Free Cured by Diana Page B

entered
the training arena. They stared, their expressions full of mixed
reaction to my unconventional attire. Shock, confusion,
bewilderment and disgust. I sauntered into the room and joined the
group, twinkling my fingers in the wave that I saw my mother use
daily.
    Theo smirked.
“It’s training, babe, not a beauty contest.”

    I struggled to maintain composure.
    “ Hee hee,” I
gave a pathetically shallow giggle, once again aping my mother. “Oh
this?” I asked in an unnaturally high-pitched croon, waving a hand
down at my dress. “I just threw it on!” I gave an exaggerated
wink.
    Theo smirked again, but his brow was set in a
confused frown.
    Ellina’s eyes widened when she saw me. “What
the…”

    “ Good
morning, good morning my angels!” Regina interrupted as she entered
the room. Upon seeing my get-up she cocked her head to one side,
“Aren’t you looking… Err, lovely?” She touched my shoulder. “You do
realise this is training for your tests, dear?”
    This was it.
I tried to remember what my drama teacher had preached, and wished
that I had spent more time listening and less time mocking her pink
afro. I looked over at Felix, who was looking at the ground,
purposefully avoiding my gaze. Become your character. That is what
my drama teacher had said over and over. So I took a deep breath
and thrust my nose into the air, causing my ringlets to bounce
haughtily. 

    “Look Reg,” I began, “Can I call you that?
Reg?”

    Regina looked befuddled.
    “You see, Reg,” I carried on without waiting
for an answer, “I grew up on the uppermost point of Olympia, I am
sure you know that, and I am also sure you know who my parents
are.”

    “Of course I do. However...” Regina
started.
    “ Ahem.” I
butted in. “Right. And because of my... Uh... My status. I
am sure you’ll understand that I do not need the training that
these… these… these mere Norms need.”
    Theo grunted. “You’ve got to be kidding!.” he
mumbled.
    I turned to him, squinting my eyes as though
I was seeing a piece of trash where he stood. “Do you have a
problem with me, NORM?” I cringed at my own pretentiousness.
    His face
reddened, “You’re insane! None of us are Norms, Avery. That’s why
we’re here. What makes you think you're better than any of us,
anyway? I knew you were going to be like this. You’re just as
conceited and arrogant as the rest of them.” 

    His words
hurt, but I carried on as if I hadn’t heard him and turned back to
Regina with my nose in the air. “I am certain that I’m already
talented enough to pass the tests, and come top of the class for
that matter. And I fully intend to do so. Then I will claim the
very house that my parents and I have resided in for my whole life,
and take over my mother’s position as chair of the Olympia Social
Board. And I will do all of this without any of your ridiculous,
pathetic training.” I crossed my arms over my chest
defiantly.
    Ellina started laughing. The others joined
in. I felt like an idiot. I hated myself, and everything I was
doing. I had spent my whole life vowing not to become my mother yet
now I was campaigning her views. I was disrespecting those that
society saw as below me, but I knew to be my equals, but now were
absolutely my moral superiors.
    “Well, Ms Optime, if that is really what you
want then I guess you can sit out during training sessions, after
all, it will be your loss when it comes to the tests.”
    I breathed a sigh of relief and looked over
to Felix, who wiped a line of sweat from his forehead. Then I gave
Regina a tight smile.
    “Fabulous,” I said, before flicking my hair
and gliding over to a chair at one side of the arena, where I sat,
and began to inspect my nails as my mother did instinctively at any
moment of slight discomfort.
    Regina began to brief the others on their
training schedule, and I wondered when Felix was going to pull his
big stunt. The first step of training was going to be