Confined

The next few classes passed in somewhat of a blur. After first hour I went to combat skills and then to Power of the Mind. Most of my classes were electives since I finished all my mandatory classes. Power of the Mind was my most interesting class. The teacher had an exciting way of teaching it where she constantly wanted volunteers, most of which weren't volunteers. Most of the things she taught us left us leaving the room more tired than if we had just left combat skills. The things she got us to do with our mind caused a physical and mental fatigue that lasted throughout the day.

When lunch rolled around I couldn't be more happier to gulp down a cold water. It almost made me forget about Ethan and his annoying existence. Then he popped up out of no where and reminded me.

" Can you leave me alone? I'm actually in a good mood and you will ruin it, " I told him, turning my back on him and facing the table I was seated at. He moved to the seat in front of me and smiled, both ends of his mouth curling up to show his white teeth.

" And here I thought we were getting along pretty well." He was a master at sarcasm!

" Get out of here, Stark," I mandated, putting emphasis on the "k" in his last name.

" I love it when you call me that, " he shuddered, eye closed, with a smile.

" You're a creep!" I couldn't help but laugh. My laughter sounded foreign to me. It was loud and sounded so real. I hadn't heard myself laugh in months, it was strange hearing it now.

As my laughter died down, my eyes caught those of Mason's. He sat four tables away by the door of the cafeteria. Again, the blonde girl was wrapped around him like a tight corset. His friends created a close circle around him only allowing me to see his face because he sat on top of the table.

Mason's eyes were connected with mine for a second, one in which he expressed humor and amusement. Then they met Ethan's. His whole expression changed in that second. He wasn't amused at my pain anymore, but curious and angry at the newcomer. His black eyes burned holes into Ethan's, who sat there staring at Mason as if it were nothing. I wondered if Mason were reading his mind, or if he was telling Ethan something. Either way, Mason was in Ethan's mind, that much I could tell.

" Is that your ex-boyfriend or something?" Ethan asked, turning to meet my eyes.

" Hardly," I answered, dropping the conversation right then and there. I didn't feel like giving Ethan the whole back story on Mason and I, and it wasn't any of his business.

" Well he looks like a douche," Ethan puffed.

" Anyways," I began, changing the subject. " Why are you here?"

" Because your the only person I feel like hanging out with," he answered, his smile more modest this time.

" I didn't mean it like that. I meant why are you in the Third Quarter? Why did you move?"

" My mom died and my dad only moved to the First Quarter because that's where she lived when they met. Since she is gone my dad decided to move back," he shrugged, almost no emotion in his voice.

He didn't sound sad or depressed or hurt or in pain. He didn't even look like he had been grieving. How could someone lose a parent and not grieve. I had grieved over my father as a child, even though I had never met him. My curiosity got the best of me and I pushed my mind into his.

I felt my mind reach the barrier between his and the rest of the world. I pushed on forward. I saw nothing. His mind was empty. No memories, no thoughts. Nothing. His mind was clouded, with a powerful shielding spell. But why?

" It's not so bad thought. Everything will work out," he said when I didn't reply.

"Right," I nodded. His mother's dead must have been bad if his mind is clouded from everyone else's. "What did your parents do for a living?"

"My mom worked at the hospital and my dad is a minor rep," he answered. Minor reps are the only government jobs offered to men. They are the highest authority a man can have in Nidrus, but their government votes only count for one fourth of that of a woman.

"Which hospital did your mother work at?" I pestered. His lack of details made me wonder.

"The main one..." he trailed off. Now I didn't believe him. Was he lying or just stupid? For once, the Gates weren't he only mystery on my mind. Ethan Stark was now where my questions wandered to.