Road to Entitlement: One

Individual lecture continues for days after Alistair and I decided to be friends, and to make up for the times he have been rude, he sometimes bring me snacks from the cafeteria all the way to our study hall. I would have settle in the library which is way nearer, but food wasn't allowed in there. I appreciated it since only I put an all nighter, because my brain forgets that the headmaster gave us a task. I made it through the deadline, but if I made it efficiently and a must read project, that i can not promise. According to Camila, the individual lectures will last for about 6 months or so. During her season, Individual lectures are during the last period, but since the trainers implemented a new law which indicates individual lectures as pre requisite of group lectures, it shifted from being last to first. As per Camila's word, you have to embrace yourself as an individual and engage yourself together with what your faction has to offer.

During the first one week, I rarely update my family, there is loads of readings to do, even if I am used to father's textbook after textbook, I am breaking down when handed another set of readings. Too much that when Emilla called, I wail for a whole 30 minutes before saying anything. My mom wanted to pull me out, but once a contender, you will have to finish the whole journey. As per our mental health, since we were all away from our family, we have this weekly group therapy session. Individual every two weeks. Which Camila indicated that it is because of a trainer who got diagnosed of a mental health disorder, and the elders saw the need for mental health care during the period of the chosen. Camila is my source of information, I ask her why she tells me all of this. The answer I got is because she didn't like it when she was the one being left in the dark. I am thankful, and I give her my thanks by not giving any of the information to the other contenders.

"Hey," I hear Treyton says, I must have dose off again. I fix my readings and pens before looking at him.

"I'm up." I say, looking at the big chunk of text infront of me. This is the highlight of our everyday, readings after readings. But I decided to join the unprivileged group. They were the first ones who have shown me kindness—except Alistair, but the privileged group only treated me as an accessory they can flaunt.

We were silently studying until Amara, and the others come inside the study hall. I stare as they take their chosen seats, Marvelus, the boy from faction 2, sits beside me. I ignore him and stares as Aera, from faction 3, sits beside Treyton. Zahra from faction 4, sits beside Alistair. Sage from faction 6 and Alessia from faction 9 sits beside Kahlil. I begin to notice that they are surrounding us. Amara takes the center seat, as if she was some kind of leader about to begin a meeting. I look at everyone else, they seem to be unbothered by the privileged encircling us. I ignore that thought, it seems everyone else is doing fine.

I return my focus on the fine print infront of me. I couldn't get past the 3rd paragraph I have been reading for quite a while. I try to eliminate all possible things that could drift me away from the 3rd paragraph. I still have 70 pages. And it is not going anywhere. I hear foosteps approaching us, I ignore it and read the words. I am about to read the 4th paragraph when I hear the headmaster approaches, Sorry, Headmistress. She ask to be corrected a few days ago.

"I am glad that I can finally see all of you in one place, on your own accord, of course." She says, sits infront of Amara with her classic cross leg position. "How are you adjusting at the centrus?" She continues, fixing herself on the wooden chair.

I don't know why, but no one else answers when she ask, i don't know if it is fear that is kicking in, or no one even can comprehend how they feel in this place. Not when they are under the pressure of doing great at the scoreboard. No one answers, she laughs before speaking again.

"Next week, they will start posting the scoreboard, weekly reports will be sent to your faction. But as you all now, no one will know who created the scores on the scoreboard, only the faction on which it belongs." She says, pushing her skirt downward, as it shortens itself above her knee. Amara, the only one brave enough to raise her hand, asks question. "The scoreboard will be refresh during when?" She drops her hand as soon as the sentence ended. Of course that's her question, the leader of the privileged group, the one and only among us who had the bravery to show her eagerness to reach the top. Faction 1 lands number two in the number of trainers produced, that made me question, if they are all prep up like this? Why aren't they crowned as number one?

"The scoreboard will be refresh everyday, with the time unannounce, but it's everyday, however, each faction will receive their report every friday of the week. And to all who is score conscious, you have to do well especially on friday, because that is when your factions will receive your scores, and whatever reward your trainers or past trainers will give, will depend on that score." She says, as if the complex situation of the chosen doesn't give me headache, now I had to take real caution on looking after my scores, when I only wanted to finish this and go home to my family.

