The Necklace: The Trial Realm

Chapter Thirteen: What Goes Bump In The Night

I was now all anyone could talk about.

Even at this crazy early hour, every single person I passed stopped talking and watched me go, quickly whispering to themselves the second they think I can't hear them anymore. Girls smile and wave, boys nod their chins. Seems like everyone was a little tired of Courtlyn's antics and are happy to see her finally paying.

I've got to admit, it felt good, seeing her like that. I was angry, and would have wanted to get back at her if it weren't for the fact that I'm trying to keep my nose clean around here.

I laugh to myself over the phrase. Keep your nose clean. It's one of the many new terms I've learned in my short time here, but every time I use it, I laugh. It's easy to forget sometimes, while I'm in this crazy place doing all of these amazing things, that I came from The Ring. My nose, and the whole rest of me, were never clean. I still feel weird when I rub my hands together and my skin is smooth, no longer caked in thick layers of dirt and mud. Even weirder when I catch my appearance in mirrors and can actually see the honey tan of my skin and my hair hangs shining around my slim shoulders. I don't like to look long though, that girl still feels a little like a stranger, and as my heart slams against my ribs when I see Serge waiting for me in the corral of Hub, I know I'm not ready to let go of the other girl yet. She's still in me, itching to get outside and run until my feet ache and breathing burns.

"Newb," Serge turns to me, arms folded over his ever present uniform.

I duck my chin, embarrassed a little by how bad I'm looking forward to this. "Serge."

He clears his throat and almost smiles. "You've had a busy morning."

My cheeks flush instantly, I hadn't thought about him actually hearing about that.

"Actually, I-."

"Don't tell me anything!" He says over me. "Plausible deniability."

"Huh?"

He just shakes his head and then claps me hard against the shoulder. "This stays between you and me, got it?" He asks seriously. "I'm only letting you do this because I see something in you. Something that reminds me of myself when I was a Newb-"

"You were a Newb?" I gasp, then feel stupid. "I mean, of course you were."

Serge smirks. "Yeah, yeah. Once upon a time this old dinosaur was just like you." He says. "Don't let it go to your head. Now are you ready?"

"Never been more ready." I admit aloud, I need this like others need to eat.

Every day in The Ring it was ground into me that you had to be up and moving and doing or you were wasting your life away. The only way to stay alive was to stay sharp, and I stayed sharp by running, fighting, and constantly doing.

As many things as the Hub has to offer, there isn't much to do while you're still a Newb. Especially when horrible mean girls keep you from even being able to train.

I use that pent up anger in me and I stretch quickly while Serge fiddles with unlocking doors and whatnot. As soon as I feel the warm muggy breeze blow in, I turn, my head swimming with excitement.

"Just a few miles." Serge says sternly, leveling me with a look that makes me straighten my back. "You stick with me, if you can keep up."

"I can keep up." I promise with an unabashed smile, stepping back out of those giant doors that just a couple days ago I walked through in fear. So much has changed since then.