Jonaz froze. At first, his expression was surprised, before something darker flashed over his face, followed by undisguised hurt. With effort, he reined the emotion back.
“I’m sorry it upset you to see that. Are you okay?” He took a few more tentative steps towards Stelli. Although she was still trembling, she allowed him to close the distance between them until he was cupping her face with his hands and wiping tears from her cheeks. It shocked me even more to see him being so gentle with her, after what I’d just seen him do.
“N...N...No!” she wailed bursting into loud sobs. “I just don’t think I want to do this anymore!”
“Come on Stelli,” Jonaz gently tilted her face up, forcing her to raise her eyes to him. “Look at me. You can do this, okay?”
“N...N... NO, I can’t,” she cried getting more hysterical by the second. “I don’t want to do this. I’m not like you okay? I can’t do this!” She pulled away, tears spilling from her beautiful eyes as she shook her head frantically. “I’m so s... sorry guys, but I’m just not c..c..cut out for this. I want out.” Jonaz tried to take her hand, but she backed rapidly away, smacking straight into Brazin.
“Are you sure of what you are saying girl?” he demanded, towering over her.
“Y...Y...Yes. It’s not enough; my power isn’t enough for this,” Stelli hiccupped.
“You can only do what you believe you can,” Brazin corrected.
“Well, I don’t think my powers are enough to be of any help in a war, and...I don’t like...this,” Stelli said in a tiny voice. She flashed a brief glance at Jonaz when she said it, and it was clear what she meant. She was tripping out from watching her boyfriend turn into someone clearly capable of seriously mutilating another Comian being, maybe worse. She shook her head again. “My power’s stupid, just a stupid trick I learned to do growing up. If I stay here, I’ll get hurt.”
“You are not ready then,” Brazin decided.
“I won’t ever be,” she shuddered.
“One day you will have to be,” Brazin said so sternly that Stelli abruptly stopped sniffling. Trepidation shone in her teary eyes. “As your current immaturity has shown you’re incapable of following my instructions, you will leave my training immediately. Go and report to Zarian as you will need to revert to your regular classes, for the time being.” Brazin sounded rehearsed as he said it. From his calm expression, he’d clearly seen worse hysterics than this.
“For the time being?” I questioned, too curious to remain silent.
“The Governing Body will not be pleased once I report this,” Brazin said sounding more inconvenienced than angry. “Insubordination will not be looked on with lenience. You’re going to have to train eventually,” he spoke harshly to Stelli. “So you better start preparing yourself to fulfil your responsibilities to Como.” Aha! I knew it. We didn’t have a choice when it came down to it. Stelli wouldn’t be seen by the G.B. as a person who was afraid. She would be regarded as disloyal. A nasty, fearful feeling clenched in my stomach as Stelli paled visibly before us all. I realized I didn’t see her as a coward at all. I saw she was brave. Braver than me, for saying how she really felt. I was jealous. I wished I could be as courageous, despite the uncertainty and fear in my heart. Stelli faced Jonaz, her expression contrite.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice still trembling. Jonaz sighed.
“Don’t be.” He touched a palm to her cheek, then, in a low voice that I only just caught, “Do what you believe is right for you, no matter what.” If Brazin hadn’t caught his meaning, I thought I had. I stared at him in shock. Had he just encouraged her to rebel in front of an authority? Stelli looked uncertainly back at him, opening her mouth to respond, but Brazin grabbed her by the arm and marched her through the hall doors, shutting them firmly behind her.
We stared at each other, not sure what to say. I expected Jonaz to look at least a little upset, but instead he actually looked somewhat relieved. He caught me staring, and, as if reading my mind, winked.
“Well you have to admit; she was kind of a distraction. At least I don’t need to worry about her anymore.” Oh. I scowled back at him. It appeared that, along with Stelli, Mr. Sensitive had left the building.
“Bar, you will be suitable to challenge this young man,” Brazin said decidedly. Marz had appeared semi-confident up until that remark; now he seemed less sure of himself. As he stepped over the line, he became an instant blur. So did Bar. It was impossible to tell who had the upper hand amid the flashes of colour, as they danced around each other. Sounds of combat ensued-‘Ooof! Ow!’ and so on, as they dashed madly at each other, each trying to throw the other down. I couldn’t tell which one was Marz.
No one cheered this time. We simply waited in tense silence, trying to work out what it was we were actually seeing. At last, I heard a sharp ‘Thwack!’ and Marz came hurtling towards us, sliding along the ground on his back at a dangerous speed. Before he stopped sliding, Bar appeared in a flash over him, pinning him down. It was over. Marz groaned.
“Darn you’re good,” Marz complained as Bar offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet. “How long have you been in training?”
“Since my final year of schooling,” Bar replied.
“Oh.” Marz brushed himself off and came back to us, sulky faced.
