From Zero to Psycho

Chapter 4: Getting to Know Anoura (James's P.O.V.)

Why did humanity have to do this to me? I live in an isolated building with no visitors and when we finally get a new residence she happens to be the most beautiful girl I have ever had a crush on! WHY? It is like fate is toying with me! Now I have to go and talk to her about an ESCAPE PLAN! Like really, can't I just talk to her normally? Well, here goes nothing.
You can do this, James. I think to myself, approaching Anoura behind her. I walk away. No, you can't. You can't do this. This rotates back and forth for a minute or so until Anoura turns around. She smiles at me with a look that could turn my knees into jelly.
I try to smile back but I'm too nervous and I bet it looks horrible. Her cheery, smiley face turns to one with concern and worry.
"Are you okay?" Her voice laced in concern
I try to speak but it only came out as a "You...plan...talk... food?" I tell you there is a conspiracy theory against me. I look beyond Anoura for a moment to see Rose making a kissy face with her hands folded into a heart shape.
Shut up! I mouth to her. Anoura turns around and Rose stops smiling and making the face immediately and put on her serious face, walking away. Anoura turns back around.
"What was that about?" She asks, puzzled.
"N-nothing." I stutter, my eye twitching. "How do you feel about escaping?"
"I think it's a great idea. This place is horrible. The food sucks. Except for the jello."
"Yeah. Th-the jello is good." I say.
"The other girl. What's her name?"
"R-Rose."
"Don't you think that she's a bummer? She's always serious when I look at her and she hasn't spoken to me yet. And the room is always cold around her. She might be crazy, too. What's with the tennis ball?"
"N-no. She's nice once she warms up to you; literally. And the tennis ball is for her insomnia. She's not crazy, though."
I glance over to Rose who is sitting alone at a table with a sketchbook and pencil. That's one of the good things of the company. They provide art supplies.
"How many times have you tried to escape?" Anoura asks.
"A few. One time we were so close. We could literally see outside."
"Huh. I know the passcodes for all rooms."
"Really? How would you know that?" I start to think that Rose was right about her being a spy.
"They all have the same codes and I watch them punch it in all the time."
Huh. They must've reset it the last time we attempted to escape.
Project Q, report to The Witch Doctor. Project C, report to Doctor Xen. Project Z, report to Doctor Shrill. All of you will be individually tested until further notice, rotating between doctors. A loud stereo system booms. That's me. Project Z. Doctor Shrill. I don't like him too much. He toys with me, though I suppose he toys with everyone.
As I approach Doctor Shrill's door, you can almost feel the pain I think with a shutter. I knock three times and a "Come in" booms with his Shrill-like voice. Ugh, I think. Here goes nothing. I push the slightly crooked door to see him in his uh...glory. As I sit down in the really uncomfortable chair I am all so used to, he pulls out a big folder with the big, red letters Project Z.
"Let's start with the basics, now. Are you feeling any unusual pain? " He asks with his steel-like eyes that I have yet to see any emotion in.
"No," I state, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Good! Good." He replies back with an almost joyous sound. "Now, have you recently felt aggravation, unusual tension, or have a high temptation of starting a fight?" He asks as he almost wants me to say yes.
Is he really asking my if I have tension? Let's not forget the fact that I'm stuck in an institution, with very rude guards to say it nicely.
"None that I should say to you," I respond and grin maniacally.
"Oh, let's not get cheeky now, Project Z." He says, clearly enjoying this.
"We are now going to go to the fitness area to test your physical strength today." He says putting back on an emotionless mask. After walking down the all too familiar hallways following the "Doctor" surrounded by guards to another door.
In the fitness area, I see the others and this is the room that we met Anoura. God, is she amazing. 

I mean... 

Uh... 

I see Rose in the corner at her station as Anoura walks into the room with Doctor Xen who is pointing at her new station. She has the punching bags and I have the weights next to Anoura's station. 

YES! I think. Time to prove myself. I mean show off my muscles... Biceps... Skills... Ugh, nevermind.

As she walks to her station, I walk to mine, Doctor Xen following me to be my safeguard and make sure I don't get hurt. As I lift my weights, I try to impress Anoura as much as I can. I also watch her as she fights the punching bag. She is AWESOME! Her form is so... So impeccable. She is a total babe.
As I stare at Anoura, Rose's sword hitting the dummy has gotten much louder. I stop lifting the weight and look at her and Anoura stops beating the punching bag. Rose doesn't stop, though. In fact. She swings the sword faster and harder, seeming to be growing angrier and angrier. Her eyes are slowly turning red, along with the tips of her hair.
She is getting angry.
Rose, then, cuts her left hand on the sword somehow and it immediately starts to bleed. Rose screams in pain and backs five feet or so away from the dummy. She turns back around and throws the sword at the hard foam figure, the sword sticking through it.
I get up from the bench and start to walk over to Rose to see if she's alright but Anoura stops me.
*******
Lunchtime. I have not seen Rose since the incident as we were immediately evacuated from the room. I grab my lunch tray and sit down at the table next to Anoura who has her lunch.
"You're worried about her, aren't you?" Anoura says, toying with her food with her fork.
"Well yeah. She's the only one I've had since I got here."
"There she is," Anoura says, looking beyond me and at who I'm assuming to be Rose. I turn and look at her and she's at the food cart with a tray in her good, right hand. Her left hand is wrapped up in a crappy bandage covered in dry blood.
She's also got her sketchbook tucked in between her left arm and her left side with a pencil behind her ear.
"What are her powers?" Anoura asks.

"Super strength pyrokinesis, and telekinesis. Along with rainbow eyes. How about you?"

"Hydrokinesis, weather manipulation, and flight. You?"

"Telekinesis, plant manipulation, and super speed."