Randoms: Chapter 9 The Semester Schedule

Chapter 9

The Semester Schedule

 

I’m not one hundred percent sure what qualifies a trustworthy person, but someone who lives in the same shoes as you do, allows you to speak openly about opinions. For example, when you have issues with a bully, speaking to someone who was bullied can help you cope. Or if you have an addiction, speaking to someone who quit that addiction can help make the process of quitting a lot easier.

Since I’m not really bullied because I have Dustin and Rachel, and I am not fighting addictions nor have had one. It makes my situation a little different.

You see, I am a Random. That has been established, but so is Kyle Ward, which has also been announced. The only difference is he announced it, and I definitely did not. By telling Kyle that I am a Random, it gives me another true ally. The problem is it gives me another person who knows my secret. And when you tell too many people a secret, it no longer becomes a secret.

As Kyle, Dustin, and I sit in our room: I struggled with this. Since he is our friend though, and he’s annoyingly persistent, I went ahead and told him. I still haven’t told anyone about the butterfly yet, but I did tell him about my powers, what Mrs. Parks said and why we have to keep it on the down low.

“So let me get this straight… You have the power to alter things with just words?” Kyle asked.

“Kind of, so far I have discovered that I can write down something then change it with my mind and it becomes real,” I said.

“Have you tried to change things written in the past? For example, say a book?” Kyle asked.

“What do you mean?” Dustin asked.

Kyle grabbed a book from his bag. He opened to a random chapter and pointed at the page. “The earliest known evidence that a scientist has discovered of the supergene, was on a bone of a human, found underneath an ancient collapsed building.” Kyle read. “Change; “a bone,” to “bones.” He demanded.

I grabbed the book, then imagined the words to change and reform. The page now said, “on the bones.”Kyle then grabbed a copy of the book from my bag and turned to the page we were just looking at.

His expression changed to quick excitement. “I knew it, look Ryder. You changed history! Well kind of.” He then handed me my book, and sure enough, my book was changed too.

“That is crazy, are you telling me that I just changed the book and all of its copies?” I asked in astonishment.

“Quick! Change it back!” Kyle said.

“Why?” I asked.

“Just do it!”

I changed the words back but gave Kyle a confused look.

“If you had kept it, you might have changed history. And that never turns out well in stories.” Kyle said.

“You think I could really do that?” I asked.

“Yeah, we better not risk it though.” He said.

Dustin then chimed in. “Ryder, can you change the color of things on paper too?” He asked me.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Dustin then pointed to the orange cat on the paper. “The picture on the page shows an orange cat, change the cat to black.” He suggested.

I looked down and concentrated. I only ever tried to change words, so this is definitely new territory. After a few seconds, I never in my wildest dreams expected what happened next. The color of the lines that shadowed the orange cat began to bleed into the orange. The color started getting dark and darker. I could see the hair on the cat starting to change in the picture from orange to brown, then to black. After it finished I just stared, “I can change colors too.” I Said to myself…

“Why not?” Kyle said. “So far we have yet to see limits of your powers. I tested my powers in the same way. First I tested the capabilities, then the range, then I tried to create new forms of it. We have to do the same with you.”

“Our first series of classes is super science, then we have support, then we have defense, and at the end of the semester we have attack class.” Said Kyle. “These classes will help get you ready. Since I pretty much know everything about my powers, we will just need to get you up to par.”

I wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but I am told I have a lot of powers. If Kyle suggests that I’m not up to par, he crazy. “What do you mean up to par?” I asked.

“Can you defend yourself?” He asked. “I mean if you were attacked.” He suggested.

“Uh… no…”

“Can you attack? If you needed to fight back?” Kyle asked.

“Probably not…”

“If you can’t attack or defend, can you give support?” Kyle asked.

Kyle wasn’t crazy to suggest that I am not up to par, he was right. If I fought anyone at our school, I’ll get killed. “So what do I do?” I asked.

“You work hard to figure out a way to do all those things with your power. Otherwise, you might as well go to a civilian school.” He finished.

“What about range class? What are you going to have him do in that?” Asked Dustin.

“Since it is a free period, technically. We will have him work on ideas he learned from the class. He will not get into trouble plus people won’t ask questions if they think he supports.” Kyle said.

“This is crazy.” For the first time since Tony gave me confidence about my power, I have lost it. How am I supposed to survive? One support class will probably do me in, they might as well plan my funeral. And that’s the softest of the three training classes. “I’m so dead…” I Said to myself.

