Republican Phenoms

First Day of School

June

After I give Metias a quick hug goodbye, I find my way to the quad, where the other kids are gathering for orientation. I find the other freshmen and sit down next to them. They tower over me, but I'm used to attending school with kids that are older than I am.

In the row ahead of me, I see one student that is much shorter than the others. Must be the Wing kid. I watch him as he chats with one of the girls next to him. What, are the girls at Drake going to fawn all over him too? He's been out of the news lately, but I swear, whenever his name came up at Harrion High, as it sometimes did since he's the only other kid to get a perfect trial score, the girls around me would get this dreamy look in their eyes.

Well, not this girl.

Orientation starts with the pledge, and then continues with various speakers. It's pretty boring, and I'm guessing that it's the same every year. We hear from the president of the university, various teachers, and some general about how we're the future of this country and the Republic depends on us. Standard stuff.

While everybody drones on and on, I wonder if I'll be able to make any friends this year. I feel a renewed sense of hope. Every time I skip a grade, I always enter the new school year with thoughts of maybe being able to find friends. So far, I've always been disappointed. None of the kids around me seem to get me. I talk about things, and they seem to nod for a while, but then I can see their eyes glazing over as if they don't understand me. As I got into the upper grades, the girls around me started talking about boys and makeup, and things that I don't find particularly all that interesting. Maybe there will be some kids here at Drake with similar interests as me.

At nine minutes to 1100 hours, I feel my stomach growling. I wonder if the other kids here are feeling hungry as well. I can't wait for this orientation to end. The speeches seem to be winding down, so hopefully they'll dismiss us soon.

After orientation ends, we start heading towards our first class of the day. We'll finally get to eat lunch after that, and then we'll go to our remaining classes. Since the first part of the day was taken up with orientation, all of the classes are going to be shorter than normal.

Suddenly, I feel someone shove me from behind. As I stumble forward, I accidentally knock into another student. We both tumble onto the pavement. What a great start to my day.

"I'm sorry," I say to the other student. The girl looks beyond me at the person that shoved me and hurries away.

I turn around and see who shoved me. From the look of the stripes on his uniform, he's a sophomore. He's looking at me with a mocking expression on his face. He's standing with a group of his friends. "Sorry," he says. He walks past me and purposely brushes against my shoulder. "Didn't see you."

We've attracted the attention of several people around me, who seem to be amused by our exchange. I can't let this kid get the best of me. Metias told me just this morning that I need to stand up for myself, and I can't let everybody around me think that I'm weak and not officer material.

"Get some glasses then," I retort. "A blind person could've seen me walking there."

I can tell that he didn't expect that response from me.

"You're that Iparis girl, aren't you? One of the two twelve-year-olds on campus." His mouth is twisted, and he puts his hands in his pockets. "Speak up. Why so shy now?"

"Yes, that's me," I say.

"They did say you were a cocky one, thinking you're a big shot now that you've made it to Drake on account of your family's money."