Acumen: Riddling Life

Late fall of Junior year high school [pt1](12)

I walk into the counselors' room, he looks up from the paper in his hand and smiles at me. "Eleanor! Sit," he says with a warm smile.

I slide off my bag and sit across him. I push my glasses up, and try to stop my leg from bouncing.

"We have decided it's about time to bring a few tutors to guide you in this path, so you might reach its highest levels," he pauses and smiles at me.

I feel my heart bursting out of my chest out of excitement. I nervously fiddle with my fingers but a smile breaks through my face.

"But are you sure you can handle Astronomy Olympiad along with your National academic championship and Academic Decathlon?" He asks with genuine concern.

"I think I can," I say and my smile widens.

I have waited for this moment for more than a year now, and it's finally happening.

"I need your parents' signature on this paper, it's a notice, informing them about the classes, their schedules, and everything else." He says and hands me the paper in his hand.

I take it and scan it for a moment, then nod my head.

"Good luck," he says.

I stand up, my smile still wide and I nod my head, "Thank you," I say and walk out of his room.

Clutching the paper tightly in my hand I walk out of the office and into the hallways.

I check my watch as I walk through the empty hallways, deciding to make my way to the library, Jace is probably there if not with Avery.

As I take another turn, I'm face to face with Adrien and his gang, all ten of them. They are talking and laughing, I hope they don't notice me, even Avery is there but Jace is not in sight... maybe he's in the library already.

Sophia's leaning on Adrien giggling at something, and that's when she turns and her steel blue eyes land on me as I was trying to pass the hallway, so much for going unnoticed.

Her laughter dies and Adrien follows her eyes. His eyes land on me, the discussion dies in their group and now they are all staring at me.

I fix my gaze on the ground and try to hurry away but before I get a step away Will calls me as he starts walking towards me.

"You got us thinking you're getting suspended for being a freak," he spats it at my face. They all start laughing.

"Look at you! Scurrying off like a rat," Sophia says as she twirls a lock of golden hair around her finger.

I keep my gaze on the ground, refusing to look up at any of them.

"What's that?" Will asks, reaching his hand out to snatch the paper out of my hand.

I pull the paper away before his fingers reach it. I swallow hard and look up to him, "That's none of your business," I say, but I can I feel every single cell in my body trembling.

He scoffs and looks back to Adrien, who is leaning to one of the lockers, his admiral blue jacket's sleeves rolled up, his matching tie hanging loosely around the collar of his white button-up shirt, watching us intently, his leg propped up backward, occasionally tapping on the locker he has put his foot on.

Will looks back at me, annoyance radiating off of him.

"Looks like Eleotard's forgetting who she's talking to," Will says.

"Need to be reminded?" James says with a smirk as he pushes himself up from the locker he was leaning to and makes his way to me.

I take a step back,  but by then James is standing next to me. Will reaches for the notice in my hand again and before I can pull away, James wraps his fingers around my wrist, his grip tightening as he pulls my hand up. Will takes the piece of paper out of my hand.