Evangeline stared out the window, letting the drone of the teacher’s lecture go unheard. The darkened sky and the soft patter of rain against the window suggested another dull day to follow up the past eighteen years of her life. Her notebook sat open to the first page, as it had for the past few weeks, bare and unused.

Her attention was only focused when the students were called to rise, the teacher announcing that it was ‘that time’. It was an announcement that brought mixed responses. Some were excited, some disgusted. Some, like Evangeline, were silently awaiting what was coming. It had caught her attention enough that she was conscious of the teacher leaving the room and the conversation that followed.

“We are about to have a scholarship brat in our midst.” The statement came from Isabelle, resident queen bee, and opened the floodgates of conversation.

“I bet she cannot even afford our uniform.”

“If they even make them that small.” Evangeline knew they did, as it was customary that every year a few scholarship students would be accepted into the school. Scholarship student was the politically correct term for a person in the school who came from a small family.

“I wonder what class she will be. H class? K class?”

“Most are H class. They can actually sit at the desks, after all.”

“It would be funny to see a K class trying to sit in a desk,” one girl chuckled.

Evangeline was trying to ignore them, the way they thought so little of their soon to be peer.

“It does not matter,” Isabelle said, quieting the others. “They do not deserve to be in our presence, let alone sitting next to us, disrupting our learning.”

“The teacher,” a girl near the door whispered and silence fell completely, as everyone awaited the arrival of the new student.

Everyone was surprised when they saw Ms. Hill return, her hand held upturned at her midsection, an F class girl seated in her palm. “Everyone,” she announced, “I am pleased to introduce our newest student, Hadley.” She let the girl disembark onto her desk, where the girl stood, looking out at the room.

Evangeline felt her throat tighten. Why was there an F class girl in the school? Those who were S class did not often show care when in the presence of H or K class people, but it was beyond dangerous for a F class, likely no taller than 4 inches to be in a school comprised predominantly by S class students, raised in wealth and privilege and with disdain for anyone who could not afford their lifestyle or size.

“Is there anyone willing to house Hadley at their desk?”

Evangeline’s heart sank when Isabelle rose. “I will take her,” she announced, with a bright smile. Evangeline watched a few faces twist in sadistic pleasure, knowing that Isabelle would best belittle the pest.

“Thank you, Isabelle.” The girl was asked to once again get onto Ms. Hill’s hand and was transported to Isabelle’s desk, where she was deposited. The girl carried a briefcase and Evangeline watched her retrieve a notebook from it and look around the desk for a place to sit. She looked up to Isabelle.

Isabelle pointed to the very corner of the desk and the girl hesitantly moved as directed. Evangeline’s jaw tensed as the girl glanced over the side of the desk, her discomfort pretty clear. The teacher carried on with the next lesson, but Evangeline had a new direction for her focus – the girl desperately craning her neck, trying to pick up the information that the teacher was providing. There was no way she could see the board, Evangeline realized.

The girl eventually resigned to listening only to the teacher’s voice, writing down everything that was said, furiously scribbling on her tiny pad. Her dedication was clear, but Evangeline wondered how long it would last – how long she would last. This place, these people, were bound to rattle her, to push her down.

~*~

The sound of a bell called Hadley’s furious pencil to a halt, as she brought her hands to her ears in a delayed reaction to the sound. Why did it have to be so loud? She looked at the notes she had taken, jumbled and disoriented by the fact that she wrote things down exactly as Ms. Hill said them. Her penmanship had degenerated throughout the hour that she had been struggling to keep up.

Focusing on writing had kept her from feeling the weight of the room around her – the stares she tried to ignore, the breath of the girl whose desk she shared breath on her back, the thunder of pencils moving, especially that same girl. When Isabelle had tapped the eraser on the desk, Hadley felt the tremor and tried not to wince. The bell brought a commotion like she had never experienced, a mass of giant bodies rising and the exodus of mass leaving the room feeling suddenly empty. Ms. Hill had been pulled out of the room, leaving Hadley at the mercy of Isabelle.

“You sure took a lot of notes,” the girl commented, calling Hadley’s attention to her. A few others lingered about, all absorbed by what the girl said. “You think you are going to be able to make it in this school?”

Hadley nodded, her expression honest. She had worked very hard to get into the school, and she had been very thankful for the support her parents had provided. There was no way she was going to waste anyone’s efforts.

“Don’t be stupid. There is no way filth like you can succeed in our world.” Hadley was wary of the girl’s approaching hand, moving so fast, presenting such power in comparison to herself. Fingers extended towards her and her first instinct was to hold her notebook in front of her face, to block out the advance.

She registered one fingernail the size of her head coming into view beyond the notebook and then the notebook was tugged roughly upward, the nail disappearing from view. She automatically released the book, not wanting to be dragged along with.

“So, filth class, what do you intend to do if you do not have your book?” There was disdain written all over the girl, her green eyes darkened by it and her soft voice marred by it.

“Please, I need that,” she pleaded. “I cannot afford a new one,” she added, hoping to gain sympathy.

“What a shame,” she sneered. Her fingers shifted so that they hung over the edge of the desk and then released the book. Hadley watched as it fell and her first instinct was to try to reach for it, but she held away from the edge.

The girl rose, chuckling as she led away her pack. They laughed with her, casting glances back at Hadley. Hadley sidled up to the edge of the desk, peering over at the huge expanse between her and her book on the floor. She had not registered the footsteps that approached when a new form suddenly came into view. Another person had been in the room and then bent low to retrieve her book, carefully plucking it from the floor. Without standing, the girl’s head turned upward, her eyes coming about level with Hadley’s. Hadley shifted backward, not used to looking someone so closely in the eye.

“Here is your book,” the girl spoke, her volume low. Her fingertips rose slowly and she deposited the book on the desk next to Hadley, allowing her to retrieve it on her own. The fingers retreated and Hadley was glad of it. “It is lunch time. I tend to eat here, rather than try to fumble my way through the crowd in the cafeteria. You are welcome to join me.”

“I did not pack a lunch,” Hadley realized as she voiced the words.

“I am sure I can spare you some of mine,” the girl said and Hadley was surprised to detect no hint of condescension. It was as if the girl was offering half of her lunch, rather than making a point about the little Hadley would need.

“I would be grateful.” The girl nodded and Hadley saw a hint of a smile touch the girl’s otherwise neutral expression. The girl rose, returning to her own desk, where she retrieved her lunch, looking through the contents.

“I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and an apple,” she announced. She brought the food over to Hadley and she watched the girl crouch once more, her eyes again becoming level with Hadley. Those eyes were focused on the wrapped sandwich in her lap. She ripped off a chunk of saran wrap and placed it on the desk. It was a large sheet to Hadley. The girl then tugged of a corner of her sandwich, placing it on the makeshift plate. “Sorry it is a little squished.” Hadley noted that much of the jelly was no longer between the bread, but she did not mind.

The girl then used a plastic knife to slice off a chuck of the apple, which she deposited on top of the sandwich. “It is not five star dining like you would find in the lunch room.”

“I am a bit surprised,” Hadley commented, receiving a shrug and the same half smile.

“I made my own lunch today.”

Hadley’s brow rose. “Is it expensive jam?”

“Not that I am aware of. Certainly a jar meant to feed me is going to cost more than a jar for yourself, but they have to sell me a lot more.” The girl’s face still held neutrality, like she was just going over logistics and nothing more. “Would you like to stay here or move to my desk?”

Hadley considered what was offered. She certainly was uncomfortable remaining on Isabelle’s desk, but would anything change? She was inclined to think it would, so she nodded. “Let me get my things together.” The girl nodded and placed her food on her desk. When she had returned, Hadley had her briefcase in one hand and was attempting to lift the food with the other. She knew it was not going to end up well, so when the other girl offered assistance, she resigned with a sigh.

The girl placed her hand on the table, palm up, and Hadley took a deep breath before getting onto the hand. The hand did not move while she settled herself, sitting down in the center. When she looked to the other girl, brows rose, asking for an indication to move. She nodded and the hand rose slowly with the girl. The ride was smooth and ended with the hand placed on the desk, letting Hadley disembark on her own. The food was placed next to the girl’s notebook and Hadley sat down on the side of it opposite the girl. “Have you transported an F class before?”

The girl took a seat before responding. “On many occasions. My parents work with people of all classes and I have gotten to know a number of them.” She extended the tip of her index finger towards Hadley, but did not get too close. “My name is Evangeline, but I tend to go by Eva.” When Hadley raised her hand, Evangeline closed the distance between the two, hand and fingertip coming together. “It is nice to meet you.”

“And you,” Hadley returned. 

Evangeline had found it hard to bet whether the F class girl would join her. On the one hand, Isabelle had made it clear to Hadley that she was not one to trust, but on the other, how could Hadley possibly trust any of the S class girls? It was not a matter of which clique she might fall into; she fell into the solitary position of being the soul F class person in the whole school. Even the cleaning staff was at least H class, allowing them to be more efficient at their work.

Evangeline liked to think of herself as a sympathetic person, but walking in someone’s shoes is a lot harder when they can fit in yours. She had been grateful that Hadley had accepted her offer, knowing that at the very least, she would not have to watch her get humiliated by the others.

 Evangeline had tried to angle her face away from Hadley as she took bites of her sandwich, thinking it might be uncomfortable to watch, while also aware that her actions might draw attention in an unintended way. In doing so, she had not noticed that Hadley had finished her food and had crumpled the remains of the saran wrap. She had stood and made her way to Evangeline’s notebook. “You have not written anything,” she called up and Evangeline looked down to find her lifting the first page above her head so that she could inspect the next. “Is the entire thing empty?”

“I am not much for note taking,” she admitted.

“I can see that.”

Evangeline chuckled as Hadley backed out from beneath the page. “I find lessons to lack depth, so it is easy enough to pick up the needed information in a textbook.”

“How can the lessons lack depth? This is supposed to be the top school for girls in our region.”

Evangeline sighed. “Well, it depends what you are looking for, I suppose.” The girl’s brow knit together and she settled into a sitting position on top of the notebook. “This school has notoriety and is enough to get anyone who graduates into most any university they desire, like Infinity University.”

A dreamy look overtook Hadley’s expression. “I would beyond love to go there.”

“Then this school will do just fine.”

Hadley cocked her head to the side. “So, what is the other thing you could be looking for in a school?”

Evangeline snorted. “Knowledge.”

“Why do people come here?”

“Money births money. If you graduate from here, you came from money, and that means the cycle is held.”

“That is quite the exclusive club.” The words were softly spoken, but Evangeline heard the sadness as clearly as if they were spoken in her ear.

“And the lessons learned are not very deep,” she let out after a sigh, a frown weighing on her expression.

“Evangeline,” a voice heralded the return of Ms. Hill, “it is not often I see you with an eating companion.

“It is not often that I find anyone worth sharing company.” Hadley chuckled in response, grinning brightly as she turned to face their teacher.

“So you say all too often.”

“Ms. Hill?” Hadley yelled out.

“Yes, Hadley, what is it?” Ms. Hill came closer, allowing that Hadley not yell.

“May I change my assigned desk to this one?” She turned about, eying Evangeline hopefully. “That is, if you are alright with it.”

Ms. Hill and Evangeline exchange a glance and Ms. Hill nodded while Evangeline said, “why not?” Hadley beamed a smile and Evangeline found herself wondering if the girl was too trusting.

Class resumed shortly thereafter and a whisper went around the class about how Hadley had ended up on Evangeline’s desk. Isabelle’s lip curled as she glanced at them, but Evangeline simple turned her attention away, as she often did. The clouds had begun to clear away from the sky, she noticed.

When class finally ended, Evangeline made a move to pack up her things, but halted when she noticed something different about her notebook. Between the first two lines on the page was scribbled a single word – ‘Something’. Next to it, a heart was drawn. It must have taken Hadley the remainder of the class to etch the word onto the page at that size. “I was always told that writing something was a good place to start,” she commented.

Evangeline chuckled. “I do not know that it is meant so literally.” The girl shrugged. “Do you have someone waiting for you, Hadley? I can take you somewhere, if you like.”

“Um, yeah, I think I am supposed to have someone picking me up. Would you wait with me at the front steps?” She added hastily, “if it is not too much trouble.”

“It is not.” Both girls packed their things and Evangeline placed her hand on the desk, palm up.

~*~

Hadley found that Evangeline’s hand was very comforting, warm and steady. She was not unused to being transported, but she did not find herself hesitating when stepping onto the flattened palm of the girl her age.

The hand lifted, but then backed towards its owner, the side of the hand coming in contact with Evangeline’s navel, Hadley estimated. She felt like she could shift backward and lean up against the expansive abdomen. Hadley watched huge tracks of land pass by as Evangeline brought them through the building. It would take her a long time to get her bearings within such a large building, but she was confident that she would begin to pick up markers that distinguished one hall from the next.

Most people had cleared out of the halls, but those who lingered either took no notice of her, held close to their peer, or, those who did notice, wore confused expressions that melted into curiosity or loathing. She had been warned, been told that people would not know how to take to her. She had heard people say it so many times, trying to change her mind about attending the school.

Hadley felt the air change and her eyes settled on the open doors towards which they were headed. She had meant to find some sort of indicator that might make that hall stand out from others from a distance, but her eyes caught on the bodies that littered the hall, staring, waiting. The fingers of the hand holding her twitched, reflexively, and she knew Evangeline had noticed as well.

“I see you have sniffed out the sympathizer, filth class.” Isabelle became the foreground of the mass of bodies that began to collapse upon them, backing Evangeline up to the wall.

“What do you want?” Hadley called.

“I want you to know your place. You do not deserve to be in my presence, let alone talking to me.” Hadley surveyed the area, counting six people who backed Isabelle, circling Evangeline, not allowing for escape.

“As far as I can tell, no one deserves having to be in your presence, let alone talking to you.”

A snort drew a venomous look towards one of Isabelle’s supporters. “You little shit.” Isabelle took an advancing step and Hadley felt her floor tip. Evangeline’s hand tilted and sandwiched her up against the abdomen behind her. The pressure was minimal, enough to keep her firmly against Evangeline, with the hand forming a protective barrier against the world. Her head peeked passed the side of the palm, the thumb hovering just above her forehead, tunneling her vision between the two. She felt her world spin and found that hand pressed against the wall, Evangeline’s whole body pressed in around her, an impenetrable wall of flesh. No more pressure was added to her body and she recognized the effort Evangeline was putting into keeping her comfortable.

“Turn around.” Isabelle’s voice was muffled by Evangeline’s body.

Hadley felt the muscles become taut as they strained and the left side of Evangeline’s body was sharply tugged away from the wall. Light flooded upon Hadley once more and as she turned about, she watched Evangeline’s free arm swing in a wide arc, forcing Isabelle to take a step back, but then the other girl advanced, pinning that arm against the wall. Evangeline and Isabelle were so close to each other, and it had not been until that point that Hadley had noticed that Evangeline was quite tall for even an S class person. She had almost a full head on Isabelle.

“Why don’t you just drop it? No one will tell.”

Evangeline was out of hands and Hadley could feel Isabelle’s closing in. Hadley was looking up passed Evangeline’s thumb and she watched her protectors head shoot forward, colliding with Isabelle’s with a sickening clack. The girl’s knees crumbled and she fell so that she was face to face with Hadley, blood beginning to stream from her nose. “Fuck off,” Evangeline’s words were glacial. She had broken her neutrality.

Evangeline’s free hand descended from the wall, her huge fingers tangling in the sweater of Isabelle’s uniform, roughly pulling her to her feet once more. The other girl was squinting through pain and Hadley caught the fear her supporter’s showed. “Eva,” she called. Her protector froze, holding the three of them in that position.

