The Innates (Book #1)

Chapter 10

"So, Jess..." Robert takes his first step outside. "When did you arrive?"
"Last night. Well, actually it's midnight. So earlier precisely."
"How old are you?"
"I turned thirteen on March."
"Good for you."
"I thought Ace was gonna give me the tour."
"He was, and you were wandering around the campus. He must've forgotten. Sorry about that."
I'm used to being forgotten. Earth is the place for the forgotten. Unlike Pluto, you matter no matter what you are or what you do.
"So when do we start?"
"Uhm, right now?" He laughed.
"Oh, I'm actually pretty nervous about going to this school."
"You don't say. But come on, you're an Innate. That's a good advantage right?"
"But what if I'm not smart enough."
"Jackson told me your I.Q. is 250, isn't that like, genius?"
"Genius." I repeated.
"You're gonna be okay. Just show 'em what you're made of. Your special talents."
"I'm so untalented, it's almost a talent."
"Expect the unexpected, right? Just keep looking." He pushes the elevator button, the door slides open. Its surfaces were entirely crafted with shimmering, transparent glass. I touched its walls as we entered. My fingertips slide and had the slippery feel against the walls.
"Look around, Jess. This place is filled with people who strive to be better, people who believe that nothing is impossible."
Since we were surrounded by glass, I was free to look at whatever I want. Robert pushes a button, causing us to move swiftly and tossing us to the side.
"The glass is bulletproof." He said.
"Cool." The staircases sink down as the elevator arises. I pushed my face hard on the glass, flattening my nose and making my glasses press against my bulging eyes. It all seemed unreal. This isn't a dream, but it is. Like that feeling when your hiccups finally go away, when you're in a rollercoaster drop, like that feeling when you just want to do a cartwheel and a back-flip and somersault across a raging river while trying not to get knocked over. More elevator shafts surround the inside of the building with more elevators ascending and descending. More people strolled around the vast area, doing their own thing. There wasn't a section where it was unoccupied. A batch of students huddle around a small cushion, nobody among them couldn't take their eyes off the books they were reading. Now that is what I call, trust and sufficiency. Computer screens were implanted on every wall, which every faculty member gazed at. The more I took it all in, the mousier I felt. I sighed long enough.
"I'm scared." I said. "I need to do something like, like squeeze something or hold something. Give me something that can calm me down."
"Here..." He pulls his hand away from his pocket, then he placed a small knife on my prosthetic palm. There's something about knives that makes me want to keep touching them. I mean, the smooth edges, the sturdy handle, and the sharp tip. Holding on to dangerous weaponry was the cherry on top of a perfect day, perfect moment. Perfect life. A new life. I secure it in my pocket. This is a new beginning. Everything is perfect. Except I'm afraid of one thing, change. I'm anxious about things changing. What if I'm not myself anymore?
"Second thoughts are not helping." Robert said.
"How'd you know?"
"I am not psychic, I am not a genius like you--"
"Genius." I said again, this time with a smirk.
"as I was saying, Seekers like us, learn to understand other Innates, each other."
"Like, only with just one look, you already know there's something wrong going on with someone?"
"Yeah."
"Sounds crazy... I like it."
"Do you consider, like, joining..."
"Join what? Are you asking me to be a Seeker? 'Cause if you are, no."
"Dang it." He said.
"And plus, hearing all of that yelling earlier made me feel like, "no thanks, I'm just gonna run now. Bye."
"Then why did you try to inspect? You were worried, huh?"
"Worried?" I scoffed. "About what?"
"You were looking so eager. So insistent. Why is that?" He leaned against the door. I shrugged and smiled.
"Do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Yeah, sure, yeah." I said.
"Why do you have bruises? Was it your brother?"
I sniffle. "Yeah..."
"Come here." He said while pulling the hem of my sweater and trapping me between his rock-hard forearms.
"Wh-what is this for?" I said, not complaining.
"To prevent deppression, other people acquire certain physical contact such as, hugging or hand-holding. In which case, hugging works better right this moment."
"Thank you." I said. He placed his chin on the center of my head. I enfold my real arm throughout his curved waste. I press my head softly on his long-sleeved shirt. Sympathy. All this time, I was craving for acceptance, but I didn't know that sympathy was a delecacy to me.
I realized that there were two tiny spots on his shirt that were darker than the actual color. The spots were damp and cold. More spot-makers fall from my eyes. I was so happy, I could barely smile. They made me forget the world I was living in and introduced me to a bright new one, where anything was possible.

"This is the rooftop." Robert said as he pushes a square-shaped metal mounted into the ceiling of the elevator with his skinny fingers while he moderately lifts up his heels.
"Let me give you a boost." He grabs my side and lifted me up like an infant. I struggled to squeeze myself through the almost petite hole. I land on my chest on the rough floor, my glasses fall again.
"Hey, I'm sorry about that." He said.
"I'm okay, I'm okay. I'm new to all of this. Not a physical person."
"Yeah I could tell. You slouch too much." He reels himself up. "Good thing you're honest with yourself. And that good heart of yours."
"Good heart? Is it really that obvious, because you looked at my face?" I slid my glasses back on.
"No." He laughed.
"Thanks though."
"Nah... don't worry about it, we're friends. That's what we do."
"Man, it's a beautiful day to wake up to." I said. "I can't believe this is Pluto." More structures encircle the building, towers, dorms, and more buildings. This is an Innate city.
"Wait a sec, how come it's not that cool up here, I thought we're in Pluto. And where's all the snow and the rocky mountains?"
"A clear, humongous dome surrounds the entire mini-city--see why the sky is white?"
"Yeah, it's really cloudy."
"It's snow that cloaked the barrier."
"Awesome. What's it made of?"
"I don't know, only our ancestors know. But I'm guessing they mixed up a bunch of chemicals to make the strongest metal in the world transparent."
"I'm guessing it's electromagnetic." I say.
"Electromagnetic? Then the snow would have melted."
"Good point."
"So, have you picked out your nickname yet?"
"Nickname?"
"Yeah, they didn't tell you?" I shook my head. "Every student here needs a nickname. The reason is that, they need something that allows them to leave everything behind. All the bad memories."
"So it's like, I get to start over once I accept the invitation?"
"Yeah, exactly like that." He said. "Inspire yourself to become new. Be creative."
"Okay." I said.