"Oh goodness. Uh, prodigies? Why are you just sitting around? Get your butt off that chair and help your classmates!"

Immediately all 22 of them got up and were in a haste to help us. Teachers must have some sort of power over prodigies in this school.

After less than three seconds all my stuff is in my hands again and all prodigies are seated. Wow.

Hudson and I make our ways to our desks, which is marked with our names. We're on opposite sides of the room. And, oh dear, I'm next to poor Azura again.

"Okay. There's twenty four of you. You're all here, right?"

"Yes, Madam Eiler," everyone says in unison. I nod.

"Wonderful. This is History class. I don't tolerate any unfollowed orders. I don't tolerate no participation in class. I may seem strict. But if you meet my expectations, you will definitely get an A+. Who doesn't want that?"

She doesn't wait for us to answer when she continues. "I'm sure you've all heard of the Alazaner war?"

"Yes, Madame Eiler," everyone answers simultaneously.

"Good. Because today we will be studying about it. Everyone take out your history textbook please, and flip to page 53!"

In less than three seconds, everyone's history book is out and flipped to page 53.

"Who was the general in the First Planet War?"

Hudson raised his hand, but Madame Eiler called on Azura.

"Janiupson."

"Correct! What were their main weapons? Azuba?"

"Paralyzers."

"Correct!"

Madame Eiler narrowed her eyes at me. "Iris? Why haven't you been participating in class lately?"

I gulped. Uh oh.

I held my hand in a fist and twisted it in front of my throat, but she doesn't get it.

Madame Eiler stalks towards me. "I don't tolerate your useless gestures. I know that you are mute, but that's no excuse to not raise your hand in class! Now, what species did the Alazaners fight against?"

I don't do anything. I definitely know the answer, but I have no way of expressing it. I take out my phone and type it in the notes app, but Madame Eiler is enraged.

"No phones in class unless I approve!" she roars. "Iris, you may have gotten the answer correct, but this is a one time thing! If this happens again, detention!"

I nod. Madame Eiler glares at me one more time before walking back to her desk

"Hudson, please hand out these packets. I expect all of you to finish before class ends! If you don't, please finish this for homework!"

"Yes, Madame Eiler!" the prodigies chorused, while Hudson handed out the thirty paged packet. Yeesh, Madame Eiler is almost as strict as my parents!

I finish the packet right when the bell rings, and we say our daily thank-yous and goodbyes. Then I hurry to Alazaneranian, our language, which is all the way down on the first floor. I still get occasional stares in the hallways, but I'm used to it now.

July is already waiting in the classroom for me, where she has saved a seat for me right next to her. Our teacher, Madame Nessia, is nice enough to let us pick our own seats. She explains that we will be starting a fantasy unit, where we will be writing our own novels, and she will be keeping track of it on the computer.

Alazaneranian was never my strength, so I have trouble coming up with an idea for my story. July is already scribbling away. I wish I had a creative mind like her's.

"Ya need help?" July asked, after she had finished planning out her story. I nod, blushing a bit. She smirks at me, but her eyes get unfocused as she tries to think of an idea for me. Finally, she snaps out of her trance.

"I got one! How about you write about a girl, who loves to watch clouds-"

"Class dismissed!" Madame Nessia announces, interrupting July. July gives me a "I'll tell you later" look as we pack up our stuff for lunch.

"Hey, Iris, did you hear about the Science program?" July asks as we head to our lockers.

I shake my head, but it sounds interesting.

"We can sign up for this thing and we can choose different topics! I'm definitely doing astronomy. What about you?"

I shrug my shoulders, but I think about it. If I can convince my parents to sign me up… I take out my notebook and quickly scribble down; "Do my parents have to sign me up?" but July just shakes her head.

"The teachers in Sparrow Middle School think that we should choose what we want to do, it's not our parent's decision what to do with our lives. It's ours."

'Do you need money?' I scribble again. She shakes her head. "Most programs in this school are free. They don't want money. They want their prodigies to be successful. Oh look! You can sign up on the bulletin board right over there!"

I turn and see a few students crowding around a piece of paper. One of them, Jack, signs his name on one of the boxes and leaves, his herd of friends following him.

'I'll catch up' I write to July, and July nods and waves as she walks away to her locker.

I look at the bulletin board for a few moments. I see July's name already signed in the top box, and Hudson's name right after her's. Azura's third, I see, Jack fourth, a few other people who I don't know are after him.

I see that we're meeting after school today. My parents shouldn't care, they're going to a concert today anyway.

I take a deep breath and sign my name big on the eighth box:

Iris Lavender