The Matters of Power

Chapter 25- The New Spring Student

*Current Perspective: Julieta*

Another sunrise, another scheduled meeting with one of Father's potential business partners. Despite the fact that it's technically Winter Break, he still manages to give me work and have me use my special ability. Today's target: a recent branch of a manufacturing company, with the CEO's second son to tag along, for 'hands-on experience and judgement'. Of course, Father and I know that it's their disguised attempt to try to get the guy into a relationship with me so that they can try to get an advantageous position or inherit the company. Little do they know about the dangerous levels of Father's business savvy and ruthlessness, and all I have to do is sit there throughout the meeting all pretty-like and professional as he negotiates. In the end, he manages to talk his way to a better deal long-term without the manufacturing company being none the wiser and with the CEO's son not any step closer to getting my affection. "Hello there." I hear the guy try to talk to me after the meeting. "Mmhmm, hello to you too, sir." He tries to act all cool, "So Ms. Corvanez, I was wondering if you would let me have the honor of having your phone number so that we may keep in touch whenever it's needed, maybe treat you to a nice dinner sometime." Oh no, not this trick again. "Why would I need to be distracted by such a thing? You know I am a busy person within the company and I'm sure I would need Father's permission to date you. Besides, we'll be seeing each other more often because of our agreement so let's take it slow." Jackpot. As expected, he's full of deluded imaginations and accepts it without a hard thought, leaving me to go about my own way for today.

Ever since Father had the idea of moving Star-Cor Technology's endeavors to San Anton, I've had to be content with the ever-growing responsibilities that is being the CEO's daughter (and an only child). Despite this, I have been able to go through the Fall semester of school with a private tutor and kept my special ability hidden from everyone else but Father. In fact, he was the one who had somehow given me these powers when I turned 15 this year when he had given me some shiny crystal necklace and had gotten supernatural powers that can realistically be described as a form of Charisma-enhancing abilities. As much as I have been trying to find out the origins of my powers, it's clear that he doesn't know much about it and whatever info he does know will be kept to his grave. There are a few things I can do with these powers: know what someone's inner emotions are, be extremely persuasive/intimidating/manipulative (but only only have one active at a time), give off a colorless odor that changes people's immediate emotions, as well as be able to drop someone's guard if I ever get in a fight. Father has made it clear that he can be the only one who knows about my powers because he and I agreed that his money and influence can only protect me for so long before the government decides to abduct me and experiment on my body for my powers. I shudder to think the inhumane methods they would use to extract whatever it is I have that gives me such a blessing and curse.

One day, my father suddenly decides to enlist me in a public school in the city, its name being San Anton High. He said it would "help further my skills in education and create worthwhile connections as I mingle with my peers." Oh, that and to be with those in a similar age group as me so I can enjoy my youth before I have to take on responsibilities after high school. I figured that I would walk while I was in the city instead of relying on my personal chauffer service, but my stupid phone's GPS app had to be downloading an update at the wrong time to get lost. Luckily, I encountered a guy around my age who was attempting to exercise in a park, but based on his body frame and weight it seemed as if he was having more trouble than he thought. I approached him out of curiosity and surprisingly enough he didn't immediately recognize me as the Star-Cor Technology's Prodigy Daughter as almost everyone passing by did. Instead, he willingly agreed to help me and I was more than surprised to see that he didn't take an immediate interest to me unlike the other guys that I've met before, and was quiet unlike those we pass on the sidewalk. He shows me the entrance to San Anton High and waves me goodbye as I enter the school building and try to work out my school transfer with the unfortunate office workers working inside instead of taking a deserved break. With all that said and done, I return home after calling my personal chauffer to pick me up from the school and go through information about San Anton High but the thought of that guy at the park never left my mind.