“What is going on?” A powerful voice sounded through the hall and all present flinched, except Evangeline.

Evangeline’s fingers released the fabric and Isabelle stumbled backward, turning towards the voice. Hadley followed her lead, her eyes being draw to a woman that exuded authority. Hadley could tell that this woman was very tall, beyond what could have been possible. She towered over even Evangeline.

“Why are you here?” Isabelle spat.

“I am here for my charge,” the woman’s eyes were looking passed Isabelle and Hadley was shocked to find them settled on herself.

“There is no way she can afford you,” Isabelle protested.

“She is not the one paying for my protection. The school does not wish to see anything happen that could put a stain on their good name. They are covering the expenses.” The woman moved passed her, while Isabelle’s supporters retreated.

“She is not worth your time.”

The woman was standing in front of Evangeline, but paused, turning to face Isabelle. “Ms. White, unless you wish for me to make a formal investigation into your treatment of other classes, I suggest you go take care of your face and stop wasting my time.” The woman made Isabelle look like she was merely a tall H class person. Isabelle took her advice and retreated.

As the woman turned about, she knelt, bringing her eyes down to almost Hadley’s level. Evangeline tilted her hand forward until Hadley was able to get her footing safely and then she stood on the once again flattened palm. Evangeline did her the favor of raising her to the woman’s eye level.

“Are you Hadley?” The woman’s eyes were so soft, not what she had been expecting. Hadley nodded. “Has Eva been treating you well?” Hadley looked upward, finding Evangeline watching her protectively from above. She returned her eyes to the woman and nodded again. “I am glad.”

“What did you mean when you said I was your charge?”

The woman smiled. “I work at a company that transports and protects anyone who is not S class - Transupport. I have personally taken the task of keeping you safe while you attend this school.” Hadley had heard of the company and knew of the efforts it made towards leveling the power differential in the classes. The company worked to make most parts of any city accessible to all. She was not aware that the company took on personal cases. “My name is Jazeera Ford.” Hadley sharply sucked in her breath. She knew the name. Jazeera was the founder and owner of the company.

“You sure know how to make an impact,” Evangeline chuckled. “You did not tell me you were taking a job, Mother.” The woman just grinned, her eyes turning upwards.

“Have to keep the world guessing.”

Evangeline could barely feel the sting in her forehead, the feeling being overpowered by the sense of pride that washed over her. Her mother, the woman notorious for aloofness, had graced her with a beaming smile that even reached her eyes.

“I apologize for not having come earlier,” Jazeera was saying to Hadley, “it took some convincing. The school board was hesitant and not terribly lenient.”

“I am surprised they were willing to accept another F class student,” Evangeline found herself saying, before she realized how it could be received by the girl in her hand. She frowned, instantly looking to the girl, trying to catch some sort of reaction.

Jazeera came to her aide. “The last time they willingly accepted someone who fell in F class, it was during the Class Clash, about twenty years ago. Unfortunately, the other students at the time were violent and aggressive, going so far as to injure their peers.”

Hadley shivered and Evangeline felt it. “That is horrible,” she said. “How did I not know about that?”

“It was big news when it happened and all the F class students at that time left. The school did not receive applications from anyone under K class for years.”

Evangeline knew everything before it was said, but it still made her body tense. She caught Hadley looking up at her, likely sensing her rigidness. “They did not want things to repeat,” Evangeline added.

Hadley looked back towards Evangeline’s mother. “How did I get accepted?”

“This school used to be at the forefront of an equality movement, but the Class Clash pushed it away from that, and Transupport has been attempting to move things back in the right direction. We have been pushing for the board to acknowledge the recent influx of F class applications.” She sighed and sadness coloring her expression. “They only accepted one. Do you feel lucky?”

“Thinking about all of my hard work, yes. Thinking about what it means to have been born F class, I think I am still working to get my luck in the black.”

Jazeera gave a grim nod. “I understand. I cannot imagine being born with such a deficit of luck.”

Hadley shrugged. “It is more apparent some days and less others.”

Jazeera shifted the discussion then. “Hadley, would you mind if you and I met with your parents? I would like to discuss the precautions that will need to be established.” Hadley nodded affirmation. “Would you like Eva to join us?”

Hadley looked up to her and part of Evangeline wanted to beg her to say she did. It was not often that she got the opportunity to visit the residential districts of other classes. However, one S class person in her company might have been overwhelming enough, she considered. Hadley smiled to her, dismissing her worry. “I would not mind her joining and my parents would love to see that I have made a friend.” Evangeline felt her heart flutter. She did not connect well with people, but this girl was so open to connection that it offset Evangeline’s aversion. Evangeline would not have yet used the word ‘friendship’ to describe their relationship, but she was not off put by Hadley’s haste.

“Perfect. My car is out front.”

~*~

‘Car’ was a term Hadley was familiar with. She associated it with the train systems that connected the many districts she had access to, with a car being the compartment she rode in. She was vaguely away that S class citizens had access to personalized ‘cars’, things that did not run on tracks and did not have set destinations, but as they were not permitted by law in non S class districts, she had never seen one.

The car was a metal box situated on enormous tires. It was not nearly as long as the H class train cars, on which the F class cars were attached, but it was just as wide and much taller. This car was painted black, with windows in the upper halves of each segmented wall, which each turned out to be a door. Evangeline had brought Hadley to the opposite side of the car, opening the front door, which swung outward. The door looked to be a large hunk of metal and Hadley was impressed that Evangeline could drag it away from the car with no sign of effort.

The door revealed one seat, crafted with leather. Beyond it was a small barrier, but Hadley could not imagine that it had the means to stop either Evangeline or her mother. When Evangeline got into the car, sitting in the seat, Hadley realized that the barrier was at the height of Evangeline’s elbow. So it acts as an arm rest, she thought to herself. It was padded with leather, so she found that her conclusion made sense.

Beyond the arm rest was another seat and Jazeera was seated in it. Hadley noticed that she was slouching, but still her head was nearly touching the roof of the car. “Ma’am,” she called, as Evangeline worked to one handedly situate herself.

“You may call me Jazeera or Jaz,” she said as she pulled a strap across her chest, a click sound signaling that it was secure. “What can I do for you?”

“Um, how tall are you?” Hadley was aware that it was a personal thing to ask anyone of any class, but she could not help herself.

“Nearly eight feet,” Jazeera wore a bright smile as she announced it.

Eight? Hadley descended into her own thoughts. I could have sworn S class people were generally between five and six, with some as short as four and some as tall as seven. She considered the probability of being far outside the norm without some sort of genetic anomaly. Gigantism tended to throw off proportions, especially of hands and head, but Jazeera showed no sign of being disproportional. “Eva, how tall are you?”

Evangeline chuckled. “Over six feet, but not close to seven.”

“I am just over four inches,” Hadley announced, feeling obligated to also share.

“Wow, that is tall,” Evangeline commented and again Hadley was struck by how she seemed to be genuine in the statement.

Jazeera began fiddling with a compartment just in front of the arm rest. As she pushed the cover panel forward, a lit hole was revealed and within it, there were four seats made for someone her size. Two faced backward and two forward. Evangeline’s hand descended toward the opening and Hadley looked up. Evangeline nodded towards the opening and Hadley disembarked, having to hop down a little over an inch.

“Please choose a seat, Hadley,” Jazeera instructed. “I would recommend one of these,” she offered, indicating the two that faced backward. “You will have any easier time seeing us. The ride is short, but that would be my preference, in your place.”

“The ride is very smooth, so you should not notice that you are traveling backward,” Evangeline added. 

Hadley nodded and sat in the seat closer to Evangeline, facing backward. “There is a mask under your seat. Please put it on.” Hadley had just finished strapping herself in, her strap system being more intricate than those of her S class companions.

She looked under her seat, finding a small mask snuggly fitted into a holding compartment that was much like a scaled down version of the compartment she sat in. She held it up, receiving a nod of confirmation that it was her target. “What is it for?”

“Your safety,” Jazeera assured. “Should we get into a collision, this chamber you sit in will automatically, and nearly instantly, fill with a protective gelatin. It will halt your body’s movement and protects from numerous other things, including fire, water, radiation, and pressure.”

“Wow, so I am safer in this car than you are?”

Both of her companions laughed. “With one catch – one needs the mask to breathe,” Evangeline wrapped up the explanation. “It has an audio receiver in it, which projects straight through the speakers in the car, so we can continue to converse.”

Hadley pressed the mask over her nose and mouth. It suctioned securely to her face and she gave it a tug to see if she could remove it, horrified that she could not. “It is voice activated released. The command is ‘gel mask release’.”

When Hadley tried it, the mask fell off immediately and she fumbled to catch it. She returned it to its former position. “Can you hear me?” She heard her own voice sound through the car, with almost no delay. Evangeline grinned and nodded. “What happens if I am stuck in the gel and we are in a river?”

Jazeera fitted a key into a socket near a giant wheel in front of her, turning it. A soft hum signaled the engine coming to life and Hadley wondered if the others could even hear it. “The car sends out a signal indicating the one of the passengers is in a gel. The rescuers will know to look for you.”

“Cars are amazing,” Hadley murmured and was surprised when it came through the speakers so clearly.

Jazeera’s hands were on the move, manipulating the wheel. If it were not for that or the fact that what she could see through the windows changed, she might not have known they were moving. Evangeline had been correct; it was a very smooth ride. It was mere minutes before the ride ended.

~*~

Evangeline unbuckled, exiting the car before leaning back in to retrieve Hadley. They were leaving the car in a lot at the edge of the S class district, unable to take it into the mixed districts. “Would you be comfortable sitting on my shoulder,” she asked Hadley. “While on the move, it will be hard to me to hear much, especially with everything being so busy,” she explained. Hadley nodded her agreement. “Is it alright if I grip your waist?” Hadley nodded again, consenting to the action.

Evangeline bought her thumb to the girl’s abdomen, her fingers coming in from behind the girl. She slowly lifted Hadley, her pinky curling forward to provide a temporary seat, relieving some of the pressure on the girl’s torso. She moved her hand to her shoulder, swiveling the girl in the process. Once on her shoulder, Hadley wiggled to get comfortable, Evangeline’s fingers remaining close, but soon she called out, “all set.”

“Good. Now I can pass anything you say along to my mother.” Evangeline drew her hand away from Hadley and felt the girl’s hand come to rest on her neck, for stability. “What is your address?”

“I live in the Scott household on Bentle Ave, in the southern mixed residential district.” Evangeline passed the information along to her mother, who then led the way. Their walk soon brought them into the heart of the city, the market district, which had to be crossed to reach the mixed residential district. Evangeline and her mother were among the very few not H class or shorter. Those who were H class, ignored them, focused on their own lives, but many of the K or F class people stopped to take note of where their feet were going, not wanting to go unnoticed and become the next news panel about mixed class deaths.

Evangeline was taught at a young age how to walk through crowds of mixed classes, but none of the people around her knew that. She watched them clear the way, most displaying fright. A few children would point and call out, their fascination bypassing the lessons taught over the dinner table to avoid the S class citizens that walked through the market. She would keep her face unmoving, not showing how she was affected by the inherited fear.

“I did not know the market looked like this from up here,” Hadley commented and Evangeline’s stoicism was challenged as she found her lips quirking in a small smile. “The air feels so clean, not stuffy and packed.”

“You also get to watch the flow of traffic; it is really fascinating, sometimes, how people do not realize they are all moving together.”

“I would love to people watch from up here,” Hadley mused.

“I could bring you here another time, when we do not have somewhere to go,” Evangeline offered.

Hadley gasped, excitedly. “Really?!”

Evangeline had to resist the urge to shrug, instead responding with a chuckled, “sure.”

“That would be so awesome!”

The crowds thinned out as they moved into the residential district, the crowds funneling into the train systems, ones that Evangeline and her mother walked along side. The tracks were laid upon the old road, no longer used by cars. Jazeera knew the mixed residential districts well, having a lot of connection to the people who lived there.

Bentle Ave was lined with two story apartment buildings. Half of the buildings had names posted on the house or on a sign in the lawn, indicating who the residential regulator was and that the building housed its own neighborhood. They soon found the apartment with the name Scott adorning a plaque on the door. A smaller rail, meant for transporting K and F class residents, led from the train, up the front steps, through an automated door, situated in the original door. Jazeera had explained to Evangeline that the large, original door automatically locked while the smaller door was being passed through, so that the large one was never opened while smaller classes could be injured.

The doorknob had been lowered, making it more suitable for H class use and Jazeera had to bend to reach it. She did not seem at all perturbed as she swung the door open, revealing a set of stairs and a hallway that ran parallel to them. The stairs led to the upper apartment, where the Scott family lived, an H class family. The tracks led to an opening in the wall, next to the door that led to the lower apartment, down the hall.

“I am going to see if the Scotts might allow us to borrow one of their rooms for privacy,” Jazeera announced, beginning the ascent up the stairs.

Evangeline moved towards and through the lower apartment door. On the other side, the scene changed. They entered into what was once the kitchen, transformed into a miniature food court. The once cabinets were used for public storage needs, the contents regulated by the Scotts. There were lifts up to the counters, were there was a bar. The sink had been repurposed as a public swimming pool. The walls were lined with cooking stations, each with a selling counter. The floor was littered with tables meant for both K and F class dining. There were numerous people eating dinner and they all looked up when Evangeline entered, silence falling heavy as they waited for Evangeline to make it known whether she was friendly.

“I guess this is why you mom was hoping for privacy,” Harley commented and Evangeline had to agree.

“How about we just find your parents,” Evangeline suggested. “Do you see them?”

The people eating were starting to notice the girl on her shoulder, the one she was talking to. Evangeline witnessed a number of exchanges, a number of which used Hadley’s name. She had entered a community, after all. “No, they must be in the bedroom.”

Evangeline cautiously navigated her way through the doorway the led into what was once the living room. It was transformed into a recreational center, exercise equipment in one corner, couches and stocked bookshelves in another, and what she imagined was a very large movie theater to all of them. Again she drew attention, but she quickly moved on, entering the once bedroom.

That room was lined with K class living spaces and upon each was situated three F class living spaces. Jazeera had explained that the living spaces tended to include a sitting room and between two and three bedrooms. The square room then had another four K class living spaces, fit together in a square, at the center of the room. Atop them was a ring of more F class housing units.

“My unit is in the far corner,” Hadley indicated.

Evangeline moved around the central square and when she was in the corner, she reached up for Hadley. “Do you mind,” she asked. Hadley gave her consent and Evangeline carefully pulled her from her perch. Hadley pointed towards a specific K class unit and Evangeline placed her atop it.

Hadley darted into the middle F class until and soon reappeared with her parents in tow. The two gaped up at Evangeline. “This is Eva,” Hadley introduced, smiling brightly.

Her father recovered and chuckled, “So, you’re lookin’ after our girl?”

“I suppose I am, sir,” Evangeline conceded. She might have just said that she was being a decent human being, but she knew that involved helping Hadley with things she could not handle. Like Isabelle.

“Then it is a pleasure to meet you,” Hadley’s mother called up.

Evangeline was in the midst of lifting Hadley back towards her shoulder when they were joined by Jazeera. Evangeline’s mother knelt and immediately introduced herself. Hadley’s parents exchanged a look of disbelief and Evangeline had to restrain a smile. Jazeera was famous and popular among the lower classes, despite her own class, and often got such reactions when she made public appearances.

“The Scotts have offered that we use their kitchen to talk,” she announced. “Would you mind joining us,” she asked, addressing Hadley’s parents. They accepted and Jazeera offered them a hand to sit on.

