As I trailed Mandy back from the apartment, I got that same sense of someone eyes following me as I crossed the threshold. I looked around wearily. As I walked through the doorway to enter the courtyard, a women stopped me. "Excuse me?" She asked. "May I have a word?" I glanced back at Mandy, who shrugged. I followed the woman around the corner. "I've never seen you before." She told me accusingly. "Who are you?" "I'm, uh-" I stammered. "I'm Aiko Hatchsmith, Mandy's sister. I just enrolled?" That last part was supposed to be a statement, but came out as a question. "I see. I'll be keeping my eye on you," she said. She pointed two of her fingers at her eyes, then turned her hand around and pointed her index finger at me. I nodded nervously. I turned around and scurried back to my sister. "Who was that?" I asked Mandy. "That," she started. "Was Beatrice." "Beatrice?" I asked. "Mrs. Abernathy. Everyone calls her by her first name, Beatrice, behind her back. She hates all adroits." She explained. "So why does she work here?" "It's the only place she could get a job, seeing as she's one herself." My jaw dropped. "So then, why does she hate us?" I asked, confused. "First of all, she doesn't hate us in particular, just all adroits in general. She hates being one." Mandy spoke as she lead us inside the dorm building. "Secondly, no one knows why. It could be, like, past trauma, or embarrassment, or some weird undying love and loyalty to the king for all we know." She swiped a card next to a door and led us into our dorm. I sat down on my new bed and grabbed the welcome packet I had left there earlier. Mandy sat down at her desk and leafed through some papers. Another bell rang through the room. I looked questioningly at her just as a voice blasted through unseen speakers. "Good evening students." I froze. I recognized that voice. That was the computer guy, the zapper dude. When would I ever get rid of him? I sat as still as a pin, worried that he would see me doing something and punish me. "Just a few announcements for tonight. To start off, a few of you may have noticed that we had a new student join us at dinner tonight. Please give a warm welcome to miss Aiko Hatchsmith next time you see her. I'm sure she will appreciate it." I threw my hands over my eyes. It was bad enough that he had to tarnish my name just by saying it, but now he was going to embarrass me at my new school, too? "Secondly," he continued. "The following list of students should report at 8:30 p.m. to room 217. Do not expect to be back in your dorm room tonight." He read off the list of students. Somewhere in the mix, he'd said my name. I glanced over at Mandy, paling at the thought. "Thank you students. Have a pleasant evening." "Are you okay?" she asked when he finished. "I'll manage." I said. When 8:20 rolled around, I got up and started walking towards the door. "Mandy?" I said. She turned to me. "Yes?" she replied. "I love you," I said, walking over and giving her a hug. She hugged me back tightly. "I love you, too." She paused, fumbling for words. "I'll see you tomorrow." "Wish me luck," I said. With that, I turned and walked back towards the door. I turned the knob and slipped through the door. When it closed, I stood leaning against my door for a moment. I turned around and went back inside. "Mandy?" I asked. "Yeah?" She said, looking up in surprise. "Can you show me how to get there?" I asked with a small smile. "Oh! Right! I forgot you don't know your way around yet!" She laughed as she climbed down from her bed and ambled towards me. "This way!" She said, leading the way.