Kyle saw me, he shook his head at me slowly. “You are going to be fine, besides Rachel, Dustin, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“We better get going, we have science with Mrs. Parks again,” Kyle said. We grabbed our packs and went off to class.

As we arrived in class, I saw a seat next to Rachel was open. Normally I would have ignored this, and found a seat for Dustin, and me. I needed to talk to her about the butterfly though. I know what you may be thinking, but Dustin wouldn’t get it, and Kyle would just scream for joy over the prospect of how powerful I could be.

I went to sit down next to Rachel when someone else sat down first. It was a short blonde haired girl and she had a few freckles around her nose, she wore a hoodie from a famous movie and had earrings to match. I stared at her, wondering if she knew she was in the wrong place. The worst part was, she didn’t even notice me. Rachel did, however, and shrugged her shoulders. Her cheeks were red and she apologized to me silently, but it didn’t quench the frustration. Then I was startled again by that voice in my head.

“Mr. Young, find your place. You can tell Ms. Wilson, and myself after class about the red butterfly. Maybe the two of us can help you.” Said Mrs. Parks in my head. I’ll probably never get used to someone reading my thoughts and speaking inside my head, and I think Rachel noticed because she waited for my response.

“After class…” I whispered to her, she nodded indefinitely. I then went to the back of the class to find Dustin. He and Kyle found a seat next to each other, but there were no more seats near them.

“Second row, third from your right Mr. Young.” The voice said in my head again.

I turned my head and gave Mrs. Parks the look, (patented by Rachel). Mrs. Parks smiled at me, and I took my seat.

She began teaching on the history of supers, and the science behind the DNA.

After class, I got Rachel’s attention and we went up to Mrs. Parks after everyone left.

“I’m so sorry Ryder, that was my roommate; Madison. She’s new here too so I told her she can sit with me. She’s really nice if it helps?” Said Rachel with the most apologetic tone.

Either I am becoming better friends with Rachel, which is true. Or I am starting to have a soft spot for her… Because I forgave her way to quickly.

Mrs. Parks just stared at the both of us with this look of mild interest. Then when she felt the time was right she spoke: “So Mr. Ryder, tell us what has happened.”

Rachel turned back to me quickly, and I glanced at her. She had a look of worry on her face, but I shook my head and smiled at her. “It’s okay,” I Said. “This is about the large, red butterfly chilling in my room.”

Mrs. Parks had a look of concern on her face. “Chilling? It’s dead?”

I shook my head again, this time at Mrs. Parks. “It’s an expression for hanging out. It’s alive, very, very much alive.”

Rachel didn’t understand until I reminded her about the time I tested my power in my room.

“No way… that’s impossible…” she said.

“Not probable, Ms. Wilson. But we are talking about Mr. Ryder here, and his powers go beyond probable, and even impossible.” Mrs. Parks said.

“So what does this mean?” I asked both of them.

Mrs. Parks pondered for a minute then spoke: “I’m afraid that I do not know Mr. Young. You are very different, and if what you say is true… which I do not doubt that it is.” She stated quickly. “Then you have once again, as some would say, changed the norm. That makes you all the more interesting and dangerous.” She said.

“Great, now I am even more dangerous,” I Said.

“Let me put it this way Mr. Young if you have the power to create life by simply changing a few words… then you have the power to take it in the same manner.” Mrs. Parks said.

Now, hearing that I can give life sounded cool, but hearing that I could take life… that’s scary.

“Ryder would never do something like that.” Clarified Rachel.

I was glad to hear that from her, but Mrs. Parks limited expressions still made me feel like I’m a ticking time bomb.

“You as a person and you as a super are wonderful Ryder Young. There are already three people in your class who would give their life to save yours, just because of who you are. Your power is rare and highly dangerous in theory. It is probably best, that we figure out a way to limit the perspective and let people assume you are not as great as you truly are.” Mrs. Parks said to me.

“But how do we do that? I’m already doing everything I can to practice in secret.” I asked.

“Just keep at it, and if anyone asks… tell them you’re a Random.” She said. At first, I thought my mind made that last part up, but Rachels response told me I heard correctly.

“Your joking?” Rachel asked Seriously.

“No, I am very serious Ms. Wilson.” Mrs. Parks replied.