Evangeline halted her own hand’s progression towards her shoulder. She no longer felt that her hands would be overcrowded and reconsidered having Hadley sit on her shoulder. “Hadley,” she held the smaller girl in front of her face, “would you prefer my hand or shoulder?”

Hadley looked thoughtful, her lips pouting and brow coming together. “I suppose I would prefer your shoulder.” Evangeline nodded and her hand restarted its journey. When all passengers were comfortable, Jazeera led the way upstairs.

The apartment was spacious for an H class family of four, all gathered in the kitchen as they entered. One of the sons seemed particularly giddy and Evangeline attributed it to Jazeera’s presence once more. They made it abundantly clear that they would be in the living room, not listening in, and Evangeline found them to be almost too polite. She wondered if they were curious or afraid.

Hadley and her family were deposited on the kitchen table, sized to the H class family, so more like a child’s play table to Evangeline. She hung back, not feeling necessary for the upcoming conversation. Jazeera seemed flawless as she perched herself upon the too small chair, smiling warmly at her company.

“I would first like to congratulate you, Hadley, on the job well done, getting accepted to Livington School for Girls.” Hadley beamed, thanking her fervently. “I imagine that it took a lot of time and effort to have the grades to earn the attention of the school board, enough that they would provide a scholarship to compensate for the school’s insistence on retaining such a high tuition.” The entire family bore the weight of the tuition in their expressions. Evangeline struggled to remain looking at them, disdain for capitalist education institutions rising within her. She felt this girl and her family were far more deserving of the education than a lot of those who could actually afford it.

“I did work really hard,” Hadley admitted.

“And with that hard work, you got into a school that caters to S class students. Even if we are not in the midst of the Class Clash, attending the school is not without dangers.” Hadley looked unperturbed, but her parents were fidgety. “Among the dangers, travel to school every day will bring you into an S class district, navigation of the school itself will be perilous, and the other students are unpredictable.”

“I assume you have a suggestion for dealing with each of these,” Hadley’s father, George, said.

“I do. I have a few different options to offer.”

Hadley’s parents nodded to spur her on. “Please, tell us,” Hadley’s mother, Lillian, begged.

“The first option I propose is that you allow Hadley to move into my household.” The room became stiff as all parties other than Jazeera were surprised. Evangeline knew she should not have been. “I will explain the benefits,” Jazeera carried on, having noticed people’s reactions. “For one thing, the travel between home and school is shorter and allows a growing young woman more rest. She is the only F class student, so none of her peers live nearby, meaning her opportunities to study with her peers is greatly increased if she is living within my home.” Jazeera turned towards Evangeline, her expression pristine. “Heaven’s know, my daughter could certainly use a study partner.”

Evangeline might have protested, but Hadley giggled. “I can teach her how to take notes!”

Jazeera chuckled in return. “I have tried. It would be no easy task.” Hadley exchanged a smile with Jazeera, but then turned her eyes on Evangeline, and Evangeline found herself struggling to keep up her disdain. The girl’s smile was infectious. “In my household,” Jazeera brought them back on track, “she would have access to anything that is ours.” Evangeline’s brow came together. That was a lot to offer, especially with Evangeline’s father involved. She continued to keep silent, her own opinion being that their household would be best for Hadley, if she were to study at the school.

“What of her staying here,” Lillian inquired.

“That is the other option. If she remained here, we would send someone to escort her every morning and evening, but, as I said previously, it is a larger distance to travel, and I will not always be available to be her escort.”

George was stern. “So then, what of her safety within the school?”

Jazeera sighed. “I am trying to convince the school board to allow me to place my own workers within the school as monitors. Within the classroom, none of her peers should act up, but the halls are where my concerns lie.” George grunted understanding. “Certainly, Eva is a fantastic transporter, very gentle and aware of the need for consent.” The praise she received seemed more like a selling point, but she was aware of the warmth below the surface. All eyes were on her for a moment and she tried to smile.

“Either way, we will give you the night to think on it. I will come in the morning to escort Hadley to school and we can discuss your choice tomorrow evening.” This brought a conclusion to the discussion. Hadley and her family were returned to their home and Evangeline left with her mother.

When they were on the street, Evangeline spoke up at last. “You could have told me that we were going to offer house someone.”

“I was not aware that they had actually accepted an F class student until two days ago. I was expecting it to take the school board years to get over themselves enough to consider others.” Evangeline snorted in disgust, mainly at the school board. “Besides, you could use a friend.”

“You may be the only G class person in the world, but do not play god.”

Jazeera chuckled. “I only bring it up because I have seen you two interact. I think you will be fast friends.”

Evangeline did not respond. It had been a long time since she could call someone a friend.

~*~

Hadley had been convinced early on what her most sensible option was, but she knew she would be giving up a lot of time with her family. She was aware that it had to happen eventually, but she had been hoping to use that year to prepare. However, what Jazeera offered was beyond what she would ever feel comfortable asking for. She could not even say she knew all that was available to people of wealth.

Her parents were less convinced, but neither addressed it with her. She knew they were trying to let her make her own decisions, to not have their worry affect her decision, but it stung, knowing that leaving crushed them. She had always been so close with her parents – they were so trusting and generous, despite having little to give and little incentive to trust anyone in the world. However, with the number of times they had given their couch to someone in need, Hadley figured it was about time the world repaid them the favor.

She retired to her bedroom, where she curled up with her thoughts. She would tell her parents in the morning that she planned to accept Jazeera’s offer, but she needed them to reach that on their own. She was confident that a heated discussion between the two would benefit them both, however, she could not help feeling lonely.

A knock on her door had her abruptly sitting up. She could not imagine that her parents were finished. “Come in,” she called, swallowing down her fear of facing her parents as they all accepted that she would be leaving the house. The man who entered was not her father. “James!” she yelped, stumbling over herself as she rushed forward, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

The young man grinned, hugging her back. “I have missed you, Hadley,” he said as he pulled away, holding her at arm’s length.

“You should quit your work and come home,” she suggested, only half kidding.

“I wish I could, but it is decent money, for our class. I plan to rise.”

Hadley nodded. “So you have said since we were children.”

James’ smile was warm, but she watched it fade. “I heard you brought some Stick-up-their classes here,” he deadpanned.

Hadley’s heart dropped. She hated when discussion shifted to other classes. “Brother,” she pleaded.

“This is our home, Hadley,” he said firmly. “They are not to be trusted.”

She groaned, taking a step back from him, breaking their contact. “Even Jazeera Ford?” James’ eyes narrowed, his expression confused. “That is who I brought here.” James was stubbornly silent. “You know she is the one who you ultimately work for, the one who provides you the money that will help you rise.”

James looked at odds with himself. “I did not know that was who you brought.”

“No, instead you assumed I just made friends with anyone off the street,” Hadley snapped.

“You are going to a school of rich snots who do not care about us,” James defended.

Hadley laughed, sardonically. “I am going to school with Evangeline Ford, daughter of Jazeera, actually, and,” she jabbed her finger into her brother’s chest, “I am moving into their house, for the deration of my senior year.”

James’ face fell and Hadley almost regretted throwing it in his face. “Hadley,” he pleaded, but she turned away, not wanting to look at him. “I know you have a trusting nature,” he said, “but I fear for you.”

“You think I do not know how to take care of myself?”

He groaned. “I am saying there is nothing you or any of us can do to care for ourselves but avoid the danger. S class people are dangers.”

Hadley whirled about, her finger thrust pointedly in his face. “No, not all of them are. I am willing to give people a chance. I am not a coward.”

James’ expression twisted in pain. “No, just naïve.”

Hadley shook her head. “I would argue that you are naïve.”

They stood in silence, and Hadley wondered if he might reconsider, but she also knew her brother. They had never agreed when it came to other classes, especially S class people. They did, however, have a good sense for when to stop pushing each other’s buttons about it.

“I am only here for the night,” James finally said to break the silence. “I have to move on to a new sector tomorrow.”

Hadley nodded. “I will be moving into the Ford household tomorrow,” she informed him.

Silently, they hugged, eventually parting and James left for the couch. Hadley flopped back onto her bed. “What if you are right, James,” she asked the air above her. 

The morning could not come quickly enough for the restless Hadley. Early in the morning, her parents walked with her to the kitchen, where the sat among other early risers. Lillian had dark circles under her eyes and George was somber.

“We should all be happy,” Lillian burst the silence that had become suffocating. “Hadley, we love you so much and are so glad that you are striving for such a lofty goal,” she smiled, and despite the fact that tears now freely fell down her mother’s face, Hadley knew she was sincere.

“And, we are so proud of how far you have come,” George input, beaming.

“I will miss you both,” Hadley announced, “but I am sure I can visit.”

There was a collective sigh. “You and James got into again,” George asked, but Hadley knew it was more of a statement of fact.

“It seems to happen more often the closer I get to my goals,” she admitted, sadly. She received knowing nods from her parents. “He is so stubborn about his views and I know a lot of people share his views.”

“A lot of people have reason to,” Lillian commented.

“I know,” Hadley confessed, “but I choose to believe that the world can right wrongs and that it is done by working together. Someone needs to take the first step.”

“You certainly are the type who could inspire change,” George spoke, a heavy size following his words. “We just wish the path you chose was an easier one.”

Hadley smiled sadly. “I do not.”

“And that is what makes you perfect for it,” a booming voice caught their attention. All three heads turned up, surprise written on each of their faces. Hadley wondered how she could have missed Jazeera entering. The occupants of tables surrounding them all stared, some cowering, as Jazeera had situated herself above Hadley’s table, squatting so that she was closer. “I am sorry to have listened in,” she offered. “It is time for you to get to school,” she told Hadley.

Hadley looked at her parents. “Is James already gone?”

“Left while it was still dark,” George said. Hadley nodded in understanding. It was common for her brother.

“I will be back tonight,” she offered. “I love you both.” They embraced with tight hugs before Hadley looked up to Jazeera, who offered her a hand to climb onto.

Hadley felt the steady drop of her stomach as Jazeera rose and marveled as the giant woman traversed the kitchen with ease, never coming close to any person or table. Like Evangeline, Jazeera asked before placing Hadley on her shoulder.

“So, you have made a decision,” Jazeera asked as they entered the streets.

“I have,” Hadley acknowledged. “I wish to take you up on your offer.”

Jazeera hummed her approval. “And your parents are allowing it?”

Hadley chuckled. “My parents have been firm about only one thing in my life,” she said, “which is that in a world that so limits a person in our class, as parents, they will not limit their child’s ability to make decisions for themselves.”

Hadley could see Jazeera’s smile even as her face continued to point forward. “I think that is the best way to parent.”

“I agree, but it allowed for my brother and me to drift apart.”

“That is unfortunate,” Jazeera murmured. “Perhaps if you show him the success of your path, it will bring him around.”

Hadley smiled, imagining that future. “One can hope.”

Jazeera nodded. “I will spend today readying my home for your stay and hopefully my family can assist you in reaching that success,” she offered as they arrived at the school.

Hadley found herself above eye level of most of the students as Jazeera navigated the halls. Their way was clear, the students deferring to Jazeera, their eyes never lingering long. Jazeera entered Hadley’s classroom and Ms. Hill greeted her with a handshake. “Mrs. Ford,” she said with a polite smile. She looked over her shoulder, to where Evangeline sat, having turned away from the window at hearing her name. Ms. Hill’s eyes turned back, falling on Hadley. “I see you are not here for Evangeline,” she murmured, retaining her smile.

“I have faith that Eva is doing just fine,” Jazeera commented and Hadley found herself searching out Evangeline’s eyes, but was disappointed when they had returned to the window.

“What can I do for you,” Mr. Hill inquired.

“I am just here to make sure that Hadley arrives safely,” Jazeera announced and while her words were tranquil, Hadley could feel the whole room shift nervously. Hadley was under Jazeera Ford’s protection and that held a lot of weight. She could not help feeling like Jazeera had chosen to talk to Ms. Hill in front of the class purposely, to drive home the length she would go to see to Hadley’s safety. Hadley was both thrilled and terrified. This woman instilled such fear in an entirely S class populace and Hadley was merely F class.

“She sits with Evangeline,” Ms. Hill indicated. Evangeline did not respond this time, Hadley noted. The click of Jazeera’s heels was the only sound that could be heard in the room. It was as if everyone held their breath. Hadley was carefully deposited on Evangeline’s desk. She watched the exchange between daughter and mother, courteous and civil, but not outwardly loving.

Hadley watched Jazeera leave, thanking Ms. Hill for letting her drop Hadley off. The weight in the air lifted away when she was gone. Students openly whispered, still having time before class began.

Evangeline was looking out the window once more as Hadley readied herself for class, just then remembering that she could not see the board. She was struck by an idea and cautiously approached Evangeline’s hand, finger tapping softly on the desk. She placed a hand on the thumb that rested before her. The hand jerked back, but when Evangeline’s eyes turned down, she smiled apologetically and her hand slowly returned to its previous location.

“I am sorry,” Hadley called up. “I did not mean to drag you out of your thoughts,” she expressed.

“You needn’t worry,” Evangeline whispered back. “What’s up?”

“I was thinking that I would have an easier time seeing the board if I sat on your shoulder,” she explained. “If it is not a bother, that is,” she added.

Evangeline chuckled. “It is not a burden on me.” Her fingers approached, but paused as she waited for Hadley’s signal of consent. After a nod, she was lifted to Evangeline’s shoulder.

“Oh, this is much better,” Hadley announced.

“Glad I could help.”

Ms. Hill called class to order, asking the students to rise. Hadley held onto Evangeline’s golden hair as the other girl joined their peers at attention. Announcements followed and roll was called, Evangeline answering for both herself and Hadley. When they had returned to their seats, Ms. Hill started up the lesson, but Hadley found herself struggling to concentrate.

“Eva,” she murmured, facing the girl’s ear. A small nod signaled that she had been heard. “Are you and Jazeera not on good terms?”

She watched the muscles in Evangeline’s jaw twitch, but there was no other change in the girl’s expression. Evangeline lifted the untouched pencil from her desk and wrote her reply on the page. We are on decent terms – we are just distant.

“Is she always working,” Hadley guessed.

That is exactly right, but it is not as black and white as it may seem.

“Care to share?”

Evangeline lifted her shoulders in a slow shrug. She is important. Evangeline’s pencil paused and Hadley was left in confused suspense. She heard Evangeline sigh. She helps a lot of people and I do not want to take her away from so many people who benefit from her help.

Hadley frowned. “You pretend to not need her?”

I do not pretend. I work to make sure I do not need help.

Hadley could not even begin to imagine not going to her parents when she was having a rough time and it was painful to think that Evangeline did it willingly, selflessly. “Is that hard?”

Is anything ever easy?

Hadley snorted. “I suppose not.”

So, why are you not paying attention to the lesson, Ms. I am going to teach you how to take notes?

“She is teaching a lesson on the bases of power,” Hadley informed her, “every F class citizen inherits an understanding of the power they do not have.” It was a sobering thought to verbalize.

Hadley saw Evangeline’s jaw muscles twitch again, realizing that it was her tell. What are they?

“Coercive, which you learn about the first time someone uses their size advantage over you, threatening harm.”

On her paper, Evangeline wrote down coercive.

“Reward, which you learn from the system offering you a better life, but only if you submit to the rules.”

Evangeline wrote down reward.

“Legitimate, learned when you realize that you have never seen a leader of our world who is F class.”

Evangeline audibly swallowed. Legitimate was written down.

“Expert, when you have to trust that the doctors know best, but there is no real way to know if a full body checkup is necessary while some S class person has their hands all over you.”

Evangeline paused, taking in a deep breath before writing expert.

“Reverent, when your mother can capture the attention of a whole room of people because she is Jazeera Ford.”

Evangeline gave a soft snort. Is that fear?

