This morning was to be the day I was supposed to meet the man I'd be spending the next year of my life with. The only thing I really know about him is that his name is Kade, he's 21, and he's already one of the most successful soldiers ever. I guess all that's left to do is get through the school day and then head to the meeting to meet him. Then I can come up with my own opinion on him.
I step into my bathroom and turn on the shower, As the room fills with steam I take deep breathes a useless attempt at destressing myself. I step into the shower and stand under the water. As the hot water runs down my long, jet black hair. I can't help but run a series of possibilities and worst-case scenarios for this internship. Today is the first day of school. I should just focus on that.
Every time the first day of school rolls around, for four years I have walked through the halls and every year is the same. People point and they stare. They think that just because they think they're whispering that I can't hear them but they are far from right about that. "That's her, the one with the blight", "Really that's her", "Her eyes are so strange" Every year on the first-day people I have never met before think they know everything there is to know about me.
And for four years I have ignored them. It's just easier that way. If you couldn't already tell that makes me kind of a loner. Except for two people and two people alone.
Rai of course who has become like my big brother. After he turned 17, he became the Haryeths official fighting and self-defense trainer. So that's where he spends most of his time nowadays. Not long after I met him, he cut his hair shorter and really took on his "bad boy" persona but to be honest it suits him.
And the other person would be my only friend in the world. Lilith, though everyone calls her Lily. She and I became friends when I first started at this academy. She's the complete opposite of me and that's what makes her so great for me. She's a sweetheart by nature loved by all. She's the definition of a social butterfly.
As I walk into the school building I see her walking towards me. Her blonde hair swaying behind her as she walks down the hall with such a pep in her step. And for the life of me, I have never been able to understand how she can be so damn chipper in the mornings.
"Hey, Lani!" She says to me as she hugs me with bone-crushing strength. Sometimes I look at this girl and have no idea how we're friends.
"Hello, Lily how was your summer?" I ask her while not sounding near as excited as her. She's never minded though. I think she kinda likes that I mellow her out, to be honest.
"It was amazing. Me and both my parents went to our vacation house and spent all summer there together" When she talks about her family her eyes light up with a spark I've never had before. I always love seeing it.
"That's great love, I'm glad you enjoyed it," I tell her as I take a sip of my coffee. I only take my coffee one way. Black, with no sugar, and no cream. I've just never understood the need for all the extra stuff. Plus I like the bitterness of it.
"You know Lani you look pretty tired today. Are you not sleeping again?" I've told Lily that my mom died and my dad left but she doesn't know the context of anything so she doesn't know why I have the nightmares. I try to hide it from her as best I can. It's not that I'm embarrassed about it. It's just the fact that I know Lily I know that if I ever did tell her everything she would take it all on herself and try to fix me. And then she'll feel bad when she realizes she can't. And I don't want any of that for her.
"It's no big deal I was just stressed about the first day is all. Anyway, who did you get for your internship?" I ask her trying to change the subject as swiftly as possible. I'm not sure if it really worked though. Me and Lily finally make it to our class and as always I take my usual seat near the back window. And Lily takes her usual spot on the right side of me.
"Oh I got Flora, you know the woman who can manipulate the earth. Who did you get? I know you weren't really big on the idea of taking an internship in the first place." She asks me as she takes her seat and faces me in her chair. The sunlight from the window deflects in her blueish-green eyes and they look like they're glowing. And it's true that I didn't want to take an internship this year because that means fieldwork. And the idea of actually being outside and around people who I know are going to be watching me didn't make me feel great. But it's been a while since meeting new people has made me nervous.
"To be honest it's not the internship I'm nervous about it's the person I'll be interning with. I got... Kade" The second his name leaves my mouth Lily lets out a squeal high pitched enough to make my ears bleed. Honestly, I couldn't have expected any different from Lily. She is of course one of Kades many fangirls.
"Why on earth aren't you ecstatic to be interning with one of the coolest not to mention attractive soldiers this facility or any facility for that matter has ever produced. I mean imagine the things you will get to do?" Yes, he may be "cool" as she put it, but when it comes to being as successful as he is rumors spread like wildfires. Some say he's the biggest flirt in all of England, others say he has no interest in other people at all.
"Yes Lily he may be cool but I'm more interested in what he can and cannot teach me" She looks at me as if I've completely missed something, and it's Lily so there is, of course, a huge chance that I have missed something.
"Ok yeah Lani I love you, but you have really got to learn that life is not a mission. Your every thought does not have to be tied to the Haryeth. I mean one day your going to be out there in society. I mean you almost never leave the facility if it's not to see Rai" I mean she's not wrong. But, I mean for what reason would I leave. There's nothing for me out there. Not yet anyway.
"I get it, maybe I am a little under experienced when it comes to the actual world but it's not like I never leave. And hey maybe your right. There is no telling what I'll experience during this internship." She gives me one of her flashy I told you so smiles and turns into her desk as the teacher walks into the room and begins to tell us the final details of our internships.
Maybe I can learn to make my peace with this whole thing. At least until I actually have something to be upset about. Who knows maybe the rumors are dead wrong and he's actually a pretty cool guy. Here's hoping I guess.
"Alright, class remember to be respectful and good luck on your final year internships" The teacher addressed the class as everyone stood from their seats and headed for the doors. And just like that, I was off to a year-long internship that was sure to affect my future. In one way or the next.