Focus Ezra. Just. Focus.

Throwing one arm in front of the other, I keep driving myself through the water toward the wall in front of me.

Everything I've got in front of me I can beat. I just need to focus.

"The point at which the defined becomes indefinable Ezra, is—Ezra. EZRA!"

I quickly jump at Dad's raised voice and look away from my lightsaber. "Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Yes?" I ask him.

Dad scowls. "Were you listening to me?"

"Yes." I nod, causing him to scowl.

"This is important. You need to know this. You never know when knowledge like this will come in handy."

"I understand." I nod in understanding once again.

Angrily, he walks over and snatches my lightsaber off the table and tosses it thru the open doorway. "All you care about is that lightsaber. About fighting and looking cool. Well guess what jackass, that won't work one day. You need to hear what I have to say and FOCUS. Do you understand me?"

I bow my head. "Yes."

"Yes…?"

"Yes Dad. I will learn to focus." Instantly, he slaps the top of my head. "OWW!"

"Oh that didn't hurt. If I wanted to hurt you I would." He scowls angrily at me. "And there is no learning to focus. I gave you that ability. Use it. Do it. Focus."

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Wall. Kick.

Arriving at the wall, I allow all my muscles to coil up, then fire them all at once in order to turn the other way before a light rumble reaches my ears.

I'm probably close to needing to go. I know the pool was reserved at 6.

Now brake.

Using the Force and my will, I stop in place then poke my head just above the surface of the water, allowing my toes to barely touch the bottom of the pool and spot multiple girls in one-piece swimsuits. "Oh damn, my bad. Sorry."

Oh shit. It's soccer.

Liz turns around at the sound of my voice. "Ezra?"

"Yeah, hi. Sorry. Didn't know it was you guys." I apologize while swimming to the edge.

"Uh—yeah. How are you? We heard about the fight at the party? Are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine." I smile.

She lightly smiles back before asking "We heard you were hurt."

"Not too bad. Cut my hand, but eh. It'll heal." I shrug, shoulders still under the water. "Heads up, I'm getting out."

Liz listens, taking a step back. "Thanks for the warning. It's too—" She says before her jaw just drops.

I sheepishly smile at her, then walk past her and grab my towel. "Didn't want to get you wet."

"How did you…what the heck?!" She sputters. "You didn't use the side."

Yeah, I used the Force, not that she'd know and my core and leg strength to just jump out of the pool.

"I didn't skip leg day. No big deal." I say sheepishly.

"Liz! Don't bother—Ezra? What in the he…" I hear Jaicey's voice before turning and seeing her, clearly with no makeup on and without her hair done gaping at me. "What happened to your back?"

The scars.

"Fell off my bike at top speed when I was a kid. Wasn't wearing a shirt. Doesn't hurt." I lie brazenly.

Doesn't explain the whipping, cuts from blades and small burn on my back, but whatever. She won't notice.

Jaicey's face contorts before she takes a look at my abs, waist and legs before gulping slightly. "Didn't know you worked out."

"Have to stay in shape somehow." I say sheepishly, then run the towel through my hair.

"Do you wanna come over to my dorm some time?" Liz asks. "Watch some Netflix? Chill out?"

I laugh to myself, then look back to Liz. "Not this week. Maybe later though."

"Sure." Liz smiles widely before I turn back to see Jaicey looking disapprovingly at Liz.

"We're here to get cardio."

Liz quickly straightens up. "Right. I'll go get my stuff from the changing room." She quickly bolts for the locker room before I can say another word.

"Sorry you got suspended." I tell her, walking over to where I put my sandals.

"Not your fault." Jaicey waves me off. "I thought you were actually hurt. JJ called to see how you were doing, and nobody really said anything since we aren't related to you."

"I'm fine." I dismiss her concern. "Hand hurts a bit, but that's because I grabbed the door when I went through it."

"How'd you get up after the stairs?"

"I bounced." I joke, getting her to laugh before I grab my shirt.

People are staring.

I smile before pulling my shirt on. "I'm fine. Shoulder's worked out now, we can move forward."

"We tried calling you." She says quickly, then scratches her scalp in embarrassment. "Matt and JJ and, uhm, Sabine. Said the number was no longer in service."

"Is now." I smile. "Phone got destroyed. Had to get a new one."

"Oh." Jaicey bites her lip before I gather up my stuff.

"Good seeing you Jaicey. Didn't mean to cause a scene."

"Sabine…didn't mean everything she said." Jaicey tells me, instantly causing me to stop.

I hang my head, then smile to myself. "Yeah, she did. I've heard it before though, it's okay."

"You ha—it's not okay though."

"I just have to focus and work my way through it. If she's with me, okay, If not, okay. It was a "drunk words, sober thoughts" situation. Is she here?" I throw in causally.

Jaicey smirks. "Yeah. Liz is keeping her in there. I assume. If she's not I'm having her do five laps."

"Hah." I can't hold back my laugh.

"Really though. She shouldn't have said it. She's having a hell of a time now though."

