Reality

Chapter 7

Two months I've been in Saffi, and all we do is learn about the government rules, work on math, and literature which I'm okay with. I hate learning most of these things. Why can't we learn about medicine, or read more books to help people. If we learned about medicine, we could help people who are sick and need a cure. We won't figure any of that stuff out by researching the government.

The only people who have talked to me are Lydia and Josh. I really like them, they seem to understand where I'm coming from and how I feel. They say they feel the same way about the situation. Josh came up with this crazy idea of just leaving, but Lydia laughed at him and he didn't bring it up again. If I'm being honest, that wouldn't be such a bad idea. Just leaving this place and finding out who we truly are. Thomas keeps trying to talk to me, and I don't really understand why because I've never really liked him. It's not so much I have a reason to dislike him, it's more that we were trained to not like other societies. I think he's trying to ignore the hints that I give him and I'm being very clear about it too.

Right now I'm in the library trying to study for my history test on a ton of amendments that I can't seem to remember, "How are you Harper?' It's Thomas again, "I'm fine, I was actually just about to go." 

I really don't want to talk to anyone today because I need to focus on how not to fail school. Jeremy always helped me with math now he won't talk to me, and I'm not in the mood to read or write. I'm behind in all my classes not counting all the things Saffi makes new comers do. "Can you wait for a second, I just wanted to ask you something."

 I turned around and looked at him. I never noticed the dimples he has when he smiles, and I blushed when I saw him. I look at his arms and he's much more muscular than I thought he was. This was embarrassing, so I looked at my feet, "what do you want to ask?" I murmured because I didn't feel like being loud. "I know you're having a hard time with school and-" I stopped him before he said more. "How would you know that?" I look up at him and his cheeks are rosy, "well I've been watching you-" I stop him again, "you were watching me?" He looked down at his feet, "I'm just saying that I noticed you're having a hard time in class, and I was wondering if you wanted me to help you." 

I stood there for a second, because I was not expecting that. "Yeah sure, that would actually be amazing. I've been having a hard time lately during the switch." He looked at me sympathetically, "I can imagine how hard this is for you, my older sister was put into Regal when I was 8. I haven't seen her for a while." It's silent again, "I'm sorry I didn't know that. Do you, do you want to have lunch with me? Well it's actually me, Lydia and Josh." He smiled, "I would love that, I don't know if you know this, but not a lot of people talk to me." I wonder why? Maybe because he can be annoying, "really I never noticed." We both laugh and head to lunch.

"Hey guys, this is-" Lydia finished my sentence, "Thomas, yeah we know." Thomas looked at me awkwardly, "can I sit down with you guys?" Josh rolls his eyes and nods, "yeah, whatever. We were just talking about how much work we have." Thomas sat down, next to Harper. "Harper and I were just talking about that, and I could help you all with that if you wanted." Both Lydia and Josh took out their work and put it in front of Thomas. We all started to laugh, "before we start, how are you all doing in Saffi? I know it can be a big change, but I hope everything is going on alright." We all looked at each other knowing that we all have complained a lot about Saffi. "Yeah it's been-" Josh spoke instead of me, "awful. No one is talking to us and we hate it." 

Thomas went stiff, "I'm sorry about that, but at least we're all together. We're all we got because I don't think people are going to change. They haven't changed the whole time I've lived here." We all stared at each other, "I think I've said this before, but no matter what, we stick together through thick and thin." After I said this, we all started to work on homework for the week and then started to go to bed. "You know it's nice to have friends, I'll see you all tomorrow." 

I guess Thomas really never had friends before because we're not the ideal group to talk to. Josh, Lydia and I smiled, "Night Thomas." He glances at me quickly and walks away, I don't think he knew that I saw him staring at me.

Another month I've been in Saffi, it's been better now that I have one more friend and he is really good at teaching which is helping me a lot. All four of us met up with each other before school for breakfast. "Morning!" "You're enthusiastic this morning." I looked at Josh and laughed, "I don't know why, I just want to try and look on the bright side today. We are all friends, we all have classes together, and we have no tests today. If that's not a reason to be happy, then I'm not sure what is." They all grinned, "yeah I guess it is a good day to be happy." Lydia giggled when she said that. She's not a loud laugher or talker, I guess she learned how to conceal it when she was a part of Regal. Thomas spoke to all of us, "we should probably get going so we're not late to school." We all groaned and started walking to the subway.

The beginning of the day was fine except for Biology. Mrs. Roden called me out again, but now I can't yell at her because if you're in Saffi, you have to be respectful of your peers. I see it as protecting myself, I don't yell at people without a purpose. Mrs. Roden just brings the worst out of me. Jeremy and I used to sit together during math class, but now me and Josh do. It's fine though because Josh is really funny and he keeps my mind off of Jeremy. English is better now because Thomas sits with me and is helping me stay caught up in class, since I'm so behind.

It's lunch now and I used to hate it because Jeremy sits with a ton of people now and doesn't even acknowledge me, but now I eat lunch with Lydia, Josh and Thomas. "What are you all talking about right now?" I just came from the lunch line with my tray of food, "we were all just complaining about Mr. Marcion, he made us run two and a half miles during gym class in 20 minutes. It was awful." I don't have gym class right now, but I think I could handle it because I've always been good at running. 

"Guys I have an idea, well not really my idea since it was Josh's. Anyway, I've been thinking that over our past months, we all feel unwanted and feel indifferent, and I know I was happy this morning, but then I started to think what if we did leave. I don't belong here, I never have felt whole here. It's like a part of me is missing while I stay tied to this life. If I stay here any longer, I won't be me anymore; I don't know about you guys, but I have to leave." Lydia and Thomas looked at each other while Josh was nodding his head agreeing with me. "We can't go. We can't leave, and we don't even know what's out there." Lydia was agreeing with Thomas, "yeah, we'll be dead if we left. They'd search until they found us and we have no experience."

Josh spoke up, "Well I have experience and I think that Harper does too. We have learned to fight and work for the things we want. Harper knows how to protect us, I know how to live off of scraps, Lydia told me she was a part of girl scouts, and learned a lot about the wilderness; Thomas is the responsible one who would know where to go to stay safe. If we all do this together, we can leave." We all stared at Josh, I think we are all surprised at how Intelligent he actually is. "I'm in, I can't be here any longer. I know I was trying to make the best of what we have, but don't you think that we were only seeing half the world. We've never really lived our lives, the System has always controlled us." I think Lydia is starting to agree, "we have to learn how to be our true selves, and not what the System wants us to be." 

We are all waiting on Thomas to say something, but he didn't speak, he didn't even look at us. "We need you Thomas, more than you know. We just have to trust each other and we will make our own world," I spoke sternly but quietly, and all of us waited for him to respond. "I'm In."