They Call Me A Zero

Chapter One

Normal people hate school; normal people are sick of school or just accept it and move on. But I’m not like everyone else. I loathe school. Detest it with all my heart. Everyday feels like waking up just to go to hell and back. My school isn’t a normal, ordinary school. It’s located in the middle of nowhere, isolated from others. Almost like a secret society, except we all live in normal towns, houses and pretty much do normal stuff. Just education wise, we all are quite different because of the students or their family’s telekinetic ability to do things differently to normal people. The school has guarding walls, double the size of normal ones and monitored gates. Everyone has to enter classrooms with student cards or the doors won’t budge. The students aren’t normal students either, all of them telekinetically enhanced. Well I’m normal but ninety-five percent of the school aren’t, but then that makes me the abnormal one doesn’t it?

People usually are clueless about the difference between telekinesis, magic and dark magic. Magic is just illusion, only physical force behind it. Dark magic is considered atrocious. It’s forbidden, but telekinesis is the ability to move things or cause things by will power without any physical force. So by focusing, you can do what you want.

I make my way to the assembly hall. It’s the first day back and everyone stands in perfect rows. Almost military like, facing the front where the principal and a few teachers stood. They looked stoic. Today is Lantern Day. Our school has annual ceremonies each year honouring the Lantern of Light. It’s a tradition that existed ever since the school did in 1823. The principal usually gives a long boring speech about the Lantern and how it gives light in a world filled with darkness. This would be followed by the lantern being carefully passed around from one person to the other. It sounds ridiculous to me really, but I’m in no position to express my opinions right now. Besides I have only two more Lantern days to get through and that’s it.

The Lantern got closer to me, everyone passes it around quickly to get it done with and as I thought I just past it to the girl beside me, the glass shattered into a million pieces on the ground. I could feel everyone’s eyes burning holes in me. What just happened? I swear I didn’t drop it. I know I didn’t drop it, it just…. Fell.

“Kenza Senor!”  Mrs Pool yells behind me.

 I didn’t turn around. I didn’t say anything or even apologize; I just stared at the broken glass in front of me. Oh God, I’m definitely not getting away with this one. Her tiny, but quick steps were making their way towards me. It was comical really. Out of seven-hundred and eighty-three students, I was the one who broke the Lantern. It’s a treasured object, not sacred if it ended up in my hands just treasured, but valuable nonetheless. The reason behind the values of the lantern is beyond me. It’s not like my school was normal anyways.

“I... Mrs … I swear” I try to explain myself, but I couldn’t. I was just making a fool out of myself.

She grabbed me by my forearm and exited me through the main door. First day back and I already made a bad show of myself. This really wasn’t fair. It wasn’t the first time something like this happened either. Last year Mr Kale nearly ran me over. I was just walking without caution and I ended up in the principal’s office for nearly ending up in the hospital. Ironic really, both consequences seemed equally as bad to me and now here I am, back in this shabby office.

“Sit” said Mr Plane beckoning to the chair in front of his table.

So I did and I got a really long, boring good-for-nothing lecture about being more careful. I’ve been through this before, with Mom, Miles, Mr Kale, Mr Pane, Nessa, Sonny and so much more. It’s not something I can help by them talking and shouting to me about it. Accidents and bad things just have their way of finding me. It just is that way and I can’t help it, and because of that I have to pay a contribution towards the next lantern and do some work helping out the cleaners after school every Friday and Monday. Just great!

I made my way to class. It was in the middle of a period, so I was sure to get the awkward looks. When I walked in I got all kinds of looks. Sad, dirty, awkward, even pity looks. I sat down in the closest free chair I could spot. I took my books out and wore my glasses. There was a lot of whispering and snickering behind me but I wasn’t about to look. I knew exactly who they were. Luca, Troy and Lína. Luca was built and tall; he has grey eyes in contrast with his dark brown hair. Troy is as tall as Luca but more built then him. He has blonde hair and eyes as blue as the sky in mid-summer. Beautiful really. Lina on other hand is as tall as me with poker straight brown hair and eyes the colour of strong coffee. It was like they took pleasure in my misery and their snickering wasn’t about to stop either. I couldn’t wait for this period to end, and like on queue the bell rang.  That usually never happens though. It probably just worked out this time because I came late.

I ran out of the class. I probably was the first out. The lockers were full but when a few people dispersed away from my locker to have their lunch, I decided to get my books out. That's when I saw a tired looking Nessa, actually she looked worse than just tired, something seemed to be off about her. I haven’t seen her for the past week. It actually worried me but I just assumed she was making last minute visits to relatives. It wouldn’t be the first time. The tip of her nose was cerise, her eyes were red. She’s been crying.

“Nessa! What’s wrong?” I rush to her at the corner of the lockers.

“Ken, I gotta tell you something, I only came in to get a chance to talk to you” She wipes at her eyes.

“Nessa what? What’s wrong?” I ask in a hushed tone. She was scaring me. I’ve never seen her like this.

“ I… my mother.. Kenza I have to leave, I can’t stay here anymore.” She whispers wiping away more tears. Her mother? What’s wrong with her mother?

“ Nessa why? What’s wrong with your mother? You’re scaring me” I stare at her. I could feel panic rise in me. I and Nessa have been friends as long as I can remember and I’ve never seen her like this. Ever. She has always been the type to not display her emotions, and here she is, crying.

“It’s my mother…. I really can’t tell you right now”

“but_” She cut me off with a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.

“Goodbye Kenza” She said before starting to walk away. What?

“Nessa wait!” I yell after her but its too late, she disappeared into the crowd of people rushing about. Why was she leaving? What was wrong with her mother? Why can’t she tell me?