Good.

"Running from the cops will do that." I smile.

The words clearly trigger something in Jaicey's brain because she lights up. "By the way, what's with this military member business? Everybody got charged with it and the judge is being super tough about it."

"How would you know? You didn't get charged." I counter, causing her to pale slightly.

"JJ and Matt did. Jackass."

I raise my hand in apology. "It's a fact. I didn't call the cops.

"Yeah, and now look what happened."

Matt's backup, a beloved senior whose job he took led a comeback last Saturday and won. He never got to come into the game and the crowd absolutely abused him with chants and vicious signs. The cameras panned to him on the bench clearly trying to look fine but you could tell it was getting to him. Trey got back in the game but got hit weird on like his third play and didn't return. Football won, soccer lost…

Everybody lost.

I smile to myself, then look back up. "I'll see you around Jaicey. Sorry about causing so much trouble."

"You didn't cause all this. You're the real victim in all this."

I start to walk away, then stop and glance back at her. "Still. Look at the mess though."

"—the state of California, after the events of Saturday, September 26th has formally voiced their concern with harboring a "enhanced individual" inside their borders alongside their everyday citizenry."

"Hasn't New York already talked to them about this?" I ask Twos, then shrink the browser and look back to the file.

Looks like there's a meeting in a few weeks in Sacramento.

"Yes, they have. It seems they aren't convinced. Would you like me to request the files on the meeting between the New York Council and the state government?"

I nod, then glance around at the lecture hall as it slowly fills up. "Yeah." I type out to Twos, then reach back and pull my notebook out of my bag.

"Requested. Also, your Strategies class is coming up. Would you still like me to send you're the brief from China as soon as it arrives?"

"Yeah." I nod again before scooping up a pen and start twirling it in my fingers.

Nervous energy is nerve-less energy.

And yet here I am, showing slight nerves.

Weird that soccer would hide Sabine from me. Jaicey sent Liz scurrying right after she realized it was me.

"I have requested the file on the Council meeting Ezra."

I hear footsteps off to my left before "Hey Ezra."

Smile. Be sure to smile.

"Hey Sabine." I smile, then take in her outfit change.

She's not wearing sweats. She's in jeans and a outfit that hangs off her shoulder, revealing part of a tattoo.

Sabine smiles at me as she sits down, then sets her bag aside. "How are you? You look busy."

"I'm fine. I like your look." I gently tease her.

Loosen up. She's using small talk as a shield.

"Thanks." She immediately blushes, then ducks down to grab her notebook and clicker.

Which reminds me.

I grab mine then glance back at my messages with Twos.

"Anything else you would like me to do before I unplug for your class?"

"No." I respond. "Thank you Twos." Before locking my tablet and stowing it away as Calhoun walks in and greets the room.

"Morning class…clickers out, this class will not take all that long…"

Okay.

I shift in my seat then reach out to get a handle on Sabine, getting a healthy amount of nerves and attention on me.

She's been staring at me.

"When is the next registration period for Spring classes?"

November.

The options pop up on the screen, and I select November out of the list of selections then turn off the tiny lighted display before seeing a glimpse of my father's reflection.

No.

I shake my head as Calhoun begins talking again before I see Sabine turn to me out of the corner of my eye.

Yup. November. Focus on the facts. And not the fact that you're the spitting image of him. I'm better. I'm at least trying to be better, that automatically makes me better.

He never bothered. He spent most of his adult life hell bent on one thing: Creating beings that can use the unlimited potential of the Force. Not thinking of the terrible burden it could be or how much responsibility he was giving us—

Oh wait, he's asking another stupid question.

"What percentage of female college freshmen report being stalking or physically abused in their college careers?"

Over 60%.

Choosing the only option above 50, which happens to be 68%, I glance around before seeing Sabine shift in her seat again.

That was me. Technically, when I gave her my notes if you really want to think about it. I damaged her and didn't even think about it. Of the consequences. I need to always take a step back in moments like that and consider what I'm doing.

It's not fair to her.

Calhoun changes the slide, indicating that the clicker portion of class is over with today before sipping his thermos of coffee and begins his lecture.

Stepping back would break my focus. Both in the moment and of the larger picture. And I'm hardwired not to do that. Breaking my focus is a cardinal sin. I have to be able to hold all of this inside my head and maintain my focus.

Elias doesn't have to deal with this. The pressure. He vanished, literally. He could be literally anywhere in the world, on a beach somewhere with a drink in his hand, playing a video game and I'm here, grappling with the family legacy.

As it stares me back in the mirror every day.

My hand twinges slightly as in front of me, papers are being passed back.

Just like the syllabus.

Taking the proffered sheet, I set the remainder by my backpack and glance at the sheet, which looks like a calendar for the remainder of the semester.

I'm surprised he bothered. Everything the Council and Temple can find, he hates just having to show up three times a week.

Out of nowhere, he grabs his bag and starts toward the door as everyone else is packing up their stuff. "Where's he going?" I turn and ask Sabine.

