Free Minds

Chapter 3.

"Hey Beth, over here!" It took me a minute to identify Minji's midnight blue hair in the clustered crowd in the assembly pod.

"Isn't this weird?" she asked when I joined her in looking for a seat. "We've never gotten an assembly alert during class."

   I merely nodded in response. I was just glad we got to leave our hovers behind this time. The chairs in the pod were actually the normal kind, thank God.

"Anyway, don't thank me now, but I've already found a solution to your Electronics problem," she continued, still craning her neck in search of a good spot.

"Really?" Damn. She had never worked this fast before.

"Of course! I mean, I am a genius at Electronics, I know," she shrugged. "But... guess who's better?"

   The infamous mischief in a familiar figure's brown eyes lingered as he walked over to join us. "Hello, Arch-nemesis on Wednesdays."

"Because it's no one else's fault Mr. Sacury chooses to teach Mechanics instead of Alien Studies on Wednesdays but mine," I said, "I thought you were going to write a petition for that."

"But that will bring an end to our lovers' spat," Aarav smirked. "And we both know we don't want that."

   The funny thing is this odd exchange with Aarav Hooda will have still gone down today, but at lunch instead. He was one of the people who was not terrible to me when Minji first invited me to her table. I later found out that that was just how he was with well... everyone and that earned him the good kind of reputation. Even the teachers fell prey to his charms. That didn't stop his mouth and acts of mischief from getting him into all kinds of trouble though.

   To most students, however, all the more attractive.

  We turned backwards upon hearing the call of Minji and Aarav's names, tracing it to the brown-haired and eyed frame of Camila Lovato, who gestured to the available seats next to hers.

"I'm honestly dying to hear their reason for dragging us from class without any prior notice," Camila, definitely not in the 'We heart Beth Simmons' club, frowned as we sat down. "We have schedules for a reason, you know."

"Well, we're about to find out." Minji responded, before focusing on she and I's previous conversation once more. "Anyway, Beth, as I was saying, I found someone that I think is really going to be a big help in Electronics."

"But you're the genius, why can't you be the one who helps me?" Despair drove my face into cupped hands. "Besides, I don't even know this person. How can I be so sure that she can really address the issues I'm having?" I whined.

"How about we tone down on the excitement, Beth?" A new voice spoke, "You seriously can't be that ecstatic that I'm the one tutoring you?"

   Shock and fear froze my stance. I didn't have to think to know who'd said that. When I finally got the courage to look to my right, I was not disappointed. The calm yet seething voice of Dorian Mathers matched his harsh green eyes which glared down at me.

   His expression remained anything but cordial as he took a seat next to Aarav.

   Multiple "Please take your seats, students," announcements from the PA systems clouded my mumbled apology to Dorian.

"Presenting your headmistress... PRINCIPAL LLAKE."

   I tried to focus less on what had just happened as the whole student body got on their feet to applaud at the sight of Zavlon Academia's principal.

   The shine of her pearly whites was in harmonious contrast with her brown skin as she responded with a smile. Principal Llake's sharp tone echoed in the pod as she told everyone to take their seats.