Elites don’t live forever, but they live twice as long as humans, and they age twice as slow. They cease aging altogether in ‘young adulthood’ or earlier, and remain in peak health until the day they die, usually unexpectedly, always in their sleep. They can be killed, but not easily. They heal quickly from all but the most mortal of wounds. Evolutionarily, they surpass humanity in every measurable way. Is it any wonder, in spite of their far fewer numbers, they dominate the world?

- Dr. Charles Alouf, 1935

Lesly squeezed her legs together under her desk. She had to go, but she didn’t want to raise her hand. She didn’t know many kids in her homeroom class, and embarrassing herself on the first day...well...it would be embarrassing.

Plus, it was her own fault. She’d drank way too much water from the fountain on her way to class. Paisley had walked by with a group of seventh grade girls, and Lesly had used the fountain to hide. If only Ky hadn’t been placed in a separate homeroom, Les wouldn’t have been afraid.

The bell rang, and Les was the first one out. She found the bathroom without much trouble, but all the stalls were taken. Worse, she identified the Converse shoes underneath one of the stalls as belonging to Paisley. Luckily, a stall opened up. A tall girl with her hair in a messy bun stepped out. They shared a glance but Les didn’t recognize the girl, and as soon as she started washing her hands, Les hurried into the stall.

Of course, it had to be the middle stall.

The seat was uncomfortably warm, and it smelled like someone had recently done number two and tried to mask the odor with spearmint breath spray. Les ignored the sweet acrid smell and tried to go, but stopped when she felt something. She might pass gas, and from prior experience, she’d have only a fifty percent chance of it being silent. Those weren’t good odds, not with an Elite one stall over, an Elite who’d surely identify her and make fun of her.

Her stomach had been acting up the last couple of days, and it didn't feel particularly calm today, even though she’d eaten her favorite cereal, Mini Wheats. Les talked to her sister about everything, but she’d neglected to mention her recent digestive problems. It simply wasn’t a big deal. Her sister laughed when she herself farted, so who cared if Les seemed to have extra gas lately?

Except Ky never farted in front of other people besides Les. Only boys did that. Not for the first time, Les found herself wishing to be a boy. They never had to worry about farting, or being pretty, or getting periods. Les hadn’t experienced the latter, but it was only a matter of time, and with her luck, it would happen in the middle of class or at lunch.

What’s she doing in there?

Les scrunched her toes inside her shoes as she waited, her lower abdomen throbbing in level seven pain. Could she die from holding her pee too long? Probably not, at least she’d never heard of such a thing, but her stomach felt like it might burst. And Paisley, whatever she was doing, wasn’t peeing or pooping. She was probably on her smartphone, something teachers didn’t allow normal students to use during class. As an Elite, however, she needn't follow such rules, so why hide in the bathroom?

Les cupped her hand over her privates and grit her teeth, breathing short and fast through her nose. The stall to her right opened, its occupant clomping out. After a few seconds, the sound of the sink reached her ears.

It was too much.

Pee exploded between her fingers and sprayed the lip of the toilet for a second before she withdrew her drenched hand and let the stream continue properly into the bowl. She stifled a mewl as aching relief spread from her groin down to her feet. She didn’t fart, but the sound of her urination rang in her ears, and her face flushed with heat while her stomach cooled with the chill of impending discovery.

Why couldn’t she just be cool like her sister?

Things like this always happened to Les. Seriously — here she was with her right hand dripping urine onto the floor, her left stuffed halfway up the toilet paper dispenser, reaching for a roll which refused to drop.

She managed to tease the paper from the dispenser and retrieved enough to dry herself, the seat, and the floor. Yes, it was disgusting, but what choice did she have? She couldn’t fathom leaving her mess for someone else to encounter, especially since her anonymity had likely been compromised. If Paisley couldn’t identify Les by her shoes yet, she certainly would eventually as Les lacked another pair.

She flushed the toilet, crept out of the stall, and cast nervous glances over her shoulder as she washed her hands. Thank goodness Paisley’s door didn’t open.

