I arrived at the academy, the little buds in my pocket. I had heard enough. It was something new, something amazing. I had never heard singing before, and when I had tried doing it, it sounded different than the lady singing the song, but I was still very amazed. The music was amazing, the words exotic and new. I wanted to share this feeling with someone, I needed to show this to someone, and I knew just the person.
"Hey, Chel." I greeted her behind the academy.
"You wanted to meet here?" she asked, a little suspicious of my intentions. Without warning, I put the buds into her ears and stepped back. For a moment, she didn't move, in the next, her eyes grew wide, and tears flooded her eyes and streamed down her cheek.
"Rocco… what is this?" She asked, taking the buds out and handing them back to me. I smiled and then my smile faded as I explained.
"It's music… the people… were singing," I answered, looking her in the eyes, I grabbed her hands and began pleading. "Just please don't tell anyone! If this was hidden from us, there is a reason!"
She looked to the ground for a moment and then back up to me. "I understand." She said, stepping away. "Thank you, Rocco. I have something to think about today now." She laughed quite weakly and left.
Had I made a mistake in showing her? Would Axel be angry?
***
"Did you listen to them last night?" He wrapped his arm around the back of my neck and whispered as I entered the Academy.
"Yeah. It's… strange." I said, hiding my face from view. I didn't like when people touched me, it made me very uncomfortable. "I enjoyed hearing something new though," I stated, moving his arm away from me.
"Good, hand me your phone." He said, to which I hesitantly obeyed. He began walking to an empty classroom and plugged in his phone to my phone, my phone shut down and when it came back on, there was a new app. It was called 'Zero'.
"Zero?" I asked, "Like the number?"
"Yeah, it's for music, like the one you heard last night. You even get to pick them and add them to playlists." He said, and I didn't ask what a playlist was; deciding I can figure it out on my own. "Have you thought about what I said?" He asked, back to his serious attitude.
"Yeah."
"And?" He asked.
"I'm not ready to break out of this academy. I mean… maybe later on… but I think this academy will remove my dreams for good. I can be normal." I said, looking toward the classroom windows. He gripped my shoulder tightly.
"You want to be like the parents? Who sits around doing 'work' all day and doesn't speak to their children? They can't nurture their little dreamers when they are too busy. The government knows all about that." Axel stated in a whisper that sounded quite rude.
"Well… maybe we did something wrong by dreaming?" I questioned, avoiding eye contact with the scary man, just as I'd do with Mae.
"Dreaming is a thing, Rocco. We dream because we are supposed to dream. It all has a purpose." He released me and sat down on an empty desk. "Just… forget about it for now." He said, standing up and leaving impatiently.
I felt guilty for some reason. He wanted me to agree to his plan for some reason… but I saw no point. Once we graduated, we'd move somewhere else… perhaps I'll see Chel when I graduate. She might text me when she gets to where she is going. I'd have to wait. The Fifth-Years don't spend as much time in school, only about a month before they graduate. So next month she'd graduate and I can be happy for her.
Today was an Umbral day. This means I have 2nd hour, 4th hour, 6th hour, and 8th hour only. I was in the 6th hour, my Physical Education class.
"Everyone! Line up! Get into two teams and move to the other sides!" Mr. Jin announced, pointing to each side of the gym. We listened, but in the end, it didn't matter, as the two oldest students were choosing teammates anyway.
Going down the line, I was picked last, and with the complaining of my team. They didn't want me and hoped that the other side picked me.
The game started, and at first, I fumbled and dropped the ball. I was learning, however so it was okay. My team kept calling me out and complaining about my failure. Finally, I saw my chance to throw the ball. I could seemingly see the angle at which to throw the ball to hit Jask perfectly. I threw the ball, and watched, in almost slow motion as Jask caught it and scored a net. Our team cheered and ran around. We were now tied with the opposing team.
Some people called me a one-trick pony while we were readying up, but I simply ignored them. I got ready and chased the ball, which was in an enemy's hands. I lifted my leg out to make him think I was going to trip him, so he jumped out of the way, losing the ball. I grabbed it quickly and turned around. My teammates were mainly behind me. It was up to me. I took a moment, two… three.