“Or respect.”

Evangeline finished the list with reverent.

“You should probably find the definitions Ms. Hill wants,” Hadley offered, after they had sat for a time without communicating.

I will, on my own time. There was a pause before Evangeline wrote again. I wonder if people understand why this lesson is being taught. Hadley had to wonder the same thing and a glance around the room showed overwhelmingly bored faces.

Ms. Hill brought them through numerous lessons, each igniting conversation between the two. Hadley grinned each time she watched Evangeline turn a page and each time she worked the lesson into their conversation, getting Evangeline to jot down a note about it. Lunch came and went, with the only difference being that Hadley heard Evangeline’s voice. And then school came to a close, with Evangeline offering to take Hadley to her home to pick up whatever she was bringing with.

Hadley knew she did not need much, but she took her time saying goodbye to her parents again, with Evangeline insisting that she could visit every weekend and even a number of weekday evenings. Eventually, Hadley was waving goodbye from Evangeline’s shoulder, her parents disappearing from view as Evangeline moved through the apartment.

And when they arrived at Evangeline’s home, Hadley realized that she was walking into a whole new world.

“Eva, you are home at last!” A man of average S class stature, elegantly dressed in a grey on black three piece suit, emerged from another room and waved her in, his hands standing out with the blue latex gloves he wore.

“Father,” Evangeline said, to get the man’s attention, but he bustled by. “We have company.”

“Ah yes, Hadley, I presume,” he called over his shoulder as he rushed back into the room from which he came and Evangeline followed with a sigh.

They entered a kitchen, where Evangeline’s father was bent over numerous open drawers, searching. At last he stood fully, holding up what looked like a pair of tweezers. He glided over to another drawer, pulling from it a lighter, which he used to run fire over the end of the tweezers.

“He just does this,” Evangeline grumbled, but Hadley heard her chuckle softly.

The man was working over a tray with a scalpel and the tweezers, intent on what he was doing. Evangeline moved through the kitchen to a dining room, three plates of food on the table, heat lamps situated over each. “Your mother will be joining us. She is upstairs, installing a few things for Hadley.”

“Why don’t you stay here,” Evangeline suggested, depositing Hadley on the table. “My mother would be upset if you saw an unfinished product.” She shook her head. “She is particular like that.”

Evangeline left Hadley on the table and took her school bag from the room. Hadley took the time to look about the room. It was grandiose, well-furnished and decorated. Huge windows brought in abundant natural light. The food on the ornate plates looked delicious, an artful dish of steak, baked potato, and asparagus.

Evangeline’s father appeared in the room. On the table he placed a metal thin metal sheet. “Dear, would you be willing to stand here,” he asked, a bright energy about him. She obliged, standing for a moment on the sheet that estimated was only an inch by an inch in size. He excitedly glanced over a handheld device and then nodded, saying she was free to step off. He hastened out of the room once more, leaving Hadley to just stare.

When he returned, he offered her a metal prong. “Dad!” Evangeline called. “Stop,” she shooed him away. She turned to Hadley, bending over the smaller girl. “Here, let me take that.” Hadley handed over the prong.

“I do not mind,” she offered.

Evangeline’s brow rose. “Do not let him hear that. He will pester you into assisting him endlessly.”

“I got what I needed!” Evangeline’s father called from the kitchen.

Jazeera emerged and Hadley was surprised to see her in sweats and a t-shirt. “Hadley, welcome!”

“Yes, thank you for having me,” Hadley called.

Jazeera and Evangeline set about moving all of the heat lamps off the table and then all three joined Hadley in the dining room. Evangeline’s father placed a table and chair set to Hadley’s scale on the table, so that she would be between the two people who looked straight at each other. Upon the table was a near perfect replica of the plates for the family. “Hadley, would you care to join us for dinner,” he offered. She nodded, gratefully, seating herself at the table provided. “I am Ambrose Heart, science extraordinaire,” he introduced himself with a broad grin.

I apologize for the wait. I lost power for a few days due to a storm. Please enjoy!

Dinner was relaxed and Hadley smiled the whole time, her cheeks getting sore from overexertion. Ambrose was eccentric, which loosened up the stiffer Evangeline and the intimidating Jazeera. He had a way of drawing out conversation and helping it to flow onto new topics at times when things seemed to die down. Hadley was made to feel instantly welcome.

She slouched contentedly in her chair, her stomach near to bursting. Ambrose rose to clear the table, disappearing into the kitchen. Residual chuckles lingered in the air, but no new words were passed until Jazeera asked Evangeline if they could talk, privately, which Hadley did not mind. “Would you feel alright here, for now,” Jazeera asked Hadley, who nodded.

Ambrose reemerged to fill the void created by the absence. “How are you feeling, Hadley,” he inquired, taking his seat once more.

She pushed her chair back, away from her provided table, and smiled warmly. His inquiry seemed genuinely concerned about her comfort and so she responded honestly. “I am pleasantly surprised,” she announced.

His smile was the knowing kind. “Could not help but hold low expectations, I imagine,” he mused.

She shrugged, glad to see that he did not appear offended. “You and your family do not make me feel looked down upon, despite being physically lower, you know?”

He nodded. “Well, I have not experienced your point of view, but Jazeera was born F class.”

Hadley lurched forward, her jaw dropping. “No!” she exclaimed.

“I suppose you might never guess,” he chortled. “She does wear her height well.”

“So that is why she feels passionately about helping other classes,” Hadley concluded.

Ambrose hummed, appearing amused by a memory. “She was always passionate, but it was not until she was the first successful human growth case that people took her stand seriously. She took it upon herself to use her status in the favor of those who need it.”

“She was the first?!” Hadley buzzed as the information sank in. Hadley had always been impressed by Jazeera and people like her, admiring them from afar. Jazeera was a private person outside of her public stance, so people liked to make up tales about her glorious upbringing.

“And the only to go above S class,” Ambrose said delightedly.

 “Above?” Hadley rolled the word around her tongue, not sure it was what she was supposed to have heard.

Ambrose leaned back in his chair and Hadley subconsciously shifted closer to offset the distance placed between them. “Oh yes!”

Hadley crossed her arms over her chest, puzzling over her confusion. “What do you mean above?”

Ambrose had a twinkle in his eye, like he had caught another to tell his greatest tale to, or perhaps his first victim. He held the silence for a moment, grinning teasing to keep her hooked. “She is the only member of G class,” he finally said.

“G class?” Hadley was most certainly hooked, but more than a little skeptical.

“Not something taught about in your science books, aye?”

Hadley sighed and shook her head. She knew he was just baiting her. “Would you care to enlighten me?”

“If you twist my arm, I suppose I could tell you, but it is not as simple as what G class is,” he said with a pristine smile. “Do you know about why people shrank in the first place?”

Hadley’s brows came together, unsure the relevance, but knowing that he was just setting a foundation. “Sure. There was severe overpopulation and we were rapidly running out of resources, so the world governments hiked up the cost of living.”

“Was shrinking forced?”

Hadley cocked her head. “No,” she dragged out the word, unsure its significance. “The incentive for shrinking was the significant cost in housing and food costs. The only time people were forced to shrink was if they declared personal bankruptcy.”

“Does that not force people’s hand?”

Hadley’s eye moved to her hands, pondering his question. “I mean, I suppose when people could not afford life as it was-,” she trailed off. There was already a sour taste in her mouth and finishing the statement would have made it all feel more real and more vile.

“So, different socioeconomic classes became more defined, in that moment. ‘Same’ class, the easily spotted upper class. ‘Hip’ class, the next tier down, made up of upper middle class families. ‘Knee’ class, the new middle class population. And ‘Foot’ class.”

Hadley swallowed down her ire. “And each could afford what was available to their size,” she added, knowing this part of the tale.

“So, the dream became to climb to the next height,” Ambrose continued, the ladder analogy feeling all too perfect. Hadley nodded, willing him to get to the point. “And the Class Clash happened when the second generation of each new class was born,” he said curtly.

“It happened later, I thought,” Hadley’s brows came together. She knew that the Class Clash was brought about by lower class discontent with the status quo.

“True, the problem was not instantly obvious,” Ambrose mused. “Did you know, when someone is shrunk, their body writes a new code, telling organs to not outgrow the host?” Again he seemed to be too quickly jumping topics.

“It is much like an additional pair of chromosomes,” Hadley supplied.

“Precisely!” Ambrose grinned at her display of understanding. “However, when the coding is passed on to offspring, it becomes the default.”

Hadley was beginning to see where he was going. “And we only had the technology to shrink or reverse the original process,” she added.

“Meaning, there was no way to climb, not for the newer generations,” Ambrose continued, his fingers drumming softly, suggesting that they were getting to the crux of the issue. “Shrinking is an easy process. The technology convinces the body to convert its own mass to energy, fueling the process. Growth,” he sighed.

Hadley finished for him. “Is more costly than anyone can afford.”

“Was,” he corrected. “See, we did not have the technology to do it and the first generation’s default was still S class. Scientists were not pushed to find a way to grow.”

“When did that change?”

“When people realized that the reversal process was not available to the newest generation.” Hadley had known the answer, but was hoping that reality would be kinder. “When people learned that the shrinking was permanent, there was a cry for the government to do something.”

Hadley swallowed to try to wet her mouth. She wanted to shift away from the line that conversation had taken. “We did discover how to make people grow,” she supplied.

Ambrose nodded. “Eventually. It was not so simple and many attempts were unsuccessful.”

“And it started with-.”

“With Jazeera,” he said through his sparkling grin and his eyes lifted as the subject of his words entered.

“Telling the story of us meeting?” Jazeera wore a bemused expression.

“In part,” he sang, and Hadley rolled her eyes.

“So, what was different with her,” Hadley asked to spur the lesson along.

Jazeera slid into a seat as Ambrose puffed his chest up with air, getting ready for the grand explanation. However, she beat him to the punch. “People were so focused on keeping to the same process methodology as was used for shrinking, just in reverse, that they had not considered providing the mass for the growth.” Hadley watched Ambrose deflate and noticed the huff he sent Jazeera’s way.

“I was basing the work off of what my father had provided from his part in discovering how to shrink people,” Ambrose defended.

“And looking a little outside the box is not your strong suit,” Jazeera chuckled.

Hadley watched the exchange and began to realize what they were implying. “You discovered the method for growth!?”

Ambrose’s lips curled in disgust and his nose crinkled. “No,” he ground out. “She did,” he nodded towards Jazeera.

“I was working as one of his assistants at the time and made the suggestion,” Jazeera said matter-of-factly, her expression neutral, but her eyes shining with devilish amusement.

“And I unintentionally used her as the first test subject,” Ambrose mumbled and if Hadley were not as small as she was, she might not have heard it.

Hadley sighed. “Philanthropy, leadership, law, engineering, biology,” she listed, “is there anything you cannot do,” she asked Jazeera.

The woman chuckled. “Well, actually, I have no training in science. I was hired for my spunk and because I was good with my hands,” she revealed. “I was just being snarky when I had suggested he provide the matter for the growth.”

Ambrose was looking away when they both turned to him, his arms folded over his chest and his posture dramatically pouty. “I would have gotten there,” he insisted.

“He hates that I got the idea first.”

Ambrose deliberately turned a glare at Jazeera, but Hadley saw the levity in his eyes.

“So, how did you become the first successful case,” Hadley asked.

Ambrose returned to telling the story. “Well, I had initially been doing work with cadavers, but the process was not taking, because there was no living energy to call the matter to.”

“And I made the mistake of being too close when he tried one time,” Jazeera added, “and he was desperately trying to ignore my presence, at the time.”

Ambrose sighed and nodded. “The process was drawn to her living signature,” he explained. “And, because I had calculated the mass needed for the beefy cadaver, her proportions just made her a fair bit taller than would be her natural S class stature.”

“Huh,” Hadley breathed in understanding, her mind beginning to wrap around all that she was being told.

“Mom became Dad’s test subject and they were forced to get to know each other a bit more closely,” Evangeline added as she entered the room, answering Hadley’s unasked question of how they developed a relationship.

“Are you all set, Eva,” Jazeera asked. The girl nodded in response. Jazeera turned her attention to Hadley. “Would you like to see where you will be sleeping?”

“Oh, uh, yes!” she called, “but, could you give me one second?” Jazeera nodded graciously. Hadley returned her attention to Ambrose, who was smiling once more, having forgotten to keep up his ruse of anger. “So, with the success, you brought an end to the Class Clash?”

Ambrose chuckled. “Well, not singlehandedly, certainly,” he allowed, “but the discovery helped. With the dream restored, there was a less concrete reason to point millions of fingers at the leading governments.”

“The governments have also been spouting that the shrinking is temporary, but that is utter bullshit,” Jazeera added. “I am part of the first generation of those born F class,” she intoned, her cool demeanor strained. “I have since had a child and she has grown up and it is looking more and more like some people will spend their entire lives smaller than others.” Hadley could hear just how personal the injustice was to Jazeera and she wondered if it was the same for the rest of her family. Darkly colored expressions suggested in favor of her suspicions.

“You wish the ability to grow was not discovered,” Hadley asked.

Hadley was surprised when Jazeera looked away. “I wish the government had the incentive to truly push for other solutions instead of holding onto the solution that puts people into such drastically different life circumstances, depending on how there are born.”

“I am no more deserving of opportunities so much more abundantly available to me,” Evangeline’s voice was quiet, but Hadley could hear the self-loathing.

Ambrose’s hand met Evangeline’s shoulder, but Hadley was certain that Evangeline would not accept the comfort. Her chest felt tight. She was not like her brother – she did not view S class people as underserving and callous, but she felt that James and Evangeline possessed the same minds. She wondered if conversations pertaining to class would end up following the same pattern as they had with James.

“I am ready to see my room,” she said, but was asked to repeat herself when she went unheard.

Ambrose took the opportunity to shift them away from the somber turn things had taken. “Great! Eva, why not show her?”

Evangeline was drawn out of her thoughts, a lifting of her brows signaling that she acknowledged her father’s words. “What? Oh, uh, sure,” she said. Her hand was laid on the table in front of Hadley and Hadley accepted the ride, getting onto her palm.

Evangeline rose, carrying Hadley through the kitchen and out to the foyer. “So,” she captured Hadley’s attention, her voice hoarse, “there are walkways installed along most walls,” she indicated using her free hand. Hadley took note of the fact that there were elevators periodically along the walkways and that they were at about the height of the windowsills. She was brought towards one wall, where Evangeline allowed her to have a closer look at the elevator’s controls. “Some of the elevators will go to the upper floors,” Evangeline pointed out.

Hadley got onto Evangeline’s hand once more. “Was this all installed today?”

Evangeline shook her head. “No, we try to keep the house accommodating.” She began to climb the stairs that lead to the second floor. “We just had to install the one that goes up to my room. It happens to be above the kitchen and leads to the space you will be using.”

“We will be sharing a room?”

Evangeline quirked a smile. “Well, I am particular about phrasing,” she expressed. “Your space is not within mine, because that would imply that it is still mine,” she argued, “instead, our rooms are adjoining.”

Hadley was silent, considering that despite being the marginalized, she had displayed internalized oppression, while Evangeline willingly gave up her privilege. She felt ignorant about equality as a possibility.

Evangeline approached a closed door and Hadley realized she had not been paying attention to the layout as they had went. Before Evangeline opened the door, she pointed down the wall. “There is an entrance to your space on the walkway, there,” she indicated. Hadley nodded. The door opened and Evangeline entered her own room.