She hurried from the bathroom as the bell rang and slinked into her next class with merely a nod from the teacher. The only good thing about the first day of school — teachers didn’t care as much if you were late. She wasn’t even the last one seated. Jakob, one of her few friends from last year, sat down in the seat adjacent to hers near the front of the class.

His proximity calmed her nerves, similar to the way her sister did, but not quite. With Ky, Les felt protected and included, as if she could coast through life trailing Ky’s wake, the strength of Ky’s charisma alone more than enough for them both.

On the other hand, Jakob lacked popularity and coolness, but it made him relatable as an equal, someone around whom Les could practice being herself. Or finding herself. She could pretend to be cool like Ky, or geek out over a new anime, or anything really. Jakob might cast an odd look or two, but he never mocked her, and she could study his reactions to see if she was doing ‘it’ right without fear of him thinking negative thoughts. He’d always been friendly because he probably...

He wasn’t her boyfriend.

She didn’t even know for certain if he liked her that way, but it wouldn’t matter anyway. She’d never get a boyfriend before her sister even if she could. She’d seen enough teen movies to know how boys ruined relationships, even between siblings, and it wasn't worth it. Besides, as her sister’s vassal, she’d be busy with vassal stuff. No time for boys.

Jakob waved at her under his desk, his blue eyes looking even larger than they had last year. He was the only person she knew with glasses thicker than her own, and it’s what originally drew them together. He’d let her borrow his glasses one day after she’d lost hers, explaining he had an extra pair in his backpack. They weren’t her prescription, but they were close, allowing her to get through the rest of the day. Her own glasses eventually turned up in lost and found.

Funny thing — she never saw him wearing his spare glasses. He’d probably gone the whole day blind as a bat! Silly boy.

She waved back. He gave a thumbs up for no apparent reason, causing her to smile a little. She’d never been able to figure out his random gestures, but she secretly didn’t mind.

After the bell, he came over to her desk. “Have you picked your club yet?”

“No.” Les closed her history book. “I’m probably not going to join one.”

“Join my club. Please!” He lowered his voice. “I don’t want to be the only one in it.”

“What is it?” Les stood, swinging her backpack over one shoulder, then the other. Her head barely reached Jakob’s shoulder when, before, it had been at his chin. He’d done a lot of growing over the summer!

“The board game club,” he practically whispered. “It’s during seventh period and it counts as your elective. I know you don’t really wanna do music.”

He was right. She didn’t enjoy playing the clarinet. Never had. The instrument seemed built for kids with much bigger lungs than herself. Still…

“You mean chess, right?” she asked. “Isn’t that for nerds?”

“We are nerds,” he said. “We’ve got the glasses and grades to prove it.”

He obviously hadn’t seen her math and social studies grades from the last half of fifth grade.

He lifted her backpack from her shoulder and swung it over his own, then headed toward the door, motioning for her to follow.

“Hey!” She ran to catch up to him, still partially stunned from his boldness. Carrying books was something a boyfriend did!

She jerked her backpack from his shoulder. “You’re not my boyfriend!” she said, a little too loudly.

Jakob turned, the smile vanishing from his face. “I know, I just — “

“Rejected!” Tommy Ortiz, a popular sixth grader who’d been held back a year, slapped Jakob across the top of his head, causing his glasses to fall to the ground with a clatter. A smattering of laughter and giggles erupted across the various groups in the hallways. It was only the first day and kids were already forming cliques.

Les knelt to get Jakob’s glasses, but he snatched them away and took off down the hallway in a wobbly sprint. Kids turned to watch him, some pointing, others taking pictures with their phones.

God, she was an idiot. He was probably just trying to be nice, and she’d gone and embarrassed him on the first day of school! She knew it took a lot of courage for boys to ask a girl out for fear of rejection, and she’d openly rejected him before he’d even asked. Not that he would’ve asked.

He certainly wouldn’t now!

