I try to fight the smile that’s tugging at my lips. I slow down my pace, joining Piper and Kate again. Sienna pulls back ahead, going to her roommates. The Teaching Bell rings and I walk to Circle Room 2, where my next Profession Exam will be. I sit down along the counter and tap up the hologram.
Profession Exam Two
This exam will determine your strongest skill in the areas of the Teachings.
That shouldn’t be too difficult. The light keyboard appears and I click the space bar to move forwards. The first question lights up. Math.
What is the reciprocal of the integer negative five eighths.
I type in my answer. That question was simple. We passed that content years ago. Another math problem pops up after I enter my answer. Then another. Thirty different math questions appear before it switches to a different Teaching. History Teaching. After History, Literature.
Questions pass for each Teaching, except for Inspection and I.L.I. After it ends, I trudge back into my room and quickly change into my night clothes. I barely get any sleep, too worried to relax. Worried about Dana. Worried about Canton. Worried about getting caught. Worried about my answers on the exams. Worried. Worried. Worried.
˚˚°˚˚
My chin aches the entire day. My Renewal Official brushes more makeup on, but I feel like it’s catching all of the Officials’ attention. Piper and I meet up at Free Hour as soon as we get off the stairs.
“Why were you talking to 988?” Piper asks.
“Sienna, not 988. She remembers Canton.”
“What? How?” She scans the crowd for Sienna, but she’s nowhere in sight. She’s probably on the other side of the track.
“She has the bandage, but she asked me what I thought about him.”
“How…if she remembers, do other people? Why didn’t she forget when we did?”
“I don’t know, but I told her about meeting with Josh.”
“What?” Piper’s eyebrows rise, “Is that a good idea?”
“She told me her name. She’s at least a little defiant.”
Piper bites her lip. She’s not convinced. What can I say to make her understand? We can trust her.
“We should give her a chance. I trusted you, why can’t I trust her?”
Piper sighs, but doesn’t say anything more. She’s still not completely reassured.
Kate catches up to us. Piper clenches her fists in frustration. It’s impossible to figure out anything when we can only talk once a day. Our already few conversations are always cut short when Kate shows up.
Kate talks for the entirety of Free Hour. Piper and I exchange hopeless glances as she launches into her detailed opinion on the Heads being gracious, kind-hearted, and several other overly used words.
Free Hour ends and I walk back through the halls to my third Profession Exam. I stride into Circle Room 7 and sit down at the stool with 986 on it. I tap up my hologram.
Profession Exam Three
Answer the questions as accurately and quickly as you can.
It’s the same activities we do in I.L.I. Memory. Concentration Match-making. All the questions resemble the ones in I.L.I. class. I guess my results are mediocre. Other topics steal for my attention, instead of memorizing random symbols.
YOU ARE READING
986 (Complex Series, #1)
Science Fiction-first book in Complex series- In the Complex, where everyone is emotionless perfection, a young girl discovers through forbidden friendships the frightening truth behind her seemingly flawless world. (the lovely cover was created by @clarkethevirus)
