Gifted

Chapter 2 Revised

Bret’s POV

A freezing blast of icy wind blew past us as we waited for the bus to come to a complete stop. On any other day I would have poked Clara in the side to get her to smile but I could tell that today it wouldn't have helped.

Today we would be Marked, but I wasn’t worried about myself. I was tall, strong fairly good grades, I had been prepared for this moment my whole life. It was Clara I was worried about. Clara was small, not just compared to me but to everyone. She was pretty but not gorgeous. She was always getting sick, so she missed a bunch of school. Her only saving grace was that she was that she was unbelievably quick, at everything she did. It was the one thing she could beat me at...

“Bret… quit daydreaming, bus is here,” she touched me softly on the shoulder before climbing on to the bus.

I could tell eyes were on Clara since she had chosen to wear her dress mother had made her. They could tell today she would be Marked. I had chosen to wear my normal school clothes hoping to blend in but even as I took my regular seat at the back of the bus, I could tell that a million eyes were on me.

Clara’s POV

“Clara!” Emily called out to me as the driver took off down the road. I lost my footing for a second but quickly sat down beside Emily. I had known her since we had started Grade 1, her blonde curls spiralled around her head.

“Happy birthday,” she whispered as the bus’ regular chattered started up again.

“Thanks,” I replied. Emily wouldn’t turn 15 for another 2 months.

“Aren’t you scared? I mean you and Bret are inseparable now. What if you were Marked differently and sent to different cities?” she rambled on. It was her way of coping with things. When her boyfriend Tyler was marked 3 months ago she was hysterical. Tyler’s parents were informed that he was Marked Adequate and was needed for labour on a wheat farm near City 1002345. Emily calmed down about a month later but she refused to talk about Tyler ever since.

“Clara, Claraa, Claaaraaa,” Emily waved a hand in front of my face,” you’re starting to space out like Bret.”

“Honestly Emily, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I put my palms in my face. Tears refused to fall from my eyes but my nose began to run. I felt Emily place a hand on my back. After today, Bret might not be there for me.

Bret’s POV

The bus lurched to a halt and kids swarmed from the bus, excited to get to the school. I waited in my seat until the bus was empty to leave. As I turned to get off the bus I was greeted by the usual entourage.

“Hey Bret,” the brunette in the middle cooed. She could have passed herself off as Clara if she weren’t so tall and her hair so frizzy.

“Go away Hailey,” I turned around but she grabbed my shoulder. I spun around to face her and her wannabes.

“We heard it was your birthday,” the red head on Hailey’s right whispered in my ear.

“Yeah, your ‘Happy’ Birthday,” the blonde on the left giggled, man she was dumb.

“You should come celebrate it with us, I know the perfect spot behind the school. The teachers would never find us,” she cooed coming uncomfortably close.

“Sorry but he’s not interested,” someone said from behind me. It was Clara.

“Just because he’s your twin doesn’t mean you get to hog him Clara,” Hailey towered over Clara but she stood her ground.

“Aww but it’s my birthday. That means I should get what I want right? And I want you to leave him alone,” Clara retorted.

“Woah, starting to sound a little self-centered there, bitch,” Hailey flipped her hair behind her ear.

“Yeah, they’ll start to call you the self-entered-ess,” said the blonde.

“Shut up Kelsey,” Hailey snapped at the blonde girl.

“Sorry but we have somewhere better to be. Slutty Trio,” Emily finished the argument while Clara grabbed my wrist and stormed into the building.

Clara’s POV

“Man I hate those girls,” I vent

“Yeah they used to bug…him all the time,” Emily trailed off at the mention of Tyler.

Even though the girl’s were annoying they had distracted me from the bigger issue, being Marked. I had always had Bret to protect me but when he left, who was going to protect him? This was the only time I played the protector role, since Bret had always had trouble with these girls. In the third grade, Hailey walked right up to Bret and kissed him. She told everyone that they liked each other and when they were Marked the same, they would run off and get married.

One day, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I told her to leave Bret alone then kicked snow in her face. I was given detention but every day after that those girl’s were always under my watchful eye.

BUUZZZZZ

“Clara, that’s the school bell. The government hates when they have to wait for their subject to arrive,” Emily explained. She shoved the rest of her things into her locker then we ran down the hall. Before the teacher closed the door behind me, I watched as Bret turned into the classroom across from mine.

“Clara,” the stern voice of my teacher startled me from my daydreaming.

“Yes, Mr. Donavan?” I responded.

“Do you know when you will be leaving?” Mr. D motioned towards the duffel bag I had brought instead of the usual schoolbag.

Before I could respond, two men in dark green uniforms burst through the door. They each wore dark sunglasses shielding their eyes. One of the carried a gun while the other carrieda small slip of paper. A lump formed in my throat.

“Clement, Clara,” the officers voice rang through the classroom. I turned around and saw Emily’s eyes widen in fear. The whole class fell silent. Nervously I lifted up my bag and followed the guards out the door.