unOrdinary | Inspired Archive

Chapter 3

One Week Later

John paces around his room, worried about Sera, thinking about what could've happened. 'The most likely scenario I've thought of is her parents not allowing her to speak with me. Are they really that obsessed with their honor and reputation, that they would take away the freedom of their daughter?' John thinks to himself, trying to put himself into her shoes. 'What are you up to Sera?'

'Ugh, the end of another day, another insane load of work I'm not even doing for my benefit. I wish I could talk to John, even if it were just a little.' Sera thinks to herself, her elbow on her desk, holding up her head. She sighs, thinking about all the work she is and has been doing.

'Why am I even doing it?' She asks herself, 'For honor? For my parents' reputation? They blame my sister Leilah for almost anything and everything I do wrong, and I just accept it. Or at least I used to. This isn't just about petty rebellion. I won't just let them just treat me like an object for their own gain. I don't care if they're my parents!' She tells herself, building up courage. Suddenly, someone opens her door. A familiar woman puts down the work for the next day, or so Sera thought.

-"Your parents have decided to give you additional work to make up for your failed interview. I will pick it up in the morning. Please don't disappoint them again." The woman says, exiting the room, closing the door behind her.

Sera wait for her to leave, staying quiet all the while. As she leaves, Sera throws her work onto the floor in frustration. 'John deals and has dealt with so much crap! He gets out of all his situations, by either fighting, bluffing, or even running! He solves all hem one way or another, and he's just a cripple at school. He could easily snap, and beat them all up with his ability, but he doesn't. He can do all of that acting like a cripple, so why can't I?'

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The Next Morning

Sera lies on her bed playing pigsweeper, where instead of bombs, it's exploding pigs, and she was doing well. She had just broken a minute in intermediate, when she comes into the room, interrupting Sera's concentration.

-"Morning, miss, I'm here to pick up your work." She says, startling Sera from her game. Sera looks up at her, disinterest evident in her eyes. 'Here we go.'

-"I'm not finished yet, unfortunately."

-"Please hurry up and finish, your mother is awaiting your completion of your work soon, so that you may continue with today's work."

-"That won't be possible, seeing as I haven't started."

-"And why, may I ask, have you not started on last night's work?"

-"I didn't want to."

-"Miss, this isn't about doing what you want, this is about doing your duty to your family and upholding its reputation. If you mother were to find out abo—." 'Alright, that's about enough.'

-"It's fine, I'll go talk to her directly. I've been meaning to talk to her." Sera says, as she walks out of her bedroom, heading towards her mother's office, when a hand grabs a hold of Sera's shoulder.

-"Miss, stop. I insist you let me know what you would like to say, and I would gladly relay the message to her." The woman says. 'Obviously a lie. No thanks. Besides, this is personal.' Sera thinks to herself. She freezes her to prevent any further interventions.

-"There's no need." Sera answers. 'Ha, her face was priceless. That was maybe a bit sadistic, using my power to humiliate her like that, but whatever, I won't do this ever again, hopefully...'