The Class Reject: A Martyr in Maelstrom (Book III)

3

Jeno could have gotten lost in the historical arches that composed most of New Haven, Connecticut. But naturally, his eyes focused ahead as he walked along Yale's prestigious campus. Although it was still tundra outside, many students were out and about like the overachievers they were. As they fluttered about, their anxious energy practically warmed the air, but it didn't warm him.

To think, in a matter of months he'd be in one of them. He knew he wasn't Yale material, but college was college. Carbon copy Ivy leagues included.

Before the artic air could numb his limbs completely, he made it to one of the engineering and applied science buildings. He expected someone to stop him, but it was like the universe realized he was in a foul mood and respected that. The facility was a modern wonder, with translucent glass walls and machines both on display and being worked on that he had never seen in his life, and admittedly didn't care for. Guess he'd have to reconsider his early acceptance to MIT.

He went down a flight of stairs, and entered a hallway that apparently decided on a computer-theme, what with several research posters on Natural Language Processing Systems and Core-Processor Digital Data Architectures and blah blah blah on the invisible walls. He made it halfway through the hallway when he saw Wallace typing on a computer with three large monitors. It looked like he was coding something. Again, Jeno's lack of interest remained.

"You could have just called." Wallace turned around, but still resumed typing. "Last thing I need is you dying in a snowstorm. Something tells me you're the haunting type."

Jeno would have smirked until he remembered why he was here. "Hello to you too."

"I'm serious."

"That's my line." Jeno took in the room. It was about the size of a classroom, with other seats and supercomputers. Probably for the other graduate students. "Besides, you didn't tell me that you were leaving Rinzen permentantly." His gaze returned to the boy. "Above everyone else, I thought you were my friend."

"And I thought Chara loved me." Wallace shrugged, typing a little faster now. However, the pain in his hazel eyes, although subtle, was as evident as the sadness in Jeno's. "I guess you had the right idea about not trusting anyone."

"What happened to us?" Jeno said, taking a seat next to him. "I know I don't always have nice things to say about Chara, but I never thought of her as the betraying type. Nor did I think that Miren would just disappear without telling me." His hands balled up into fists as he looked at his former peer. "It's been a week, Wallace. I knew you wouldn't hide her whereabouts from me, but I had to make sure."

Wallace scoffed, but finally stopped typing as he turned to his friend. "I obviously don't know the full story beyond the whole video thing and Theodora's involvement with the Rising Scholar Award, but I can't help but wonder why you're so worked up about all of this. I mean, Chara isn't. I'm trying not to be. And we're the only ones who have actually put ourselves on the line for her." He wrinkled his nose. "Yet, you're the one who's convinced that you have some sort of connection with her. But why? Why do you even like her?

"I mean, I helped her before because of Chara. But you have no reason to hate Penelope, or to feel some type of way about Miren," he continued, his eyes narrowing shiftily against his friend. "And don't say it's because she's different. Because that's racist."

Jeno rolled his eyes at Wallace's somber attempt at a joke. "Affection isn't logical."

"But you are," Wallace pressed.

"What do you want me to say?" he said, rising to his feet. "That I've been in love with her since the first time we met in middle school or something cliché like that? I knew who she was before, but I didn't think anymore of her than your budding alcoholic ex-girlfriend. And yes, she is different," he defended. "She's somehow above everything that is petty and juvenile, and yet she's also fallen victim to it. And I just wanted to help her." He closed his eyes, his lips quivering in frustration. "I just want her to be like..."