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.”