[COMPLETED] The Academy For Genetically Gifted Children Book One: Genesis

Andi

Chapter 18: Andi

By the end of their first week at the Academy Andi was mentally exhausted, something she had never experienced before. She and Layla sat in their room after the day's classes, waiting for the announcement to meet at the Mass Chamber.
"I feel utterly abominable," Andi told her. "Like my brain has been picked through, like if someone asked me to spell my own name I might not to be able to." She winced.
"That's called school, sugarplum," Layla replied, organizing her shoes on her side of the room. "Now you get to see how awful it is for everyone else."
"Thanks for that, Layla."
"No problemo."
Andi sighed. "Don't interpret me falsely—" Layla understood this to be Andi's way of saying 'Don't get me wrong,'—"I'm quite satisfied to be learning so much. It's just the classes are exceedingly demanding, and I'm quite positive I'll have arthritis in my lower vertebrae by the end of this year with how many textbooks I have to stuff in my bag." She lifted her messenger bag and threw it on the ground, making their beds rattle. "See?"
Layla laughed, but said, "The Academy did give you loads of classes, but that's just because you're so smart. It could be some sort of test, to see if you fail under the pressure. Make sure you prove them wrong."
Andi felt enthused by Layla's kind words and she opened up her Human Anatomy & Psychology book to study.

Suddenly Director Perrez's voice sounded. "Will all students please make their way to the Mass Chamber in a calm and orderly way for an Academy meeting."
Just as I decided to start studying too, she thought, closing her book.
"Let's hurry down there," Layla said. "You know the boys will want to sit with us."
They made their way down to the hall with the mob of kids, passing the Educational Office.
A cobblestone path led to the massive oak doors of the Chamber, where Rion and Kai stood waiting for them.
Kai greeted Layla as always. "Hi, Lay!"
Layla gave him a sideways scowl. "Kai, what did I say about calling me 'Lay'?"
He turned red and gave a dejected look. "Sorry..." he mumbled.
Feeling sorry for his friend, Rion grabbed him around the shoulders and said,
"Look, there are some seats over there, come on guys!"

They made their way through the swarm of kids, all trying to sit next to people they knew. At the front of the circular-shaped building was a stage, with a microphone stand in the middle. The Academy's emblem and motto was blown up on a huge white tapestry that hung from the rafters  above the stage.

"Andi, did you have any more ideas on what that emblem is?" Rion asked, nodding in the direction of the tapestry.
"Unfortunately, no. I was considering asking Annie if I could borrow her computer though, and maybe do some research." She bit her lip, then continued, saying, "I'm discombobulated at the fact that there are no computer labs on campus; I at least thought there would be some in the library."
Andi saw her friends' blank stares at her use of the word 'discombobulated.' She sighed inwardly and clarified: "confused, surprised, astonished."
She noticed Rion smirk at her list of synonyms, as if her elevated vocabulary amused him. Before she could consider why, Kai said, dumbfounded,
"There's a library here?"
Andi looked at him absurdly. "Certainly, I've been there almost every day this week after classes."
"Oh, of course. Must have escaped my mind," replied Kai, his voice dripping with humored sarcasm. "I've been too busy with my Wilderness Training class to notice I guess. Now that I know Josh is in there I practice extra hard so I can show him up in everything."
The lights quickly dimmed, silencing conversation, and Andi looked around to see that almost every student had found a seat. Spotlights flickered on and lit up the stage, just as Directer Perrez walked across.
In a perfectly ironed suit, as usual, Andi noticed.

"Good evening, students. The Academy has called this meeting in order to introduce a few things. First, the Training Center. The Training Center is a facility located about a half mile past the East Side Classes. Is's purpose is simple—to train you youth for not only the eventual task four of you will face at the end of your years here, but also for the difficulties you will face throughout your entire time at the Academy. While the Training Center will advance your physical skills, the Simulation Dome will test and enhance your inner conscious's abilities."
At this Andi's eyes lit up and she paid extra attention. Anything testing and advancing brain power was her kind of workout.
"However, the Simulation Dome is off limits for the time being. The group that you arrived on the plane with will be the group you practice with at the Training Center as well as most other activities that you will be apart of here."
Kai, Rion, Layla, and Andi looked at each other sadly.
Now we won't all get to be together. I like Kai of course, but I wish to have Layla and Rion by my side as well, Andi thought with a frown.
Rion, who was sitting next to Andi, saw her upset expression and gave her hand a squeeze. "Don't worry," he whispered. "We'll all be fine. We can hang out the rest of the time."
Andi was weirded out by his behavior; a boy had never so much as grabbed her hand before.
He was just being comforting. Don't get worked up about it.  She gave him a small smile before returning her attention back to Director Perrez.

"The Campus Post is also now available to students, where if your family or friends have written to you, you will find the letters there."
No parents or relatives will be writing to me, Andi thought indifferently. She glanced at her friends—by the looks on their faces they were thinking the same thing.
"Lastly, I want to point out that your numbers have been dwindling" He paused, then said, "Go ahead, take a look around, youth."
They did. Hundreds of heads swiveled around, looking out at each other.
"One hundred of your peers have already been sent home. The first week is always the hardest of course, with getting adjusted to classes and rules and what-not, but you must keep your wits about you if you are to last here. Soon things will get more challenging, and you must not crack under the pressure."
The Director paused for a moment, plastering on a smile that seemed as if it pained him to do so, then continued. "On the bright side, the Campus Shopping Center is almost finished with construction and will likely be open within the next few weeks."
With that, he walked off the stage.
"What a funny way to end the meeting," Layla said as a slow and awkward clap began, as if the students didn't know if it was appropriate or not.
"Shopping Center? What even does that mean?" Kai asked.
"You know, like clothes, food, games, and stuff," Layla replied. After seeing their blank stares, she added, "Didn't you people ever go shopping?"
"I normally read," said Andi.
"My best friend James and I played soccer a lot," offered Rion.
"Don't mind me, I was just saving the neighborhood kids from bullies," Kai put in.
Layla scoffed. "Fine, I'll teach you hooligans how to shop, if I must."
Rion winced. "You know, that's really not neccessa-" Layla cut Rion off with a hard look.
"I mean...yes ma'm, please show us how to shop, ma'm."
Andi noticed that Kai tried and failed to hold back his laughs as they all walked out of the chamber and into the night.

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