To Be Awake

I

April 2547 WC, Mia;

I wake to the blare of my clock. I sigh sleepily. Still, some things never change, I think to myself. I get up and stalk over to my dressing pad and tap in today's code - a gray blouse and black jeans.

I sigh once more. Every girl would be wearing the same thing that I would be wearing, and yet I would be made fun of how I dressed.

I reposition my thick, black glasses on my face. Maybe it was my glasses? I pulled them off and was instantly struck with a pain in my head.

When they were given to me, they didn't explain why without them, my head hurt. 'Just wear them and it'll go away.' I remembered them telling me.

It was as if they didn't even know why I had the head pains, it was like someone told them to say it. I become flustered and marched out of my sleeping pod, and into the dine. My mother greeted me with a smile.

"Do you want oatmeal or grits?" She asked mr and I wrinkle my nose.

"Neither. I think I'll just wait until the second feeding." My mother gave me a pointed look.

"You know how the Uppers feel about that. You'll be punished if they do the scan." I groan.

"Fine. I'll just have a serving of granola." I hop off my stool and walk to the over cupboards. I type on the keypad to tell it what I wanted.

Would you like some milk? The machine asked me. I type in a few keys and hold my bowl out as the milk poured. I reluctantly sat down and ate.

"You'd better hurry up, so you can make the craft." My mother tells me. I push my bowl away and hurry out the door.

When i make it to the craft, hardly any seats were available. Great, I think, now where am I going to sit? Very few people would sit with me, none my own age.

I scan the aisle for a kind looking, or and unfamiliar face on the craft. In the the back I see a boy with messy dark hair. He might not know me, I think with hope.

I gather my courage and make my way over to him. "Excuse me--" I barley got out my sentence before he moved his stuff. He gave a quick gesture with his head, indecating that I could sit with him.

I smile. "Thank you." I said and slid in to the seat. I extende my left hand, as their custom indecated. "I'm Mia." I hold mu arm at a ninety degree angle.

He didn't seem to care about my outstretched arm. I put it down. "W-what's your name?" I ask timidly. This time he smiled.

"Now that's," he looked at me, "a secret." He said plainly. I could see his eyes were milky white and unfocused. What's he looking at, I ask myself. I furrow my brow.

"Is there something behind me?" His face showed, momentarily, anger, but settled back into annoyance almost instently. He muttered something about the Uppers and the Superiors.

"What?" I ask, but he just waved me off.

"Nothing." He turned his attention to the front of the craft. I bow my head.

"I'm sorry if I've upset you." He looked at me in surprise.

"What?"

"I said I'm sorr--" He clamped his hand over my mouth.

"I heard you," He whispered. His eyes were filled with unfocused worry. "But why did you say it?" He removed his hand.

"Because it's the nice thing to do."

"Your not supposed to be nice to me."

"W-why? It's improp--" I start but the boy cuts me off.

"I know it is, but you just can't. It's for you own sake." The craft came to a stop. "Excuse me." He said and I hop up, out of the seat. As he leaves, I can hear a slight clicking noise. I can feel my face become red with anger and shame.

I bite mu lip. Whatever, I thinl. I begin walking off of the craft. Somethings just don't change. I jump the last step and heard the fifteen minute warning from the school. Shoot, I say to myself as i brake out into a sprint.

I run through the sea of light gold, bland brown, and dark black hair. Her red hair stuck out like a thorn.

Just gotta keep my head down. Gotta keep my head down--

"Hey Mia." A voice said behind me. Great, Mia thought, just what I need.

"What, Gretchen? I'm gonna be late." Gretchen flicked her blonde hair back with a quick and flawless motion, ignoring mel

"Don't They lock things like you up?" I shift my weight, uncomfortably, foot from foot.

"I've done nothing wrong." I say pointedly but Gretchen ignores me.

"You're genetically imperfect. Your lame hair," one of her "zombies" came forward and yanked my hair out of its holder, "Your dorky glasses," another came and grabbed them off my face, "And your overall inability to grow."

I see a flash of blurry gold and was suddenly push back. The sensation of falling surrounded me, but only for a split second. Pain shot through my back as I hit the ground.

"Go back to where to whatever you came from, Mink." Gretchen snapped.

"Hey!" A somewhat familiar voice shouts. Is that... the boy from the craft...? I question to myself.

I can see the blurred shape of a boy step forward and stood in front of me. "If you'd be so kind as to let her get up." The way he speaks is so weird. I've never heard anything talk like that before.
"M-my glasses..." I say quietly.

"And her glasses, if you will." I slowly sot up, one hand on my sore back. I hear Gretchen laugh ruefully.

"And why would I do that? She's an imperfect... and it looks like you are too..." Gretchen sneered. "And besides I can do whatever I want. I am, after all, the highest Superiors' daughter."

The boy hesitated. A bell rang out signaling the ten minute warning. Gretchen and her zombies laugh. "Take your glasses, Mink. I've had my fill... for now." She said and tossed my glasses on the ground. "Oops." She said and began walking away laughing.

I draw a shaky breath and began searching for my glasses. "This happen often?" The boy asks me. I purse my lips.

"Almost every day." I say after awhile. My hands finally hit the plastic of my glasses. I give a sigh of relief and slip them on my face.

"This is the first time someone has someone has intervened though."

"Why's that?" He asked and I laugh in spite of myself.

"Well it's because I'm an imperfect, I guess. I was just born to be hated." I say. The boy started walking.

"You coming?" He asks me. I stand and began walking beside him.

"Why did you help me?" I ask after awhile. He stayed silent for a moment.

"I'm an imperfect - an un-sighted." I furrow my brow.

"An un-sighted?" The boy nodded.

"I guess They don't tell you about Us, right?" I shake my head.

"No, They don't." I reply. The boy just laughs.

"And they won't."

"Well... why not?"

"Because we're the reason They lost."

♤•♤•♤•♤•

Well there you go Senpai (haha not sure if that's right ^_^)! So any who I tried to make the words kind of explanatory but if they're unclear go right ahead and ask! I don't bite... much... ;) . Though someone does. *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge* *I mean you Senpai*