“That would be suicide, especially since there is someone out there trying to kill Random activists. And you told us people would use him or destroy him if they found out his powers.” Rachel said. She was right, but the feeling of hearing she really cared for me felt… well… awesome.

“If Mr. Young, tells people he is a Random. They will avoid him, causing it to be less likely he will be found out what his power really is.” Mrs. Parks said.

“She’s right,” I said. Rachel turned and looked at me with shock. “I mean, look at Kyle. He is avoided by everyone, except us. If people do that to me, then it will be a lot easier to hone my powers.” I finished, but Rachel’s expression didn’t change.

“Ryder if you do that, you… you could be targeted…” Said Rachel.

“But if I don’t, then someone could walk in on me using them, testing them. It would spread like wildfire. It would be like a politician who lays their cards on the table as opposed to one who hid their secret. No one cares about the one who was open about it.” I Said.

Rachel was distraught, but I don’t know why. She squinted at me then looked at Mrs. Parks. “If you let him do this, and something happens to him… it’s on you, Mrs. Parks.” Then Rachel stormed out of the classroom.

I couldn’t believe Rachel just threatened a teacher, my mouth was wide open till Mrs. Parks spoke.

“She is understandably mad, she worries for you. And truly this may not be the best course of action, but it is your choice, Mr. Young.” She said to me.

“I think you’re right though. Besides, it would give Kyle real company in the Random department…”

She smiled at me, then said; “And that is why your friends would die for you… Because you would do the same for them.” She said. “Now Mr. Ryder, can you do me a favor?” She asked. “Could you have your dad deliver the Butterfly to you? I would really like to see it.”

“Of course… but what do you think you will find?” I asked.

“Hopefully, a clue about you.” She finished. Then she looked at the door, “You better go find her, she may need your help.” She motioned towards where Rachel went.

“Hope she doesn’t get upset with me for deciding to go ahead and announce what I am…”

“You are a future hero, and what I as well as everyone else who really knows you can tell; a really great one at that.” She said to me confidently. “She will understand Ryder, she will always understand you…”

I went to the door and opened… To my surprise, Rachel was waiting on the other side. She looked like she had tears in her eyes.

“Rachel, are you okay?” I asked. I had never dealt with a girl crying before, what else was I supposed to ask?

She turned to me. Her eyes were red, and her hair (for the first time ever) was in her face. This was the first time I had ever seen Rachel outside of her perfect shell.

“Ryder, are you really going to announce that you’re a random?” She asked me.

“I believe I have to Rachel. It will end up protecting me in the end. At least I hope.” I said with a soft smile.

“It will be harder to protect you if you do this Ryder. People will start being prejudice to you, they may attack you when I’m not around…” Rachel said this, and more tears came down her face. Seeing a beautiful girl cry for you is so hard to watch, but it pales in comparison when that beautiful girl is one of your best friends.

I walked up to Rachel and did something I had never planned on doing in a million years. I gave her a very long and compassionate… hug. I put my arms around her and held tight. “I have you and Dustin, even Kyle has his uses. I’m not worried about anyone here. You guys have had my back since I got here and I never properly thanked you. So Rachel Wilson, thank you for all your help, and for being my best friend.”

She laughed, it was kind of a weird crying laugh. But her smile made my day. We let go of each other, and she said; “If you do this, then I’ll support you, Ryder. But if anyone tries anything, you will tell me. Understood?” She had a serious look on her face, and I have a feeling that she was. If you knew Rachel, as well as I did. You would be very afraid to start a fight with anyone if she has their back.

“You got it! So does this mean you’re going to have to sit with me in class after I announce it?” I had to ask. I’m not much of a flirt, but really I was just hoping to lighten the mood.

She had to cover up her laugh. “What has come over you, Ryder? Your usually so shy, now your starting to act like Dustin. I’m not complaining of course…”

“Well, I’m about to reveal one of my deepest darkest secrets… And that is about as open as it gets, you know?” I replied.

“One of? There is more?” She Asked with a raised eyebrow and wicked grin.

“Rachel, I can’t give out all my secrets,” I Said, then I lowered my voice. “If I did that, then I wouldn’t have any more secrets left.” I smiled, and she smiled back. From this moment forward I knew, Rachel was really no longer just a friend. She was going to be one of the people I will lean on, trust, and protect for the rest of my life. And when you gain someone like that in your life, nothing could make your day bad… Nothing.