I look around and see that only the privileged group are happy, none from Alistair's group even listens. I wonder why. Headmistress stands, straightens her wrinkled skirt, "Now i will leave you to study, you have a very long week ahead." She says and walks away. The privileged group stands up, All of them. One after another. Leaving us alone.

"They knew headmaster—mistress, is coming, that's why they joined us." Alistair says, as soon as Alessia had left the room.

"They always play like that, as if they were reaching out to us but they weren't." Treyton says.

Did I spend too much alone time? Is this what Camila felt when she was left in the dark? Why didn't I notice that the 2 groups are now having a feud? I look at how everyone shakes their head while still flipping pages. I look at Kahlil, fast asleep. If I can't memorize these, Kahlil had lower chance percentage. I remove my jacket, stands up and put it on him. He is just a baby, I doubt if he will be able to win this. Maybe that is why faction 8 ranks 10 in their number of trainers produced, because of their age requirment.

I am shivering as one by one each of them leaves, I couldn't since i still have 30 pages left. Treyton carries Kahlil earlier to bring him to bed. I forgot that I made him wear my jacket so I didn't ask Treyton for it when he walks past me earlier. I rub my hands between them and breathes on them. I look around the place to see if there is such thint as remote that could lessen the degree of coldness in here, or if I could just adjust the heater. But since I can't, I just fixate my eyes on my book to avoid remembering the cold.

I feel a brush of wind on my right side. I see Alistair, removing his leather jacket, a thick one, I am guessing the centrus have provided since there is no way he owns that base on his clothes during our first day, He puts them on top of me and left without even saying a word.

I manage to finish my pages, I hurriedly fix my things, stuffing them into my bag, not even bothering to fix them since I can feel my eyelids getting heavy. I glance at the big grandfather clock across the hallway. It is already past 2am, and I still have to make it in time for Camila's lecture. I run as fast as I can to reach my room. It didn't even occir to me to take a shower, but as soon as i lay flat on top of my bed, I can feel it embracing me.

I wake up as banging knocks are heard through my door. I glance at the clock. It is already 15 minutes before 8. I stand up, push myself in the bathroom. I even forgot to thank the person banging my room. Ever since the sun wakes me up, I didn't bother to alarm anymore, Now I begin to feel the weight of my decision crashing on top of me. I didn't even comb my brown shoulder length hair, I just put it in a messy bun when I saw a wooden chopsticks lying around, grab the clothes I can and heads out. I forgot if I had everything I needed. I only stuff it all in my bag I forgot to check it. I see Alistair standing outside my door. He says that when he didn't see me outside my door when he usually does before the bell rings, He knew that something is wrong. I thank him and run towards tulip right after the bell rings.

Today, Camila gave me my first written exam, although i am proud to say I'm glad I finish my readings last night, I cannot say I ace the test. It is full of analytical scenarios of what can happen in regals and I didn't expect it not to be definition of terms. I head for lunch after her exam.

"I don't get it why Alessia is on their side." I hear Treyton says as she stares on the privileged group. He starts eating.

"I don't even get why there has to be picking of sides." I reply as I dig into my rice balls. Treyton stares at me with narrow and judging eyes.

"What? Maybe they are friends. Who am I to judge that." I continue. Lies. I call them privileged group, but I don't think it would really end in feud.

"Alessia should be here with us." Treyton says, eating his burger.

"We got Ernilla. Of course they would get Alessia." I hear Alistair say, not even aware that he was sitting beside me.

"I see your point." Treyton says, I don't.

I go back to room tulips after my quick lunch, to my surprise, Camila is already there. She was never the early type, seeing her here is new to me. "Sit down," she says leaning into her table before handing me down the exam i took in the morning, already graded and marked as A - . I am so shock to see the mark in red, I never would have thought I actually ace it. All of the analytical questions I manage to circle, seems to have been actually right. "Your population is only 10, compared to the trainers retiree that lives here, of course we will check it immediately since we need to refresh your scoreboards daily." She continues.

One of the question that I remember the most is about a tree I kept on hearing even back home. In school, we were thought all of the natural resources regal can produce. Avers Omnia is a tree that faction 5 produces, that is there source of income. It is planted all over our regals, but the location of faction 5 makes it the suitable place for it to bloom more efficiently. However, due to its location as well, whenever a typhoon hits their land, Avers Omnia is typically destroyed. It is tree that grows approximately 40 feet above, It a tree that when used with the specific range of heat, can be turned into finest ingredients that outstands metal. That tree is popular, since it wasn't made of metal, rusting is not seen, and it gives off the silver color, the one that is frequently use here in the northern side. It prolongs the life of every infrastructure, and the wood are so sturdy, even when earthquakes arise the infrastructure remains standing.