*****

Lesly chose the mashed potatoes and asparagus for lunch, skipping the chicken fried steak and nuggets. She wasn’t a vegetarian but somehow she knew the meat wouldn’t sit well with her. It was as if she could smell it, a vinegar-like odor as she passed the heated plate of fried food.

She sat at the far end of her sister’s table. The seats nearest Ky had already been occupied, as usual. Les expected no different — her sister had always been immensely popular. At least Les got to enjoy the some of the side benefits. For one, she never had to eat alone.

Still, the other girls at the table paid her little attention, the same as it had been the past two years. Even though they were in middle school now, their ‘friends’ were mostly the same. Les would probably get a little more popular once she became Ky’s official vassal, but she only wanted enough coolness to avoid embarrassing her sis.

Across the wide room, Jakob ate alone, pretending to type something on his flip phone. Les knew it was pretend because he’d told her one day, though she forgot exactly why he did it. Jakob, Les, and Ky had to be the only three people in middle school without a real smartphone.

Something bothered her though. Where was Marcus? Jakob and Marcus had eaten lunch together since first grade. In fact, they did everything together. When she’d been younger, she’d been jealous of Marcus, the chubby rich kid who monopolized most of Jakob’s time.

Had he moved away or something? Maybe that’s why Jakob was asking her to join his club. He had to be feeling lonely sitting all alone. Les didn’t like being alone. Of course as her sister’s vassal, she’d never have to be. But still...

She glanced at Ky who was unwrapping a rainbow fruit roll-up, likely given to her by Amanda, a big girl who always had the best sweets.

Standing and taking her tray, Les made her way across the cafeteria to Jakob. No one seemed to notice her departure.

“Can I sit here?” she asked.

Jakob glanced up, then back at his phone, angling the device so she couldn’t see the nonsense he typed.

Les sat across from him and twirled her potatoes with her fork.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

She waited, taking a bite of cold asparagus, watching him type something with both hands.

He showed his phone to her.

IM NEVER TALK TO U AGAIN

She scowled at him, then opened her own phone. It wasn’t a real text because she didn’t have his phone number. It was literally just typing a fake text to her mom and showing the screen to him:

FINE!!!

She didn’t send the message of course as her Mom would’ve been totally confused by it.

She grabbed the edges of her tray and prepared to leave, but something hit against her shin. What on earth! He’d kicked her in the shin!

She frowned and kicked back, catching his right sneaker against her toe. He smirked and she kicked again, this time landing one across his kneecap.

He burst into laughter. “You kick like a girl.”

“I am a girl, you idiot,” she said, as an unexpected giggle erupted from her mouth. She swung both her feet rapidly peppering his shins with kicks that infuriatingly seemed to do no damage whatsoever. Her sister had always complained about how weak she was, and honestly, she couldn’t deny it.

“Ok, ok,” he said, his laughter cooling down as apparently she’d hit something at least slightly painful.

“So much for your vow of silence,” she said, feeling slightly proud at her choice of phrasing. Reading sometimes paid off. She’d never heard another person her age say the word ‘vow’.

“Well, I’m still mad at you,” he said, wiping his glasses on his shirt.

“I said I was sorry.”

“If you’re really sorry, you’ll join my club.” He put his glasses on and looked at her. “Then I’ll forgive you.”

She sighed, but it was a fake sigh. She wanted him to think she couldn’t be bothered, but after thinking about it earlier, she did want to join his club.

“Fine,” she said, doing her best to sound put out, but unable to hide her slight smile. “I’ll join your club.”

“Even though you might get called a nerd?” he asked.

She squinted her eyes at him and pursed her lips, an expression she’d seen her sister make when irritated. She couldn’t hold it for long, however, not when he was making his own face look like a bug-eyed duck.

She giggled and he had his answer. She’d always been a bit of a nerd, and Jakob made her laugh darn it, so a little more nerdiness wouldn’t hurt.

Besides, she oddly felt loads of relief she hadn’t lost her best boy friend.

Boy. Friend. Not boyfriend.