An Abrupt Change of Pace

"Abram!"

I shook as my friend Malcom yelled trying to get my attention. With how shook up I was it wasn't surprising that I almost had a heart attack when I heard him yell my name.

I was just dreading going home and explaining to my grandfather how I was going to be out of the house for a month.

You're probably asking what was so traumatizing that I was left in such a state, and if you don't care and can guess what happened by the title of this journal, then I'm still telling because it's not like anyone will read this.

Earlier this morning.

"Abram! I asked what you would do if you got to be a transfer student for a month?"

So what I doze off a lot, if everything weren't so boring maybe I'd bring myself to full attention. Besides, it's not like I am not paying attention.

The rhythmic thud of the basketball and the squeaking of gym shoes played in my ears as I tried to get some rest, so I wasn't really asleep anyway. Not many people were in the bleachers, maybe ten or twenty, with me and Malcom included. If it was not so hot and there was more than one giant fan cooling the gym off, then maybe it would be a decent gymnasium.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not going. You and me sitting here, watching a basketball game that gives you another ticket for the raffle, should tell you that my odds are slim to none."

"Oh come on, how many languages do you know, three? You were working on learning another, it would be easy for you to learn Korean, I mean if anyone should go…"

"Alright, that's enough stroking my ego, cut it off before I kiss you out of pity."

After months of him praising my intelligence and asking how I study, I found that weirding him out was the best way to get him to shut up.

"I, ugh, fine, but i was just saying the truth."

Yeah, living as the only heir to the arch mage who resides in the americas, will give you a certain lead when it comes to knowledge. Still, after going through high school multiple times, it's not like it's really a challenge any more.

"Did someone say kiss? Can I watch?"

"Abigail, I thought you were playing on the court." I spoke up as she took a seat next to me.

"I rolled my ankle and the teachers gave me an extra ticket out of pity. Wink, wink."

"Do you plan on rolling your ankle on every event? That's… genius." Malcom said before getting up and sheepishly asking one of the teachers to join.

"You feed him too many bad ideas."

"Not as many as you nocturnal."

"You know it's was only recently that getting rest was seen as a bad thing."

"Right right, industrial revolution, blah blah, profit margins, blah blah, technology. Was that close?"

The ego humbler, every reality manipulating mage needs one of these.

"Close enough to get me to shut up."

"Exactly what I was aiming for."

"Whatever, just wake me when the last event is done."

She didn't, instead I woke up to my name being called through the speakers above.

"Abram Williams"

The way too giddy Malcolm pushed me to me to my feet as my name was called.

At first I thought it would be all fine, that once I was down there I would say that I couldn't go, but…

"Sorry Abram, you'll have to take it up with the principal. The transfer team said that the first students name to be drawn would be non negotiable, but if you really can't go then you can plead your case."

Of course I didn't argue there and then, I headed straight to the principal's office and asked, "Why am I being forced to go?"

"Forced? Now calm down Abram, every student who was present signed the student transfer sheet and all necessary information in the first few days here."

"We did?!"

The principals nod guaranteed that I had made a mistake while mindlessly filling out paperwork.

But it didn't seem right, with how many students were present and my chance of getting chosen, it couldn't have been any closer to impossible.

"What are you guys getting at anyway."

The principal looked at me in surprise, letting me know that I was on to something.

"You aren't fooling me, I did everything to avoid going. Is it because of my grades? If you want a model student to send, Malcolm would fit much better."

The principal coughed for a moment before sighing. He typed something into his computer before turning it around.

"Our school did not fit the requirements to apply for this program for many years, but when we were suddenly paired with a school from Korea that changed. For the first time the requirement was bare minimum, the chosen student must be fluent in Korean."

"But I don't speak Korean!"

The evil smile on the principals face should've told me that something was up.

"Or so you say. A few months ago you were gloating to your friends and showing off how many languages you can speak."

My heart sank as he pressed the spacebar and the recording on screen played, my own voice was played back.

"Oh yeah prove it, say something."

The recording drowned out as I thought up as many excuses to try and explain how I knew so many languages, I was only brought back as I heard laughing from the recording.

"So what did you say?" Malcolm's voice asked.

"I only said that if Malcolm doesn't understand what I'm saying then it's his own fault."

The recording stopped and the principal smiled brightly.