It was sparsely decorated and neatly kept. Bookshelves lined the wall perpendicular to the wall they entered through, stretching along the opposite wall, as well. The shelves stopped when they met the bed, tucked into the corner, pristinely made. A desk doubled as a nightstand, supporting a computer monitor that looked like it belonged in a movie theater. At the same height, a dresser extended the surface space, leading to the corner where Hadley spotted her living space. It looked to be as tall as the K class living spaces her parents’ home was situated above, suggesting multiple floors. “Your apartment is entirely self-sufficient, so there is no need for you to eat with us or go to us for anything, but I think my dad would thoroughly enjoy helping you with anything you need.” She put her hand down for Hadley to disembark at the entrance to her new home. “He loves projects, which has been the biggest struggle for him, while running EcoGrowth. There is more paperwork than lab work.”

Hadley nodded, but her focus was on her new home. “May I go inside?”

Evangeline’s brow rose, but she nodded. “It is your space, after all.”

Hadley opened the door, stepping into a modern kitchen. She had her own personal living room, equipped with a television and couches. She dropped over the arm of the couch, laughing gaily. She excitedly ran to the next room - an exercise room, but just shrugged, giggling to herself. Moving on, she climbed the stairs that led to her own study, filled with books and her own computer, and finally she made it to the bedroom, spaciously set up, with a dresser and bed, but not much else. “Hadley,” Evangeline called from outside, “when you make it to the bedroom, there should be a red switch next to the lights. It unlocks the roof.” Hadley flipped the designated switch, hearing the release of suction. The roof lifted away and Evangeline’s face took up her sky. “You can keep the roof locked or unlocked. There is a panel by the switch that has options for displaying your level of welcome to the roof being opened.” Hadley looked at the panel. It was limited in its options. She could choose ‘open to company’, ‘knock please’, ‘sleeping’, ‘downstairs’, or ‘unavailable’. She switched it to ‘open to company’ and Evangeline grinned.

“Do you like it?”

Hadley could not contain herself. “Very much!”

Evangeline grinned freely. “Glad to hear it! If you need anything, let me know.”

“Well, are you doing the homework for class?”

Evangeline sighed, eliciting a chuckle from Hadley. “I suppose I should.”

“Would you like to do it together?”

Evangeline rolled her eyes. “I am not going to do it otherwise,” she admitted.

 As the ear deafening blare of her alarm became more noticeable within her dream, Evangeline slowly released herself from sleep’s hold. It was not that woke her, but instead the soft prodding against her cheek. Her eyes fluttered, her vision blurry, but her mind almost instantly recognized the bane of her sleeping self, putting a name to it – Hadley. “You awake yet?”

She groaned, rolling over in her bed, putting the other girl at her back.

“Hey,” the girl yelled, barely audible over the blaring alarm. Evangeline realized her mistake, having not turned off the alarm before rolling over. The sound kept her in the waking world. Slowly her mind was clearing and she was less tempted to fall back into the comfort of sleep.

She smiled softly at the feeling of the tiny girl climbing the covers that hung over her shoulder, but kept up the rouse of sleep. The girl was becoming increasingly brazen each morning and Evangeline was always curious about how far the girl would go. As the girl descended from her shoulder into the crux of her neck, Evangeline squeaked. The girl’s feet were bare and rather chilly. Evangeline could not control the automatic rise of her shoulder, to cover the chilled spot. It forced the girl to tumble forward, scrambling on hands and knees, coming to rest on Evangeline’s exposed cheek.

“Eva! Come on!”

Evangeline was having trouble keeping from smiling to keep up the pretense. Her hand slithered up from the warm cave created by her covers. Fingers wrapped gently around the girl’s waist, lifting and depositing her on the bed in front of her face. The first time this had happened, she had still been asleep and when she realized she had moved Hadley without the girl’s express consent, Hadley had explained that she would not climb on Evangeline if she did not expect to or want to be removed, as was Evangeline’s right. It quelled the fear that gripped Evangeline and she was becoming much more comfortable with the understanding they held.

“I know you are awake!”

Caught, one eye cracked open to peer at the girl who had stood, hands on hips, glaring at her friend. “Five more minutes?”

“No!” Hadley protested, stepping forward as Evangeline’s eye closed tight once more, a mischievous grin spreading her lips. “Don’t you dare! You have to turn off that alarm!”

Evangeline chuckled, rolling slightly, her hand deftly finding the button that turned off the alarm until the next morning. The room fell silent as Evangeline returned to her previous position, her eyes closed once more.

“Why are you not getting up?”

“I do not need to be in the shower for like ten minutes,” she explained.

“You say that every morning, yet always seem to be rushing to get all of your stuff done,” Hadley argued.

Evangeline grumbled. “Don’t you have your own stuff to do?”

“I am already ready – I have learned to get everything done before your alarm starts going off!”

Evangeline sighed. “I know.” She stretched and rose, pulling the covers away from them both. “I will talk to Dad about getting the soundproofing checked. It should block out the alarm.”

“You really are honestly better off without the alarm,” she said, shaking her head. “I can just wake you up in the morning and then we both do not have to listen to the damn thing.” The smaller girl was tugging earplugs out of her ears when Evangeline offered a hand to her.

“Do you really want to put up with me every morning?” Hadley gracefully stepped onto her hand. “It is quite the chore.”

Hadley shrugged. “I kind of makes my morning to see the imposing Eva Ford with drool running down her cheek,” she disclosed, tracing a finger over her own cheek.

Evangeline reflexively brought her hand up to her cheek, checking both, her brows furrowing when they met nothing wet. “I did not drool,” she protested.

Hadley was laughing heartily. “You need not be embarrassed. It happens to the best of us – even me, on occasion.”

Evangeline huffed. “I was just worried you got some on you,” she defended.

Hadley displayed her hands. “Nope, quite clean!”

Evangeline rolled her eyes as she let Hadley disembark at her room. “I will meet you downstairs for breakfast?”

“I’ll be waiting,” Hadley called as she slipped out of view. Evangeline shook her head, pondering the statement. It was certainly true. She sighed, leaving her own room to seek out the bathroom down the hall.

In the shower, her thoughts were wrapped up with devising her future. It was new to her, thinking of her future, something that had only started upon meeting Hadley, who was very vocal about her plans. Evangeline had always thought about the issues others faced or what was wrong with the world, but she had never spared time to think of herself.

Dressed, she headed downstairs, joining Hadley and Ambrose in the kitchen. Hadley was perched on the ledge of the counter, where she always was when Evangeline came down, while Ambrose was busying himself by making bacon and eggs. He offered both girls some of what he finished. Hadley ate a piece of bacon cut to look more like a steak and Evangeline sat at the counter on a tall stool.

“Anything interesting planned for school today,” Ambrose inquired, as was routine.

“Is there ever,” Evangeline automatically answered.

Hadley scoffed. “Actually,” she piped up, over a mouthful of bacon, “they are making a big announcement about the coming career testing.”

Ambrose chuckled, giving his daughter a playful smile before turning to Hadley. “Oh? And what does that entail?”

Hadley swallowed down her food, her chest puffing up as she prepared for a long explanation. “The tests range in a number of different categories – law, rhetoric, history, logic, but also reflexes and more physical things. I think there is also some sort of personality test. Then, a number of organizations are given the records and offer some students internships for our second semester, in place of some of our in class studies. It is basically my way into the Class Law Division!”

Evangeline let her eyes focus only on her food. Hadley was doing it again, showing her confidence about her future and her choices. Evangeline tuned out the flood of conversation, where Ambrose encouraged Hadley to strive for her goals. Evangeline did not want Hadley to not have the goals she had; in fact, she really loved that the other girl had the goals she did. It was like a beacon of hope for others who were not S class and that was all Evangeline could ask for from the world.

When her food ran out, Evangeline noticed that conversation was no longer being had and Ambrose had actually left the kitchen. Hadley was studying her intently and gave her a small smile when their eyes met. “You ready to go?” Evangeline nodded. Evangeline set aside their dishes and then Hadley began situated on her shoulder, as she began the walk to school.

Evangeline was surprised when they had made it half way through the walk and Hadley had not said anything. It made her uncomfortable; she had gotten so used to having conversation on her walks, returning to silent walks seemed lonely. She could feel Hadley absently playing with Evangeline’s hair, a small physical reminder of her presence.

“So, no rushing this morning,” she said suddenly, trying to fill the void.

Hadley chuckled. “That’s a first,” she quipped.

“And not the last,” Evangeline vowed.

“We shall see. I am betting tomorrow will come and you will be right back to rushing around.”

“Do you have so little confidence in me?”

Hadley groaned and Evangeline could not help thinking she spoke wrong. It had been meant in jest, she also knew Hadley’s feelings on supporting Evangeline and Evangeline’s self-depreciating comments. “Just in this one area,” Hadley allowed and Evangeline could hear how she was restraining from making it a full blow conversation about Evangeline.

Silence fell heavy once more. Evangeline decided to let Hadley break it that time.

Hadley coughed, realizing that Evangeline did not intend to start up the conversation. “So, I heard talk that this is action week. What does that mean?”

Evangeline was grateful for the casual topic. “Well, our weeks alternate. There are Work and Action weeks. During action weeks, our mornings up until lunch are physical. The different classes rotate through the various possible areas – the gymnasium, the field, the cardio and weight room, aerobics and dance studio, and pool.”

“This school has all that?!”

Evangeline chuckled. “Yeah, private school and all.”

“So, Active week is this week?”

“For juniors and seniors, yes.” Both girls were seniors. “Our class has gym on Mondays,” Evangeline added.

“I am not really going to be able to participate, am I?”

Evangeline sighed as she pondered. “Yeah, I suppose gym is not really possible for you.” The muscles in her jaw tensed as she thought about it. “I am sure you could do something on the days we are doing weights, dance, or the pool. Maybe not the field.”

Hadley chuckled. “No skin off my back.” Evangeline cocked her head slightly, signaling her confusion to the girl on her shoulder. “I am not a huge fan of physical activity,” Hadley explained.

“Huh,” Evangeline acknowledged.

“Do you like physical activity,” Hadley asked. Evangeline did not hesitate in giving an affirmative. “Well, all the power to you,” Hadley giggled. “You can be physical for the both of us.”

Class started with an extended announcement. Hadley listened, excitedly quaking on Evangeline’s shoulder, tugging her hair when the Class Law Division was mentioned. Evangeline smiled at her display of delight and could not help paying attention. She was particularly caught by the special mention of the Safety Policing Division, which, for the first time, was extending welcome to S class students. Hadley caught it too, mumbling softly, “I thought the SPD was something people of lower classes jumped at, but I never thought of it as something S class people sought out.” Evangeline shrugged in response. “You could try to get in there,” Hadley suggested. After a moment, Evangeline shrugged again, but the thought settled deep into her mind, taking hold. Was that a future she could see?

When the announcements were done, the class was told to head to the gymnasium. There, Evangeline left Hadley with Ms. Rockwell, the instructor in charge of the gymnasium, while she went into the locker room to change. She heard word pass around that they were playing basketball that day and a small smile settled into her expression.

When she exited, she jogged over to where Ms. Rockwell was explaining that Hadley would have activities starting the following week, when things had been adjusted for her. “Until then, you are just going to have to sit out.”

“That is no problem,” Hadley called, smiling brightly.

“So, I am just going to place you on the bleachers,” Ms. Rockwell explained.

“I could hold her,” a soft voice piped up. Evangeline’s eyes settled on Sydney, a girl from their class that often skipped gym activities due to severe asthma. “If that is alright,” the girl added quickly, her eyes searching for approval. Evangeline frowned when she noted that the girl only directed her eyes towards Ms. Rockwell, the teacher, and Evangeline, as if she had more say in Hadley’s location than Hadley.

Hadley did not seem to notice or did not show it. “That’d be fine by me,” she consented. Evangeline watched as Ms. Rockwell allowed Hadley to move from her hands to Sydney’s and the two girl’s took a seat in the bleachers.

Ms. Rockwell headed the other girls onto the court and broke the class into teams. A game picked up and Evangeline lost herself in the game. Sweat soaked her clothes, her lungs burned, and her feet were sore, but she felt elated. She loved the rush of the game, the comradery she rarely experienced with her peers, the exhilaration of making a shot, and the thrill of swatting the ball away when an opponent tried to shoot over her.

She was in the zone, not needing to rest, everything working smoothly for her, until a lost ball rocketed towards the bleachers, bouncing harmlessly up a few rows. It had not gotten anywhere close to Sydney and Hadley, but Evangeline felt her stomach turn at the idea that it might have. The ball was returned to the court and the game continued, but Evangeline could not get herself back into the zone. She missed a post, the ball slipping through her fingers.

She swore and her eyes flicked to the bleachers, where Sydney was talking softly to Hadley who half watched the game and half talked to her. Evangeline had not even realized the ball had been turned over to the other team and she groaned as she ran to get into place on defense. Without her in place, the opposing team easily scored.

“Earth to the guard dog,” she heard Isabelle’s feral tone, “pay attention, would you?” The girl’s fingers were in her jersey, pulling her focus to green eyes. “Just because Sydney is not a Ford does not mean she does not know how to take care of someone. Get off your fucking high horse.”

Evangeline shrugged out of the other girl’s grip, setting her sights on the game, but her focus was now clouded by both Hadley’s fragility and Isabelle’s words, playing over and over in her head. After missing numerous shots and fumbling several easy denials, she asked for someone to sub in for her. With a terrible headache beginning to set in, she approached Ms. Rockwell.

“You are looking off, Eva,” the woman noted.

She nodded her agreement. “I am not feeling all that well,” she admitted. “Would it be alright if I showered and called it a day?”

The woman eyed her, but nodded. “I hope you feel better.”

She thanked the woman, for the release and sentiment, and headed off to clear her head.

~*~

The class returned to their designated room for lunch and Hadley knew Evangeline was not feeling well. “I see you got to shower,” she commented as Evangeline gave her a ride back.

“You are lucky I did, too,” came Evangeline’s attempt at a joke.

“How do you know I am not totally into sweat?”

Hadley felt the other girl shrug. “Even if you are, I am not,” she returned.

“Fair enough,” she conceded. When she looked around the room, no one was there. Everyone had left for lunch. “So,” she started, hesitating a moment, knowing that she was about to make conversation strenuous, “what happened between you and Isabelle?”

She heard the slow release of air from Evangeline’s lungs. She was helped down onto their shared desk and they stared at each other, Hadley willing Evangeline to be honest. “She was trying to get me to focus.”

“You had been doing really well,” Hadley commented, having seen Evangeline out play the other team with ease. “Was it because the ball came into the bleachers,” Hadley took a guess.

A momentary shift in Evangeline’s expression told her she had hit her mark. “I worry about you,” Evangeline ground out.

Hadley quirked a smile. “I am glad you are, but I was safe enough with Sydney.”

“I know,” Evangeline groaned, her tone suggesting she was more upset than her expression let on.

“So, what did Isabelle say to you?” Anger flickered across her face, but then disappeared behind her mask of neutrality. “It is okay to be upset,” Hadley offered.

“I am not upset,” Evangeline insisted, a bit too strongly.

Hadley arched her brows. “Really?”

“I am fine,” Evangeline said again.

Hadley could not understand what was going on. “Are you afraid to be upset?”

Evangeline stared down at her, brows descending towards her eyes. The muscles in her jaw twitched. “Fine, yes, I am afraid to be angry.”

Hadley sighed. Evangeline had never opened up about her emotions before. “You do not need to be,” she said.

“I do!” Evangeline contended, her breathing picking up.

“Why?”

Hadley could see the war going on in Evangeline’s head, the conflicting emotions. She wondered if the other girl could bring herself to share what made her so afraid. “I have the power to hurt people,” Evangeline finally explained.

Hadley felt her throat go dry. She had not realized just how much the other girl struggled with herself. “So?”