“You did okay, considering,” Mekai offered. Marz nodded unenthusiastically.
“Well students, can you tell me what you have learned today?” Brazin asked as we stood around nursing our bruised egos and other parts.
“We have a long year ahead of us?” Mekai offered sullenly. Yeah, that had to be it. Brazin found the comment amusing, his coarse laughter grating on my nerves already.
“You will find your powers are mostly outmatched right now, but these trainers have simply had time to use and refine their skills. Watch them carefully, learn from them, and remember that you will need more than your powers to fight in a war.” He continued pacing up and down in front of us, looking animated again. “You will need physical strength, yes, but more importantly, strength of character to get you through.” Yeah, yeah, he’d said all this already. I felt spent, and worse, unsure of myself. What the heck was I doing here? Brazin dismissed us with a wave of his hand. With a sigh of relief, I grabbed my bag, following the others from the hall. Marz and Sazika flanked me, like bodyguards.
“So, what do you think?” Marz asked casually. We seemed to be the first ones outside for break, and I gratefully breathed in the crisp pure air.
“I think the next class is going to kill me,” I moaned, flopping onto my group’s bench.
“I don’t think you did badly,” Sazika said, perching next to me. “You threw that big, cranky trainer over.”
“You seemed to have a plan at least,” I shrugged.
“I have brothers.” She grinned, the smile huge on her tiny face.
“Unfair advantage,” Marz cried, “I’m an only child.”
“Me too,” I put in, pretending to pout.
“You can borrow them anytime you like.” Sazika giggled just as Jonaz threw his bag on the table. Mekai arrived just after, while Mira sidled up wrinkling her nose like she’d stepped in something nasty. She hesitated for a few moments before sitting gingerly next to Mekai, looking at him like she might catch something. Like a personality. Jonaz sat on the bench directly opposite myself. He gave me a big dazzling grin, perfect, straight, white teeth to go with his wide, cocky smile. I threw up in my mouth a little.
“So I’m thinking we should meet up after school today and talk strategies,” said Jonaz, sweeping his dark hair back as he gazed around at us all.
“Can’t,” said Mira. “I have plans.”
“What a shame,” I replied. Marz eyed me warily.
“I can’t either, I have family obligations,” Sazika said, looking disappointed.
“Who can then?” Jonaz persisted. The rest of us nodded.
“Great, I’ll reserve us a table at The Solar Lounge.” Aha. I should have known it was just an excuse for him to show off. The Solar Lounge was a flashy, gotta-be-seen-here venue owned by none other than Jonaz’s socially envied parents, Beil and Vala Maven. The Mavens were one of the only surviving generations who hadn’t lost any of their family in the war. They were also one of the wealthiest families in Caran and it was common for their establishment to be name-dropped into conversations, if one was lucky enough to score a booking there. It was not my type of scene at all. Really. Oh okay sure, I appreciate impressive places, but not because someone else tells me I should be impressed. My group preferred The Lonely Galaxy, where you could put your feet on the seats and the dingy lighting was guaranteed to make anyone good looking.
Break was announced and the other students started streaming outside. I watched them laughing and jostling each other, the way I would have been doing with my group, if my life hadn’t just taken this unexpected turn. It didn’t seem like a potential war was on anyone else’s mind. I spotted Chaz, Meela and Dash approaching. Mira abandoned us immediately, throwing herself into Chaz’s arms.
“I missed you!” she squealed, becoming more animated in his presence than she’d been all morning. I rolled my eyes. You wouldn’t believe how strong my eye muscles were becoming. There was a stupefied moment of silence before everyone found somewhere else to look, and I scanned quickly for teachers. Knowing they could be reported for such behaviour, my anxiety for their misdemeanour turned into anger at Mira. What was wrong with her? Why was she being so brazen about it? It was un-Comian to lack such control. If she got him in trouble, I would wring her skinny little neck.
Chaz carefully pried her off, appearing appropriately alarmed at her P.D.A., and Mira seemed to realize what she’d done. She stepped back, flushing slightly, before her face resumed its former stony expression. Looking for a way to take the attention from their slip, and realizing I hadn’t introduced anyone yet, I got to it, making room on my bench for Dash. Meela and Chaz sat across from me, while Mira positioned herself practically in Chaz’s lap. I bit my lip in annoyance and looked away.
Stelli, appearing mostly recovered from her shock in class, had sidled up to our table and was alternating between staring uncertainly at the rest of us, and gazing at Jonaz like he was a heavenly being. The others looked embarrassed, as if her removal from training might equal her expulsion from the table. It triggered a sudden and protective kind of empathy for her that warmed my blood. She was only Comian, and we had no right to judge her. She had the G.B. to do that after all. I nodded very deliberately at Jonaz. Understanding, his lips curved up at me momentarily in a smile so completely sincere and uncalculating it surprised me. Then he turned and smiled kindly at Stelli, patting the spot beside him. She sat down in self-conscious silence, sitting as close as cosily possible to him.
