Conbellia

Chapter 8

Jeremiah talks to us about our schedules and different fighting techniques for a while longer. We get to ask all our questions and then we have to run longer distances and after that the first training is over.
As we walk back to the dorm the three girls lead the procession and Jere and I bring up the rear.
"Your schedule will be a bit more complicated than the others'" Jere casts s sideway glance at me. I nod. He continues: "If you continue like this with fighting training you'll be done with part one in a week. Then, the next week you'll have entertainment studies. As you know it's not even necessary to attend a conservatory to be an entertainer. Miss Courney will try to get an impression whether that'a really something for you. I'll be around too, for the dancing part... do you play instruments?"
"I do. I play the piano, the guitar a bit and I sing."
"That's... that's incredible."
I smile "I've written a few songs too but you know I can't really imagine doing that for a living... free time, yes but job? I don't think so."
"Well, we'll see. After one week of entertainment you'll some back to fighting part two. You'll only be there in the mornings though. The afternoon is planned to be your hunting education. And... technically I'm not supposed to tell you this... but... listen, you have to swear not to mention a single word about what I'll tell you to anyone." His intense stare, the way his muscles are tense I know that it's really important to keep whatever secret he's going to tell me a secret.
"I won't tell anyone" I say.
"Good." He's still hesitant but then he seems to make a decision. "Leading education isn't the way the rest is. My dad got special papers for it. Whenever he asks you something, the smallest thing in a conversation, it might be a test. Watch out for it. And watch your words." I swallow. This will be a lot harder than I thought. How will I know what he wants me to say when I shouldn't even know that it's a test? Oh gosh.
"Would you like to spend some time with the the fighters in the dorm? I have some things to do in town and my parents won't be home till 8 today." I nod.
"Sure."
Jere leaves the group at the next corner and I catch up with the last ones.

"A Conbellia, aren't you?" I spin around. The girl with shoulder long black hair sits down on a violet, almost white armchair. I feel the panic rise up inside of me.
Then I catch myself and give her a smile.
"Yeah, why?"
"You don't live in the dorm, you're really good and you're 16, so you can't be someone who has to repeat it all. You live at the Damers'..."
"So? It just means I have to do four times the work y'all are doing "
Her eyes widen for a second. She looks at me for a few more. "My sister was one two. She got Healer and Scientist. She wasn't the only one in her year. Maria is three years older than me. She didn't live with the Damers for long. They decided she'd be a good scientist so they gave her a flat for the time of her studies. You said four times the work? Did you... did you get four results?" The disbelieve in her voice can be heard clearly.
"Hunter, fighter, entertainer and leader." I say "is it that special? I got the impression Conbellias aren't that rare."
She gives her head a slight shake. "Four results" she mutters. "Conbellias aren't super rare. Did you read Divergent?"
"That amazing old book?"
"It is amazing! But what I was gonna say is, Divergence is about your character, the way you act. Conbellia isn't about that. In Conbellia, I mean the country, your rank doesn't say what you're like. It merely says what job you have. It's more about your body. Like, if you're Dauntless in the book Divergent you can still be a fighter or someone who works in the control room. In Conbellia, if you're a Hunter you can be brave, happy, anxious. Dig it?"
Slowly I nod.
"Sometimes, in the tests it's not clear whether you'll be better at shooting an animal from behind a bush, quietly or whether you'll be better at shooting into a mass of people fighting each other in a stressful situation. So Conbellias get results like Hunter and Fighter or Healer and Scientists. I've heard there have been people with three results. They got two like the ones above and their parents rank or something like that. That's what Catherine Damer was like. I think she was the last one to get three results till today. But four results? I've never ever heard of anything like that. Is your parents' rank one?"
I shake my head. "My parents are office-workers."
"Wow, well good luck! Do you have something in mind already? A favorite?"
"Actually, not really. I'd never thought of it all before testing day and then it's happened so quickly... I don't know. I guess time will show."
She nods. "Oh, by the way, I'm Kayla, you can call me Kay. It's nice to meet you Jeanine."
"It nice to meet you! You can call me Jane." We move towards each other and then hug in the middle of the room. The other girls step forward too.
"I'm Kacie" the girl with long blonde hair says. Her eyes are a shining blue and her smile is killing.
"And I'm Marianna. Hello Jane!" The last girl has long hair as well but hers is a really dark brown. Some of the guys decide to join us. I meet Daniel, Conrad, Harry, John, Justin, William and Ed. All of them turn our to be really nice.
"Who wants to come to the Hunters' with me?" Ed looks at us. I raise my eyebrow. "My twin sister Soundharya is there."
"I'll come!" Kayla, Kacie and I say in unison. Harry, Justin, Daniel and Marianna join in.
"Great! C'mon."

"Ed!" a girl with short black hair shouts as she opens the door. They hug.
"Soundharya - this are my friends from my dorm. Kayla, Kacie, Marianna, Jeanine, Harry, Justin and Daniel. Guys - Soundharya, my sis."
We all greet her and she leads us into the dorm. There's not much going on in their community room. There's just one girl who gets up as we enter.
"I'm Elise" she says "would you guys like some drinks?"
"Strawberry shake!"
"Cola!"
"Coke!"
Wie all shout something out to her. She laughs and disappears onto the kitchen. She's back a few minutes later with a drink for everyone.
I get a soda with ice in a big glass with a cypress on the top of it. "Thank you" I say. We exchange smiles.
We spend the evening talking about training, Conbellias, families and other things. They invite us to stay for dinner and we meet the rest of the dorm. Ten girls and twenty-two boys. We grill together and enjoy a beautiful evening on the veranda of the dorm.