Evangeline’s expression was dark and Hadley wondered if she was pushing the conversation too far. “If I ever let my anger control me, I could hurt others,” she argued. “I could hurt you.”

Hadley breathed through her pulse rising, knowing that she could not show any fear at that time. “I know you would not hurt me,” she asserted.

“It would not be intentional,” Evangeline pushed. “All it would take is the wrong impulse while I am in a bad state of mind.”

“I know you,” Hadley pushed back, practically yelling. “You would never get to that point.”

Evangeline snorted. “That may be true. It may not. The fact is that I am afraid and I cannot help that.”

Hadley sighed, her head hanging. This went far beyond general class issues. She was genuinely afraid of herself and what she could do to anyone not her size, which, being the daughter of Jazeera Ford, Hadley imagined there were not many people she felt were safe around her. “I am sorry you are afraid,” Hadley offered. She did not know what else to say, how else to help. How does one stop fearing their own power?

When she looked up, Evangeline seemed to be deflating. “I just want to help people,” she admitted. Hadley was aware of this, without Evangeline telling her. It was clear in all of the girl's actions. She was a selfless person, concerned more about other people than herself. 

Hadley mustered a smile for her friend. “You can! You will! I know it!” Evangeline looked at her skeptically. “Like I said, you could join the Safety Policing Division!” It seemed very clear to Hadley that she had found the perfect solution. They needed to direct her desire to help people into something productive, to show Evangeline tht she could make a difference. Could she convince Evangeline of the same?

I apologize for the wait, everyone. I got so caught up planning the future of this tale that I struggled to get this chapter written.

The glare of the computer monitor illuminated Hadley’s whole body as she stood by Jazeera’s waiting hand, resting upon the mouse. In Hadley’s hand was a miniature version of the screen, with touchscreen capabilities, allowing her to manipulate what was displayed. Across the screen read was the recruitment website for the Safety Policing Division.

“See,” she called, zooming in on select words, “they are all about serving the people, especially the lower classes.”

She turned her gaze upward to the gigantic face that dominated her sky. Jazeera nodded, a soft smile painted on her lips. “That does seem like it would be up her alley.”

“You should push her to go for it!” Hadley exclaimed, excitedly.

Jazeera chuckled. “I think you are better suited to supporting and encouraging her,” she reasoned.

Hadley stomped her foot, eliciting a crooked eyebrow from Jazeera. “You two need to stop being so distant,” she grumped.

There was a sadness in Jazeera’s soft blue eyes. “She has never sought anything from me, no matter how much I offer it.”

“Only because she thinks she does not deserve it,” Hadley murmured.

Jazeera tilted her head downward. “What was that?”

Hadley sighed. “Nothing,” she said a bit louder. “Can you promise me that you will be vocal about your pride after I convince her to go through with this?”

Jazeera chuckled, nodding her head. “I am glad she has someone looking out for her.”

“She definitely needs it,” Hadley quipped and they shared a laugh.

Hadley deposited the touch screen back into its compartment in the front of the keyboard and then accepted Jazeera’s offer at a ride. “I believe Ambrose is planning dinner for in front of the television,” Jazeera announced. “Would you let Eva know?”

Hadley nodded her affirmation and Jazeera moved down the hall to the door that led to Evangeline’s room. Jazeera knocked softly, for Hadley’s benefit, and they waited together for Evangeline to answer. A call from within granted them entrance. Evangeline was casually glancing over a book she had open in front of a blank computer monitor.

“Hadley says you two have some studying to do,” Jazeera commented.

Evangeline did not look up from her book. “We have the personality portion of the Career Exam tomorrow,” she returned. “I am not sure how one studies for that?”

“Perhaps by reflecting on their past decisions and experiences, both external and internal,” Jazeera surprised Hadley by saying.

“Then I will ace the test,” Evangeline quipped, finally turning away from her book to face them. Her eyes focused in on Hadley and she raised an eyebrow. “Are you two conspiring against me?” A grin hinted at her levity.

“Hadley was seeking out advice about Class Law,” Jazeera answered smoothly, her hand settling on Evangeline’s desk so that Hadley could disembark. “I think she will do brilliantly,” Jazeera commented and Hadley felt her heart quicken. She had just been complimented by a hero of hers.

Jazeera departed, leaving Hadley and Evangeline to their work. Evangeline had returned her attention to her book and Hadley searched for a way to start conversation. “So, um,” she initiated, “your dad is planning for us to do dinner in front of a movie,” she relayed.

Evangeline hummed her acknowledgement. “A typical Thursday night,” she added. Hadley had noticed that they had done the same thing the week before, but was not aware that it had been a pattern.

 “So,” she tried again, but soon lost momentum. Evangeline picked up on the cues, however, and looked to Hadley, her expression a mix of questioning and encouraging. “The career testing,” she dropped the topic to give her hesitation context.

“Ah,” Evangeline chuckled. “You have a bit of a one track mind,” she noted.

Hadley shrugged, smiling shyly. “My dream is what has gotten me through the struggles of being my class.”

Evangeline wore her typical neutral, or as Hadley was beginning to think of it, empty expression. “When you can easily attain anything, dreams do not have the same meaning.”

Hadley frowned, exhaling sharply. “Maybe you are just dreaming too big.” She shook her head sadly, but then her expression became an over exaggerated pout. “It is totally understandable that as the daughter of the almighty G class Jazeera,” she said with a playful dramatic impression of a pompous critic, “you would think on a grand scale.”

Evangeline snorted. “Is that wrong?” Hadley nodded adamantly. “Why not enlighten me about how I am going about this wrong, Ms. I-have-all-my-shit-in-order?”

Hadley sobered, gathering her wits. She wanted to present her idea properly. “I think that you do not care about things that can be bought with money,” she began, eliciting a nod of agreement. “You care about people and you wish the world were not the way it is.”

“True, but unfortunately, the people with enough money to change the world are quite content with the way things are,” Evangeline commented.

Hadley frowned, agreeing with her assertion. “They remain in power because of the system that is in place, yes,” she ground out, “which is the battle field I will be entering - Law.”

Evangeline put her book aside, turning her full attention to Hadley. “I admire your strength,” Evangeline admitted.

Hadley tripped over her tongue as she tried to return the compliment. “You have strength too!”

Evangeline snorted. “I could never put up with politicians,” she proclaimed.  

“No,” Hadley agreed and Evangeline frowned at her, slightly confused. “That is the grand scale,” Hadley pointed out. “I think you would do well on the front lines,” Hadley announced. Evangeline’s frown deepened with her increased confusion. “You could change people’s worlds, on a personal level,” she clarified.

Understanding dawned on Evangeline. “In the Safety Policing Division?”

“Yes!” Hadley exclaimed. “I think you would be perfect at it!”

“I have terrible people skills,” Evangeline argued.

Hadley fervently shook her head. “See, I think you are wrong. You are so keenly aware of people’s personal rights, more so than the person themselves most times, and I think you could make anyone feel safe.”

Evangeline chuckled. “Is this what you were talking about with my mother?”

Hadley gave an exasperated groan, throwing her hands above her head. “Do not change the subject,” she demanded, stomping her foot.

Evangeline grinned. “Alright, I am convinced.”

Hadley was taken aback. “What?”

“I will join the Safety Policing Division,” Evangeline announced nonchalantly. “If they take me.”

“Just like that?”

Evangeline nodded. “Yeah, I had already decided I would when you had mentioned it originally.”

Hadley scowled at her. “And you just let me continue arguing a case I thought I would never win?”

Evangeline shrugged, grinning impishly. “I thought it would be good practice for when you get into Class Law.”

“Fuck you!” Hadley howled. “I sweated over this!” She crossed her arms over her chest huffily.

“Language like that is considered inappropriate in the courtroom,” Evangeline laughed.

Hadley began marching away towards her apartment, across the desk, and Evangeline rolled her chair so that she was in the smaller girl’s line of sight. “Dinner will be soon,” she huffed.

“Hey, come on,” Evangeline implored, “this is what you wanted, is it not?”

“You could have told me,” Hadley called, as she continued to walk.

Evangeline frowned, her large hand forming a barrier in front of Hadley, with her arm becoming a wall stretching the width of the desk, stopping Hadley’s forward movement. “I was going to surprise you when I got the internship,” she informed Hadley softly. “I honestly did not expect you to try to convince me farther.”

Hadley deflated, turning sheepish eyes on Evangeline once more. “I am sorry for ruining your surprise,” she intoned.

“That’s alright,” Evangeline smiled reassuringly. “I will just have to find something else to surprise you with and make sure it is something you cannot thwart,” she jested.

Hadley switched gears. “So, I think we both need to make sure we get good marks on the Law portion of the tests,” she publicized. “Would you care to study together?”

Evangeline laughed, taking Hadley aback. “Some children have nursery rhymes sung to them or stories read to them to put them to sleep,” she clarified. “I was read legislature and lab reports.”

Hadley snorted and shook her head. “Somehow, I can totally imagine that.”

Evangeline shrugged, grinning. “I can help you study,” she allowed.

Hadley looked to the clock on Evangeline’s desk. “After dinner, I suppose.” Evangeline nodded her agreement. “Would you give me a lift?”

“Shoulder or hand?”

Hadley expressed her preference for Evangeline’s shoulder and when she was in place, Evangeline brought them downstairs, where Ambrose was already putting in a movie. Evangeline settled onto the couch and it was not long before Ambrose brought out their food. “You are not going to spill any food on my shoulder, are you?”

Hadley scoffed. “Maybe I will,” she jeered.

“You will be cleaning any mess you make,” Evangeline asserted.

Jazeera joined them and they all settled in for the selected movie. When she had finished her food, Hadley leaned against Evangeline’s warm neck, grinning to herself about how the day had turned out. 

Evangeline idly listened to the excited chatter that circulated the classroom. Hadley boldly stood on her shoulder, a small hand on her cheek for stability. She was much more enthralled by the excitement.

“I think I aced the rhetoric portion! I wonder where that will place me.”

“Ha! I found the logic portion much easier.”

An audible sneer brought conversation to a halt. “Why are you all so excited?” Evangeline sighed, feeling the energy in the room plummet. “So what if you did great,” Isabelle spat. “Are any of you planning to actually work for a living?”

“Some of us will have to,” someone interjected.

Isabelle exhaled a sharp laugh. “Look around,” she sneered, “the only one among us that was not born and raised in money is Hadley,” she jabbed her thumb in Evangeline and Hadley’s direction, “and she became the pet of the wealthiest family among us.” Evangeline’s jaw muscles twitched under Hadley’s hand.

“Hey,” Hadley cooed, “do not listen to her,” she advised.

“How can you be so indifferent,” Evangeline whispered back.

Hadley chuckled, patting Evangeline. “You are silly. Her words are spiteful and uninformed. They do nothing to define the relationship I hold with your family.”

Evangeline snorted, a little louder than she intended. “Do you have something to say over there,” Isabelle called.

“Could you bring me to her desk?”

Evangeline had to refrain from jerking her head to the side. “What would that accomplish?”

“Likely nothing,” Hadley chuckled.

Evangeline rolled her eyes, reaching up to her shoulder, and gently gripping Hadley around her midsection before rising. She walked over to Isabelle and deposited Hadley on the other girl’s desk. “Letting the pet speak for the master,” Isabelle sniped at Evangeline.

“Quit the bullshit,” Hadley returned.

Isabelle’s lip curled in disgust and everyone held their breath. There was a silent war battled in their eye contact, held until Ms. Hill entered and the class collectively released their breath. “Could I have Sydney, Isabelle, and Hadley join me?”

Isabelle broke eye contact with Hadley, standing smoothly. She unceremoniously plucked Hadley up from the desk and Evangeline moved to protest, but Isabelle deposited Hadley in the startled Sydney’s hands. “You are carrying her,” Isabelle demanded, stalking to the front of the class. She was pointed to the exit, leaving with a regal gate.

Evangeline followed Sydney to the front of the class but Ms. Hill stood in her path. “Ms. Ford, you must remain here until such time as you are called on,” she asserted. Evangeline looked to the door, trying to get a glimpse of Hadley. “She will be fine,” Ms. Hill assured. Evangeline was not certain of what she said, but she did not have long to think of Hadley before her own summons came.

She was led to the guidance offices, which had been repurposed for the sake of revealing the seniors’ test scores. She had been called with a few other students, but was separated from them once she arrived in the offices. She was called into a small room where she was beckoned to sit across from an F class man, elegantly dressed in a three piece suit. Behind the man stood an S class man in official Safety Policing Division attire. Around his bicep was a gold band, denoting his rank within the Division.

“Evangeline Heart,” the F class man read from a file he held. “Or would you prefer to use the name Ford?”

“Heart is fine,” Evangeline responded, eying the man who intently looked over the file.

“Interesting. Very well.” He closed the file, tucking it under his arm. “You did exceedingly well in qualifying for an internship with us, Ms. Heart.”

“Are you surprised to see someone who is qualified?”

The man quirked a smile. “Certainly the personality test is the hardest to pass and we did not anticipate anyone doing so here, but more so, we did not expect to find any interest here.”

“I cannot imagine why,” Evangeline deadpanned.

“It would seem that for every S class citizen willing to look down on others, there is an F class citizen unwilling to see the possibility that S class citizens can be good.”

Evangeline could not pin whether the man was trying to be humorous and decided to test the waters. “It would seem only one of us fell in that trap,” she noted.

The man’s brows rose in challenge and a wide grin told her he enjoyed the barb. “I can see your mother’s spirit, but you have a lot of your father in you.”

Evangeline’s smile was demure, but she said, “I am my own person.”

“I am glad to hear it; I like you.” His grin had not diminished. “And Lucas here can attest to me not liking many people,” he motioned to the man behind him. Evangeline looked up to the other man, who nodded curtly, face neutral.

“So, you know my parents?”

“Ah, yes,” the man nodded. “I almost forgot – my name is William Howell.” Evangeline searched her memory, finding that the name held familiarity. “Your mother and I knew each other prior to her growth in the world.”

Evangeline knew he was referring to her literal growth and that led her to the spark she needed. “You dated my mother,” she laughed.

“We shared some time together,” he affirmed. “She and your father really helped me in advancing my career and we still work together frequently.”

“And now you work as a suit in the Safety Policing Division,” Evangeline concluded.

“The suit, really.”

Evangeline’s brows rose. She had not known who ran the Safety Policing Division until then. “It is a wonder my mother does not rule the world with the number of connections she holds.”

“Who says she does not?”

Evangeline chuckled wryly. “Perhaps the state of the world speaks for itself.”

William sobered, nodding his agreement. “And that is why we exist, to act as an aide to those who cannot guarantee safety for themselves.” They were finally getting down to business. “To be a member of the Safety Policing Division, one must first graduate from our personal academy, which you cannot enroll in until you have made it through high school. Should you choose to take the internship that I offer you today, you will be assigned to shadow the instructor; the students at the academy do field work during the second semester, she will have time for you.” Evangeline nodded at appropriate intervals, acknowledging the information. “Do you wish to proceed?”

“I do,” Evangeline affirmed.

“Grand! I shall inform the Chief that she will be taking you on. After the holiday, you will report to our offices as specified. We will send you an agreement form via mail and it will include a detailed breakdown of dates and expectations.”

“Thank you, sir,” Evangeline rose, knowing that their meeting was coming to a close.

“It was a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to seeing how you fair.”

~*~

Hadley held her ground as Isabelle’s massive hand rapidly approached, steeling herself for being picked up. She was surprised that Isabelle’s fingers around her body did not feel oppressive, rather just impatient. She was deposited in Sydney’s hands which shook slightly and were unsure of themselves. Sydney settled when the surprise of having Hadley as her responsibility wore off. Sydney stared down at her and Hadley gave her an encouraging nod.

