Zero

2 : The Nine

P A R T 2

I sit at a desk at the back of the classroom, where my usual spot is.

It's also where the rowdy boys in class sit. They are Sevens, Eights and a Nine. Because of their numbers, they are very popular and therefore think they are superior to everyone else.

The lesson now is Numbers History. Not too interesting. To be honest I only see it as a brainwashing tactic.

In each class there is at most two Zeros. In my class I am the only one.

Next door, I can hear the teacher yelling at a cheeky One to get out of her class for making a rude joke.

I snicker softly, imagining the scene. The Seven boy beside me glances over and throws me a look of disdain.

"What are you laughing at, Zero?" He sneers scathingly.

The Nine leans over to get a better look. "She's kinda pretty," he remarks, like I haven't been in the same class as him the whole year.

He is obviously the leader, because then the Seven boy who sneered starts nodding in agreement along with the other boys. It is my turn to cast him disdainful looks.

"My name is Jet Nigels," says the Nine. He stretches a hand out towards me. "What's yours?"

What is he doing? Zeros are supposed to be unnoticed, and Nines are definitely not supposed to associate with us. He does not seem to notice my dirty clothes and hair.

But it would be snobby to ignore him, and Zeros already have a bad enough reputation. What is there to lose?

I shake his hand and tell him my name: "Aisling."

Then I let go of his hand before the teacher sees. A Zero and a Nine shaking hands. The audacity.

☆☆☆

Lunch in school is always a bad time. I have no money to buy any kind of food here.

I sit alone at a table, most students scrambling to avoid ending up near me. I scan the canteen, searching for fellow Zeros.

I would go up to them and join them, but Zeros usually spread out and tend not to stick together.

The half hour passes very slowly, but finally it is time to return to lessons. The second half of school is uneventful.

After school, I head to the town square, where the barrels of water are. There are taps sticking out from the barrels. This is where I come to drink water.

It is pretty crowded here, but nobody sees when I turn the tap on and water streams out. I quickly scoop up handfuls of water to drink.

I turn the tap off and walk away. People are already beginning to stare.