Cafeteria

There was a lot of banging, noise and talking coming from the walls. Levi and Abby entered into yet another large spacious room and the noise came to a torpid stop. 

Everyone's eyes were laid on one person in lavender standing at the door. As usual.

Levi definitely didn't expect such attention. He took a quick glance at Abby who was at his side, hoping she could do something. Abby raised her right forearm presenting him, "Everyone! I'll like to introduce our newest recruit, Nine." She declared loudly as her voice bounced around the place.

"Hi" Levi said nervously raising his right palm up. There was miserable silence and Levi could hear someone cough at the back. This place was definitely giving him a school aura. The room must be a cafeteria because everyone was seated with meals before them. A few were standing though, while others sat on top tables. 

Abby leaned on him, "You're meant to introduce yourself, I won't do that for you." She whispered with her left brow up. Levi nodded.

"Umm, hello... I'm Levi. Levi Parker." He gulped and continued, "I'm 17 years old, uhh.. I come from the North Win-"

"Fucking hell man, just tell us your potential already!" A girl sitting on a table in the front row interrupted loudly. Once again, Levi looked at Abby helplessly. 

Luckily, she came to his rescue, "He's a grey and-" She was cut off with the burst of laughter from the academics. She rolled her tongue in her mouth and continued but a bit louder even as the laughter went on. "And... I know a lot of you will find that funny, but he can improve and get a green-" her last phrase even fueled the hee-haws. 

Abby turned to Levi, "Let's just get a seat, I'm hungry." Good idea, Levi thought. He followed her as they walked through the middle aisle. The laughter had slowed and it was just stares and tiny whispers. Levi could estimate at most a thousand in the room. How many academics are admitted here? Not to talk of those he saw in the hallway and at The Den. And everyone was of the same age group, he noticed. A horrible thing, he thought, bringing together teenagers in one facility.

Levi looked both left and right, everywhere was filled up. He felt a hundred eyes stabbing his body, although he's used to such a situation, this was different. Yes, this was different.  The stares were not really that of disgust, taunt and mockery, it was stares of curiosity, disappointment, interest, jealousy and maybe just a little bit of mockery.

Abby and Levi got themselves food on a tray at a buffet at the far end of the room. Abby simply got herself two hard-boiled eggs and a little box of milk. But Levi, no way. He was stricken, never had he seen so much food. Not just food, exotic food. He wished the room was far less filled but he also needed to give a good impression of himself. He then got a cheddar casserole with eggs, bacon and tomatoes, finalized with a box of milk.

Levi surmised Abby was some kind of star in The Academy, well respected or rather, feared. Maybe that was why the Dean put her in charge of him today. His guesses were immediately proved spot-on. Abby led him to a table next to a wide window which the late morning rays got into the room from. 

They arrived at the table filled with boys. Abby stood for a few seconds, holding her tray. The boys skimmed her and themselves before they all reluctantly got up. 

One of them said out loud as he passed Levi, "He can't even stand up for himself!" He threw his arms in the air and flagged at Levi, "Auntie Lydia! Maybe you could add him to your kitchen staff. Look at his tray, I bet eating food is your ability ain't it?" 

Shit. 

The laughter erupted again and the boy felt extremely satisfied as he roamed with his squad to another end of the room. Levi felt his heart begin to heavy and his throat tighten as they both occupied the empty seats. Why does it have to be him? He thought. He looked up at Abby and she seemed unbothered and was already eating her eggs.

He didn't know anything about this place his whole life and yet it was getting to his emotions so quickly. He forced his food down as he just lost appetite. His eyes noticed a movement from his lateral. Someone was coming his way. No, he didn't need any disturbance right now or he could break.

"Levy?"

Levi looked up to see a dark skinned skinny teen with non-native brown hair. He looked extremely familiar and he hoped for his suspicions to be incorrect.

"No way." The boy chuckled, "No fucking way."

Abby looked in inquisition as Levi slowly stood up. The two boys stared at themselves for a while before they jammed an impulsive warm hug.

---

"You know, I'm really sorry about your dad," Brody said seated beside Levi. Brody was Levi's childhood friend and only friend. He never discriminated him for his syndrome and he was the only person Levi informed before running away to the West Wing.

"It's alright." Levi gave a weak smile, "It's alright," He repeated with both arms crossed on the table.

Brody looked sympathetically at Levi, "You know you should've been there."

"Yeah I should have," Levi said quietly. Abby stood up to leave and Levi looked up at her, "Uhh.. You going? Where?"

