CHAPTER 17 - TRIS

I am sitting in my Biology class jotting down some notes on a chapter we read in class today, when the teacher hands me a pass.

Name: Beatrice Prior

Reason: completion of test

Destination: room C133

I pack my things into my bookbag and nod to the teacher as I walk out into the hallway. What is going on?

*Page Break*

I open the door to room C133 as quietly as I can. But no one is inside this room. Everyone except a woman with short blonde hair and blue dress that hugs her body. I recognize this teacher from somewhere, but can't really remember.

"Ah, Miss Prior. Thank you for coming!" the woman exclaims when she sees me. Her eyes seem to search me as I take a seat at an empty table. I nervously tap my fingers against the hard table. Something about this meeting doesn't feel… right.

"I'm Ms. Matthews and I teach an AP Biology class here but originally taught at a college in downtown. I believe I met your older brother, Caleb, chose that college. What a shame that I could not stay to teach him." My fingers stop tapping and I raise my eyebrows.

"You met my brother Caleb?"

Ms. Matthew's gives me a small smile that looks forced.

"Why yes! He is such an excellent young man with such high expectations for himself. I absolutely adore him! There should be more people in this world like him." I don't blame her. Caleb is the perfect son, brother, boyfriend, and promise breaker there is.

Caleb is only older than me by a year and was in his Junior year high school when he showed signs of being a genius. He took the title proudly, wearing it anywhere he went. It made me feel downright stupid because I am just… average. I'm smart, but not "genius" level of smart. And so Caleb became a glory-seeking idiot to me. Of course, he was still nice to everyone else. He was selfless, kind, and always completing all his volunteer hours. It was repulsive when he came home and played the "perfect son" in front of our parents. But when were alone, Caleb revealed his true colors.

"What are you doing Beatrice?" Caleb called from the living room.

"I'm heating up a pizza. Christina and Tobias are coming over to watch a movie soon. Why are you asking?" I pulled the frozen pizza out of the box and set it on the circular metal tray to heat it up in the oven. Caleb walked into the kitchen and gave me a patronizing look.

"You don't put the pizza on that tray. Here," he handed me a square pan. "Put it here instead." I didn't accept that tray. I was going to do this the right way like my Mom taught me.

"No genius. I got this." I slid the tray with the pizza into the oven and set the timer for thirty minutes. I was about to walk out of the kitchen and go organize a stack of movies for my friends to choose from when I heard Caleb mutter something under his breath. I spun around.

"What did you just say?"

Caleb gives me a look, like he's in charge of me. Like he's the parent!
"You're a dumb blonde. No wonder no one likes you. Because you're so stupid."

I clenched my fists tightly and set my head high.

"Blondes are stupid? Last time I checked, your girlfriend is a blonde and she's the second smartest person in the school!" Caleb stared at me like I had just grown a second head. And then he covers that emotion up like it was air.

"Just remember Beatrice. I am always right. And you are one stupid blonde."

I still hate him for all those comments he made over months that followed.

So when he got a scholarship from Loyola University at Christmas, I was partying and packing his bag. I wasn't going to miss him at all. So now one of his adoring teachers is here to interrogate me.

"I was informed the other day that Loyola would like for me to return to its campus to continue teaching their advancing science classes," Ms. Matthews continues.

"Advancing? What does that mean? And what do you need me for?" I ask her suspiciously. How is it that a college that superb needs teachers to keep up with the students? Wait - wasn't Tobias filling out an application for Loyola?

"Well, the science courses we teach are becoming more demanding. Instead of nonliving experiments, we need live ones. The science students need real living material to study. For example, the students who want to study the human mind and brain want to have a living person in the room to observe. And -."

"Wait," I complain, holding up a hand to stop her. "Are you saying that you want to experiment on me?"

Jeanine - I will not name her politely as Ms. Matthews - thinks about how she answer to this quietly to herself for a few seconds. She sighs.

"Not exactly." Jeanine plays with a loose piece of hair that falls over her face.

I raise my eyebrows. "Not exactly?"

"For one, you won't be tortured. That would be illegal of course! No! No! All you have to do is complete some tests and answer a few questions. No one will lay a finger on you. All you must do is show up, of course." Jeanine presses a fake smile to her face and holds it there. I hate how she makes the entire situation sound lighter and easier than it is.

It isn't that bad! Just let us test you to crack into your head and find out how you function as a human being! Oh by the way, you get cookies, too! Isn't that great?

"Why do you need me though? Why am I so special for this 'experiment?'"

Jeanine smiles a real smile now. It is cold and piercing. I suddenly wish she would put that fake smile back on now.

"You are the younger sister of our top student! Our own genius! But we want to see why your brain isn't as… special as his. We would like to see what the difference is between the both of you! Wouldn't that be wonderful: to discover the difference between two siblings' brain structures?"

Her eyes glint with something venomous. They are more piercing than before and something struggles to take over her: greed. She wants me. I am repulsed. I start to grab my bag and stand up. I have to get out of this room, of this building! She isn't safe.

"I am sorry to say this Ms. Matthews, but I will not do this. I am sorry, but please do not come to either me, my friends, or my family with this offer. Good day."

I push the door open and walk as quickly as I can outside for some fresh air.

I need to find Tobias.

Like, now.

*SEE GUYS? THIS IS THE TURNING POINT OF THE STORY! THERE'S MORE COMING UP SOON!*