Zero

16 : Kookaburra & Kingfisher

P A R T 1 6

{ L I N N E T }

Last night was so weird. At first I thought that that couple at the party were people from the government, but now I know they're not.

At first I was so sure they were there to arrest me or something when I noticed them tailing me in the crowd. So I led them to the back doors, then made a run for it.

When I say run, I mean I effortlessly sprinted at full speed. In other words, making use of the ability I found out about when I was four.

But something made me slow down and run normally. I don't know what it was, but I'm glad it did because if not, I wouldn't have gotten caught and then found out many things.

The striking girl with the cyan hair and the yummy blond-haired guy (who is not as yummy as Trevor, in my opinion) are a Ten and a Fourteen respectively, something I never expected to see.

However, I was quite surprised when the Zero - I mean Ten, asked me for my name. We've been in the same classes for a few months already. It's as if she has more important things on her mind than memorising all her classmates' names.

Who would expect that numbers above Nine existed? The most shocking thing about all this is that I'm a part of it. I don't think I would believe it if not for my enhanced speed.

Now I am in class, keeping a lookout for what Aisling mentioned- an almost invisible line beside the number on my classmates' collarbones.

My eyesight is obviously not as enhanced as hers though, so it is difficult. I'm sad to say that Trevor is not one of the teenagers with enhanced abilities.

I've not told him about anything to do with this yet because I'm not sure if I should.

He's sitting at the back of the classroom with Jet and the gang. When he catches me looking at him he flashes a grin which I return.

Bleached blond-haired brown-eyed Trevor Clarendon is a Seven, like me (or unlike me, because I'm a Seventeen). We've been together since young and started dating at thirteen, but I've never mentioned my ability to him.

He's on the football team, which is pretty ridiculous because there are no other schools to compete with. Nevertheless, some guys take advantage of the team to show off their muscles. Trevor, on the other hand, is there to show off his skills. He's pretty buff but is there to play.

At lunch, I sit with him, keeping a watchful eye out for potential above-Nines.

"Whatcha looking for?" Trevor asks, biting into his burger.

"Nothing," I reply, poking at my salad. "Trev?"

"Yeah?"

"What if I was different from almost everyone else?" I say with apprehension.

"I'd still love you. Duh," he teases.

I smile at him but there is a nagging piece of doubt in my mind. Will he?

After lunch I go to the generator room. Aisling and Jarren are already here. "Someone's early," Aisling says sarcastically. "So, any luck?"

I refrain from shooting her a glare for the sarcasm and reply, "Nope."

"It's okay," she sighs. "We haven't found any more either. By the way, did you tell your boyfriend about... well, this entire thing?"

I shake my head.

She breathes out a sigh of relief and continues, "Good. Don't tell him anything. We don't know who's trustworthy."

Trevor is trustable. I tell her so, then she just stares at me. She does not know Trevor like I do. "I won't tell anyone," I promise her.