I threw the ball, calculating the angle and the people nearby, how long it'd take them to get to the ball, how fast they could do it. I had analyzed the entirety of the match, including my enemies and teammates. I knew all of their strong suits and weaknesses.
The bell rang just as the ball entered the net.
The people who were complaining earlier were now all around me, trying to lift me from the ground. I felt a little uncomfortable, but it was a fun experience, and I now had the chance for more friends. Just yesterday I told myself I didn't want friends, but today… I did more than ever.
"Nicely played Rock." A quiet voice said to my left.
"Thanks, you too," I said, turning to face the person who was talking to me. He was a small boy in his second year just like me and was no older than fourteen. He was very thin and had no muscle at all. I swear I could see his ribs through his shirt.
"My name is Zachariah, but you can call me Zach from now on." He said, pointing to himself with a skeletal finger.
"My name is-" I began, but was interrupted.
"Rocco," Zach said proudly. "I've heard about you. I'm not sure of someone who hasn't heard of Rocco the genius yet."
I felt my cheeks turn red; I was embarrassed by someone again. I wanted to thank him, but he just simply walked away, just like everyone else did. Just like Axel did.
On my way home, I tried to determine if he was simply kidding, or if he was serious about it. Was he being kind for some reason? Or was he just being kind to be kind? All these thoughts filled my head as I approached the van, I usually took home. The lady greeted me, but I just ignored her, putting in the buds and listening to some new music.
She pounded her hands on the back seat not too long after I put the buds in. I opened my eyes and could see I was already home. Time seemed to fly by when I had the buds in it seemed. I jumped out, the buds still in my ears. A light song began playing… it began, sadly, and yet so… magnificent.
It began with some exotic words… words I had never even imagined would be a real thing… was it even English? Words like Carlyle and Louvre. I didn't even know what to think at first. The song talked about friends dreaming and two people holding each other close together underneath the moonlight. A romantic relationship? What was this song about? Why did it mention dreaming? I was left with these thoughts all night long, especially during the usually quiet dinner.
"How was your day today Rocky?" She asked. I stared at her for a moment before looking back at my plate.
"Bad," I answered, hoping for some kind of change, also ignoring my mother's annoying nickname.
"How was your day today Rocco?" Father asked, right on cue.
I began to raise my voice now, fed up with this repeating behavior… the repeating days like the repeating music I used to listen to, I wanted them to change as the music did.
"I said my day was bad! It always is!" I yelled, standing up and pushing my plate away.
Moments passed… a second… two seconds… three… then four… five. They still did not move, their eyes were glued to their tablets, like a little kid with technology. I began to walk away when the robot began to make its way over.
"Rocco. Your stress level has passed its current capacity. Please, sit down and eat." It stated in its almost realistic voice, putting its hand onto my shoulder. I pushed its hand off of me and rushed to my room upstairs. I felt my head twisting, my heart hurt… my entire body ached and I just felt a slight tingle in my hand. I had hit my hand on the table pretty hard, but this feeling was strange… it felt like a burning sensation… my phone vibrated and I took it out.
"New Knowledge Obtained: Blood."
Blood? What is blood? I asked myself before looking at the burning point of my right hand. I turned my palm over and could see a few little poke marks in the middle of my hand. I must have slammed it down onto my fork or something.
Little red droplets of… water? No. The red droplets flowed down my palm and for some reason I felt it was necessary to lick the liquid off of my hand. It tasted… metallic. I felt a little disgusted, remembering the notification. So, this was blood. Why is it inside of me? What is it doing there? I reached over for a tissue and dropped it onto my palm and within some time, the tissue began turning a deep red color. I put it down and taped another one onto my hand, lying in bed, I stared at it as it stopped turning red.
I fell asleep.
The next morning, I peeled the tissue off and looked at the little marks left behind. There were four little red crusted over dots. I touched the crusted part and wondered how the… blood became solid.
"Rocco. Please prepare for school." The robot said, lightly knocking on my door, making me wonder, what was with the nice guy act all of a sudden?
"Don't act all nice now," I said, getting dressed into my school uniform and sighing at its presence.
