Stay Strong

Chapter Seven

Well, I did go to Advanced Physics and ended up practically teaching the class of only six other people. Luckily Achilles was not there, he must have bypassed the advanced classes and gone for the easier classes.

In the pointless two years after the xenocide, Bean told me about the slums of Rotterdam. From what I grasped, kids roamed in gangs, vicious, killing gangs. This is also where Achilles came from.

I guess Achilles categorised under the group of kids known as the 'bullies' but slowly after being taken into the same gang as Bean, he took over. Achilles was the oldest, I guess around eight or nine, around twelve or thirteen at battle school.

So Achilles is definitely a force to be reckoned with in this place. I mean if I told everyone who I was, they'd probably tremble in fear. That or I'd become a complete social pariah.

Well, I've already blown my cover to two people. I've told Carly my nickname Ender so it's only so long before she figures out who I am. Brennan remembers who I am and what I did to Stilson, but shockingly doesn't hold it against me.

So a few hours later I sit alone in the lunch room without any sight of my new friends. As I look around I spot the one person that I don't want to see. Achilles.

Can I not get away from this psychopath? I whip my head back to looking at the lunch my mother sent me to school with. Of course she knows nothing and sends me a sandwich with mayonnaise on it, I hate mayonnaise.

Next to me I hear someone sit down to the left of me. I peek up from the table and there sits a smiling Carly. "Hi Drew! How were your first few classes?"

I sit up straighter, "Sculpting was terrible, I practically taught Advanced Physics, Painting and gym class weren't too bad."

Carly scrunches up her eyebrows, "What was so bad about Sculpting, I love that class."

I look back down at the table, "I'd rather not talk about that."

Carly shrugs her shoulders, "Okay, What classes do you have after this?"

I bend over and search through my knapsack that sits on the ground for my schedule. I finally find it crumpled at the bottom of the bag. I hand it to Carly who grins.

"Okay, so next you have a Study hall, then Music Theory, Advanced Calculus and another Study Hall. You're also signed up for basic sport gym." She grins, "We're going to have both Advances Calculus and your second Study Hall!"

I offer a look of mock excitement, "Yay! Good because I have no idea where I'm going."

She laughs, "I've been going here my whole life so I know where everything in the town is. I could, I guess I could show you around sometime?" A faint pink tinges Carly's cheeks.

I smile, "I'd like that, it'd be fun." I look around the lunch room, "Hey, Do you know a Brennan Lark?"

Carly nods sadly, "Well, I used to." She surveys the room and points somberly over towards the door, "There he is."

I look in the direction Carly pointed and see Brennan walk through the door and spots me. Brennan walks nonchalantly over to where Carly and I sit.

"Hey Ender." He says as he sits down to my right.

I lightly grasp the collar of his shirt, "What did I tell you about calling me that, Brennan?"

His eye widen a little, in what i assume is fear, "Sorry man, I forgot." I release Brennan and look back to Carly, she has backed away from me very subtly, she looks afraid.

"Great." I mumble to myself. I get up grab my knapsack and walk out of the lunchroom, heading towards the window where I was discovered by Brennan.

I walk past teacher and students who don't turn a blind eye. I reach the window and sit down. I let out a breath.

I wasn't supposed to show that side of myself to her. I always meant for it to stay boxed inside where it wasn't supposed to be showed at all, Val doesn't even know who I am.

I realize that soon I must be prepared to show who I am, but what I've shown Carlotta is just a fraction of the pent of anger and rage I have over one person. The one person who is the one who ripped my family apart, the one who is my most fatal foe.

Me. I am that one person.

Deep down inside, I despise myself. I hate myself for who I have become, What I have done, and those I have harmed in the process.

I look out the window where the children of the Greensboro grade school play on swings, slides and monkey bars, a liberty I never had as a child. While my new classmates played yard games, I was put through war games and SIMs.

I hear voices coming from down the hall faintly.

"You have no idea what he's done!" Says one

"I know exactly the kind of person he is, Bren! He's trying to leave behind a burden that has never been bestowed on another human being." Says the other, it's Carly and Brennan."How do you know where he is Bren? I mean you've just met him!"

"I just know Carls, I just do. Have some faith in me, just this once!"

"I do have faith in you, Brennan! You know I always have!"

"You didn't when it came to Alexia, Carlotta!"

There's a long silence between them, no sneakers slapping against the ground, No words. Just silence.

"Let's just find Drew, Brennan, then we can just end this."

Brennan doesn't say a word. I see Bren turn around the corner, Carlotta follows five ten feet behind.

A regretful look fills both of their eyes. Bren spots me and jogs over. Carlotta just stops in her tracks, staring at me.

"Are you okay Andrew?" Asks Bren cautiously.

I sigh, "Bren, I've never been okay. Never once in my life. First I was a third, then the prodigal son, my brother hated me. Next came IF school wash-out which was a complete flub, I was forced into the IF by Hyrum Graff who isolated me for my entire duration of battle school. I freaking killed a boy up there!!" My voice is beginning to get louder now, but Bren just sits there.

"I was on earth for three months after that, then persuaded by my sister at age twelve to go back up to space, to Eros. At Eros I went days without sleep, then you wanna know the bow that just ties up the pretty package?" I clench my jaw and look between them.

"When you commit the xenocide of an alien race at the age of thirteen, you know that you're never going to ever be okay again."

Both of their jaws drop open. "Drew..." Carlotta walks forward and tries to touch my arm.

I flinch away from her touch. I realize there are tears streaming down my face. I continue, "And then when you think it's all going to turn around for me, I meet my closest friend's old enemy who knows me and is out to get me." I pause, wiping the tears that don't stop coming. "And you ask if I'm okay. I'm pathetic, weak."

Carlotta steps forward and wraps her arms around me, despite my protests of trying to push her away. "I'm so so sorry, Drew." She whispers, her red hair in my face.

Now they know who I am, they know what I've done and there's no turning back.

So yeah, that just happened. They know and that's how Carly reacts, Brennan has yet to react to this. I'm not sure what's going to happen there yet.
So Carly and Brennan have a past together, as what? I'm not quite sure yet, I write chapter by chapter, No definite plan for this book.
Thank you for reading! Vote! Comment! Follow me!

Also, just read Shadows in Flight. Last book about Bean and his kids. Go Julian Dephiki! Favorite character by far, a Bean fan-fiction may come after this one. No guarantees though!