Richelle Mead - Gameboard of the Gods

Tessa slinked away, though she knew she was still the center of attention. Some students were at least discreet about their examination. Others stared openly, making no secret of their fascination.

They were in the middle of reading a book by a famous Gemman novelist that Tessa had acquired and read in advance. Rather than letting her listen in merciful anonymity, however, Mr. Lu kept stopping class to ask her if she knew how to use the reader and desk screen. Tessa kept nodding and thanking him for his concern.

The rest of her classes passed in a similar way, with other “helpful” teachers embarrassing her. By the end of the day, she found that word of her arrival had spread, so that her classmates were waiting for her to show up and do something savage.

She felt a little bit of pride at her ability to keep up with English and history. She especially liked the latter since it filled in some of the gaps she had about Gemman culture. Melissa was in the same class and had again felt the need to explain how it worked.

“This is history. It’s about the past. We’re learning about the RUNA’s formation after the Decline and how the castes happened. Do you know what ‘caste’ means? They’re groups that didn’t have to follow the mandates because they helped fund the early government. We read books in here.”

Tessa simply nodded her thanks for fear of having to repeat herself.

Math proved to be a dismal experience, but her self-esteem was boosted in advanced Spanish. Of course, she wasn’t entirely sure why she’d been placed in it. Spanish was her first language, whereas her classmates were still learning and working on translation. Her teacher kept making her say things but would always remind the others, “She has a provincial accent, so make sure you stick to the standardized one.” She would then helpfully try to correct Tessa’s pronunciation.

By the time she reached her last class of the day, Tessa was exhausted. One more class, she kept telling herself. One more class, and you’re free. This is the worst day. It can only get better now.

After the usual embarrassing introduction from the teacher, she took a seat near the middle of the room. Unlike the other classrooms, biology had no desks. They all sat at long tables with the usual touch screens, as well as another device Tessa didn’t recognize. It was round and metal, set with a piece of glass, also round, on top. Tessa could freely admit this was probably beyond her. She clung to the hope that if she studied enough at home, she’d eventually catch up. Cynthia had gruffly offered to help.

Their instructor immediately launched into a discussion of Cain, apparently following up on a lecture that had begun yesterday. Everyone knew about Cain in Panama, and Tessa started to relax, thinking she was in familiar territory. But as the lecture became increasingly technical, discussing how the disease operated at the genetic level, Tessa knew she was once again out of her league. Things grew worse when they received their assignment and Tessa learned what the round device did.

It created a three-dimensional image in the air, showing a model of Cain’s proteins and mutations. Manipulating the model proved to be challenging. The image had no substance, of course, but the projector could detect hand movement and “touch,” allowing the model to be rotated as needed. The technology was still new in the RUNA, so there was a bit of a trick to it. The other students had practiced before, but Tessa couldn’t quite get the hang of it. She didn’t seem to touch the image in the right spots to trigger detection, and more often than not, her hand passed right through it. Her classmates had no difficulty jumping right in as they worked through their assigned questions and problems.

After a day of being told how to use technology she’d already learned, Tessa had finally hit a wall. She knew if she went to her instructor, he’d find someone to help her—but that would draw unwanted attention to her and confirm everyone’s suspicions about the primitive girl from the provinces. No one had seemed to notice her difficulties—yet. They were all consumed with their own tasks, many of them chatting with friends as they worked. Tessa continued trying to doggedly manipulate the model, only succeeding about a third of the time. When she was able to manage it, she could barely understand the related questions, making the whole exercise kind of futile.

Panic hit her. What was she doing here? Her superficial features might have looked plebeian, but there was always going to be something that made her “other.” It didn’t matter if she wore the same uniform as everyone else in the school. The maroon pants and white shirt weren’t going to disguise what she was. And it wasn’t even her hair or accent or lack of technical skills that really made her stand out. It was something more intangible, an attitude and demeanor that screamed to the world that she hadn’t been born and raised in this glittering, frenetic society. The students here were just like everyone else she’d seen in the RUNA: confident, purposeful, and so certain of their superiority over the world. Tessa was never going to possess that air.

Clenching her hands, she took a deep breath and tried to seize control. She remembered the way Justin had fought for her with her parents and how proud he’d been when taking her to tour the school. More important, she couldn’t shake the way he kept calling her his prodigy. She didn’t really know if she believed that, but the thought of going home and telling him she couldn’t do any of this was unbearable. Another breath calmed her, and she resigned herself to asking for help, no matter how humiliating it was.

But when she went to the front of the room, she found her teacher deeply engaged with another student. Standing around made her self-conscious, so she returned to her table to wait her turn. Behind her, Melissa had taken a break in her work—or maybe even finished—and was talking to a cluster of friends.

“I can’t understand anything she says,” she told them. “And I’m pretty sure she doesn’t get half of what we’re saying. I don’t think they have electricity there.”

“Did you see her with the hologram?” asked another student.

Someone else laughed. “She probably thought it was some sort of vision. They’ve got crazy beliefs in the provinces.”

Melissa sneered, marring her pretty features. “Well, I’m just glad I don’t have to drag her around tomorrow. If I have to look at that hair one more—”

She froze, her smile slipping as she noticed Tessa watching. Melissa flushed, embarrassed at being caught. Then she became equally conscious of her friends and pushed aside her chagrin. “Well?” she demanded. Gone was the friendly peppiness from before. “What are you staring at?”

When Tessa said nothing, one of Melissa’s friends nudged her. “Forget it, Mel. Look at her. She didn’t even understand what you said.”

“I can understand bitchiness in any language,” Tessa said. A few seconds later, she added, “Do you need me to repeat that more slowly?” She kept her face cold and unrevealing, something she’d picked up after days spent around people who excelled at hiding their thoughts.

Melissa’s face said that she had indeed understood. “Who are you calling a bitch?”

“Who do you think?” asked Tessa, growing emboldened. “That’s rhetorical, by the way. It means you don’t have to answer.”

Part of Tessa knew she needed to stop. She was only digging a bigger hole for herself. Melissa didn’t seem like the type to defend her honor with fists, not if the way she pranced and kept checking her hair was any indication. But there was a malevolent look in her eyes that made Tessa think Melissa was very likely the type to take revenge in far more subtle and insidious ways. Fists might have been easier.