I make my way to the senior building after my talk with Uncle Sam. There are four buildings on the big school grounds. There are two hostels. One for the seventeen and eighteen-year-olds. And one for thirteen to sixteen-year-olds. The smallest building is for administration and the biggest is where we get our classes. It's a whole set up to keep us all in one place. And I believe in check. The children that are younger have their own grounds on the other side of the city.
I make my way to the fifth floor in the West Wing. Girls and boys have their own wing, with the boys in the East wing. Last year I had the share a room with four other girls. This year Lydia and I have a room of our own. The end of year test is hard. Harder for girls is the whispers that you hear. They don't just test your intelligence. You have to pass your physical abilities test too. Endurance and stamina have to be in top shape. Thirty of the hundred girls made it through to the final year. Lydia was a wreck at the end of last year. If you fail the second last year of school, you don't come back. Instead, you are assigned to a working area. You're forced to do the work that most people don't want to do. Like working in the sewers, mines, oil plantation, construction.
If you passed the final year on average you have a choice to become a teacher, guard and you can even join the army if you're scores are high enough. And if you're scores were great, higher training might be given to you. And with that, you can earn a job in the First Section.
I open the door to me and Lydia's room. She's busy doing stretches. She passed her physical test with combat. She doesn't run. According to her running towards a line doesn't make much sense.
"Uncle Sam sends his love," I say when I pass her. She in some complicated position. When she hears what I say she falls on her butt. She looks at me with a shocked expression on her face.
"What!" Lydia yells.
I laugh at her opened mouthed expression. "I meant he said goodbye." I clarify.
"Oh." She says. I pretend not to notice the disappointed look on her face. I just give her hand to get up. Earning a thank you from her. She gets over her disappointment quickly. "So how are we going to celebrate tonight?" She asks excitedly.
I look at her confused. "Why would we celebrate? I didn't win the games just yet." I respond.
She looks offended by my question. "You won against the famously arrogant Edgar. That alone calls for a celebration, my dear friend." She says fierce passion that only she can pull of. "I still have some of that booze left from the last party we had." She ends with a grin.
I just shake my head at her and make my way to our bathroom. We have one of our own. One of the many favors you get when you get to the last year. Along with a bedroom of your own and a kind of living room. There's a little kitchen that only keeps a fridge to store snacks. We still have to go eat in the big hall like everyone else.
By the time I'm done in the bathroom, I hear a few other voices in our room. I know that means that Lydia was serious with us throwing a party. I recognize one voice, and that's Jenny. She is even louder then Lydia. Jenny is the loudest, sweetest person I have met. I spot her next to Edgar in the living room. The rest of the great team is also present. I want to run away because I don't think I want to be around anyone now. I need to make a plan to get out of here later tonight.
Before I can form an escape plan Jenny spots me. "Angie!" She shouted, bringing everyone's attention to me. I want to let out a sigh, but stop it just in time.
"The one and only." I couldn't help but be a little irritated at all the attention. I put on a smile after a moment, to take off the edge on my response. I don't want to be rude to the nicest person here.
The next thing I know I'm being swept up by the crowd. Knowing I still have to be somewhere, while being sneaky about it, I promise myself I won't drink any alcohol. I usually end up being an idiot. Someone grabs my hand and start pulling me to a corner. It's Edgar.
"I didn't get the chance to congratulate you earlier. So congratulation on finally beating me. I know you worked hard. And I respect that." He says sincerely. And for the first time, I finally start to see the Edgar that I think Jenny is in love with. No one else has noticed that the two has a thing going on except for me and Lydia. We tend to pick things up easier than the average person. It may look like we don't pay much attention to our surroundings, but we know more secrets about people then everyone thinks.
"Thanks, you were great too," I say with a genuine smile.
He gives me an awkward handshake and then turns to leave. Making room for Jenny. And I hope they didn't plan this.
Jenny, of course, gives a suppressed squeal before grabbing me for a hugging. "Congrats girl." Jenny squeals with a grin. You'd think that she wasn't even competing against me in the same race. That's the thing about this governance. It's like the people need to look up to someone. They celebrate people who do great things. Sometimes over obsessively.
"I hope you can do as good on the big day, you know." She says excitedly.
"I hope you and Edgar also do good on the big day. You guys have also been working hard." I shrug. "One of you two might still win this."
"Are you kidding me. You know you stand the best chance of bringing us the running trophy." She says sounding sure of herself.
"You can't be so sure of that. You never know what might happen." I tell her, convinced that maybe everyone is seeing too much in this. I know I'm a good runner. But so is Jenny and Edgar. And not to mention the other Sections. I've seen the races of the other section televised broadcast. There's one person from Section First who has been braking running records since he started running. Everyone knows he could crush me. Or at least I think he will crush me. Not that I will tell anyone what I think about that.
Jenny looks a little shocked about what I just said. "Don't be silly, Angie. I think you should have a pep talk from your best friend." She says and then proceeds to start looking for Lydia. When she spots her she waves her over before I can even begin to stop her.
She catches Lydia's eye. Who in return doesn't have to be called twice when she also spots me with Jenny. Right now I feel like I hate them both. Lydia makes her way through the ever-growing crowd. I don't know how many people can fit in the room but if any more people, show up it will burst at its seams.
Lydia throws her arms around both me and Jenny. "I hope you are enjoying your party. I love it." She says, satisfied.
"Oh, I totally love it," I say, not even trying to mask the sarcasm.
Like the Lydia, I know she gives a big condensing grin at my sarcasm. "I thought so. Now what you need is one glass of this lovely... whatever this is." She looks down at the glass in her hand and frown at it. And then pass it on to me. I start shaking my head at it while stepping away. "No thanks, I'm good."
All that seems to do is making her more determined and she takes a step towards me. "Take it, Angie." She says, now clearly trying to force me. And at the same time, daring me to do it. She knows how to get me. But I'm also a very willful person. Peer pressure isn't something I struggle with. Not usually.
"No Lydia. I think I'm going to take a walk outside." I try to fend her off and try to leave. But Lydia has something else that makes her will even stronger tonight. My bet is on the alcohol.
"We are not allowed to go outside. You know the rules, Angie." She says with a smirk. Thinking she has one over me. "The party is the only privilege we got from the caretaker."
"That has never stopped me, Lydia. You know that." I start making my way to the door. She follows me there. We both have now completely forgotten about Jenny. This kind of battles is nothing unusual for us. We tend to challenge each other over mundane things like this. And there is always a winner.
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