A refreshment vendor rolled up to our table and we all grabbed various vials of energy drinks and protein snacks. Mekai and Dash began chatting, as they shared a geology class. The rest of us conversed easily enough, although Meela kept staring wide eyed at Stelli, clearly in awe of her perfect face and body. Stelli just sat there, saying little and smiling in the carefree way that someone that beautiful can, content just to be.
“Oi Jonaz!” Across the yard, Jonaz’s status seeking friends, called out to him. The two tacky looking girls I’d seen Jonaz with yesterday were staring over, their hands on their hips and ‘what is Jonaz doing, sitting with them?’ expressions.
Beside them, three other boys also stared, all too special to come over of course. Jonaz got up to leave and I noticed Stelli didn’t automatically follow. He turned back, summoning her with his head. I snorted in disgust, which of course he noticed, pinning me with an inquisitive stare. Well too bad. His self-adoration made me nauseous. As they pranced off to their fan base, I realized Sazika’s friends had also sidled up quietly, too shy to speak it seemed.
“See you tomorrow,” Sazika said in her soft, small voice. Hopping up, she moved off to another table with her friends. Marz moved a little closer to me until his elbow was pressed against mine.
“How do you want to get there tonight, Twell?” he leaned even closer to me as he spoke.
“Sorry, where?” I was still glaring at the back of Jonaz’s head. His posse had all crowded around him like he was the planet, and they the little stars, gravitating in his orbit.
“Er, the meeting tonight?” he explained patiently. I sighed and turning back, gave him my attention.
“I’ll fly I guess.” I casually shifted away from him so we weren’t touching. I valued my personal space and he was well in it. Don’t get me wrong, Marz was by no means abhorrent to me, but I knew where this conversation was heading and I really didn’t want to go there. Plus, he wasn’t Chaz.
“Maybe you could swing past mine and I’ll grab a ride?” he suggested, unperturbed by my lack of enthusiasm. “Better for the environment and all that.” I glanced at Chaz. He was assessing Marz, his expression amused. Beside him, Mira smirked as she leaned her head onto Chaz’s shoulder, practically begging for me to jump over the table and smack her. Dash and Meela hadn’t even noticed, engrossed in one of their usual arguments further down the bench.
“Maybe you should walk, and keep on setting that good example you mentioned in class,” I replied, maintaining an innocent expression. Chaz gave a small, deliberate cough, his eyes crinkling at the corners in mirth. I bit my lip in annoyance. Marz looked taken aback for a moment before his expression cleared.
“But I heard it might rain tonight. I’d rather fly with you, so we can get to know each other on the way.” Chaz spluttered into his juice and I peered under the table to see whether he was within kicking distance. I knew my face was burning. It was so irritating that Marz was crushing on me right in front of everyone. I deliberated over giving Marz the frost, or jumping up and stomping away. However, seeing I had to face the guy every day for the next year, that wouldn’t do. With another sigh, I gave in and answered irritably.
“What’s your address?” Delighted, Marz grabbed my wrist and tapped it in, apparently oblivious to the now entire table’s interest in the matter. Just great. I refused to even look at Chaz again, I was so mortified. How many times did I have to be humiliated today?
Thankfully, Marz stood up and excused himself to go find his friends, promising to be ready for me at sundown. Lucky me. As soon as he was gone, Meela sprang up. Whipping over to my bench, she draped herself practically in my lap.
“Hmmmmm.” She poked me in the ribs, her light eyes dancing. “That was entertaining. Do you rank him?”
“No!” I slapped her fingers away. “I just met the guy!”
“Uh-huh, in a nice, cosy, special class, where things might get a bit tense. Where you might need a shoulder to cry on; a strong chest to lean on.”
“Stop it.” She did, but her provoking expression lingered. I knew what she was insinuating. If I liked Marz and we got together, maybe he could be the one, or at least someone I could petition the government to partner. Yep, she’s jumped straight into that train of thought. I supposed I couldn’t blame her though. The partnering was like a nagging, dark creature in the back of my mind, but I really didn’t need the extra pressure of trying to find someone I liked ‘enough’ on top of everything else I had going on. Better to resign myself to the Gov’s decision and deal with it when the time came. Or, run away to another planet. If I passed training, that might actually be possible. The thought brightened my mood.
Meela wisely changed the subject, launching into a diatribe against the physical expression teacher, who she felt was making it a personal mission to strain every muscle in her body. I listened happily enough, inserting ‘Really?’ and, ‘What a swamp dweller!’ where appropriate. Break passed quickly. The rest of the day was a blur of classes that I did my best to take interest in. Compared to my morning, they already seemed dull and irrelevant.