Metal Heart

Chapter One

My story-- our story starts at what humans call high school. My first day on Earth was going to be spent in a strange building that forced knowledge upon the beings that lived here and yet none of them went willingly.

"Out of my way!" Someone had yelled behind me and then pushed through the crowd, brushing up on my shoulder as they forced themselves towards their destination. There were others shouting around me to get the attention of their peers, but I simply stood there taking in the chaos that was apparently high school.

As an offensive bell rang in the hallways, the students scattered and I began making my way towards the principal's office. Touching the door handle, I felt a tinge of anxiety. I had years of training for this moment, to slip right into humanity undetected. And yet, I had a fluttering worry that as soon as I opened the door they would know I wasn't human, they would know I was different and everything would be over. Finding my resolve, I opened the door and was greeted by a few smiling faces.

"Oh you must be Rexer!" One of the women at the desk said with a brilliant smile on her face. Her accent was strange, southern from what I was taught. "I have your schedule right here." I quietly thanked her as she handed me the simple piece of paper. "Let me get one of the ASB reps to show you to your first class." She called in an overexcited girl to show me to my classroom, she was far below average human height and had energy to spare.

"Hey there, I am Annie! Welcome to our school!" Her shrilly voice rang out boldly and she offered her hand, which I shook quickly. "Anyway you are in Mr. Anderson's class by the looks of this, he is super fun but lots of projects and homework." She explained with a bright smile. Annie headed out the door and the faculty members left me in her hyperactive hands. I followed her quickly down the hall as she began to explain the various activities around the campus that I could participate it.

If there was a polite way to tell her I was completely uninterested in participating any more than I had to, I would have spoken up.

Stopping in front of a door labeled 310, Annie smiled at me and then pointed to the door. "This is your classroom, Mr. Anderson knows to expect you so just don't worry about anything." She smiled at me and touched my arm as though she was trying to reassure me that I would be okay. Comfort that others would have appreciated I suppose but I found her touches intrusive. "Enjoy your first day." She offered me a wide smile before walking back towards the office.

I stood in front of the door a moment. I touched the doorknob and hesitated only for another brief moment before pushing open the door and being greeted with a classroom filled with other students and a teacher looking completely frustrated with the other students.

"Rexer Smith, I take it?" I nodded my head before one of the other students started whispering. "Mitch, I have given you a warning already today, pack up your things and come sit in the front." He pointed to the desk in the middle front of the class, the boy grabbed his things quickly and glared at the teacher, his friend that was sitting next to him was trying to stop her laughter but it was clear she had no sympathy for her friend.

"Whatever." Mitch said before putting his things back down.

"Go ahead and sit next to Katrina, I am sure she would appreciate a lab partner that actually did some of the work." The teacher pointed to Mitch's recently vacant seat. I quickly walked over and sat down, avoiding the eyes of the others in the class, but mostly the sour look that Mitch was giving me. Humans were strange creatures.

"Rexer, right?" The girl next to me whispered my name and looked up and saw what she truly looked like. Her hair was dark brown and framed her heart shaped face, her eyes were a dark chocolate with flecks of gold and her skin was slightly tanned. She was attractive by any standard, her beauty was disarming but it was the glitter in her eyes that made her special. "I'm Katrina." When she spoke, her smile never faltered until the teacher began speaking. "Welcome to hell." She remarked casually as she rolled her eyes.

Hell? It was hard to believe that anyone would describe such a system as hell, but perhaps that was the point? A test to make sure I was one of them?

I simply smiled and nodded my head, "Yeah, thanks." And then turned my attention back to the teacher, hoping I had passed my first test. I can't say it didn't bother me that a free intelligence upgrade was considered hell by the people of this planet, maybe it was a joke that I didn't understand.

Mr. Anderson spoke a lot about chemical reactions and was constantly calling on Mitch for the answers, apparently if you are singled out once in this class it is customary for you to be continually tested throughout the class to make sure you are still listening. Mitch, for the most part, answered incorrectly to all of the questions. I silently wondered if he was doing it on purpose to frustrate the teacher further, because if he was... it was working.

Thirty minutes of a back and forth between Mitch and the teacher and Anderson gave up on the impossible and began writing the days assignment on the board.

"With your lab partner, please answer the following questions." He began writing a series of questions and Katrina smiled at me again.

"Hey, sorry that Mitch is being a square. Anderson has made him his pet project this semester so it's gonna be like this the whole ride I'm sure." She rolled her eyes but never stopped smiling.

We chatted for a while, well, she talked and I listened, afraid to say anything strange that would put her off, and the class period quickly ended and Mr. Anderson gave us permission to leave the classroom and continue our day. I held the strap of my backpack on my chest and walked with my head down.

"Rexter!" I lifted my head and looked at Katrina who was calling my name, Katrina walked over to me and took the schedule from my hands without much resistance from me. "You're headed the wrong way." A small giggle and then she pointed to a different hallway. "You're gonna find that class over there." Katrina handed back my schedule and then left me with one last gift, "If you need anything, you should find me, okay?"

"Uh, thanks, if I can find you." I offered her a small smile and she returned it.

"Come on." Mitch's voice came grumbling from behind her and Katrina said a quick goodbye before leaving me in the crowded hallway.

Humans were the most illogical beings I had come across, but they were far more interesting than my kind had given them credit for.