"He dismissed us after revealing this scavenger hunt thing." She looks at me funny then her expression lightens. "You have a second? Before Spanish?"

I nod. "They cancelled again, so yeah."

Guess I should pack up.

I quickly grab my notebook, which is dated but has nothing written down and toss it into my bag an follow it with my pen and clicker. "Sorry I spaced." I apologize while standing as Sabin e does the same, having waited around a minute for me.

"It's fine. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Sabine stops mid steps on the stairs, turns around and gently, but firmly grabs my arm. "No, really."

"Yeah?" I reply, unsure of myself. "I'm fine."

"You were twirling your pen so fast it could have taken flight on its own."

Dammit.

"I was listening to Calhoun."

Sabine's eyes narrow before they roll in irritation. "You didn't know when class ended."

"Don't you want to talk to me?" I pop off, immediately causing Sabine to back down.

"Uhm, yeah. Sorry. Uhh…yeah." She sputters, then turns away from me and starts down the final flight of stairs before stumbling and catching herself with the railing.

That got her attention.

She beats me to the door, allowing her to grab it for me and returning the smile I give her for the gesture. "Is your hand okay?"

"You talked to Jaicey."

"Yeah." Sabine nods. "I didn't know you worked out."

"I swim sometimes."

"That's not what she said."

I laugh involuntarily, getting Sabine to smile. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Well you did say it."

"Seriously, Ezra. You okay? Because I know you changed your number and you have every reason in the world to be mad and never talk to me again but I—I really am sorry." Sabine gushes, suddenly sounding very choked up as I pull out my phone and extend it to her.

"It got broken. Your contact info didn't save. Here." I extend my phone to her.

Sabine look to my phone, then sniffles. "Oh. I didn't know that."

"What do you know?"

I actually don't know. I suspect everything.

"Nothing, really." She ducks her head while rapidly typing into my phone. "I kind of, uhm, blacked out. Kind of. I remember seeing you, I was really happy to see you. I tired hanging out with you but dumb, drunk me got separated eventually, then I met Drew and we really hit it off and next thing I really recall is being…with him at his apartment."

Oh she was with him. And she's lying. She remembers more than just being with him.

"Drew huh? I never got his name." I say evenly as Sabine moves onto Snapchat, visible over the display.

She pauses, log in screen just having loaded. "You didn't?"

"No." I shake my head. "I was running around taking people home so nobody ruined their lives or killed someone. Uber and Lyft refused to pick anybody up. Something about a strike."

"Oh. Well that's nice of you."

"You really have no memory?" I ask firmly.

Sabine's eyes widen nervously before she shakes her head. "No. What'd I do?"

"I don't know really. I just saw you guys in the theater room getting acquainted with each other and decided it was time to go. Which is how it all started."

"I, uhm, actually knew that already." Sabine says very quietly still typing on my phone. "Jaicey remembered."

I turn and fire off "Then why ask?"

"Different points of view." Sabine replies.

"But you already knew what I know. What you said."

Sabine's head snaps to me. "No, I don't know that. Jaicey didn't say that I said anything, just that I was a super bitch toward you and that's how you ended up in a huge fight and in the hospital apparently. They thought." She amends her statement.

"You said a lot." I laugh once. "And I didn't go to the hospital. I'm fine. Couple of small cuts, hurt my shoulder, got patched up, slept in my own bed."

"Okay. I, uhm, my dad's lawyer said that he can get me a copy of the transcripts. Apparently LAPD got audio from somebody's phone."

"Mine." I smile thinly. "Didn't really have choice, sorry."

Twos gave it to the Council.

"No, no it's fine. I deserve all of it. I'm just, so, so sorry you had to see me like that, and with another guy and I promise it'll never happen again Ezra."

Wait.

"With another guy?"

Sabine freezes up, then bites her lip. "Yeah. Drew."

"It was a hookup, why would that matter. It happens." I shrug. "It happened in high school since like, junior year." I lie. "It's college, it happens."

"You…" Sabine blinks a few times. "Huh?"

I smile at her. "I was surprised, yeah. But look at you. Now I see it. You were pretty before. Now, that you've dressed up you're super beautiful. Drunk yeah, Drew or whatever his name is saw that. And it led us to this point. Nothing we can do about the past. Just focus on the future."

Sabine tilts her head at me. "You think I'm…beautiful?"

Shit.

"Today, yeah. You look great. But that's not my point. If you're apologizing and don't know what you said, just for the actions then don't apologize." I counter. "It doesn't mean anything then, and I can tell you want to mean it."

"I am sorry." She gulps, looking slightly near tears.

"Then mean it."

"I do mean it!" She slams her phone back into my chest. "Dammit, I'm trying here Ezra!"

"Ezra?" A third voice chimes in, sounding barely familiar.

We both turn to look at a blonde haired girl who looks dressed up before I realize who it is.

Aubrey.

"It is you. I thought it was you." She beams, the moves to hug me. "How are you?"