Jane and the Guardians: Sword of the Lady

Chapter 1

Of all the things they can be, teenagers sure choose to be bored a lot, Jane ponders as she bites into her usual brown-paper-bag-peanut-butter-jelly sandwich. Alone in her customary spot deep in the quiet corner of the cafeteria, the high school senior is watching a room full of chattering fellow fifth period lunch goers. How ironic, never would have thought plain old little me would be the most interesting person in the room. Or maybe I have it wrong, perhaps being bored is what makes one interesting? With their uproarious conversations and cliques of friends, they all certainly appear to be more remarkable than me. Feelings of inadequacy and loneliness build slowly within her gut. Before the self-pity becomes unbearable, Jane takes another bite of her sandwich and delights in the balance of the savory roasted peanut butter and the sweet and sour grape jelly on her palate. Or perhaps only you understand me, my plain old peanut-butter-jelly sandwich.

Jane never really noticed her schoolmates' emotions until this morning, when she first put on the unadorned silver ring given to her by her grandmotherly neighbor, Mrs. Smith, and started to see people's feelings. Seeing is not exactly correct. There are no signs hanging from anyone's neck nor changes in appearance. She feels other people's joy and boredom just as she feels her own, in addition to her own.

Yes, we do basically the same things every day, five days a week. But, how great it is to be a teenager and go to school, instead of working. Jane pauses at the thought of work and reminds herself while her father's restaurant is closed today, she still need to be there after homework to cleanup and check inventory. "The restaurant closes once a week, so we can prepare for the week to come. Not, so we can rest," Dad often reminded her.

Every hour we are given new and different things to think about. This morning, for example, sex and love à la Shakespeare, violence and politics of the American Revolution, and math puzzles. That's not even including my favorite: science - how the world works. It's not a laugh a minute. Okay, some of the teachers can be dry and monotonous, but that's entertaining by me. Certainly beats working at Dad's restaurant everyday. However, all anyone can think about is how bored they are. What does Mrs. Smith say all the time? There are no boring subjects, only boring minds.

It was quite a shock when Jane first put on the ring that morning, having her mind invaded by the emotions of all those around her. The experience was not unlike walking from a peaceful personal sanctuary into a room of screaming people. Her head was filled with overpowering and chaotically unrecognizable noises. She had to take the ring off immediately. The rest of the morning was spent putting it on and taking it off until the emotions became more distinct and less overwhelming. Jane had to use the same trick when entering the cafeteria a few moments ago. But now, it is more akin to eavesdropping. She can focus-in on each person and sense even the most intimate of feelings.

I wonder what they are so bored about? Jane scans the room decorated with various "Congratulations Springfield High Class of 1939" banners and spots one particularly bored boy in a varsity jacket sitting at the popular kids' table. Tall, good-looking, the captain of the football team, and eldest son of the local blue-blood family, Tyler has been the center of attention ever since Jane remember going to school. Talk about having the world as his oyster, surely he must find life full of excitement. Tyler is surrounded by other jocks, so Jane assumes sports must be the topic of conversation. She concentrates on Tyler and feels the boy is bored with school, his clothes, friends, family, and football. He finds words are indistinguishable sounds without meaning, colors blend into pale shades of gray, faces blur, and activities routine. The most interesting thought he has is contemplating whether he is bored with being bored. And after a few more moments of boredom, he decides that he is still bored and continues to think about other things that bored him.