The question goes like this, our realm is experiencing drought all through out every faction, since the need for water had resurface, you, as one of the trainers relied artificial seeding, but just in time for the seeds to bring rains, a typhoon hit. The seeds you had planted caused the rain to double its size, the drought have been solve, yes, but not the damage it did to Avers Omnia. During your reign, Avers Omnia is needed as everyone relied on it's produce. It will cause delay in deadlines of infrastructure, and also the homes it builts, what will you do to fix this mess?

I didn't elongate my answer. Back home, my usual day always ends with me meeting up Dion for a quick snack, telling each other about what we had read on our fathers' research. I told him I read about researches on a natural resource that can be use as roof, for financially restrained citizen, the raw materials will be cheap, but not the benefit it can give. Dion will tell me about Avers Omnia, which his father researches on how to make use of destroyed ones. I told him that what I wanted to know is if we have the same kind of tree. He told me we did, but it is not the same in terms of sturdy. That's what I answered, to mix the two up, thinking if it will produce the same effect.

I take another exam, and since I battled with the first one, I didn't have any nervousness in me arising, and when it is already done, Cynthia left me early, and says I could use the rest.

I take a warm bath and burrow myself sheet after sheet. The fatigue from last night still exists in me, and the headache starting to seep in after cups of coffee. I only stand up when it is time for dinner. Everyone else talks about the exam we just took, I didn't want to tell mine without excluding the details that I aced the test, that's why I put on my earphones the whole dinner time, before heading back to my room.

Weekend goes by, with me burying myself with TV shows and food sent down to my room, I wake up to see my fellow contenders crowding up the bulletin board on the rims of the quadrangle, I walks towards it and they stare at me, all with enlarged eyes, that's when it starts to hit me. The scoreboard! I didn't have to push them off the center, they make way to let me get through.

"You didn't tell us that you aced the exam." I hear Treyton says, which only proved my intuition.

I am today's top trainee. But for how long? I know I didn't want to feel it. But my name in bold letters on the uppermost number brings adrenaline rush to my body. I wanted to feel that again.

"I didn't expect to be one..." I say to Treyton. He gave me a giggle.

"Well, you deserve it. You were the only one strong enough to pull an all nighter." He says. I look at everyone else's name. But what I wanted to see is Kahlil's. He lands on 5. Not bad for a 7 year old!I look for him in the crowd, "Congrats, Kahlil! I am proud of you!" I say, as I lower my head to reach him, he return a welcome by hugging me.

"I told you, we should get the faction 7 in our group." I hear Marvelus say.

"So what? You tell all these peasants what to study?" Amara says, I always thought she had a strong personality, but i didn't expect her to be rude. I stand up, recheck the scoreboard, only to see that the privileged group all lands below. Treyton next to me, Alistair lands fourth, and Alessia lands on third.

"I'm sorry if I spend my time studying, other than kissing my way to top." She seems baffled. I take a look at Alessia. "You're in the wrong group faction 9, before they drag you, come join us." I say then leave. Alistair and others followed me. I am not that far away from the bulletin board until I feel someone yanking my hair, I didn't have to look at the person. I know it's Amara.

I put my hand on my hair, grab whoever's hand is on my hair, pulls it forward, when it is in level of my chest, I twist the arm, push it off my shoulder, and face her. I was right it was Amara.

"You should have known better not to lay your finger on me when I punch Alistair infront of you." I say, walking away from them.

It is a good thing that I had lectures with Camila, I had to avoid bumping my faces into people. I won't have to answer questions, just imagining what questions will be ask, I feel my stomach churn. It was about lunch time when I requested food to be sent to my room. When I am about to take it from my door. I see Treyton.

"Are you going to hurt all of us, Faction 7?" He says, coming towards me with his arm cross to his body.

"Funny joke, Faction 8." I say, riding along in his jokes.

"Oh, you have to warn me before hand so I can prepare myself." He says putting his hand in surrender.

"Correction, I only hurt Alistair, I defended myself from Amara." I say, waving my index finger sideways and pointing it towards him.

