Outcast

I press my back into the hard metal of the desk chair. This must be the most boring class in the entirety of Society. I mean who needs HISTORY ‘A Guide to the Productive Future’? No one wants to take this class – let alone NEEDS to. Of course if, they are trying for the Revered Historian or maybe the scarce Tester or two, then they MIGHT want to take this class. Most of us would never dream of those jobs, want them, or even be able to be academically capable for them. Most of us. There is an exception to every rule – that exception is me, this time. I am Academically Capable. I could be both Historian and Tester if I wanted. I am at the top of my class and smart enough that even the most prestigious of classes were boring and easy.
I never have told anyone the classes are too easy, I've never even told anyone that I am at the top of my Class. I don’t want to feel even more distant from my classmates than I already do. Everyone else has dirty blonde or plain brown hair and dull blue or uninteresting green eyes. I am the exotic one, the one that turns heads in the hallway – especially the guys’ heads. I have raven black hair that is a bit longer than shoulder length and slightly curly. My skin is pale and without blemish. My face is heart-shaped with a cute nose that turns up just at the end. To top it all off, I have bright violet eyes, surrounded by long full eyelashes.
I might be vain, but I wanted to make sure the picture got across. I AM DIFFERENT. A BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUE DIFFERENT that the girls couldn't help but be jealous at and the boys couldn't help but be drawn. Which, of course, made the girls even MORE jealous – enough to kill. If I added my Capabilities, then I might actually be run through in my sleep.
Everyone at this Academy are smart – genius really. That is why they are sent here, this is their Capability, which, in turn leads to their Calling. But being the best of the best, plus good looks, I could be radioactive the way the girls look at me.
I try not to let it bother me. I mean, they’re stupid and shallow (even with their extra brain cells) and they are definitely catty. I do not even know where that term came from in the first place. I tried looking, in the Academy Library Database. When I searched it, all that came up were a bunch of pictures of tiny hairy animals with pointy ears and long tails. This doesn't explain the term catty, at all. I looked up more and found out that cats always land on their feet, completely opposite to the girls in Physical Education. They always fall on their faces. But that still doesn't mean they can’t pack a punch. I've seen them do it, ugliness. And the girls get away with it, as if it were only a love pat.
If I am so wrapped up in doing well at the Academy, I might be bothered. Seeing as AM completely intent on doing well, I try not to let the stares and the silence get to me. In someone else’s opinion, they might just try to do badly on purpose to drop out so they do not have to get the attention. I do not have that option. My family’s high up on Society’s records and they (both my parents and Society) expect me to be the best. The Testers have gathered my Data of previous years and they know that if I mess up, it would not be an accident – it’s in my DNA. They also know though, that I won’t drop out, because I know that they know that I know.
Therefore, I cannot even think of doing anything else but push on and through this. Those girls might possibly be my companions and coworkers – if we are Chosen for the same things. Most likely not, but you’d never know.
The bell rings and I hastily scribble down the home work, more reading. I cannot believe I zoned out the entire class, this is so not like me. I scamper out the door – I don’t want to be late- and hope not to get hit by the wave of girly jealousy. I don’t make it.
They stand there with their arms crossed, trying to look intimidating. Trying, and failing miserably. Their leader is Anna, she is tall and her eyes are an abnormally pretty shade of lime. Her hair is smooth, but still a plain brown and it falls about the length of mine. I can see why they chose her as leader, she holds herself like one, as if she expects to always get her way. That must mean that she grew up in an extremely well off family and she is either an only or youngest child. Even the eldest children who come from those types of families have some decent manners. Why would they name her Anna? It is such a common name, not one that a family high up like hers would ever consider for their beautiful princess. Hmm, file that one back for more contemplation, I have to get to class.
Anna stands there with the familiar fire in her eyes, she’s not going to let me pass today, and I’m going to have to work for it, great. I am not in the mood. I want to get to Physical Education.
“I do not think you’ll be going to Physical Education today Gwendolyn.” Her voice, already nasal, takes on a sneering tone when she says my name – my FULL name – and I sigh. This is a daily occurrence. Anna, threatening, and I, fuming. I could spend forever here arguing, but today I don’t, again I am not in the mood
“Excuse me Anna,” I use the same tone with her name as she did mine. “I need to get to class and do not need jealous classmates getting in my way.” I am egging her on intentionally, wanting her to just blow up so I can move on. It worked, she took the bait. Frustration flashed in her green eyes and she flared her nose.
“Do not use that tone with your superiors little Gwendolyn.” She must be in the sneering mood. My patience is running thin now and if she does not move it, it will snap.
“What do you want? I haven’t got all day.” I try to sound super annoyed as if she were some pesky fly that was buzzing around my ear.
“Whatever, I’ll catch you some other time.” And she stalks off.
I sigh in relief; my day just got a whole lot easier. As I walk off down towards the girls changing room, I get chills. Something is about to happen that is not going to be good, I can feel it.