Sydney followed Isabelle and the three found themselves in the guidance offices, directed into one particular room. There, they were asked to be seated by a K class woman in a pantsuit, standing on the desk. Three chairs had been provided, but Sydney placed Hadley on the desk, where she sank into a cross-legged sitting position.

“Sydney Dunn, Isabelle White, and Hadley Cross,” the woman intoned. Each girl nodded as her name was spoken. “You are all here to talk about interning with Class Law Division?” Hadley nodded stiffly, aware that behind her, Sydney and Isabelle were both affirming. “I had heard tell that they had permitted an F class student here. I am glad to see you have an interest in Class Law.” Hadley grinned at her, but found that despite the words, her expression was empty.

“You must all understand, we take Class Law very seriously and expect that every single member of our division holds the same regard for equality and justice.” The woman’s eyes bounced between the two larger girls behind Hadley. “The internship we offer is run the same way the first semester at Infinity University would. Should you accept the internship and consent to all of the teaching methods, you will be placed into the program, which amounts to a free semester at the University.” Hadley liked the sound of a free semester, but was unsure about the vague mention of teaching methods, which Hadley had never heard anything about. “Should you pass, we will cover the remaining semesters at the University before you join us in the Division.” Hadley’s heart skipped a beat. She forgot about her apprehension as her dream seemed to materialize before her.

“Is this something you are all still interested in?”

“Yes!” Hadley affirmed immediately. Isabelle was firm in her confirmation and Sydney followed her with a much more reserved response.

“Marvelous,” the woman intoned, not sounded as pleased as the word implied. She pulled out a phone and with a few words, called in an S class attendant to help her off of the desk. “Wait here,” she told the girl’s. “I am sending someone with some paperwork for you all.”

With that, the three girls were left alone, confined in the small room. Hadley turned about to find Isabelle looking anywhere but at her. “I can feel you staring,” Isabelle growled.

“I just do not understand,” Hadley confessed.

“Yeah? Well tough. It is none of your business to understand.”

“I think it is plenty my business. As a member of the ‘filth class’, I will be damned if I sit by and watch you enter the Class Law Division without knowing why.”  

Isabelle finally looked at her, staring daggers through her skull. “I care, alright?”

Hadley shook her head in confusion. “Care about what?”

“People,” Isabelle spat.

“You have a hell of a way of showing it,” Hadley returned.

Sydney shifted uncomfortably and Isabelle turned her deadly gaze on the other girl, and Hadley got the feeling she was sizing the girl up. Finally Isabelle sighed and returned her gaze to Hadley, some of the fire dying in her eyes.

“Not all of us have parents like Jazeera Ford,” she ground out, slowly, careful about each word. “Some of us have parents like Henry White.” Hadley knew the name – a notoriously classist corporate leader. “That’s right, I am the daughter of Henry White. Do you know what that means when people find out?” Hadley could see the pain in Isabelle’s dying fire. “I had lower class friends once, but their parents would not allow them to associate with me. I tried,” she insisted, anguish making her voice crack. “I pleaded with them to see that I was not my father.”

“So, what? You want to prove you are not your father? You could have started by being my friend,” Hadley reasoned, the harshness of her tone making Isabelle wince.

“My father is not the man people think he is,” Isabelle finally said. “I pleaded with him to change his stance and he explained to me that his company was failing and that the people willing to keep him-,” she frowned at her word choice, “us,” she corrected, “afloat needed him to paint a certain picture.” She looked down at her lap, her hands wringing themselves. “He had ended huge numbers of his friendships, muddied his own name, so that his family could continue living comfortably.”

Hadley frowned deeply. “So why did you have to act the way you do? That makes no sense to me.”

Isabelle opened her mouth to speak, but then promptly closed it, repeating that a few more times. “That is not a simple thing to define.”

“Try for me,” the harshness in Hadley’s tone was softening.

“The best way for me to go unnoticed was to act the part of Henry White’s daughter.”

“Unnoticed by who?”

“Students, the media, anyone who might jeopardize my father’s act.”

Hadley studied her expression, arms crossed tightly over her chest. “You could have just told me.”

“No, I could not have just fucking told you,” Isabelle spat. “I cannot trust anyone.”

“Then why tell me now?”

Isabelle huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “I cannot have you ruining my dream now, not after everything my father and I have done for it.”

Hadley shook her head sadly. “I do not know how you think so little of me, but I am not spiteful.”

“I will not say anything, either,” Sydney spoke her first words. Both girls turned to her and she shrugged. “I can see you both have very personal reasons for wanting to join the Class Law Division. I just think it will be interesting.”

Silence fell for only a moment before the attendant who had helped the woman before returned. Each girl was presented with a lengthy document and a pen. They were told to read it over thoroughly and sign if they agreed. The silence returned as the girls studied the details presented.

Hadley was surprised by how often safety was mentioned as a concern and the fact that no specifics were given about the teaching methods. The internship was titled Understanding Through Immersion and Hadley spent minutes pondering its significance when she had finished reading. Shrugging to herself, she signed on the dotted line. Each of the girls returned their respective packets to the attendant who released them back to class.

For anyone who celebrates a holiday around this time - Happy Holidays! This is my present to you :3

“I am sorry, but I call absolute bullshit,” Evangeline stated firmly. “I have known her for a long time and I do not buy that story.” Evangeline stalked down the stairs, Hadley on her shoulder.

“I do not know for sure, but why would she want to be a part of the Class Law Division? It would take someone really twisted to go into a career with the only purpose being to jeopardize that Division.”

Evangeline snorted. “I would not put it past her.”

“Come on,” Hadley urged. “She seemed sincere.”

“What about the time she assaulted us in the hall?”

“I did technically provoke her,” Hadley recalled, but Evangeline was not convinced.

“So she is saying that it is all about Henry White trying to keep in business?”

Hadley audibly sighed. “You know there are people in the world who would hold anything over someone’s head to get them to sing their tune.” Evangeline frowned, but was silent. “Political candidates often go against their own beliefs to gain favor from those who would back them.”

“And you think that is what Henry White is doing?”

As the entered the living room, Ambrose popped out of the kitchen. “Do I hear talk of Henry White?” Evangeline frowned at her father, while Hadley called out affirmation. “We used to see each other on occasion at business gatherings. You discussing his business practices?”

“In part,” Evangeline said, “but mostly his daughter.”

“The eldest?” He pouted in thought. “Isabelle, right?” Evangeline nodded. “She and Elizabeth both seemed like bright young girls when they visited the lab, all those years ago.”

“More like doom and gloom these days,” Evangeline groaned.

“Pity,” Ambrose said with a shrug. “Cake?” He produced a plate with a slice of flourless chocolate cake on it, from behind his back.

“We have not had dinner yet,” Evangeline informed him.

Ambrose just grinned impishly. “Then do not tell Jaz.” Hadley giggled and urged Evangeline to take the cake. “Dinner is in twenty. You had better hurry before Jazeera gets home.”

Evangeline exhaled a laugh and took the plate. She and Hadley settled at the dining room table, and shared the slice. “This is so delicious, Ambrose,” Hadley called out though a mouthful, causing Evangeline to giggle at her.

“It is rather great, Dad,” Evangeline agreed. “It is my favorite kind of cake,” she told Hadley.

“Good to know, if I ever find myself making you a cake.” They laughed together about the prospect.

Ambrose set out dinner and was just putting the finishing touches on when Jazeera got home. “You outdo yourself every year, Ambrose,” she praised as they all settled around the table. “Happy holidays, everyone!”

“A toast!” Ambrose cheered. “I am thankful for the growth of our family and the love that we all share!”

“I am thankful for the opportunity we have been presented with to grow together,” Jazeera added.

“I am thankful for the successes we have had and the support we all share,” Hadley sang loudly, grinning broadly.

“I am thankful for the hope that we give each other,” Evangeline finished.

They raised their glasses in unison and then dug in. Hadley thanked Ambrose for making her favorite meal. “It is my pleasure,” he afforded. “This is your first holiday with us and it should be special!”

“So, I am sad to see that your family declined to join us,” Jazeera noted.

Hadley nodded somberly. “James is home for the holiday and is not the socializing type,” Hadley informed her.

“Which is code for ‘he is not a fan of the upper class’,” she returned smoothly. “I mandated that anyone working for Transupport has two weeks of paid vacation for the holiday and New Year. I hope he enjoys the time with his family.”

“Yes, thank you! I will be over there tomorrow and I really look forward to seeing him!”

Conversation shifted through numerous topics while everyone enjoyed the food and company. Finally, everyone pushed their plates away and Jazeera rose. “I heard Ambrose made some cake,” she said with a smile, moving to the kitchen. Evangeline, Hadley, and Ambrose exchanged looks. Jazeera returned, holding the cake dish with a piece distinctly missing. “I see someone got into the cake early,” she eyed each of the suspects.

At once, Hadley pointed at Evangeline, Evangeline pointed at Ambrose, and Ambrose pointed at Hadley, each accusing another of being the perpetrator. The moment was held, as they all tried to keep straight faces, but then everyone broke into laughter.

They took their slices of cake to the family room, where an exchange of gifts happened. Jazeera received the latest in communication software. Ambrose received a high-tech set of scalpels. He made a show of hugging the safely packaged scalpels in a loving embrace. Evangeline received an earpiece alarm set, but she noted that it was not really for her, with a laugh. She also received a pair of sunglasses that everyone agreed would go very well with her SPD uniform. They had a lot of tech features that Evangeline and Hadley agreed to explore together.

Evangeline handed Hadley, who sat on her thigh, a package. The smaller girl immediately dropped it to her thigh, squawking that it was heavy. She tore at the wrapping and then opened the box that was large to her. From inside she held up a notebook. “We figured that you are going to need some supplies when you get into Infinity University,” Evangeline grinned down at her as she stared dumbfounded back.

“Guys!” Hadley called back. “This is amazing!”

Jazeera stepped forward, placing a new package on Evangeline’s thigh, in front of Hadley. Evangeline had not realized that anything else had been gotten for Hadley and looked up in confusion at her mother, who just smiled pristinely.

Hadley opened the new package, revealing a watch sized for an S class person. Hadley and Evangeline both looked to her in confusion. “This is a reminder that time is the same for everyone,” Jazeera explained. Hadley touched her hand to the clock face, watching the analog hands ticking.

“I like it! I can put it in my room,” Hadley said, grinning up at Jazeera.

Which gift giving concluded, they settled in for a movie. Ambrose and Jazeera shared the loveseat, while Evangeline lay across the length of the couch, with Hadley on her stomach, just above her navel. It was a short holiday film that was traditional for the family to watch, and when it was finished, Jazeera and Ambrose excused themselves. Evangeline smiled as the left, knowing they generally felt obligated to stick around for family time, but with Hadley as an addition, Evangeline would not be alone.

Evangeline switched off the television and looked to Hadley, who swayed slightly where she sat cross-legged. “Hadley?”

The other girl jerked her head toward her, a goofy grin on her face. She stood and strode up Evangeline’s torso, stumbling slightly, causing Evangeline’s brow to furrow. She walked straight up to Evangeline’s face, clumsily climbing onto it until they were looking eye to eye. Evangeline stared wide-eyed. “Eva,” Hadley started, giggling as she spoke, “I love you.” Evangeline felt her face heat, with Hadley’s hands cool against her cheeks. “Like, you are a super awesome friend,” Hadley continued. “The best of friends! I had some friends before, but they were more bonds of circumstance, you know?”

“Hadley,” Evangeline mumbled, trying very hard to keep her lips from parting too much.

“Yes, Eva?”

“Are you drunk?”

Hadley grinned down at Evangeline. “My toasting glass was rather large,” she giggled.

“You are going to see your family tomorrow; would you like to go to bed?”

Hadley pouted, lifting so that she was kneeling. “That is not really fun.” She shifted backwards, stumbling off of Evangeline’s chin, tumbling onto Evangeline’s chest. Evangeline raised just her head to check on her friend. Hadley looked perplexed. “It is cold,” the smaller girl announced. “You should share the covers.”

Evangeline was about to ask about which covers she meant, but Hadley lifted the collar of Evangeline’s shirt, wriggling her way under and then hugging it close to her neck. “Hadley,” Evangeline said, “that is my shirt.”

Hadley lifted herself up into her elbow, looking down at the material that covered her. “Huh, so it is.” She lifted the collar over her head, causing Evangeline to reflexively sit up.

“Hadley,” Evangeline squeaked. The smaller girl had caught her foot in Evangeline’s bra and her hand pressed into the flesh at the top of Evangeline’s breast, just below her collarbone. Evangeline hastily reached her hand up her shirt, blindly grasping onto the girl, lifting her out of the bra and then bringing her out from inside the shirt. “Are you alright,” she surveyed.

Hadley chuckled. “Meeting them up close, your boobies are kind of small,” she hummed. “Mine are almost as big,” she said, grabbing her own chest.

“We are getting you some water,” Evangeline announced, rising from the couch.

“Can I sit on your shoulder?”

“No,” Evangeline stated flatly.

“You are being a party pooper,” she pouted, squirming in Evangeline’s grasp.

Evangeline placed her on the kitchen counter, far from the edge and found an F class sized water bottle, bringing it to her friend. “I am looking out for your health,” she asserted, holding the bottle out to Hadley. “Drink some of this.”

“I am not drunk,” Hadley declared.

“Then you will drink some for me, right?”

Hadley’s eyes narrowed on Evangeline. “Only if you do something for me.”

“Why do I have to do something for you?”

“Because,” Hadley comically drew out the word, “this is a negotiation.”

Evangeline rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”

“It is nothing much,” Hadley informed her. “Just a peck on the cheek,” she pointed to her own cheek.

Evangeline’s eyes narrowed. “And if I do this, you will drink the water?” Hadley nodded, smiling primly. Evangeline sighed and leaned over the counter as Hadley turned her head, making her cheek more easily accessible. Just as Evangeline reached Hadley, lips puckered, she caught the shift of the girl’s head. Hadley had turned so that lips met lips.

Evangeline jerked back, a moment too late. Contact had been made and Hadley grinned up at her. “Hadley!”

“I will drink the whole bottle for that,” Hadley sang.

“You just drunkenly coerced a kiss out of me,” Evangeline grumbled, color suffusing her cheeks. “Drink. Then we are going to bed.”

Hadley frowned as she chugged water. Pulling the bottle away from her lips, she said, “it was just a kiss, Eva. Let’s not move too fast.” She giggled to herself as she drank more water, but Evangeline was blushing madly at her words. Hadley held an empty bottle up to Evangeline, who took it, disposing of it. “Alright, take me away,” she sang.

Evangeline plucked her off the counter, moving them both upstairs. She opened the roof of Hadley’s apartment, depositing the girl in her bedroom. “Get ready for bed and do not forget to set your alarm.”

“Your face is red, Eva. You sure you are not drunk,” Hadley chuckled. Evangeline shook her head. “Alright, I am going. Good night and happy holidays!”

Evangeline returned the sentiment and left the roof open while she went to do her own night time things. When she returned, Hadley was already asleep. She shook her head, returning downstairs to retrieve Hadley’s new watch, placing it in the corner of the girl’s bedroom before she shut the roof.

My apologies for the late update. The holidays messed with my routine and I got behind on a lot of life stuff that I needed to catch up on before I could write this chapter.

The face that stared back at Hadley was a mirror of her own, redness coloring her eyes, lips dry and chapped. She could feel the tiredness in her core. She had not slept.

