Exceptional

Chapter One

"Hurry up Amelia!" Lucy shouted, snapping me out of whatever world my brain was drifting me around, "we'll miss the career event!" Sigh... why am I even here? I'm doing a two year Early Years course at college and it's only been the first year! I shouldn't have to be looking at other options. I really hate this place, every day is a chore. I never used to be this pessimistic about my future, I was going to be a pharmacologist... well that's at least what I wanted to be. I wanted to make new medicines for people who needed them, I wanted to change lives. But I wasn't cut out for sixth form college. I was bullied to the point of despair and my dad pulled me out as I became really sick.

Then when I got well again I found an apprenticeship in childcare (Level 2 as I had no experience in childcare whatsoever) which I loved completely an utterly, I came home exhausted and covered head to toe in glitter and paint (as well a snot and occasionally sick) but I didn't mind. Until they pulled me into the office after a year of hard work and told me they were giving me my weeks notice as 'they couldn't afford to put me on a Level 3 apprenticeship with them.' What a joke... As I went looking for a different Level 3 apprenticeship there they were... hiring new apprentices... when they had one willing to work longer hours to keep doing a job she loved. I wouldn't mind as much however, they had told me they were doing the exact same thing to seven other apprentices for the same reason.

So finally, I came here to a college that's an hours bus ride to get to so I could do my level 3 and actually get a job. Yippee for me... Every lesson there's a fight between the same girl and the same teacher over a stupid denim jacket!!! Let me elaborate, there is a rule of no coats in class and this girl keeps wearing this denim jacket and saying it's not a coat and refuses to take it off. Now our teacher believes for all intents and purposes that it is a coat. I back neither side because in one way it's a coat and in other ways it isn't. However, this fight has being going on for six months... for sixth months this girl has walked into our teachers class wearing her denim jacket/ coat refusing to take it off leading to an enormous fight between the two of them. Usually I can live with this. Unfortunately we only have two teachers... and this teacher specifically we have for four, I repeat FOUR hours straight with no break on a Tuesday. Leaving us trying to make sense of theorists we've never heard of and weird jargon such as Language Acquisition whilst there's a bloody war going on.

This being the entire reason I now dread college and am falling behind. All because of a denim coat jacket thing that to be perfectly honest no one gives a toss about. Anyway we have finished the first year of our course and have just completed our first of two external assessment (it's basically a 5000 word essay that has to be completed in 35 hours, it contributes to 30% of our overall grade and has to be done in exam conditions). We've been told if we fail it we can no longer continue with the course making this year at college absolutely worthless! We also regardless of passing or failing the assessment must reenrol to be able to keep our place at college... which costs £25 that we don't get back!

Hence the career event, it apparently gives us the opportunity to find out about apprenticeships, other colleges, jobs and even the dreaded universities! (I hate the idea of getting into thousands of pound of debt to get a qualification that these days doesn't guarantee you a job anywhere). I looked at the stalls with their flashy boards and tonnes of free stuff that you'd get if you sat down and talked with them about your 'future'. I think I might just do a quick loop looking kind of interested at the stalls whilst keeping a distance so I don't get collared into signing anything. I noticed Lucy being roped in by the apprenticeship stall. I already learnt my lesson to stay away from them since they did a pop in visit to the college one day. I spent 45 minutes of my hour long free period on a computer with one of that lot breathing down my neck trying to make me sign up for their newsletter and stuff...

I pondered around the stalls uninterested by every single one of them until... there in the corner of the room was a small stall with a deep purple cloth draped over the table. It had a beautiful flower embroidered in gold next to the name St Dorothy's. Before I could deter myself away I found my self drawn to the stall. "Good Afternoon," a middle aged women said from behind the table. On the table was some brochures, forms and the most beautiful crystal orb. "What is this stall?" I asked, curious by the strange display. There was no free rubbish like wristbands or stress balls, it was plain and simple as if they weren't trying to draw attention to themselves but to let the few that do notice it find themselves there.

"We are from St Dorothy's Academy for Exceptionally Talented Young Ladies and Gentlemen," she said beaming with pride, "we are a special academy for students aged 19 to 21." She gently picked up a brochure. "If you're looking for people of exceptional talent I'm afraid I'm not the person you're looking for," I replied with a half hearted smile. Exceptional and talented or not two words that describe me, I fit words like stubborn, mediocre and 'it'll do'. The lady gave me the brochure and touched my hand. "Let us be the judge of that dear," she said with yet another smile, "sign this form and we'll be in touch!" I smiled, at least someone has some form a faith in me even if it's some random lady from some posh Academy for older students.

I filled out the forms and was about to leave when the lady said, "before you go, this crystal is supposed to bring you good luck if you touch it!" It sounded stupid but what's the harm? I touched the cerulean orb and prayed to whatever god out that's there for some good luck. Suddenly I got a shock! "Ow," I said shaking my hand. "Are you okay my dear?" The lady asked turning to face me. "Yeah... just static electricity I guess..." I said with a smile. I set off with my brochure in hand ready to check the other stalls.

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"What happened?" Emily asked walking behind the stall to see Mathew. "It's incredible!" He beamed excitedly, "she's off the scale!" Emily shook her head in confusion. "What do you mean of the scale?" She said, trying to keep her voice low as not to raise suspicion. "Her power," he said with a boyish giggle, "it's so large it blew the fuse... she broke it!" Emily turned to see the girl with crimson burgundy hair and dark sapphire eyes looking at a different stall a few stalls away from her. She looked at the form she had filled out. "Amelia Blackwood... looks like you're going to St Dorothy's..."