Somnium Online

Change of Pace

"Honey, we don't think this town is right for you, so we're sending you to a special Academy." Eric's Mom looked more like his boss than his parent sitting imperiously, almost regal behind her large desk in her home office.

"Why?" Eric asked incredulously. There was no need to move, he was fine here. He scored right on the mark in order to stay acceptably average, and never did anything to stand out.

Eric's dad was leaning on the door frame behind him. "Look, you're a great kid and all, but this school isn't good enough for you." His dad said.

His mom shuffled some papers. "I've looked at your report cards. You're scores, are exactly in the middle of the class."

"So?" Eric asked, "I'm normal, what's the problem?!"

His mom set down the papers and folded her arms. "On their own, your scores are unimpressive, disappointing even. However, together, they show that you scored exactly in the middle of every test since first grade. Either you're so abnormally average that this happened by mistake."

Eric's dad put a hand on his shoulder. "Or," he continued. "You knew all the answers and estimated how many you needed to answer correctly in order to score in the exact middle." He finished.

"They caught you." N sang in his head.

"Not funny!" Eric mentally growled.

"Oh come on, you knew this was an eventuality." N countered. "You probably expected this to happen."

Eric smiled and closed his eyes. "Alright." He said smirking. He opened his eyes and looked straight at his mom. "You caught me. I didn't like being surrounded with attention or getting picked on so I stayed exactly in the middle and never scored any higher or lower than necessary to maintain acceptable grades." He admitted.

His mom's eyes widened. "And you knowingly got subpar scores on your tests?!" He asked.

Son, if you don't try hard in school you'll-" his father cut himself off.

Eric knew what this was about now. This was never about him. It never had been. This was his parents and their stupid grudge. He hated them at that moment. Because he knew that they would never really see him as their son, but as their replacement child.

He was just filling in, doing what his sister had refused to do. He was doing what they told him.

"Or I'll what?" Eric spat, his voice dripping with venom.

His mom's eyes went cold. "You'll end up like your sister." She said, without a trace of emotion.

That was his mom for you. It was never "my daughter", or "my child." It was always "your sister." As if somehow that excludes her from being her child.

Eric was filled with disgust. They wanted him to take her place, to go follow in his parent's footsteps and become a successful hard-working businessman.

He might hate them for it, but he would do as they said. Because if he didn't he knew what would happen to his sister. She was already all but disowned, but if he didn't take her place she would be officially disowned and disinherited as well.

And that was too much for Eric. She might be a disgrace to the family, but she was still his big sister, and she treated him like more of a human being than either of his so-called parents did.

"I'm lost," N yelled in Eric's head. "What the heck are you three talking about?! Eric, you have a sister? Is she hot?" N fired off questions like fireworks.

"Really? Those are your priorities?" Eric thought back.

"Young man, do you understand the consequences of your actions?" His mom yelled. "Good grades and college will no longer be enough. If you want her to remain your sister, you'd better do exactly as I say." She growled.