Brianna Acero and the Second One's Return

19. What matters is on the inside... of your DNA

"What makes us special? That's the question we should all ask ourselves. What makes us different from the rest, from the Norms? Think about your answer."

Amanda Ranel, the biology and science mentor, paces up and down the rows of trainees, scanning the room as she goes. We are sitting in a U shape, with five rows of tables placed one behind the other. The last row is higher up than the first one, allowing those of us sitting in the back to see the front of the class without a problem. I yawn, drawing imaginary doodles onto the table. Using our TekPads for class meant no paper, which meant no drawing. I was bored out of my mind.

After getting settled into our new room, and fighting over who got the top bunks, we called it in early. It had been an exciting day, and I wanted to be ready for when our official training began. I expected us to be at the practice rooms, learning to control our Gifts, or at least doing some hand to hand combat. I didn't think about the fact that our training wouldn't only be physical, but mental as well. The first thing on my schedule, which was sent to my TekPad and all the other trainees' devices first thing in the morning, was biology with this Amanda Ranel. I learned later on that we do not address our mentor as Mrs. Or Ms., we just use their first names.

It also looks like the first years aren't the only ones in Amanda's class, everyone needs to attend. Our official schedule was made up of science, technology, history, physical training, and lab work. There were optional courses, like learning Lansh, which is the universal language. Or at least it's meant to be. The President decided a few years ago that if we would all be united under one ruler, then we all needed to be able to understand each other and communicate with one another. It has become an obligatory class in schools all over the world. I had learned a bit when I was in primary. All the council members need to speak it, all important figures from other countries as well. I debated attending that course or not, and I still haven't decided.

But as for all the other classes, every trainee needs to attend. Of course, the older trainees, as in the ones that have been here longer than us first years, don't have to be in every class, they have the privilege of choosing which classes they want to attend, specializing as they get older, getting to decide what they want to do when they eventually finish their training. Except for Physical ability and Gift control, those classes are obligatory for everyone.

Cassie and I were the first ones up this morning, and we helped each other choose an outfit for our first day. Lucky for us there was no uniform, we just needed to wear something we could move in. No skintight skirts or dresses, which wasn't a problem for me seeing as my style consisted of comfortable baggy clothes. Today I was just wearing a pair of ripped jeans and an oversized t-shirt with my favorite sentence on it: I'm not sarcastic, I'm realistic, there's a difference. I love that phrase.

The room I am currently in is nothing like my classes with Mr. Roscovik. This looks like the university classes I had seen on a few of my college visits. It's big, really big, and there is a giant glass wall at the front where Amanda is projecting various images onto it.

"What makes us better, stronger, faster?"

I try not to cringe as Amanda walks my way.

Better.

She speaks as if Norms were lesser, as if they were lucky that Elites protected and ruled over them. Like they want to be worse. I can't be the only one that thinks that what she's saying and the way she says it sounds presumptuous. One of the girls sitting next to me rolls her eyes, Jade, I think her name was. She's a special kind of physical manipulator. She's what we call a morph, able to change her body to look like someone else. She demonstrated her Gift during the duels by turning into her opponent. Watching the same person fighting themselves had been quite confusing, but very entertaining.