Overlap

Chapter 27-D: The Altiri History

<11/01/2010- 13:15 | Saffrin Middle School (Gymnasium), Austell,GA, USA>

With everything on my mind, my day flew by me without my noticing, even though I got to experience the maximum level of awkwardness given our situation. As it stands, Lumina still remains connected to me via telepathy, something that won't change until the long day's end. But between our last real conversation and the gym class I promised I would be part of, there were countless little moments where I could feel her very presence here with me. No, not as in she was here physically. I mean – there would be moments of time where she would pay extra attention to my surroundings through my senses, even when she never explicitly stated that she would. Not only was there a lack of absolute privacy, but any moment that she tried to key in and focus on anything happening around me in particular, that strange buzzing sensation in the back of my head got stronger, ever so slightly. I kept monitoring the weather outside in between class transitions; not once did the temperature go anywhere near the upper fifties. The chill in the air was here to stay, as does she appear to accompany my presence.

But once she got to see the inside of my gymnasium, all points of her silence were finally off. "Wow! It's such a big open space to be in!"

I never did anything in particular to get Lumina's attention prior to or during my walk into the gym. Her response and reaction was automatic, which proved to me she has been obsessively monitoring my own surroundings more than her own. I said nothing, and yet she knew the moment I stepped foot into gym, complimenting the free open space all on her own. I felt the need to give her props for sticking to her promise to leave me alone until now, but I couldn't bring myself to - having known about her passive snooping. "Nothing to get excited about Lumina. It is just gym after all. Good old exercises!"

"Still, it is the first time I'm getting to see the inside of your school this way."

"So you keep saying." My mind went adrift after coming in here, unsure what to expect of this situation. On my way to gym class, I took the liberty of using a bathroom break to change into my gym clothes using the large empty stall. I wanted to skip the locker room altogether with Lumina in tow, so I was able to participate the moment I showed up here, and nobody asked me any questions about it. But just being in here again, the sights, the scent, the ambient low humming noise from above, all reminded me of what was soon to come. Despite how I may have sounded earlier, there was never a time when my body was fully prepared for this. "Oh what am I kidding? Gym fucking sucks!" I've always disliked any physical exercise, ever since my first asthma attack. I wasn't remotely obese, but I also had no built muscle. I always discounted any purpose to exercise, since it was never any fun and never led to any major improvements in my physical appearance. So my current attitude was to be expected, since these coaches force us into this against our will.

"It sure fucking does."

Is that the same foul and fun language I hear her using? "Ah, so now I'm teaching aliens how to curse. What ever will I do?" I wasn't really concerned or ashamed that Lumina would learn how to speak more like myself, nor was I sorry about dropping an F-bomb. It's always considered sinful to curse using such language, but I have every right to say it if I'm only thinking it out loud. As for Lumina hearing me, well, that's her fault for linking to me telepathically in the first place, not that she seems to mind.

"No, you're not." Lumina's tone filled with minor disdain as she corrected me, one that clued me into the idea that she has heard it somewhere else before. She wasn't hesitant to rain on the tiny parade of arrogance filling my mind. "I learned that a long time ago, from the evolution of many human language variants."

"Human variants?" The leaning conversation reminded me of something, a caveat that I was finally ready to demand of her in person. It's something that's been bugging me for a while now. "How is it that you can speak my exact language? I don't see it likely that you just picked it up over the years using your powers. It's too convenient!"