Lara's POV
"Mr. Knight? Can we postpone my test? I really need to go and check on Misha", I said with haste.
"She'll be fine Ms. Lauren. The medics we have here are experts in their field, besides, she's in the healing tube right now. We use it when students injure themselves during training. It won't take long to heal when you're kept in the tube for a certain period of time", he reassured.
*sigh*
"Alright, I'll go outside now", I said, then took the goggles from the table and went out of the little room.
'Let's get this over with', I thought to myself when I wore the eye protection and jogged towards the test area.
I waited for the queue. My hands were fidgeting so I shook my hands to relax.
"Are you ready Lauren?", Tatiana asked through the speakers.
"Yes", I answered.
"Alright, you'll start after the count of three", she instructed and I nodded as a response.
"One.... Two.... Three.... Start!", she said raised her two thumbs up. I turned my back on them and immediately took a few steps towards the first crystal, and held on to it with both hands without hesitation. I wanted to finish quick. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate but the image of Ms. Misha in agonizing pain appeared in my head. I shook my head to get rid of the thought but it keeps on coming back. I sighed and removed my hands from the crystal.
I looked back at them and asked, "I think I didn't do it properly. Can I start over?"
"Sure Ms. Lauren. Take your time, just tell us when you're ready", Mr. Knight agreed. I nodded and take a couple of slow steady breaths. When I was finally relaxed, I looked back at them and gave them an "okay" signal with right hand.
"Great, just relax. You may begin now", Tatiana said through the speakers.
I walked towards the first crystal and touched it. I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply and breathed out through pursed lips. I tried to clear my mind from everything and just let things be. The time have passed and I didn't even notice it until Tatiana spoke.
"Lauren, you finished the first test", she said and walked back outside the circle.
"Let's move on to your next test", Mr. Knight said. I looked at them and noticed that they were both staring at me with their eyesbrows furrowed.
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Tatiana's POV
I turned the knob for the mic to turn it off. I needed to keep this conversation between my Uncle and I.
"Uhmmm. Sir, did you notice that?", I asked the principal and he just simply nodded as an answer.
"It seems that the crystals are malfunctioning today. We need to know how to fix this, the results will be inaccurate if this goes on", I assumed that this was simply a technical problem, but we both know that those three crystals never get wrong results. It was never operated by anything, the lights come out naturally, even with the slightest talent, knowledge, or power, a small amount of light will be produced.
"This definitely didn't happen before. What happened today was never written in books. I don't think the crystals need to be fixed. Those two girls may possess something that have never existed before", He pointed out.
"Uhh, maybe we need to finish Lauren's test first before concluding something bizarre", I told him and turned the mic on to proceed.
"Lauren? You may begin the second test now", I told her. I noticed the principal getting closer to the glass panel to closely observe what's going to happen next. Seeing him this focused made me want to do the same thing as well. I turned my head back to her direction and waited for something to happen.
She slowly stepped towards the crystal and closed her eyes before touching it. I clicked the timer when she began and looked closely for any errors or changes on the response from the crystals.
We waited, and waited, until we heard the timer go off. Then again, there was not a single light counted by the meter. Lauren seems to be unfazed by what was happening. I guess she was not aware of the results because she was too focused to even notice.
"You can proceed to the last test Ms. Lauren", the principal informed. And as he said that, Lauren walked towards the third crystal.
"You may start in three.. two.. one.. Go.." Then Mr. Knight opened the door and went out to closely observe. I ran towards him and grabbed his hand. He looked back at me and pulled his hand back slowly, politely declining my warning on going closer to the crystals while the test is ongoing. I just followed him knowing that this shouldn't be done.
"Mr. Knight", I whispered. He raised is index finger to his lips to shush me. I zipped my lips and continued to follow him.
We finally reached Lauren's side without her noticing. She seemed to be deeply focused on what she was doing, so we got closer to see what was really happening. I couldn't see anything, no light, no movement, until Mr. Knight pointed at her hands. There were indeed lights produced, but all of them are going to her hands, it was being sucked in by her hands so the lights wouldn't even have the chance to be reflected out by the crystals, that explains the zero level measured by the detector. My heart was racing, we have never seen anything like this before. I looked back at the timer and it's about to end.
I pulled the hand of Mr. Knight which was dumbfounded but what he saw as well. I pulled hard for him to move and finally I got his attention. We stealthily tiptoed towards the small room before the time ran out. When we finally entered the room, Mr. Knight and I blew out air and wiped our sweat before turning on the microphone.
"Ehem, Ms. Lauren, you can step out of the circle now.", Mr. Knight instructed and she followed. I turned off the microphone and looked at Mr. Knight, waiting for further instructions.
"No one should know the results of those two girls. Ms. Lauren should not know her real results. Make a dummy score now and show it to her." Mr. Knight instructed and gulped the big lump on my throat. I never wanted to lie, but I guess it's the best thing we can do for now. I managed to finish making a fake result before Lauren came in the room. Mr. Knight and I became stiff, not knowing how to proceed with the white lie. I saw Lauren with a crease on her forehead.
"Mr. Knight? Can I go to where Misha is right now? I badly want to know how she's doing.", she said clearly worried about our friend.
"Su-sure. Tatiana, please escort her to the clinic", he stuttered. Lauren smiled and looked at me.
'I guess I don't have a choice', I thought to myself.
"Right, uhmmm, let's go. I'll walk you there.", I told Lauren.
"Thank you so much! Oh! Here's the goggles.", she said and handed the goggles to me. I was very careful not to accidentally touch her hand. I am not sure what her abilities are so I better be cautious.
"See you tomorrow Mr. Knight", she said with a bow and opened the door for the both of us while smiling so dearly at me to lead her to our friend. I don't know how to act around her now. She looks so fragile, yet, the feeling I had after the test made me want to stay far away from her as much as possible, but I need to keep this a secret first before we figure out what just happened. We went out of the room and went back to the first floor where the clinic is at. Once the elevator opened, I stepped outside and waited for her. She kept on walking like she knows where to go.
'Welp! She's going to the wrong direction', I thought to myself. For now, she still doesn't know what's going on, so she probably harmless. I stopped walking and called her attention.
"Lauren? It's this way!", I told her.
"Oh! Right! I'm sorry for going ahead. I just wanted to see Misha as soon as possible", she had this cute apologetic face that would make anyone smile and just let things go.
"No worries, let's walk this way, shall we?", I said and walked to the opposite direction. I was waiting for her to walk beside me but I didn't hear any foot steps.
"Uhmm. Tatiana?", she asked. I turned around and walked back towards her.
"Yes?", I kindly asked.
"I failed the test didn't I?", she said with tears welling up her eyes ready to fall. I froze, I thought she wouldn't ask about the test. I gulped hard, not knowing how to properly respond.
"How can you say that? We didn't even tell you the results yet", I asked and put my right hand on my pocket because it gets fidgety when I feel nervous.
'Shit! How can I get out of this one?', I thought to myself.
-To be continued