The next six months went by in a flash. No new Abilities had come, which was both a relief but also a stress. It meant that I wouldn't have to face the intense initial training that I had been doing the last few months with especially my Strength and my Sight. But it also meant that I could possibly be done gaining abilities, and would never have Speed, or Observation, or Intellect.
I had really become a sort-of-ish-celebrity at the Academy. People didn't get offended when they battled me anymore, it became almost a show to see how long they could last. I absolutely refused to engage in Strength battles with anyone except people the Guidance Lecturers assigned to me for whatever reason. With most people I would take so much more energy from them than I ever meant, because I merely didn't realize I was taking as much as I was. I expected them to fight back. And I especially wouldn't battle Jostlenua. He and I had become close, like the siblings we were. As of Barrymore... I honestly didn't know where he was.
I hadn't seen him since the day before I found out Jostlenua was my brother. I wondered where he went often, and when I thought about him my heart would sometimes skip a little. He was technically in my classes, but he would come in late all the time, and would sit far away from me. And he would always leave early, so I could never find him after. I talked to Jostlenua all the time though, he was often over with AJ and I, and we would watch movies together and eat food snuck into our room. Things had finally settled down at the school, and it was kind of nice.
But I could never go back to a normal high school. I was too comfortable with the gentle hum of the gray walls, and the looks of the people... they weren't so weird anymore. It was mere curiosity and them using simple exercises they had learned to continuously progress with their Abilities. I loved the Tree, it was like my home in the campus. I loved AJ, and Jostlenua, and maybe I wasn't sure how I felt about Barrymore, but... he helped me so much when I needed it most, and the way he talked... as if he knew more than I could ever imagine. I needed him too, as much as the others. Normal high school... my Abilities would drive me crazy. People are so quick to judge and assess before they even hardly have a chance to look at someone. I know that I was like that when I first came here. My Sight would cause goodness knows what to me, with everyone there trying to sum me up. My Hearing would never let me focus enough on what I needed to, with so many sounds, and almost none of them beautiful like here. Anyone who tried to do anything, or even if I were to do sports again, would cause my Strength would go out of control. And my Heart would get so discouraged... I just wouldn't be the same.
It was lunch and free period now, so I decided to eat with the Tree (as per usual) and then go to the Bookcase. I started this little game, where I would bring flower seeds, and put them in this little bowl. I'd cover it in soil, water, and a fallen leaf I would always find right next to it. And I would just leave it there after I left. when I came back the next day, a flower would always be right there on the Tree, where the leaf fell. Today I had brought one of my favorites, Plumerias. I couldn't wait to see one tomorrow. After I had taken care of the seeds, I leaned against the trunk and sat down. I loved being with the Tree, always felt like sleeping the day away whenever I was under it.
I almost had fallen asleep, when suddenly I heard rustling in the branches. I looked up, and saw the trunk starting to lean in front of me, until it had made a perfect ark for me to climb on. Oh my gosh the Tree wants me to climb in it!
Without hesitation I smiled a huge smile and started to climb. When I had barely even grabbed on, the branches started moving, taking me up to the top of the tree. When I was up at the top, I stepped on to the thickest branch, and the one that had carried me up here went back down. I carefully sat down, and looked Beyond. It was so beautiful, I could hardly catch my breath. I just sat there, smiling and laughing, looking at the hills. My heart wanted to go there, and it ached because I couldn't. Suddenly the Tree lurched and I felt as if I was moving closer and closer to it, at unbelievable speeds. I instantly became terrified, I had no idea what the Tree was doing.
