The Eleventh Gifted (The Gifted Fanfiction)

Chapter 71

"The hottest topic on social media right now— nationwide Placeme— Exam tomorrow. On an— plat— hashtag that soars— number one."

Aria stood on her toes and kept her cellphone high above the ceiling just to get any reception. It was really bad in the basement where they were, and she was watching live news to see how they did.

Meanwhile, Ohm paced in circles as the anxiety he was supposed to feel earlier caught up on him just then.

"Out of the blue— Gifted students said— could be Gifted without— Exam. Chaos — topic is trending. —Minister or any offi— Ministry have not— ments. Our news— surveyed among stu—. —forty percent or alm— half— won't sit the— row."

Aria sighed and gave up. She put her sore limb down and sat on the floor, massaging it.

"Forty percent," she told Ohm. "We managed to encourage forty percent."

"Just forty? After everything, the majority of them still want to take the exam?"

"It wasn't everyone, Ohm. These are just random students in Bangkok. Besides..." She trailed down. Her next few words were hard to accept, but they were real. "...most — if not everyone — wants to be special. And no matter if the exam is real or not, they will still take it in hopes that they'll wake their potential up."

"I can't blame them. Who doesn't want to be special? To be one of a kind? Notice how most people would celebrate it if they belong to a group with only a few people in it. Notice how most people adore and praise the top ten most unique people in the world. But there isn't anyone who celebrates being normal. Why? Because it's not rare. They couldn't see the beauty in normal-ness." She chuckled then. "It's funny how they want our "special" lives while we want their normal ones."

Ohm didn't answer, but realised she was right. People will do anything to be rare because people like rare. Who doesn't want to be adored? Who doesn't want to be looked up to? There are people who don't, but most do. And that Exam was how they could see if they were indeed special or not.

Aria's cellphone vibrated, breaking the silence, and causing her to stand up immediately and answer the call.

"Hello? Wave?"

"How are you? I couldn't reach you. Where are you?" Wave bombarded her with questions as soon as she answered. His worried voice let her see his face even though they were away from each other.

"We're fine. We're in the basement so the reception is awfully bad, I barely understood the news."

"You've watched it."

"Yeah. It's small but that's not everyone yet."

"But if there's at least one student who sits in the exam..."

"Then we'll find another way. We will always find another way."

Wave sighed from the other line. "Keep yourself safe. I'm not with you."

"You're not my bodyguard," she joked lightly and smiled.

"I'm not kidding. I'm worried here, can't you see?"

"Yes, I can't. I can only hear you."

"I'm serious!"

Aria erupted in a laugh.

"I know! I just want to make you smile."

Even at times like that, making a joke or smiling might not be the best thing to do. But they still had to. Because a smile is a symbol of hope and bravery. That no matter how life pushed you down, you could still smile and get up. It was strength.