To Grow

I was forced to stay within the hospital until the school year started. According to a doctor, I am currently about 16 years and 1 month old. Once school began, I will be in grade 10. The school I will be going to includes a college, so I won't have to worry about that.

I also discovered that I can not interact with others of my own kind properly. I'm not sure what it is that I'm missing, but so far, I feel like I've been saying all the wrong things at the wrong time with the wrong expression. But how can I control what my expression is without seeing it?!

The Dean -he never told me his name- came in a few times. Most was to check on me, but he once came in to ask me about my opinion on my new name. I don't know any proper human name, so I told him to decide for me. He also came in a few times to verify some information about me.

I also took a test to make sure I was at grade level. I passed with 'flying colours'. I still don't get what 'flying colours' meant, but I can guess.

The hospital only allowed me to watch TV, but that alone, was enough for me. After a while, they undid my bindings to the bed, though we all knew that I could break out any time I wanted.

I was happy enough for the company of others of my own kind. It's unbelievably different compared to Fingard forest and the Teaching Assistant. I learn new things everyday!

Apparently, my new school is called Sunny High. I'm not very experienced with school names, but I feel like it just... sounds weird?

I spent my days in the hospital laying in bed and watching TV. If it had been before when I was still living in the forest, I would've been restless and bored. But after spending who-knew-how-long in that cell, I found that my boredom tolerance had increased. 

I had always been patient, of course. Otherwise, how would I hunt my prey?

A series of knocks came. The only one who knocked like that -two knocks, pause, and then one knock- was the Dean.

"Come in," I said. It was one of the rituals humans used to enter the -den? Territory?- space of other humans. The one entering would knock to announce their intent to enter, and the one within the space would be saying "Come in."

"I came here today to notify you of your new legal name. If you dislike it, it is not too late to change it," The Dean said, going straight to the point and skipping the usual rituals of 'How's it going' and 'How are you' etc.

"What is my name?"

"Storm Erickson."

"Sounds fine. Anything else you need?" This was why I liked the Dean the most. There was no need for the usual complex rituals that other humans use to communicate. This was also why I decided to ultimately forgive him for controlling me. He was also stronger, and had power over me.

"I will pick you up one week later to send you to your new dorm, as Sunny High is a boarding school. I will also be sending you school supplies and such, along with a monthly allowance. That is all. Goodbye." And with that, he promptly left.

I focused my attention back to the TV.

-==-

"You saw the psych reports! She isn't mentally fit for school!" The directer of the hospital protested.

"She has been stable thus far," He responded patiently.

"She has been stable in a more familiar environment, and nothing has happened yet to set her off or make her emotional."

"She will go the school, and that is that."

"Have you told her that the school is for troubled kids? Troubled, as in kids with powers who can't control themselves? Vicious kids? Kids who only avoided a long or life long sentence from being underage?"

"Yes, I have notified our charge of the situation at her school. I personally think she'll fit right in."

The woman sighed. 

"Fine. Whatever. But when things go wrong, it's on you."

"I know."

"Good."

-==-

The day the Dean was supposed to pick me up to bring me to the dorm was finally here. I am... excited, I think, but also wary. I am entering someone else's territory now.

I had been dressed in loose, dark coloured pants and a white t-shirt. One nurse had brought me to the front of the hospital to wait for the Dean. I was sitting in the waiting area, with one nurse always watching me. It made sense. I was in their territory. They are right to be wary of me.

The front doors were pushed open, and the Dean walked in. I was used to the smells and sounds of the city now, thanks to the sometimes opened window in my room, so the overwhelming city was no longer overwhelming.

"Come, follow me," He said, easily heard from across the room.

I stood up and followed him out. 

He stepped into a car, and I followed him in. We were sitting in the backseat. The Dean handed me a slightly heavy bag. "For your school supplies."

He then handed me a bigger, heavier bag. "You school uniform."

And finally, he handed me a wallet. "Your ID card, a debit card linked to your account. The password's 13245. There is also your school schedule. You will receive a monthly allowance of $2000. Only the school fees have been paid for you. The housing fees, clothing, food, and any other fee is paid by you. We recommend that you find a part-time job."

Then he stopped talking, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence.

"You will have a roommate," The Dean suddenly spoke up. I nodded. I looked out the window and saw that we had exited the city. The car jolted as we drove down the slightly less maintained roads. I saw thick trees and bushes on either side of the road. I felt a pang of longing for the woods that reminded me so much of the Fingard forest. The pang quickly disappeared.

"We are here." He announced. I opened the door and looked at my new school where I will be staying for many years.