As Dawn broke, I left "Kitten" at my place. Unlike any other Feline, she is able to take care of herself, and there is nothing able to stop her. In more than one way…
My eyes were heavy, I kept yawning and my nose ran like another summer-end sale.
Life doesn't care if you give it your all, neglecting sleep for one's job, obligations, endeavors, or study sessions. It didn't judge, it was waiting. Always. Whirbeling the next sock around, only for the moment to pull one more over you.
It didn't matter. It wasn't like I couldn't miss class. At this point I turned everything in, I only needed my last hours for the qualification. It wasn't going to be too long before I got my notification that I'd outlived my uses. And then I'd be free. Or dead.
In all likelihood, just reassigned. The Directorate didn't squander lives, not since the Technocrats became too big of a faction in the Sector protectorates.
"You look horrible," Sinne said as she sat down next to me. Life is easier when people know where to find you, and where they have to be.
"Come to think of it, you don't look horrible, you are."
"Thank you, Sinne."
As usual, An insincere thank you. Is better than biting back against one of the government's pet sociopaths who could end you faster than you could get on your knees and search for the head you just happened to lose. Not with Sinne though, she uses firearms instead of the other benefits Meldiers come around.
"Always daydreaming and lost in thought. Are you nearing your breaking point?" Sinne continued.
"Life is hard enough as is, please hold back for once, I know you're mad and I'll make up for it. I promise!" My head plopped to the desk and my hands formed up over my head like in prayer.
"One night out!"
"Huh?" For once, a stupefied sound escaped me.
Sinne's small green Eyes looked Triumphantly down on me, "I want a night out with you! Some fun places to go and restaurants to boot!"
Getting invited by a petite young woman with raven black hair like Sinne should make any Man erupt in a howl of victory, like a wolf calling out to the moon. But my eyes narrowed.
Sinne is not really demanding, only difficult if she feels neglected, where did she pick it up?
And then it hit me like a Truck, carried by an Avalanche down the Mountain, she picked it up from one of the Doctors, my gut curled and the room felt considerably hotter. Is one of those Deimos kids snooping around again?
"Kyle, ehm…" Sinne didn't need to have Telepathic abilities to see the terror coursing through me, obscured by Scarf and goggles, Even someone supposed to be expressionless expressed plenty of sentiments. Shocked silence was one of them.
"If not this month, maybe next?" She said, feeling way less confident.
I raised my hand and she flinched, looking down devastatingly struck, and then, my hand reached her hair and I stroked it
She practically melted into my touch, beaming like all three Separate arms of the Comisariates decided to congratulate her for exemplary patriotism.
My touch lingered when I touched her ear.
"Who gave you the right to touch me like that?" She said in protest.
"Sorry, I should have asked you first," Sinne looked like she got robbed of her greatest treasure when my caressing touch left her.
The large double door opened as the Professor entered the Auditorium. Our eyes met across the room the moment he reached center stage. He looked at me with pure unshackled disdain.
I can't blame him, all of his students had a bright future ahead of them, either here or on any of the new frontiers and among them all sat I. A bloody killer. I felt my skin curl with the sight of pure disdain he showed me.
Sinne opened her bag, got her materials out, and started scribbling away in her notebook. Basic education is still mandatory for Meldiers.
Mental conditioning, removed from friends and Family, getting experienced with them. Keeping up with their studies is the least of their concerns.
I took a peek at her papers. "Statistics and Probability equations? Isn't that eighth-grade material? You're working quite diligently." My hand reached for her head and I stroked her again.
It's a cheap gesture of affection and reward, all things considered. I was pushing it, and she knew it, a Meldier turns somebody into some body faster than anyone would feel comfortable to know.
In a matter of seconds, I would lose my hand or the entire arm, erupting in a firework of blood and losing limbs like in the end-of-the-year celebrations.
"This is no way to get treated by my handler!"
"I'm sorry Sinne, I couldn't help it. I'll treat you to your night out soon enough. I just need to find a way to make time for that, I promise." I said Clutching my hands in front of me again like I'm in prayer.
Her eyes shone when she heard that I'll put in the effort instead of handing off my responsibilities to the doctors. I considered patting her again but didn't risk it.
Class ended for another day.