(Samir Ali pov.)
[November, training hall:]
The training hall is used for either abilities mastery or combat lessons. Right now, combat is on our schedule.
Zain stands in front of George on a mat.
"Ready?" She flexes her hands.
"You know, maybe we shoul-" George doesn't finish his sentence because Zain uses her foot to hit him in his lower leg swiftly to make him fall on the mat, he remains down, groaning slightly.
"You good?" Eric laughs mockingly as he stands next to me when I'm taking notes.
"Yeah, I'm fine. At least this time it wasn't the head."
"That optimism is going to get you nowhere." He turns to me "Did you jot it down?"
I reply while I'm still focused on my work with a pen dangling in my hand:
"Yep."
Taking a short look at my hands, I make sure the bandages don't slip away. The thing I dislike about sports is that we cannot wear out shirts, making my hands exportable. This forces me to put bandages over my palms before every combat lesson.
Luckily, no one has asked me about it. Yet.
I show a sketch of George falling on the floor, Zain is there as well.
Eric pats my head slightly:
"Nice."
Somehow I can't help but feel appreciated by this.
But it also makes sense. I started being around Eric and George's group more.
When we first met, I never imagined that anyone would want to be around me, let alone become my friend.
Nevertheless, the two boys made me part of their group, and now Zain seems to be a part of it as too.
She's hanging out with us more often, it all started when she joined our cafeteria table, I'm glad she did.
Most people think she's an emotionless and somewhat scary person.
Despite that, I've grown fond of her, she's actually nice and even shares her snacks with me.
It's important to know that almost no one is permitted to touch her snacks, so it is an honor for me, it really is.
Things really seem to have worked out for the better.
The bell rings so the students start leaving as Ms. Volkov finishes her lesson:
"That's it for today, learn the stances for next Thursday! Oh and, Samir, stay behind please."
Upon hearing my name being called, I already anticipate the worst.
Calm down, surely it's nothing bad.
The three look at me and I tell them to go without me.
"I'll meet you later."
"We'll save you a dessert." George nods.
They go outside and I approach Ms. Volkov, who is standing by the wall near the benches.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Not exactly, that's what I'm trying to figure out."
She doesn't know. She doesn't know what happened.
Could she?
She doesn't know, right?
Stop repeating yourself.
"Look, I was going through this class' files and saw your application letter. *pauses* I know you faked your mother's signature."
Abruptly, I sit down on the bench behind me, feeling my ability twitch. This happens a lot when I get nervous.
She knows. She knows that I've lied.
"I haven't told anyone, I don't want to, but you have to tell me why you did it."
YOU ARE READING
Problems of the Gifted
Science Fiction"That's it, right? Everything you did was because you were afraid that things would go this way. You were afraid that you would fail. You were afraid of me. Let me tell you something. You should be." (Quote from a character) A new year at the Academ...