The next day, I don't know why I bothered to check if the guy from yesterday was at the park again but to my surprise he was there. I approach him and we talk for a bit, finding out that his name is Marcus and despite his immediate knowledge of where San Anton High is he's homeschooled. Despite his reasons, I know that there is more to it than what he said, that he has been bullied in the past or else he wouldn't be here trying to exercise so intensely. No doubt by guys who are better looking trying to prove a point with picking on nice guys like him. Yet for the first time, this guy doesn't seem to be affected by my Charisma abilities no matter how hard I try to discreetly use them on him. Is it because of my lack of ability, or his lack of many emotions? Maybe even his body or blood type? Before I can try to learn more about Marcus, Father suddenly tries to contact me and I have no choice but to answer him. I never saw him much after a few days later as the holidays and New Year's go by, but I do hope that I see him more and have the chance to be able to have a friend like him, who didn't see me as an attachment for their success and ambitions.

*(Current Perspective: Marcus) The day of the start of Spring Semester of school...*

The breeze feels chilly but just right as I stand around the school entrance, waiting for Carl to arrive so we can talk a bit about how our break went. He arrives a few minutes later with Payton close by and see that they are doing rather well close together since they aren't arguing immediately after talking with me about some petty thing Carl did in the past. "Yo! Marcus, how ya doing, it's been a while!" "It's been a while, Carl. How did your Winter Break go?" He gives me a thumbs up, "It went great. Got to visit my family up in Dallas and had a great party for Christmas Eve. I also got a new phone and even took pictures of a museum that" "-That *I* helped you with since you didn't have a clue for where we would go." Payton butts in the conversation, "Sorry Marcus, but Carl and I had the idea for our families to head to Dallas for the holidays so that 'coincidentally'," she emphasizes air quotes with her hands, "we would be able to see each other outside of school. Remember the look on my dad's face when I finally introduced you to him?" Carl's face beams up, "Oh yeah! When we had seen each other outside near that park, and..." My mind starts to drift away from their vacation tales as I start to spot a somewhat familiar face enter school grounds. Some fancy car passes by to the drop-off area and a guy with a suit comes out by one side, walking around to the other side and opens the door. A woman comes out of the car, wearing the expensive school uniform that some people wear and starting to gather a crowd around her as she walks in my directions. Wait a minute, that's Julieta! So she actually did come here to enroll to this school, it makes me almost overjoyed that I have a known friend in this school that I know outside of this body.

I approach Julieta for what seemed to feel like forever since I met her. "Hey Julieta!" I call out and wave, "How are you? I hope you've been doing well." She looks directly at me and says nothing until she gets closer to me. For a moment I think she's going to whisper something to me, until she gives a look of disgust and repulses from me. "Who the hell are you?" Julieta hisses, "I don't recall knowing you at all, let alone let you say my name in such a friendly manner. If you know who I am then you do best to stop yourself from making any moves towards me, and think about what you're doing with your life." And with that she enters the school building, leaving me shocked with her words and the unknowing harshness that she truly had within her. "Hey, Earth to Marcus." Carl snaps his fingers in my face, "What was that all about? Did you know her or something?" I'm at a loss for words with this. "I... thought I did. I guess I was mistaken." Neither Carl or Payton try to say anything but their thoughts don't help me feel any better, so I decide to head to class early. It seems that even the biology teacher is still as distracted as I am because he doesn't acknowledge my entry to the classroom and when I sit down in my desk. Too much goes in my head about Julieta: Has she always been this cruel to other people? Does the money that she has go through her head that she thinks that she can just bully people however she pleases? Yet why was she so kind to me back in Winter Break when I was in my original body form? Before I knew it, the first period bell was ringing and all of us were dreading the wrath of post-vacation homework.

As the teacher rose from his desk chair and was about to start the lesson, one of the front office staff workers opens the classroom door with... Julieta of all people. They say that this is going to be her first period class and the teacher reluctantly gives her the desk three desks in front of mine.

For a split moment our eyes lock onto each other and the only thought on my mind is:

"(So, she is a stuck-up businessman's daughter after all.)"