She checked her watch, "I'm supposed to pick something up for you now. It's really crazy I have you to babysit." She caught the look of despair on Levi and smiled. "What's wrong pretty face? You miss me already?" She mocked mimicking a baby's cry.

Levi looked about and watched her back as she walked down the aisle. "Don't get your hopes high on that," Brody said with a large grin. They both chuckled.

"No, it's nothing," Levi replied inactively.

"Come on, tell me bro, what's been going on? You look different man, really good!" Brody said enthusiastically, shaking both shoulders of Levi.

"Really?"

"Really! How the hell did you get in here?"

"Long story."

Brody kept his arm over Levi's shoulder and picked at the remains of his food. "Heard your abilities be grey?" Levi didn't reply, so he went on. "They gave you a cool code name, Nine. Sounds about right." He munched on the bacon, "You know what they named me?" Levi looked up at him, a bit apathetic about the conversation. "Sock. These cunts named me Sock." 

Levi heard himself give a short laugh. Brody always knew how to make him laugh, "Really?" He asked.

"I'm not joking." Brody replied licking his fingers

"What about your ability...?"

"Mine? Blue." He raised his arms in defense, "I don't mean to make you feel bad-"

"No no, no problem." Like he felt earlier, he knows nothing about this place but yet his mind is wrapped over all this ability bullshit. "What are they?"

"Oh! I'll show you," Brody said. He adjusted his seating and rubbed his palms, "I don't know if it's gone yet but I'll try." He focused on the milk box squinting hard, the box lifted a few inches from the table and dropped back. Brody let out a huge exhale.

"Wow." Levi remarked.

"Yeah, telekinesis, pretty cool huh?"

"Yup it is. What did you mean by you don't know if it's gone?" Levi asked.

"These abilities are temporal" Brody replied. Temporal? Levi thought, now that was a let down. "It usually peaks in the morning and starts to fluctuate by noon. By evening, it's completely gone and refreshes the next day." Brody continued, "The span depends on how strong you are and your health state."

"So you're saying, it's possible I can't do anything till tomorrow?"

"Yes, I think so." Brody said as he drove his fingers through his hair. "Mine could only last two hours when I was a noob."

Levi looked down at the spirals on the wooden table, he pondered a lot on this. "And how did this... Academy know that we have abilities?" 

"It's what they do, but I don't know how." Brody replied, picking at his teeth.

"So, they're just keeping us here for what?"

"You know how like 20 or 25 years ago, the raid which killed a lot of pe-" He stopped when he saw Levi already nodding, "They say there's going to be another very soon, and we are meant to be Earth's heroes."

Levi found himself giggling. "Wow, that's just crazy."

---

Levi entered the room where he started the day from. They really topped the notch. Everything was neatly arranged with a shelf of books, a classic wardrobe and a nice white average sized bed. This was way out of his league, more exclusive than that he had at Mayskeep not to talk of what he used to sleep on when he ran. He felt the nice wooden frame. 

He was tired, Brody had taken him on an exhausting tour round The Academy and it was getting dark. The institution was bigger than he expected, it was like a city of its own. He took off his shirt to sleep. His side eye caught his reflection in the mirror. 

No way, he couldn't believe it. He was ripped! Levi could've sworn that just the other day he was as thin as a broomstick with his ribs visible. But now, he had no words for it. He caressed his chest and flaunted himself to the mirror. Was his illness gone? Now he realized, where was the bleeding? The headaches, the coughing and weakness? He had felt none of that since today. Not only that, he remembered he had brown eyes, but now they were sparkling blue, his facial features were just better. Amazing, he thought. 

He heard a knock at the door and he got it. Abby was standing in the hallway in her pyjamas. She took a long look at Levi's biceps before looking up at him. Levi felt shy and he immediately hid the rest of his body but his head behind the door.

Abby gave a short smile. She handed him a sealed bag. "What's this?" Levi asked.

"Everything you'll need. Key, spare uniform, tag... just check it all yourself."

"Alright. Thank you," Levi said taking the bag.

"Any problem?" Abby asked cocking her head.

"No, no, none at all," Levi replied quickly.

Abby stood for a few seconds, "You will have your training first thing tomorrow, I'll pick you up."

Levi nodded vigorously like the words she said needed much understanding, "That sounds right."

She stood for a while, then bit her lip and nodded before leaving.

Levi quietly closed the door and gave a huge sigh of relief. He tossed the bag on the bed and went on to check out his newfound build.

[I like her] A synthesized, metallic female voice sounded.

Levi quickly looked away from the mirror and around the room startled, "Who's that?" He asked the empty room.