatmeal, cereal, and peas on toast, she went with the cereal. Froot Loops may not be helpful but she needed something sweet after what had happened last night, even if the cook, Ms. Maybel, gave her the stink eye for not making the 'healthy' choice. She sat down, and began to eat.

Edelweiss and Richard had taken the Oatmeal, Taylor was carboloading with the bacon and eggs, and Clifton had decided he'd have the peas on toast. They sat down at their usual table, the one two tables away from the door - their favorite because unlike a lot of the others it was a circle and had had five chairs at it. Like it was meant for them.

Breakfast was quiet. The children ate swiftly and quietly, each of them nervous. Eventually, Taylor broke that silence.

"So, how about them sportsballs?" They asked, putting a piece of bacon under their nose.

Edelweiss burst into laughter. "Sportsballs!?"

Her laughter was infectious, the rest of the group started laughing too. It took them a minute to settle down.

"Why was that so funny?!" Edelweiss wheezed out.

Once the group settled down, Richard broke out the elephant in the room. "So, are you all ready for this?" He asked.

Kaitlyn nodded. "There's nothing we can do to change the outcome, as far as I know. So we mind as well go in and do our best."

Clifton agreed, "we're all really good. Kaitlyn, you were doing telekinesis before anyone in the class. Taylor can find a fly on the other side of the building, and Edelweiss has set up a telepathy channel already. I've been able to feel Richard's projections! I can even see the future without trying."

Edelweiss beamed slightly at the compliment, and Kaitlyn felt proud too.

"Yeah. We'll all definitely be in the upper class." Richard said, matter-of-factly.

Kaitlyn, knowing that all the assurance in the world would mean nothing if it failed, put her hand in the center of the table. "Right. But if we don't, let's make a promise, right here, right now. Even if we don't end up in the same class track, we stick together. We're friends, forever."

"Agreed." Edelweiss put her hand on top of Kaitlyn's. She could feel the relief coursing through her, even if Edelweiss was doing a good job to hide it.

"Aye," agreed Richard, putting his hand in as well.

"Together forever," Clifton said, putting his hand in.

Taylor looked at the pile of hands, a grin on their face, "You're all ridiculous and that's why I love you."

They put their hand in too. She could feel the pride and joy of all her classmates, welling together. Every one of them meant it, she could feel it. She knew it. They were going to be okay.

Half an hour later, the children were all sitting outside the auditorium. 41 chairs had been set up, for each and every one of the 3rd grade students. They were aligned up in ABC order, last name then first. This meant that none of Kaitlyn's friends were sitting near her (though Clifton and Edelweiss did get to sit next to each other.)