Free Minds

Chapter 2.

Present Day.

"Remember guys, the wiring must be done just right for this to work," Mr. Walsh announced to the class before him. "Blue on red, red on green, yellow on green. Anything else will just—"

   All wide eyes turned to the mild sound that filled the ghost quiet lab.

"...do that. Oh," His expression turned grim as he realized where it came from. Or rather who. "Miss Simmons."

   I could barely hear my name amidst the giggles and scoffs that erupted.

"How many effects do we usually get when the wrong wiring occurs, Beth?"

"Um, three?"

   His glare was really not helping.

"And they are?"

"Electric shock, Intermittent sparks and—"

"You would think she would mention the explosion she created as the first effect which, by the way, is caused by a complete discord. A mistake that would have been easily avoided if she had done the reading twice the number of times psychology requires."

   No, wrong guess. Not Mr. Walsh.

"Or maybe she did," The familiar sparkle which derived its source from my misery found its way to Viola Quill's eyes as she carried on. "But it's difficult to adjust when your mind is still tied down to the ancient, savage ways of public scho–"

"Okay that's enough!"

   Enough for her to throw a smug smirk in my direction and infect everyone else in class with more laughter. Thanks a lot, sir.

   At least Viola had the guts to always make her many, many, public digs to my face. She never shied way from displaying her undying contempt for me. It was better than the other Zavlonians who probably thought they were doing me a favor by doing so behind my back.

"Make sure you get it right next time, Bethany." Mr. Walsh cast another look my way.

   I'll do my best to be insulted and mocked in a more creative way, don't worry about it. "It's Beth."

   Just Beth. Not Bethany. Not Elizabeth. Not Bethesda. 

"Next lesson is Mechanics! Beth Simmons, you have Mechanics as your next course of stu–"

   As usual, since the day I learned to just ignore anything in this school that just wouldn't stop bugging me, I hopped off my hover seat/incessant Siri-like assistant and walked through the hallway.

   Now I'm usually nice to the tech I'm with, but not the kind that would constantly hound me for not staying seated on it during all school hours, insisting that it had to transport me everywhere.

   Yeah, including the bathroom.

   At this point, I was used to the gawking stares I received for using my legs as well as the 'slow processing, gadget-destructing, science's black sheep Beth Simmons' whispers. On good days though, it was 'Scholarship Kid' for short.

   My several attempts to joke that it be shortened to "scholar" have proved depressingly unsuccessful.

"Slow down, Beth! You know Terrence can't move at your lightning pace," Minji called as she approached me on her hover chair.

   I stifled a grin as I faced my locker neighbour from mine.

"I thought she was Vicky."

   Minji's green eyes enlarged as her tall frame recoiled further into the chair. "Don't let him hear you say that! Obviously, he's going through some form of transition."