"Not only Korean, but also a bit of Latin, German, and French, if I am hearing correctly."

"Since when did the locker rooms have hidden recording devices? That's definitely a breach of privacy."

"Maybe twenty or thirty years ago, but after an AI was developed a compromise was made. The AI alerts the staff for potential out of sight bullying and creates a safer environment."

"But when you spoke up it was shut down for nearly fifteen minutes trying to decipher your words."

"Right, so, you just really want to send a student through this program and I'm the only one that actually qualifies. Why all the theatrics? You just made everyone else believe they had a chance for no reason?"

"A small thing, it got everyone out of class and broke up the monotony, I doubt that anyone would be too upset if they found out."

"Oh but you wouldn't take that risk would you, fine I'll go on a few conditions."

"You are making demands?"

"Yup nothing too big."

"I'll listen, and not because I'm worried or anything." The principal said after ridding a worried look from his face.

"Well, I'm guessing that there is an allowance."

A nod confirmed such a thing.

"Maximize it. I'm not too picky but I don't want to have to do any penny pinching, won pinching, whatever it will be. Second I have the right to pick what my uniform will look like, And third, my grandfather can't learn of where I'm going."

No hard feeling, you're just to controlling. Going free into the world might be some fun, and knowing you, you would never allow it.

"The first two can be done, the third however cannot. You need your parent or guardians signature to finalize all the paperwork."

"You what?! You told me that I couldn't opt out then tell me I need my parents permission? Well there goes that, I haven't left home in years."

"If it's that bad we can call him and ask him to come up here, with a little bit of persuasion I'm sure he will come around."

"No! No don't do that, I'll ask him at home and have him give you the decision himself. He doesn't really like his research being interrupted."

Luckily he didn't press any further and I left without much trouble.

But that leaves me where I am right now, my sweaty palms threatening to mess with the ink on the sheet of paper.

Write faster you damned feather, if I end up dead and nobody hears my story then it's all your fault. No not that, or that. Whatever just keep up and don't stop writing.

"I don't think I can take you with, if that's what your asking Malcolm."

"Maybe you could sneak me through in your luggage."

"And find you as meat paste when opening it up, you have to much trust in the airlines. Even if I told them you had a fragile spine it would end up broken somehow."

"Alright, alright I get it."

"We can pack some extra pillows."

"By the way what is that on your leg?" I asked to change the subject.

"It's a bandage, after going through all that physical terror in the gym earlier I was left barely able to walk. But it was worth it, I'm telling you, just one more rolled ankle and it could've been me that got to go to another country. Your luck just barely won you out."

"I'd call it anything but luck, even after all my hard work I was still chosen."

Why did they choose me? I did everything possible to avoid going… did they find out? No they couldn't have. Grandpa is going to be really upset if they did find out.

I shouldn't worry too much I can just wipe their memory and get on with life… all 400 of them. Right, maybe I should just listen. Maybe they don't know, besides they said I would be back within a month.

I haven't been to Korea in ages, maybe I should say South Korea now. It was only for a day and I was dragged along by grandpa the whole time, but it still counts right?

"Where's Abigail? I thought that she would be here and bugging me for the rest of the time."

"She went home earlier, they had her call her mother to give her a ride home. Her injury must've been a bit more believable then mine."

"That bad huh?"

"Yeah, it was. Wanna go to my place and play some games before you are taken away?"

"Sorry, I have to go home and get this signed before finishing up my homework for the week."

"That's fine just make sure to say goodbye before you leave."

Now to go home, I thought while looking around for my ride.

Ah yes, the all too familiar black car. I asked my grandfather to change the look of the limousine and he created his own brand of vehicle. Fitted it with bulletproof glass and state of the art technology.

If his summon who always wears sunglasses, wasn't enough to tell that he was a chauffeur, then him getting out of the car and opening the door for me would.

"Hello Abram, how was school?" He asked after sitting down and starting the car.

"Same old same old Joltier. Anything fun with you? Fight off any ghosts while I'm furthering my education?"

"Not too many, your grandfather would kill me if I strayed to far from you for too long."

"How was he today, I mean he hasn't hit any roadblocks in his research recently has he?"

"Oh, so you do have something for him. I wouldn't be too fearful, he seemed to have a different feel about him today."

"That's… reassuring."