Sector City

Chapter 2 ~David~

         Lilly Kate Parker, Felicity Blair Day, Autumn Marie Gail and Jennifer Kay Gail are standing in a circle talking about boys when I walk up. I shake my head grinning and walk toward the boys they are talking about, Peter Joseph Day, Andrew James Gail, Louis Matthew Parker, and Thomas Henry Hayes.
        I listen to their conversation for a whiles trying to feign interest, but it's sports scores and stats, as usual and I am easily bored. I hear the pounding of foot steps behind us and turn to see who it is.
        Julie Anne Clark, that cute girl from the last farm in our division. She doesn't talk much, but Henry said that she is from the Education Sector. If so she would belong in the Artistic Division. Her backpack, which was at one time solid brown like the rest of ours, is painted to look like a tree, not just any tree though, it is the symbol of our country. We learned about it in history class last year and she was very attentive in history. I am not sure why I noticed except that she sits right in front of me in class.
        The girls see her coming and start giggling. They do that every morning, but today they act as if she were a creature from another planet instead of just a girl from a different sector. I hear the bus coming and turn back to watch it drive up.
     "Hey Artsy! Is it pretty enough for you today?" Asks Blair, she always throws the first punch so to speak, but her 'punches' are more like pathetic slaps.
Jenny Kay shifts her weight and looks uncomfortable. Lilly looks at Blair with a puzzled expression and tilts her head slightly to the side. I forget that she doesn't hear this all the time. She and her brother Matt are homeschooled. They only go to the school in the Education Sector for the tests that we have three times a year.                
         One at the beginning of the year, one in the middle, and the other at the end. The teachers say our scores are only to tell if we are really ready to move into the next grade, but this year, because I am 15, I will be tested for graduation, into the college. The tests could decide the rest of my life, or simply aid in my decision, depending on my grades.
         From the girls, Julie, Jenny Kay, Lily and Blair will be graduating this year. From the boys there will be me, Joe, Matt, and Henry. All of us should pass. except maybe Blair. 
       Andrew is already in college, he chose to stay with the Science Sector and take over his father's farm later on. Autumn will be graduating next year. There are a few younger kids too but they have a few more years of school.
       Julie ignores Blair and pants for breath. As I watch her deep rhythmic breathing, her backpack slides forward and almost flips over her head. Her blond braid is hanging off her shoulder and sways back and forth with every breath. I catch myself staring and turn away back to the group of boys.
       "So, is it 'Artsy'?" Blair continues to taunt her until she looks up from her panting, "Or are you too stuck up to talk to us? Huh?"
I grimace and turn to tell Blair to knock it off, but Julie beats me to it.
       "I guess it's not easy enough for you to remember, Blair," she pauses and straightening, brushes her hands off on her shirt, and looks Blair in the eye, "But my name's not 'Artsy' it's Julie."
       The bus pulls up as soon as the words are out of her mouth. Julie slings her backpack onto her shoulder and stalks toward the bus.
       Everyone just stares after her for a second, slightly stunned that she finally spoke up,  but then we all hurriedly gather our things and clamor aboard the bus. I see an empty seat close to the front on the aisle and step toward it quickly. You had to sit in the middle if you wanted out fast. I look over to see who was beside me and lo and behold it is her.
         Little Miss Julie Anne Clark.