"Hey Beth, over here!" It took me a minute to identify Minji's midnight blue hair in the clustered crowd in the assembly pod.

"Isn't this weird?" she asked when I joined her in looking for a seat. "We've never gotten an assembly alert during class."

   I merely nodded in response. I was just glad we got to leave our hovers behind this time. The chairs in the pod were actually the normal kind, thank God.

"Anyway, don't thank me now, but I've already found a solution to your Electronics problem," she continued, still craning her neck in search of a good spot.

"Really?" Damn. She had never worked this fast before.

"Of course! I mean, I am a genius at Electronics, I know," she shrugged. "But... guess who's better?"

   The infamous mischief in a familiar figure's brown eyes lingered as he walked over to join us. "Hello, Arch-nemesis on Wednesdays."

"Because it's no one else's fault Mr. Sacury chooses to teach Mechanics instead of Alien Studies on Wednesdays but mine," I said, "I thought you were going to write a petition for that."

"But that will bring an end to our lovers' spat," Aarav smirked. "And we both know we don't want that."

   The funny thing is this odd exchange with Aarav Hooda will have still gone down today, but at lunch instead. He was one of the people who was not terrible to me when Minji first invited me to her table. I later found out that that was just how he was with well... everyone and that earned him the good kind of reputation. Even the teachers fell prey to his charms. That didn't stop his mouth and acts of mischief from getting him into all kinds of trouble though.

   To most students, however, all the more attractive.

  We turned backwards upon hearing the call of Minji and Aarav's names, tracing it to the brown-haired and eyed frame of Camila Lovato, who gestured to the available seats next to hers.

"I'm honestly dying to hear their reason for dragging us from class without any prior notice," Camila, definitely not in the 'We heart Beth Simmons' club, frowned as we sat down. "We have schedules for a reason, you know."

"Well, we're about to find out." Minji responded, before focusing on she and I's previous conversation once more. "Anyway, Beth, as I was saying, I found someone that I think is really going to be a big help in Electronics."

"But you're the genius, why can't you be the one who helps me?" Despair drove my face into cupped hands. "Besides, I don't even know this person. How can I be so sure that she can really address the issues I'm having?" I whined.

"How about we tone down on the excitement, Beth?" A new voice spoke, "You seriously can't be that ecstatic that I'm the one tutoring you?"

   Shock and fear froze my stance. I didn't have to think to know who'd said that. When I finally got the courage to look to my right, I was not disappointed. The calm yet seething voice of Dorian Mathers matched his harsh green eyes which glared down at me.

   His expression remained anything but cordial as he took a seat next to Aarav.

   Multiple "Please take your seats, students," announcements from the PA systems clouded my mumbled apology to Dorian.

"Presenting your headmistress... PRINCIPAL LLAKE."

   I tried to focus less on what had just happened as the whole student body got on their feet to applaud at the sight of Zavlon Academia's principal.

   The shine of her pearly whites was in harmonious contrast with her brown skin as she responded with a smile. Principal Llake's sharp tone echoed in the pod as she told everyone to take their seats.

"As you all are aware," she began, "Zavlon Academia has been under my management for over ten years. Time has been enough proof to reveal the generations of exceptionally impeccable students that have passed through my hands. Students who have gone onto higher institutions of learning to make groundbreaking theoretical discoveries, inventions, medicines and have influenced in one way or the other, the many fields of science and technology."

   She was all smiles when the claps erupted once more.

"Every single day has been an honour..." she sighed, her facial features difficult to read. "...especially this very day, which, I admit with a heavy heart, is my last. Effective immediately, I am no longer the principal of Zavlon Academia!"

   She had to yell the last sentence over the incessant noise this shocking announcement had caused.

"First, an unscheduled assembly and now this?!" I could barely hear Minji sputter beside me. "Today is really turning out to be a weird day."

   I'll say. And why would our principal give such an important announcement using her hologram avatar?

"Be rest assured, however, that you will all be in even better hands from now on." Llake proceeded. "I am proud to introduce my great successor, many of you know him for many great things! Please welc–"

   Principal Lake's holotar (hologram avatar) was the last source of light before everywhere went black.

   I don't think anyone could describe how they felt with what happened next. My brain could barely process how fast the assembly pod had transformed from one of the most cherished Zavlon's facilities to a strip club.

   All eyes squinted to properly make out the erratic figure gliding through the multi-colored lasers.

"Oh. My. God." A brief flash of one of the lasers revealed the shock written all over Minji's face.

"I think this is someone's cue to say-"

"Bloody hell," Aarav's loud whisper interrupted and completed Dorian's statement.

"It's," Camila swallowed as all eyes remained glued to the human frame constantly disappearing and reappearing with the shimmering lights. "It's real. It's not a holotar guys, it's really here. He's really here."

   The neon lasers stopped moving for every area of the assembly pod to turn dark yet again, until the pod's main ceiling lights returned.

"My name is Colin Speck, and I am beyond honoured to present myself as your new principal!" The charisma from the tall, masculine figure that was suddenly on stage seemed to stimulate the room.

   The cheers, whistles and applause became deafening at his introduction. Everyone else was either stunned to silence like me or emotionally unstable.

   Like Aarav.

"It appears I have some fans in this very audience?" Mr.Speck's brown eyes twinkled after that rhetorical question. "Speck Tech is always looking for young, enthusiastic minds like yours. That is what has kept us going for twenty years and still drives us to manufacture the best devices in areas of health, defence and lifestyle!"

    The even louder shouts and claps triggered a smile from him.

"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!"

"ADOPT ME!!"

