Maybe You're the Reason Why

Chapter 2

I stand outside the testing arena, looking in for what I know is the last time. All it is a room that is pure white with no decor or color. It looks as sterile as a room can get. In the middle is the receptionist sitting at her all-white desk. Goosebumps rise on my skin as I walk into the frigid room. A knot twists inside my stomach as I approach the lady and she looks at me with a numb expression. She is a Handler who probably graduated at the bottom of her class. Hence, her having to sit at a desk in the middle of a room that is already starting to give me a migraine.

"Name and number," she says, with a lack of interest and with the voice of a person who has had to do this for an entire day.

"Rada Nastor, 18" I let it out with a sigh.

"Mm-alright right this way honey" she takes in a breath, harshly exhales it, gets up, and leads me to the door. "Go in and sit down. You should know the drill by now."

I take a look back, the next time I see that room, I will know what my role is in this society. I walk into the room and sit down on the black leather chair and hear the door click shut behind me. As I am waiting for the technician to arrive, I think about the many different futures I could have. Some as successful as being a government official and some as lonely as dying at war. I think about how lucky I am to be taken by the government. Out there in the world I have never set foot in, disease and poverty rule the streets, and though most children are taken at birth, stories, gossip, and rumors the circulate around the halls of the facility talking about how there are many illegitimates out there. Those parents are honestly so stupid. Just because they want to spend a few years with their children, they screw the kid's future. The kids aren't allowed to be seen or get a job or basically have a life. I hear footsteps coming from behind my head and the goosebumps that had gone down from earlier made my hair stand up. The pressure for today's test felt like an elephant on my chest and it made feel more on edge than usual. Someone sat down on my left and I turn to see a boy. Maybe 2 or 3 years older than me, his dark, blackish-brown hair, cut in a short, military style crew cut. I look at his dark, stormy, eyes, a mix between blue, gray, and black.
"Hi. My name is Niklas. Before we begin, I need to take your blood, but I'm guessing you already knew that huh?"
I nod my head as he steps forward and puts on latex gloves. As he touches my arm to draw my blood the knot in my stomach tightens and I chalk it up to the nerves. I wince when the needle breaks my skin and when he apologizes, it barely registers in my brain. All I can focus on is his deep, rich voice.
"That's all I need from you for now," he says as he carefully places a Band-Aid in the place where he previously drew my blood. "Just sit tight while I plug in your results alright?"
Once again, I nod. I sit up a little straighter in the chair, turn to him, and ask,
"So. You don't look like a handler. What are you?"

"I don't have to answer that now do I?" He says with a chuckle, and I try not to sink further in my chair.

"Well, seeing as this test will literally determine my future, I would really like to know why a Handler is not administering my test. Seeing as, like I said before, this will literally determine my future. Sorry for trying to see if you were qualified or not!" I say in a huff.

"Calm down Spitfire. Don't twist yourself silly." How. Dare. He.

"Excuse you! Who do you think you are calling a a-a-a"

"Spitfire?"

I look up and see his smirk.

"You obviously think this test is a bigger deal than it really is," What? This test is quite literally what is keeping our society together. How is it not a big deal?

"However, because I like my head on my shoulders and I don't want to go insane, I'll tell you my life story."

I roll my eyes. I don't need this boy's life story or his soliloquy. I just wanted a simple answer as to why a handler wasn't administering my test.

"Ok. So, when I was not much younger than you, I also took the test you are about to take. My result was to be a Champion."

"Ok, so then, why is a Champion administering my test?" I am losing my patience. A simple question that would have taken a minute to answer was now taking five.

"Oh well, that's an easy answer. They didn't have enough un-important Handlers and I am off duty for a while, so, I volunteered to make a quick, extra buck. How was I supposed to know that something that shouldn't be hard would end up giving me a headache?"

"Seriously? If you were smart enough to tell me that from the beginning, then we both wouldn't have a headache right now." I look at his face waiting for the damage my blow should have given to show on his face. Instead of looking angry, or mad, or ashamed, he seemed oddly proud of himself.

"Well, if I had started with that, then you would have still been nervous about this meaningless test, and we can't have that now, can we?" Oh. My. God. Oh my god! He was right! The goosebumps that made the hair on my body stand up disappeared, the involuntary shivers were gone, and I didn't feel nearly as on edge as earlier. The only thing that isn't gone, is that knot in my stomach that seems to tighten every time he looks at me or makes a snarky remark. I can't place my finger on why. Then, another thought crosses my mind.

"Why would you do that for me? Why do you care? You've said it yourself; you think this test is meaningless."

He looks puzzled for a moment, like he is deep in thought.

"I don't know why. Just don't make me regret it."

He turns to the machine plugging in the results from my blood. It is turned away from me so that I cannot see whatever, is on the screen. Nikolas's face turns sour as something appears on the screen. Then, a loud beep fills the room, and his face turns sour to serious and something else. Concerned maybe? Seeing him worried brings a sense of unease to my and my stomach seems to agree. It really is going through a lot today.

"Wh-what happened? This has never happened before. Why do you look so worried?"

He looks up at me and his expression makes my heart drop.