[Enders Game] >
Lara Flinn never thought she'd make it to Battle School, much less alongside Ender Wiggin. But powers beyond them have sealed their fates and there's no turning back.
~~~~~
The International Fleet will do whatever it takes to pre...
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Status: Edited
"She didn't do anything."
"About what? The fight? What did you expect her to do? Go running to his rescue?"
"Of course not. But I thought she might do something."
"Don't be ridiculous, Anderson. The smartest thing she can do right now is sit back and observe. She wants to see where everybody fits, what their personalities are. Figure out who's the best."
"You mean, who's the competition."
"Now you're getting it."
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were the one studying these kids through the monitors all those years."
~~~
The boys were quick when it came to determining bunks once we'd been marched through the halls of the school and arrived at our barracks. I watched from the side as they galavanted around the room, bunking up with boys they'd made friends with during the launch and bouncing on beds to test their spring. I hadn't made much of an effort to talk to anyone on the way up so I waited to see which beds remained open as the group explored their new quarters. It didn't bother me to find the only bunk left unattended was the one closest to the door.
I chose to ignore the fact that the other boys had found the bed unsatisfactory for whatever strange reason or superstition they had concocted. Be patient, I thought, walking around the side of my new bunk to examine the lockers imbedded in the wall. Work for their respect. It will come in time.
There was a piece of paper attached to the metal of the locker, but I didn't have time to read it as the room quieted. I turned around to find the cause of the sudden silence only to find Ender alone in the doorway. If disturbed me slightly that I hadn't noticed his absence before.
Ender's eyes wandered the room, coming to rest on the last unoccupied bed - the one below mine. The lighting of the room cast a shadow across his features and for a moment I could almost see anger in his eyes. But the look was gone in an instant as he smiled brightly. "Hey, thanks," he spoke loudly for the whole room to hear. "I thought I was going to have to ask for the bunk by the door."
I couldn't help the quiet huff of laughter that escaped me. He's got guts, I thought, tracking his figure as he moved towards his own locker, which of course was right next to mine.
He stepped up beside me, analyzing his locker and pretending not to feel the heat of my gaze on him. His eyes scanned the paper which I had failed to read before he put his hand against the scanner and repeated his name twice into the device. "Ender Wiggin. Ender Wiggin." The metal door popped open.