"I am not acting. I do not have the capacity to act, only to do." It spoke. I could hear it making little clicks and clacks while it moved. It seemed to be smiling with how its voice sounded. "I think I can talk to you more." It spoke.
I almost opened my mouth to decline, but mom and dad never listened… so maybe a robot would.
"We'll talk later tonight. I won't tell you much though, since you work for them."
***
The Academy was still in one piece, unfortunately. I had Dream Studies again, which only made things worse. They had moved around our schedules a bit and Mae was now in my class. She sat behind me as well, and I almost made eye contact with her. I could have sworn they did it on purpose. Chel was in my class too, but she mainly slept.
"You stare at Chel quite often," Mae said quietly.
"Huh? No, I don't." I said, avoiding eye contact still.
"Do you… enjoy her presence?
"Enjoy… her presence?" I questioned.
"Do you like her? Do you want to marry her?" Mae asked emotionlessly.
"Marry her? Why would I do that?" I asked, feeling a bit nervous. Had I really been staring at Chel often? What for? Why was I doing it?
"Because maybe you love her," Mae said, looking toward her notebook where she began drawing some kind of skull.
Love? I don't understand? Why fall in love just so you can be like the parents?
"No. I don't think I am in love… what about you?" I asked, turning it around on her.
"Of course not. I don't have the time nor need for romance." She stated confidently, even putting on a frown, but for a moment, it felt like I could hear her heartbeat go faster. A slight bumping noise.
"Whatever you say, Mae," I said, turning back in my seat to pay attention. Something light hit my back and clattered to the floor. I turned around and saw a wad of paper on the ground, a pencil stuck inside of it.
I picked up the paper and unfolded it cautiously as if a bomb might be inside.
"Behind The Academy: 9:00 PM Tonight. Be there."
I stared at the handwriting, which was quite neat and well written. I looked around to see where it came from, but everyone was already leaving the classroom as the class had just ended.
What was the purpose of meeting at nighttime? I needed to be home around 9:50 for curfew, otherwise, I'd be in some deep trouble. So why at 9:00? Without questioning it further, I finished school and went home, only returning to the Academy by walking the twenty minutes there. It was 9:01 now according to my phone as I reached the back of the Academy.
"You're late." A familiar voice stated.
"By a minute. Now, who are you?" I asked, stepping closer to the shadow.
"You're an idiot… aren't you." The female voice declared with a slight sigh. The person stepped out of the shadows, revealing themself to be Mae.
"Mae? What do you want?" I asked, a little annoyed that she was trying to lure me back to the Academy.
"I need to talk with you, Rocco. Now." She said, stepping forward again. "You've had the dreams as well. You know what you saw… you mentioned a thing following you in your dreams."
I sat, awestruck… she actually listened. She was the first to actually care about my dreams… the first to believe me. I had to listen to her now. "Yes, that is correct," I stated, looking away into the dark forested area behind the Academy.
"Then you can manifest it… right?" She asked to my total surprise.
"Manifest… it?" I asked, tilting my head and squinting my eyes at her curiously.
"Yes. Like this." She closed her eyes and held out her hand, with a quick flash, there was now an apple resting on her palm.
I was frozen in place. I couldn't speak, or move… or hear… or…
"Rocco. You have to trust me. I have different dreams as well. I can manifest my dreams into real-world things. This apple appeared to me in a dream, and so I can manifest it… make it real." She stated, putting the apple into my hands and stepping back. "You've listened to the music… that's just the first step. The song about the louvre is my favorite." She said, and as if she was embarrassed by her own emotions, she stepped back and began walking away.
"Mae…" Her name barely escaped my lips as she was gone.
***
Once I arrived home, I put the apple on my nightstand with my phone. I stared at the ceiling, thinking that perhaps, just maybe, I had been deceived and this was all a trick to get to me somehow. First Axel, now Mae. Something wasn't right with them and I couldn't exactly put my finger on it.
I gently rubbed the apple's layer of skin. It was smooth and felt nice. I lifted it up to my mouth and took a bite. It was like an apple I had never tasted before. It tasted sweet, and I opened my eyes widely. It was amazing as if not altered by the government like the Academy's apples. This apple was… fresh and non-altered.