The Super Enrichment Programme

The Leader and her Minions

I took my iPod with me to school today; it makes me feel less lonely when I'm walking on my own.

As I walked along to where I normally meet Emma, I was hoping to see her standing there, to laugh at me when I described my dream about her going bad, but all I saw was a sparrow sat on the road sign that told me I was at the right road.

I took a few deep breaths and walked quickly to school, refusing to cry today, telling myself to not show any signs of weakness.

My first lesson today was Power Protection. I walked in to find everyone there.

The classroom was massive; it had to be to cater for 17 teenage super-humans. I could have guessed where everyone would be sitting even before I walked in.

The ‘leader’ and her 5 minions were sat around a table next to the door, earning me death stares as I walked past. I was surprised to see that Gordon and Luca’s hands were entwined as well as Lizzi and Roy’s. I mouthed ‘Aw’ to Willow as I passed, making her giggle behind her hand. They were all sat around a massive table with Candy, Continuum, Tom and Daniel. Right at the back was the table I was looking for: Hale and Nolan.

They were deep in conversation when I approached and poked Hale on the arm, making him jump and look around with panic in his eyes.

‘Relax, it’s only me,’ I giggled as I slid into the seat next to him. I saw both their shoulders loosen when they saw me smiling, hair curled, wearing a white lace dress and pale blue cardigan. I’d even put on my heeled denim sling-backs to make the most of the nice weather.

‘Are you okay?’ Hale asked, and I looked at him confusedly, ‘Tom told me about the crying,’ he muttered looking ashamed.

‘Oh… yeah I’m good now…’ I whispered, not wanting to look at them because I felt tears start to build up in my eyes.

I took a few deep breaths and blinked them away when I felt Hale put his hand in my arm.

I turned around and buried my face in his shoulder, feeling his arms curl around my back.

I stayed there for a few minutes, desperately blinking back the tears and preparing myself for the day.

When I pulled back I saw the worry in Hale and Nolan’s eyes.

‘Don’t worry, I didn’t cry…’ I said, laughing with Nolan and Hale as our teacher walked in to start the lesson.

She was a bit of a hippie, in a good way. Her clothes were suited to her body shape and skin tone. Today she wore a cream fringed crop top and stripy denim shorts, with her dirty blonde hair pulled back in a messy bun and a flower garland perched atop her head.

She took us through many different meditations that help our powers to stay pure and good.

We all sat on a rug in a circle and were told to imagine ourselves sat in a cone of the purest white light and allow it to cleanse us of all negativity.

I kept opening my eyes and peering at Emma to see if she was turning good again, but it didn’t look like she was even doing the meditation. Even though her eyes were closed she had a piece of paper and a pen n her hands, furiously scribbling away before passing it to Tetra, who passed it to Isaac, then to Nick and eventually Kat.

I began to worry then, what could be so important that has to happen when everyone’s eyes are closed and Emma can easily read their minds.

She can read everyone’s minds. All except mine.

I dismissed it and decided to concentrate on making my powers pure and root my true meaning to goodness (that meditation involved standing on a rainbow and imagine our feet growing roots through it…I know, I’m confused too)

I was interested to hear that we could continue the meditations at home in order to top up the protection with small 30 second bursts of each daily.

At break I told Hale and Nolan about the piece of paper Emma passed to her minions.

‘I’m sure it’s nothing,’ Nolan muttered, not looking me in the eye, but I caught the glint of a tear as his eyes darted around.

‘Maybe it’s a track list for a party she's gonna throw?’ Hale added and we all started laughing, earning strange looks from nearly everyone else in the room.

‘GEMMA!’ a stern but panicked voice called from the other side of the lunch room, making everyone’s heads whip around to see Professor Ringwood stood in the doorway, looking like she just ran a marathon.

‘Come with me NOW!’ she yelled, the panicked note still noticeable.

I stood up slowly, pulling my bag onto my shoulder and tripping over the chair leg as everyone in the room turned their focus to me.

I glanced back at Hale and Nolan, who smiled encouragingly at me.

‘HALE AND NOLAN! Ringwood yelled, making me jump, ‘I think you’d better come as well,’ she said more softly, almost pityingly.

The three of us walked silently in a line behind Ringwood as she led us down corridor after corridor.

Eventually she stopped dead, breathing faster than normal. Me, Hale and Nolan lent to one side to peer around her and see why she’d stopped.

I took in the sight laid out before me and had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

‘How…’ Professor Ringwood whimpered, looking so small and vulnerable in her confusion.

I stepped forward; gesturing to the bubble exactly like the one Ringwood had put Emma in only the day before, making a mental note about the fact that it was glowing neon green before saying:

‘Hale, Nolan, Professor…. I don’t think you’ve met my boyfriend Ethan?’