All Cloaked Up For You

Chapter 4 - Alexander

I arrived at class and the only person I knew in that class was Jake Bloque. His dad works for my dad in the Sterling's government. Dad said I should go to this school to spend time with Jake. Do I want to go to school? No, but it's Jake we are talking about here. Jake is a nice guy like me but, he doesn't like wasteland people. The moment I arrive at class, I am aware of the shock and surprise of my new classmate's faces. I'm famous and rich. 

"Don't talk to her, whatever you do. She's a wasteland girl" Jake informed and pointed at a girl with her messy bun and she read a book. A wasteland girl? In the city? In a prestigious school? I will need to research her. Her books are pristine, in the wasteland it would be difficult to keep them in a clean, whole piece. "Do you know why she is in the city?" I got curious. "Who figures? None of us want to talk to her and she doesn't want to talk to us." Jake scoffed.

She doesn't look much of the stereotypical wasteland girl. I can guess she is because of her messy hair, but the pristine books will throw me off. I somehow want to know her name, does she know about my Madeline?  My Maddie? The Madeline that left me in that dress store by myself and she ran to the wasteland with her red dress? I look at the girl hoping she knows anything about my Maddie. 

"That's Sophia Reynolds, she is an absolute smart ass." a girl that sits next to me grinned. I looked away from Sophia and adjusted my eyes to the girl. "How so?" I said curiously. The girl looks back at me. "She questioned many teachers and it either made them quit or have respect for her." She said. I look at Sophia, her black hair is tied up into a messy bun, and she has this independent aura to her. She looks like she doesn't need anyone.

Count my wishes to talk to her be over. I have no chance if she is strong-willed and wild. I can't tame it. Wait, I know that book. The one she is reading. The book is about the wasteland's history and philosophy. Now what are her intentions for the wasteland, is she greedy like the other people in the wasteland or not? I feel like she is. I feel like she is here for selfish reasons and has no interest in the people of Wasteland. Is she planning to rule it?

The professor grabbed a marker and went to the board. "We are learning Long Division with polynomials," The professor announced. I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. You know what? I lost track. The professor went so quickly that I didn't understand anything he said. Everyone else was struggling too. Sophia, she looks like she understood everything. Does her brain work at 2x speed? 

Sophia stood up when the professor turned around. "Ahem, you have a question?" The professor asked. "No I have a statement," she snarked. Oh, she has a statement? Is this where she questions the professor and makes them quit?  "You suck at teaching long division of polynomials you know that?" she critized. She gave the professor a demanding eye. I look between her and the teacher. 

"Now why did you say something like that to the professor!" some girl blabbed from the back of the class. "Yeah! Wasteland girl, you don't have a voice to speak against authority" Her friend supported her. Sophia doesn't look bothered. "Look, I'm the only one not struggling and understanding very well of the long division because I already know it," she flexed. She gave the professor a cold glance.

"You need to teach better because what you tried to teach us was not making any sense in anyone's brain," she snarked. She is right, everyone is confused except her. The professor looks like he thinks that Sophia is dumb because she is just a student. "Oh? You know the long division of polynomials correct?" He asked. "Yes, professor." I watched more, I'm trying to learn about Sophia. Is she very smart like the other people claim? 

"If you can solve this problem that I will write down soon, I'll let you teach the class. We will see if the class understands you or me." He said full of confidence. He writes an equation on the board. I look at the board with confusion. The professor gave her a marker to write on the board. She doesn't go straight to writing on the board. She stood there with her arms crossed facing the board. I'm perplexed as to why she would stand there.

She finished answering after a few seconds. She turned around to face the professor.  "You're correct." He sighed loudly. I'm in shock, how is this woman able to have tutors even when she lives in the wasteland? There's a mystery to her. How did she keep the book so pristine and also her uniform? How is she able to go to school here? Does she know about Madeline? What does she want from the wasteland? Is she greedy and selfish like those wasteland people are? 

The professor was defeated in his own game. Sophia is now up in the front of the class giving lectures. She writes an equation on the board. To my surprise, she is very good at teaching. Did she tutor someone before? She explained everything in a cold tone of voice but she did the job easier than the professor. "I think Sophia is cool now," Jake Bloque said. I look at Jake. Huh, so Sophia is brilliant like others have claimed. 

It's lunch. There's something that I like for lunch today. It's french fries and steak. Trust me, steak and potatoes should always be paired together. It's one of my favorite foods. I saw Sophia filling 3 water bottles when I went to the bathroom to relieve myself. They were pretty big. I know that Sophia isn't going to drink all that water. When I got out of the restroom she was gone. She didn't go to the canteen. She was in the classroom eating the french fries. 

I looked through the classroom window, her uniform fit her waist, and the way she grabbed the fries was graceful. I guess I don't know her very well, she's different you know? She reads books like I do, but I read them privately. I may not be smart like she is but, I feel like I need to talk to her about Madeline. I walked closer and closer to the classroom door. The thought of Sophia being a greedy wasteland girl filled my mind.  I couldn't build the balls to go in.