"If you say so, faction 7. So you just what, go around punching people and twisting their arms?" He says, leaning on my door.

"My father had twin daughters, he was extra protective." I say, but we all know he was overly protective.

"Ah, so someone in the southern side also goes around punching people and twisting arms." He says that made me laugh.

"No! My twin sister is much innocent, although she punches hard, she rarely punch." I say, starting to get curious on why he was at my door. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"I wanted to give you this!" He says, picks out something from his pocket and giving it to me.

"A boxing keychain. Really?" I say as I hold the red painted boxing gloves in the air.

"People should be warned about you, according to Alistair, your punch hurt!" He says, I reply with a laugh and bid my goodbye.

I was kinda hoping that my name on the uppermost part of the bullentin board will stay for more than a day, it did. But now the anxiety of not being able to maintain it makes my head hurt. For the next 3 days I am crowned as top one, and although I never wanted to win this, I still want my name on top.

Evening came and we all gathered to have our weekly group therapy session. Vilma, our shrink, asks us how we felt about the scoreboard, and since i am the top one, I get to answer first. "It is nice to see fruits of your labor." I say, Vilma waited for continuation, when i added nothing, she turns to Treyton. "I am just glad I got in on top 5, I wanted to until the very end." He answers, I just realize that we were postioned in order of ranking. "I didn't expect this. I only studied because I didn't want to be in the lowermost part, but I am willing to do i again." Alessia says. All of us turn our heads to Alistair, "I wanted this. I am willing to make it possible. No matter what." It was drop dead silent. Nobody had the guts to actually say those words. You can hear it all over his voice. The indication in his voice. There is presence of thirst, the bulletin board is his water. Kahlil, the next in line, takes over the silence. "This is what I came here for. I am tired of seeing my family suffer. I am with Alistair. I am willing to make it possible." Kahlil says with feeble voice. I am surprise he could even say those words. I am surprise his writing is legible enough for the checkers. I am starting to be curious on when he learned to read.

Zahra answers next, "I only joined because my parents won't stop bugging me about it, they promised me a car when I get home." The fact that her answers is too far from the question, I think this is her way of being insensitive. I see the other contenders exchange looks and scowls, including Alessia. "No, Zahra, I asked how you felt about the scoreboard." Vilma clarifies.

"That's what i felt, top or not, I will still have my car." Zahra insisted. Another set of rolling eyes had resurface from Alistair's group. "Sage? How bout you?" I feel a slight change in Vilma's voice when he ask Sage. "I feel nothing." Sage says, then checking her nails out. I have seen Faction 7 cheerleaders, they are far from what Zahra and Sage had to offer. Vilma turns around to ask Aera. "I feel awful, I never wanted to be below anyone again." She says, Vilma smiles. Atleast someone in their peer group actually sees things.

It is now Amara then Marvelus' turn. "I didn't feel anything really. I didn't have to win anything." Amara says, Marvelus agrees with her. "Same with me. I don't need this. It what those peasants need." He says, as if completely forgotten Vilma is with us. Amara uses her elbow to prod him gently. Marvelus realizes his mistake, but even before he could speak up for it, Alistair stands up.

"Vilma, as you can see, we have groups here, we will appreciate if you'll schedule different sessions now." He says, tightly clenching his fist, before walking out. Kahlil, Treyton follows, and others too, until it was my turn to follow. I kinda thought He would punch him. But I guess not infront of Vilma. We all waited outside, as if waiting for Alistair to say something. When Alistair didn't speak, slowly others started leaving, and i was about to myself. When I saw him, eyes fixated on the person who just got out of Vilma's office. It's Amara and Marvelus. I can see him burning the two with his eyes. I follow him, only to see him land his fist on Marvelus. "I couldn't hurt Amara for calling us peasant because she is a girl, but you're not, and if you don't want to take two punches tonight, run." He says, turning around. Brushing his hands in his face. Amara runs, Marvelus didn't. Another fist landed on his face. Marvelus is about to fight back when I shield myself to Alistair.

"You called us peasants, you deserve that punch." I say, he replies with a laugh.

"You are being protected by a girl, I should call you other names now." Marvelus says, I see a little bleed in between his mouth. He turns away.

"You've given me strength to fight, coward." Marvelus says before disappearing. I think Alistair provoked him, now she wanted to be the chosen for real. I pull Alistair with all my strength. Just because I go around punching people, he could too.