The Elementai

Chapter 7

Alex Carter. Everywhere. Lexa wanted to scream. After the whole genocide thing, Ms Felicia decided to stop forcing them to connect, and instead forced them to spend every possible second of everyday together. The mornings in Philosophies was spent locked in a room together. Their seating arrangements in every class were changed so that they would be seated together. They couldn't go into the common room without each other. Any hobbies on the side: together. Breakfast: together. Even just wanting to relax somewhere: together. The only time Lexa didn't have to see him was when she needed to take a toilet break.
As predicted, it didn't go well the first few days. In the locked Philosophies room, they completely ignored each other. Lexa kept finding a way to get into the common room without him, and Alex went out of his way to avoid her as often as possible. Ms Felicia was furious. That was when they were forced to do the worst thing imaginable: talk.
It was easy to just refuse, but not when they were connected to a machine that Ms Felicia controlled, able to shock them at her will. Which is what happened one morning in Philosophies.
"Okay, talk," she said. "Or else, you'll get shocked by...how much volts is this...a lot of volts!"
Lexa turned to Alex, and he looked at her. They stared at each other with no expression. A small buzz went through Lexa's body, and she saw Alex tense up, so the same must've happened to him. "That's all you got, Ms F?" Lexa sniggered. BZZZZZ! "Ouch! That hurt!"
"Good! Now talk," Ms Felicia said, her chin higher.
Lexa frowned.
"I have to say," Alex told her, "You have an electric personality."
"Ha-ha, very funny," Lexa sneered. "You should really stop mumbling though."
"What are-"
"There you go again! I never know volt you're saying." Lexa grinned. A groan rumbled out of Ms Felicia.
"It is shocking how stupid you are," Alex retorted, a slight smirk on his face.
"Ask each other questions," Ms Felicia ordered.
"Miss, you can't force people to understand each other. Isn't that supposed to happen naturally? Ouch!" Lexa yelled as Ms Felicia shocked her again.
"She's right," Alex said, and mimicked Lexa as she raised her eyebrows. "What?" he said. "Is it a crime to agree with you?"
"I guess not," Lexa said slowly. They both turned their gaze on Ms Felicia. She stood up.
"I'm going to get Mr Pascal."

And that was when they had freedom. They were still told to stay together as often as possible, but the rules were less like those of a concentration camp, so that was a perk.
Mr Benedetto Pascal had set some times for them to 'hang out', and as per his orders, they were sitting at the river which cut through the forest. A continous stream of deep blue, with the rays of the sun shimmering on it, the river was a remarkable place. It was not foreign to Lexa, as she often visited there to gaze at her natural element. She especially loved it in winter, when a mist would hover over the water like a spectre, giving the river bank a ghostly facade.
After saying nothing for a while, Alex spoke up. "So...let's talk. I'm saying this against my will."
"Right," said Lexa, sitting cross-legged. "I came prepared." She took out a list and held it out like a scroll. She gave him a sidelong glance. "Against my will, of course."
"Of course," Alex said sarcastically. She cleared her throat. "What's the stupidest thing you've done?"
"This," he said immediately.
"Would you rather be really big or really small?" He considered it.
"Small."
"Were you made in China?"
"Not that I recall."
"Bald or hairy?"
"What kinds of questions are these?"
"Bald or hairy?" Lexa repeated.
"This isn't even-"
"BALD OR HAIRY?"
"Neither!"
"That is not an option. Bald or-"
"How about I make the questions next time?" he offered. "That way we can actually get somewhere."
Lexa scoffed. "This whole thing is a bunch of shi...shishkebabs," she said.
"It's not about us. It's about our whole race."
Lexa breathed out. She had to remember that. This was bigger than just her, it was about all the Elementai in the world. They were a rare connection, and as much as she hated it, she was beginning to understand how important it was.
Damn it.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She glared at Alex as his dark eyes bore into her. "Okay! I get it." He smirked slightly; he seemed to do that a lot.
"Good." He stood up. "Because I've seen what genocide is like."
"Wait, what?"
"You'll see. When you get into my mind," he mocked, chuckling under his breath. He walked away, but turned back to say, "Trust me. They need us."
"Trust you?" Lexa called back. "That's the biggest problem." Alex gritted his teeth and walked faster.