A knock on the roof shook her surroundings, and while the sound was muted, she knew Evangeline was waiting for her. She looked back to the mirror, brown eyes blinking as she tried to focus. “You have got this, girl,” she voiced, frowning at the lack of conviction. She ran fingers through her hair, pulling it off of her sweating neck, before she smoothed her outfit. “Whatever, it is not like anyone could see my wrinkles anyway,” she quipped, chuckling at her own joke.

She made her way to the panel that opened the roof, smiling sheepishly up at Evangeline when it was fully open. “You ready yet,” she jokingly asked her large friend.

“You have the gall to ask me that on the one day I am ready before you?” She faux-glared down at Hadley, who shrugged her shoulders. Evangeline’s expression shifted to one of concern. “But seriously, are you alright? I am never ready before you.”

Hadley waved her hand, dismissively. “Of course. I was born for this,” she said her recent catchphrase, but found that it did not feel as empowering as it had in the past.

Evangeline’s eyes narrowed. “Do you really think I do not know you well enough to notice that you are not on the ball?”

Hadley threw her hands up with an exasperated exclamation. “You are no fun,” she sniped.

“Am I supposed to be?” Evangeline’s hand descended into Hadley’s space, waiting a moment for Hadley to lift her arms away from her midsection, before strong fingers curled around her. Evangeline lifted Hadley up so that they were eye to eye.

“I would certainly prefer it,” Hadley grumbled.

“That is unfortunate,” Evangeline returned. “So, would you like to talk?”

“Not really,” Hadley said and Evangeline nodded in understanding. “But, I am afraid.”

Evangeline frowned, her concern deepening the furrow of her brow. “Of?”

Hadley sighed, resting her arms on her friend’s thumb. “What if I am no good at this? This is all I have ever wanted, to be a part of Class Law, but what if they realize- what if I realize that it is not for me? What if I am no good?”

“I know I have not gotten around to introducing you to my friend Hadley, but let me tell you a bit about her,” Evangeline began. “She is beyond brilliant and very passionate about the rights of everyone, particularly the ones who have less than others. She has personal experience that drives her and she is a hero of people.”

“You really should get around to introducing us,” Hadley chuckled.

“I do not know if I could handle so much awesome in one room,” Evangeline added with a wink.

“Alright, stop,” Hadley pleaded. “I cannot handle this ego boost,” she laughed.

“So, are you ready to knock them dead?”

“Ready,” Hadley confirmed. Evangeline brought them downstairs, where Ambrose bid them luck, adding that Jazeera also sent them luck.

They called their thanks as they exited and Evangeline walked them to the Class Law Division office, where they ran into Sydney, pacing outside. “Hey, Sydney,” Evangeline called her attention.

“You doing alright,” Hadley asked when they were closer.

“Just nervous,” she squeaked.

“You and me both,” Hadley assured. “Would you mind giving me a lift inside, when you are ready?” Sydney nodded and Evangeline deposited Hadley within her hands. Hadley waved as Evangeline departed. Turning her attention to Sydney, she noted the quake of the other girl’s hands. “Hey, you are going to do great,” she called to Sydney.

“You think?” Hadley wondered if the girl had received any encouragement, like Hadley had from Evangeline. She did not know much of Sydney’s home life or even the friendships she held.

“Yes, of course,” she chirped, smiling encouragingly. “We will get through this together.”

“Is that not the sweetest thing?” Hadley closed her eyes, sighing at the sound of Isabelle jut behind her. “Have you finished your pep-talk?”

“I had forgotten why I enjoyed the holiday vacation. Thank you for reminding me, Isabelle.”

“Glad to do my part,” she snipped. She made her way into the building and Sydney followed after.

The building was a two story office building. A lobby welcomed guests, ushering them towards the front desk. Isabelle asked for direction and was pointed down the hall on the first floor by a cheery secretary. Sydney followed after her, keeping close, hugging Hadley near her chest.

They were beckoned into an office by an S class woman who reminded Hadley of Jazeera. She held a commanding aura. “Welcome. My name is Selene Gale.” She held up a hand to stop Isabelle and Sydney from taking seats. “You need not sit. We will not be here long,” she explained.

“Where are we going,” Isabelle’s sharp question came.

“Off-site.” The woman eyed Isabelle, challenging her. Hadley had to keep from laughing as she felt Isabelle tense, resisting a snide comment that came so naturally. “Today is a day for getting acclimated, to your positions and each other, as from this moment, you are a team.”

“And why can we not do that here?”

“Although you may not be aware,” Selene humored her by responding, “not all that we do happens in this building.” Hadley coughed to hide her laugh. She liked Selene. She felt Isabelle’s glare on her and directed a shrug at the other girl. The woman continued as if there was no exchange. “You all signed the consent forms, I am glad to see, but you will be given opportunities throughout this day to change your mind.”

Hadley shifted in Sydney’s hand, a little unsettled by the words. She felt Sydney look down at her and was further unsettled that she was not Evangeline, a person she would love to have at her back. “I do not think any of us will be scared away by your offer to back out,” Isabelle stated.

Selene smiled softly. “Then follow me,” she beckoned.

She led the way to the building entrance and then a short way down the street to a medical building. “This is where they kill us,” Hadley heard Isabelle grumble and giggled, uncertain whether the girl had meant for it to be a joke.

They were shown into a small office with medical posters lining the walls. “You will all be undergoing a physical, while we are here.” All three girls stared at her in question. “Working in Class Law is stressful, undeniably. We like to make sure our employee’s health is considered. This is not a place where we overwork our staff for profit.”

“Would be rather hard as a non-profit,” Isabelle quipped.

“Quite,” Selene agreed. “Are you all willing to go through a physical examination?” Each girl hesitated a moment, but finally each agreed. Hadley could not help but think of her previous experiences with medical attention. “Hadley,” Selene singled her out, “unfortunately, the medical equipment used on Ms. Dunn and Ms. White will not work for you,” she took pause and Hadley got the feeling she was trying to be delicate about the class differences, “so, would you be willing to accompany me?”

Hadley nodded and walked between Sydney’s hand and hers. “You two will be joined momentarily,” Selene announced. When they were outside of the room, Selene addressed Hadley once more. “You need not worry about the medical staff here. They will treat you well,” she assured, seeming to know Hadley’s fear. “It is a common fear,” she explained, making Hadley shake her head at the way she seemed to be responding to each of Hadley’s thoughts. “We are very aware of the malpractice of many doctors that treat F class citizens. It is one of the major battlegrounds in our fight for equality.”

Selene brought Hadley to a small ledge situated about half way up a wall, next to an S class door. There was an F class door in the wall. “I cannot follow past this point,” Selene indicated. “Through that door Ethan will take care of you.”

“Thank you,” Hadley called up to her. She entered the small door, finding herself in an examination room size to her. Inside, a young man in scrubs looked over a clipboard.

“Ah, Hadley!” he chirped, waving her forward. “Hello!” He wore a jovial smile and had eyes filled with light. “I will be taking care of your preliminary examination today!”

“You are F class,” she blurted.

“Yes! Born and raised,” he smile did not falter.

“And you are a doctor here? You seem young.”

“Oh no,” he chuckled. “I am interning here so that they might pay my way through med school.”

“I am interning as well, but for law,” Hadley informed him.

“Oh yes! That is exciting! Your first day?”

“Yes. You as well?”

Ethan shook his head with a throaty laugh. “Oh no, I am half way through mine. Medical interns work for a year.”

“Huh,” Hadley intoned. “I was not aware. And you are enjoying yourself so far?”

“Very much so! This is a great place to work!” His grin was contagious and Hadley found herself filling with excited energy. “They do not appreciate half-assery, but they are understanding and push people to be their best. Plus, they have a noble and necessary goal.”

“It has been my dream to work here for my whole life,” Hadley admitted.

“Mine, too,” Ethan exclaimed. “Well, today is a big day, so we best get to it,” he said with a wide grin.

“So, we will be taking your height, weight, pulse, blood pressure, hearing and vision tests, and a whole ton of other tests. The full list is here,” he said as he handed Hadley a sheet. “Please initial next to each of the exams you consent to.” She accepted a pen from him and quickly jotted her initials next to each of the listed tests.

“We will start with height,” he informed her. She stood against a measure and Ethan brought his eyes close to the mark. He was taller than her, likely verging on four and a half inches. “Four and an eighth,” he announced her height. “You are quite tall,” he noted.

Hadley exhaled a disgruntled huff. “That phrase seems dampened by everyone who says it,” she argued. “Look at you,” she held her palm level with the top of his head, over her own head. “Then there is Eva, who is six-“

“Six inches tall!?”

Hadley giggled, “no, silly, six feet. And some inches.”

“Wow, you know S class people?”

“Don’t you? You work with a few, do you not?”

“Yeah, but I get really shy around them,” he admitted.

Hadley giggled. “You really do not need to be. I can introduce you to Eva. She is very gentle. Although, I swear she is shy as well. It took me forever to get her to talk to me of her own volition.”

“Wow, really?”

“Yeah, I could introduce you to Sydney as well. She will be working with me here,” Hadley added. “You can forget about Isabelle, though.”

“Oh, I am sure I will meet them,” he mused.

They went through the rest of the tests and then Ethan led Hadley through a door on the other side of the room from the one where she had entered and asked her to sit at the table. He placed a glass of water in front of her. “This is the point where you are given the opportunity to turn back. The next stage of events will be an introduction into your lessons,” he informed her.

“I will not back down,” she stated firmly.

“The next test is not specified,” he intoned. “Please sign this,” he placed another sheet in front of her. It was titled Consent to begin Understanding Through Immersion. There were two lines, one for her printed name and the other for her signature. She scrawled her name and signature, anticipation rising.

“You will want to drink that all before the next procedure,” he indicated, with a soft smile. “Someone will be in to speak with you when you are ready. Good luck,” he granted her.

She stared at the glass of water. “They are probably just trying to scare me about a urine drug test,” she grumbled. She chugged the water, detecting an odd taste to it. And then she was waiting, lying her head down on her arms on the table. At first her anxiety spiked her heart rate, but soon she felt calm wash over her.

~*~

Hadley jerked upward, realizing she had fallen asleep. She shook her head, rubbing her eyes. She looked about the room for a clock, but there was none in sight. She had left her phone in the examination room and sighed. On the table, the glass of water had been replaced with a metal box the she estimated to be half an inch by an inch, and half an inch tall. She was unsettled by the fact that she had not woken when someone entered the room.

The box read ‘Do Not Touch’, which seemed like a cruel joke. Was this her next test? Fortunately for her, she did not have long to wait. She heard a soft click and a watched a panel on the right side of the box open outward. She leaned slightly to get a better view.

“-just sit there and then asked us to leave. How fucking pointless! I fell asleep waiting!” She registered the words, soft but audible, but did not piece together what they were until she saw two small bodies emerge from the opening, which she was beginning to recognize as a door. Hadley dared not move and held her breath as she watched tiny versions of Isabelle and Sydney walked out onto the table. “Where the fuck are we?”

Sydney looked towards Hadley and she watched the other girl’s eyes climb until they were locked with Hadley’s. “Um, Isabelle,” she squeaked, backing away from Hadley, who resisted protesting. Behind Isabelle, Sydney turned Isabelle’s shoulders, rotating the other girl to face Hadley.

Isabelle’s eyes comically mimicked the same path as Sydney’s. “Oh, fuck me,” she breathed, nearly too softly for Hadley to catch.

“Are you guys really tiny and on the table in front of me?” Hadley asked dumbly.

“You are astute as ever,” Isabelle snipped.

“Hey,” Hadley started, leaning forward, but when both smaller girls clapped hands over their ears, her response died on her lips. She sighed, settling back in her seat. “So this is what they meant by immersion,” she said, much more softly.

“Seems like you got the better end of this,” Isabelle shot.

“Which is what you have gotten your whole life,” Hadley reminded her. Isabelle glared up at Hadley, but Hadley just looked to the door, where someone entered.

Selene looked very different when they were the same size, Hadley noted. It was odd to see the whole picture, rather than choice aspects at any one time. “I see you are adjusting somewhat.” A doctor followed, carrying Ethan in her hand. “It seems having you wake with each other was a good decision.” Hadley could not hear out the comment that Isabelle made, but she could certainly guess its general content. “You have now officially begun your semester. Congratulations.”

Ethan was placed on the table and set about asking Isabelle and Sydney questions, while the S class doctor ran through a few with Hadley. When they were done, Selene commanded their attention once more. “You will all remain in the class you are now until the end of the internship. Should you choose to back out of the program, we will reverse the process in a week, when it is medically safe.”

“So, we just acclimate into life as new classes,” Sydney asked.

“Yes. We will help with as much as we can – housing, clothing, transportation, and most of your initial lessons will be about acclimation.”

“This all seems rather expensive,” Isabelle noted, and Hadley had to agree, especially in her case.

“We consider it a necessary expense,” Selene explained. “You will learn more than you ever could from a text book by living what other people live, while learning about our Division and its workings.”

“So, where do we begin,” Isabelle inquired.

“You go to the Heart residence for the night,” Selene replied, “they have agreed to house you until such time as you have determined your own living situations.”

“What time is it?” Hadley asked.

“Just after 6,” Selene answered.

“Where is my phone,” Hadley asked before she realized that it would be too small for her.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Selene produced a new phone, handing it to Hadley. Ethan produced one for each of the smaller girls. “These are programmed with a few numbers you will need and will be your professional cellphone. Please limit the personal communication you use it for, after the adjustment period.”

“I have to call Eva,” Hadley announced, punching in the number that was among the only that she had memorized. “Hey, this is Hadley,” she greeted when Evangeline picked up. “Are you outside?” Evangeline gave affirmation. “Alright, sorry for running late. I will be out shortly.” She ended the call and looked to Selene for dismissal.

“You may go,” she permitted. Selene left them with Ethan, who had moved to take care of the small room on the table.

“Hey, Ethan,” she cooed, enticing him to rejoin them. “You now have an S class friend,” she joked with a shy smile.

“So I do,” he chuckled, but he did not seem to be able to look her in the eyes.

“Let’s move passed the awkward flirtation and get to the part where you manhandle us to the Heart residence.”

Hadley rolled her eyes. “Thank you Isabelle, for being a part of my life.” She placed each of her hands palm up on the table, as Evangeline had done many times for her, and waited for each of the small girls to embark. Sydney hesitantly got into her hand, but Isabelle, for all her big words, stood just before her hand, seemingly unable to move. “Isabelle, are you alright?”

“I am not fucking alright,” she grumbled venomously.  She continued to stare at Hadley’s hand. “I am afraid of heights,” she admitted.

“I see,” Hadley acknowledged. “I was afraid when I was a child,” she offered.

Ethan moved forward, placing a hand on Isabelle’s back. “You need not worry,” he assured. “She will not drop you,” he vouched. “And, if it would be more comfortable, she can grip you around the waist,” he showed her his fist to indicate what he meant.

“And be further manhandled?”

“You should not think of it like that, not when it is Hadley. She will not take advantage of you.”

“I will do whatever make you comfortable,” Hadley asserted.

“Nothing about this is comfortable,” Isabelle spat.

Hadley sighed. “I know. I have been there, which is why you can trust me to respect your boundaries.”

Isabelle stood with arms crossed over her chest for minutes and Hadley was becoming antsy about keeping Evangeline waiting. “Fine. You can grip me around the waist.” Hadley smiled with relief.

“Lift your arms,” she instructed and when Isabelle followed her direction, she slowly brought her fingers around Isabelle, who looked like she was trying to hold back tears. “Let me know if I grip you too tightly,” she said.

As she lifted from her seat, she brought both hands away from the table, stunned by how light the other girls were to her. “Ethan, I am sure I will see you around,” she said her goodbye and exited the room to find Evangeline.