"WE WANT FREE STUFF! FREE STUFF! FREE STUFF!!!"

   The entire room erupted into laughter and shouts of encouragement at those hollers from Aarav.

   I resisted the urge to scoff and expressed my agitation through a quick eye roll I knew no one would notice.

   Rich people.

"Anyway," Mr. Speck chuckled. "As you all may know, it's been two years since my retirement as the CEO of Speck Technologies. But clearly, that did not necessarily mean a break from Science! Sometimes we can find new beginnings in the very places we started and I am beyond ecstatic to serve at my alma mater, working with outstanding geniuses such as yourselves.

   The uproar rekindled.

"From now on," The warmth that flowed through me was indescribable when he said, "things are going to change.

   Lunch and class, for that matter, was forgotten as everyone rushed to officially meet our new principal after his speech a few minutes later. What was surprising was how everyone had actually been able to organise themselves into orderly queues.

   Suck-ups.

   But I get it though. I was still trying to get over the fact that not only was one of my mentors right here, but I was likely to bump into him when walking in the hallways from now on.

   The problem was, what was I going to say to him? For some reason, 'Hi, your Nobel Prize Speech I heard when I was eight was what inspired me to lean towards my field of technology. I was always worried that I wouldn't become a successful inventor like you because I wasn't in Zavlon. Also, when I finally got the unbelievable opportunity to apply for the scholarship slot, my entry tech was an amateurish version of one of your devices. So yeah, I think you're pretty cool.' seemed repelling.

   Also, I didn't think I could bear it if I was already humiliated in front of Mr. Speck which, knowing my 'scholarship kid' status, appeared inevitable.

   So as much as I longed to push through the crowd and meet him, it was best to just use this free time doing something else, somewhere else.

   My subtle exit from the pod went unnoticed.

***

   The same tingling warmth has stayed with me since my first discovery of the old, deserted, underground Tunnels of Zavlon Academia. It didn't fail me as I hopped over the first fence with multiple "Out of bounds" signs and squeezed through the opening right next to the "Danger Zone" sign in the second one.

   My paranoia instilled the urge to look over my shoulder for anyone or hover chairs that might have followed me.

   Oh, right.

   I cringed at the feel of my hover chair—its parts anyway— in my bag. Courtesy of Viola's 'modifications'. After leaving the assembly, I managed to sneak back to class and grab my hover chair.

   Well, at least I just have to worry about people following me now.

   There isn't really anything to worry about then.

   There wasn't a moment where I didn't do a double take of all the six tunnels, each with its unique elements; like the bioluminescence spread throughout tunnel one and five or the indescribable humming sound in tunnel four, before I took my pick for the day.

   On my way to tunnel Six, I couldn't contain the chills that crawled up as my peripheral vision caught sight of the darkened bowels of Tunnel three. Okay, so I wasn't a fan of every tunnel. I just steered clear of it and the nightly shade of black it always hoarded.

   I took careful steps through one of the two narrow paths that faced each other, directing the murky, formerly electrified, yellow waters into a forgotten drain, till I found my claimed sitting spot.

"Okay," I muttered as my hands met with the cold metal parts in my bag and pulled out the unfinished replica of the well-known Neuro Skeletal Headgear device. This was the miraculous invention that helped the handicapped to control their nonfunctional body parts with their minds once they had the device strapped the right way onto their heads. My challenge for the week. "Let's finish you up."

   Eventually, time wasn't even a considered thought until the parts were in all the right places. Seemed to be anyway. I mean I did what I could. Who expected junkyard tech to look like the next best thing, anyway?

   Besides, how the Neuroskel looked didn't matter. Its quality could only be proven if it was tested.

   And just like that, I could hear my Mum's screams of horror if she saw the device on my head. And what she would do to me next.

   I set it down.

   I guess we'll never know if it worked then.

   A loud cry suddenly broke the stagnant silence, startling me so much that I dropped my remake into the coloured waters.

   This clear sound was too far to be from Tunnel one and two and Tunnel four and five has always been soundproof.

   That could only mean...

   I tried to keep my head down as I scurried back to the school's safer grounds. I didn't stop running until I saw the edificial structure of the library.

"AAH-" My scream was cut short when I recognized who I had bumped into.

"Beth, what the hell?" Minji's worried gaze came into view from one of the library's side entrances. "Where were you?"

   I swallowed and took a last glance backwards. "I...I was in the library too. The place is really huge so you shouldn't be surprised that we didn't see each other. I, um, used one of the back doors?"

"That's why you're all sweaty?" She didn't look or sound like she believed me. "Also, you know that the back doors are for staff only."

"Yeah, it's just that I—," My eyes moved to the watch on her hand. "I was freaking out that I missed this class I had. I didn't realise school was over already."

   I was genuinely surprised at that. How long was I in the tunnel?

"Yeah." Minji nodded. "I decided to wait for my parents until they arrived to pick me up and they just texted, so..."

   I could only stare as she began walking away, then frowned in confusion when she turned to me once more.

"Aren't you coming?" Minji's eyes were squinted in my direction this time. "You'll miss your bus."

"Huh? Oh right! Yeah sure."

"And you're sure you're okay?" She pressed,  as I joined her.

   I nodded with more energy this time.

Two troubling thoughts wouldn't go away though;

   One, that my Neuroskel was still in Tunnel Six, probably ruined by the water by now.

   Also, why did that voice from Tunnel Three sound so familiar?

A/N: Thank you so much for giving "Free Minds" a chance! Please vote and comment any thoughts❤️🎉.

Favorite artist(s) atm? If there isn't a BTS response, I'll be beyond shocked lol.

  Published 14th September, 2021.