Perennial

Chapter 4 -- Elle Webster

They say that humans are social creatures.

I would love to set whoever said that's pants on fire (because they are a liar liar) and I'd almost prefer starving to spending my lunch hour in a crowded cafeteria full of teenagers practically screaming at each other. (Almost.)

As the din presses in around me, I stab at my chicken salad. They had me test the limits of my telepathy again first thing this morning. That never leaves me in a good mood.

Per usual, the curly-haired girl slides in across from me at my table. Unlike usual, however, after shifting uncomfortably in her seat and opening and closing her mouth a few times, she clears her throat and finally speaks up. "I got an invitation to go to Icarus Academy in September. I accepted. I just wanted you to know."

I pause with a forkful of lettuce and chicken halfway to my mouth.

She looks away, olive face darkening. "I know, you're probably celebrating right now. You might not have even noticed when I stopped showing up, but I just wanted to say something."

I tilt my head to the side and slowly lower my fork. "Don't be so quick to assume anything. I got an invite, too."

Her eyes widen. "You... got invited?"

I snort. "Please, don't look surprised."

"I'm honestly more surprised that you're speaking to me at all." She smiles, hesitant but bright. She sticks out a hand. "I'm Maria."

I give her hand a glance, but don't make a move to take it. She awkwardly retracts it. "Elle."

Maria nods and mouths my name to herself, as if trying it out. Then, she looks up. "So, what name did they give you?"

"Perennial."

She looks surprised for a second before chuckling nervously. "No offense, but... that name seems a little delicate for you. I mean, I've never even talked to you before today and... you're kinda... intense."

I shrug. Maybe I should be offended, (or should I be preening?) but at least someone agrees with me.

"I got Aequora," she adds, a little offhanded.

"Is that even a real word?" I frown.

Maria mirrors me. "I have no idea. I think so. I mean, they wouldn't just make up a word, would they?"

I shrug. Honestly, anything is possible. You never really know with DSHA.

I've never heard the word "Aequora" before, though.

"I wouldn't know."

If my cousin, Digit, were here right now, he'd laugh in my face and try to say something sassy and demeaning in response to that. Mostly because we both know I'm more intelligent than he is and that intimidates him.

He would probably say something like, "Of course you wouldn't know. You don't know everything, genius. You're not any better than the rest of us," and then I'd fight the urge to wring his neck. Just a typical interaction for us.

My brow furrows as I think of him.

(Digit isn't his real name, obviously, but he insists people call him that. I'm not even sure why anymore. At first, I think he thought it sounded cool when he was a kid, so he asked everyone to call him Digit. Then, he went to school and found out he was actually excellent at any and all forms of math, and so the nickname stuck.)

I wonder where he is right now, what he's doing. Does he feel bad that I got arrested and he didn't? Does he even miss me?

If I truly stop and think about it, I'm... almost glad it was me who got arrested, instead of him. After all, Digit has so much more waiting for him at home. He has his mom, three younger brothers, and that mystery girl he's been seeing for the past couple years.