Part 4

I went back to the mess hall, as it was almost dinnertime to find the whole school already eating. I fell into a chair next to Carly at the fire table. Hailey was on the other side.

“This day just keeps getting more fantastic,” I said sarcastically.

“What are you doing here?” said Hailey.

I didn’t know what to say, her tone was unmistakably unfriendly.

“You should go sit at the water table.”

“I know but I’d be all alone, can’t I sit by my friends?”

“So go find some then.”

I was surprised by what she was saying. Hailey had seemed like a nice enough girl before. What had I done to rile her? I looked to Carly but she only shrugged.

“What’s going on?”

She wouldn’t look at me.

“Just because you’re the only water talent doesn’t mean you’re better then us Jessica.” Hailey’s words stung.

“I never said I was.”

Everyone at the fire table was now paying attention to us. I looked at the other familiar faces searching for a friend anywhere. Most avoided my gaze. Collin wasn’t there at all. I pushed my chair back quickly making it grind against the floor.

“Fine,” I said standing up. “Fine!”

I stomped away toward the wind table but quickly passed it when I saw the look on Pat’s face. Someone shouted my name and I turned to see Sam waving at me from the earth table. It might have just been superstition but people with earth talent seemed a lot nicer then the rest. I walked over to the table and stood by Sam, there were no empty chairs. “Hey Jessica!”

I was glad at least he was being friendly,

“See she’s the one that’s coming on the mission with me” he said to his friends.

“Are you excited?” I asked him.

“Yeah of course! It’s a huge deal if you get to go on a mission,” he said off handedly turning back to his heaping plate of food.

“Except you shouldn’t have been chosen, it should have been someone with more experience,” said one boy who was equally as small as Sam.

I decided not to start this battle so I walked away even more depressed then before. I turned around to see Collin right behind me. He wasn’t looking at me but at one of his many friends.

“By the way Sam,” he said directly to Sam now.

“You give us any trouble on this mission and I’ll use your tiny little brain for target practice.” I could tell he was joking but I had never seen Collin look so severe.

“Same song second verse,” said Sam rolling his eyes at Collin.

Collin glared at him then saw me. I raised my eyebrow at him.

“Sam and I have… A history. Let’s just say he knows how to make a mess, and I know how to clean it up.”

I once again found myself at a loss for words.

“They giving you the cold shoulder?” He jerked his thumb at the fire table who were still staring at me.

I nodded “Why?”

He sighed, “no one’s ever been chosen for a mission with so little experience. They think you cheated somehow.”

“Cheated? How could I have?”

Collin’s look made my blood boil.

“Wait, you don’t think I cheated do you?”

He shrugged, “what are we supposed to think Jess?”

“You’re not supposed to blame me for something I didn’t do! I can’t believe this, I’m going to go strait to the bored and tell them I’m not going on the mission.”

I started to walk away trying to make my point but Collin caught my arm.

“No, you can’t back out of this now, it would be worse for people to think you’re a coward then for you to have cheated on the testing.”

I tried to brake free “I don’t care what people think!”

“Oh no? But you are afraid I know you are. And everyone’s been telling you how dangerous this mission will be.”

People were quieting down, listening to us argue.

“I am not!”

“Hey it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I was terrified the first time I went on a mission.” “You’ve been on one before? Then why aren’t people blaming you for cheating, you already got a chance to prove yourself. And yet they’re accusing me because I took that chance away from them!”

Collin let go of my arm. Everyone was silent. I shook my head at him, at all of them, and ran back to my dorms. I stopped outside the building. The sunset was fiery gold but it did nothing to lighten my mood. I leaned against the wall and put my head in my hand. For someone who had never been the best at anything, had always been outshone by someone, it was a lot to be told I was chosen over dozens of better suited students. For years I had carefully taught myself not to expect to win anything, and now… One of only four.

I sat at my desk deciding to send a letter to my parents. My hand froze after I had written Dear Fam. What could I say? I've just been chosen to go on a dangerous mission, I’ve discovered my power, found a talent for archery and seen two kids die in the last twelve hours, everyone I thought were my friends all hate me for something I can't help. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness came over me, my head fell into my arms and I cried.