As I crashed to the ground, holding my nose, Hairy came flying in the door, fists flying. He did his best to bat the offending cleaning implement away, but just passed harmlessly through it, like always.

  Once I’d confirmed that my nose wasn’t broken, I glanced angrily at the old man at the other end of the broom.

  “Damn girl, I’m sorry. What were you doing out there? Haven’t you heard the news?” Mr. Booker asked anxiously as he ran a hand through his wiry white hair.

  “I was at school,” I snapped at the paranoid old man. “Why are you standing at the door swinging a broom at people?”

  Mr. Booker stuck his head out the door suspiciously, before slamming the front doors again. “There’s a loose Renegade in the neighbourhood. We can’t let anyone suspicious in.”

  “I’m not just anyone, I’m your fucking neighbour. You probably would have realized that if you bothered to go get your prescription checked,” I growled as I pushed myself to my feet.

  The old man fiddled with his thick, black rimmed glasses. “My eyesight isn’t that bad.”

  “Yes it is. You just smashed me in the face because you couldn’t recognise me,” I grumbled. “I don’t even know why you’re bothering to stand here. You know Renegades just want to be left alone, to live their own lives, right? They don’t go around breaking into people’s homes.”

  “Don’t get sassy with me girl,” the old man snapped. “There’s a reason why the Empowered people have to live in the enclaves; Those renegades are a threat to public safety. Well, I’m not taking any chances, I’m going to stand her and prevent any weirdos from coming in!”

  “Whatever,” I whispered, turning away from the door. There was no point in trying to talk sense into the old man. Once he got an idea in his head he never let it go, so I just turned towards the stairs and left him to it.

  “Why is he always like that?” Angelica asked, as she hovered up behind me.

  “Mom thinks he does it for attention, that he’s just lonely since Mrs. Hoover died. I think he’s just a weirdo,” I whispered back.

  I made it all the way up to the first landing before I realized that Hairy wasn’t following. Glancing back I found him still at the front door, looming over Mr. Hoover, staring angrily.

  “Hairy!” I hissed. The cow looked up at me, then back at the old man before scoffing, and running to catch up. Mr. Hoover glanced back at me questioningly, but I ignored him.

  Once my little group had grouped up again, I began the long four story climb up to the apartment.The lift hadn’t worked since the day we moved in, so we had to make the four story climb on foot. I’d taken this route so often I knew just which stairs to skip to avoid the squeaky stairs and loose carpet.

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  Hairy ran ahead like usual, stopping on every floor to wait for me, dancing back and forth like an impatient puppy. When Tyberius joined my friend group he’d berate the cow, try and get him to slow down. Now he just sighed heavily as he slowly followed me up the stairs.

  When I got up to our apartment I paused for a moment to fish out my keys. The lock was broken, of course, so you had to jiggle the keys just right to make it open. When I heard the click I paused for a second, taking a deep breath before opening the door.

  The door squealed in progress as it opened to the tiny apartment beyond. I quickly shucked my jacket, and hung it in the closet before advancing into the main area. The entire place wasn’t more than a two dozen feet across, just enough space for a small kitchen and dining table, but little else.

  My mother was sitting at the table, slowly reading an old, worn down, paperback novel from the library. She looked up, slowly removed her black half rim glasses and gave me a tired smile. “Tammy honey, welcome home. How was the sports day? Did you have fun?”

  “It was okay. I had some fun, won a couple games, lost a whole lot more,” I replied, returning the smile. “We’ll do better next year.”

  “Well, I’m proud of you. I know it was hard, but at least you participated.” She slipped her glasses into her huge mass of curly brown hair before standing up to give me a quick peck on the cheek. “Dinner is going to be early tonight, I had to pick up a closing shift at the diner. Why don’t you start your homework and I’ll call you when it’s done.”

  “Alright mom, see you in a little while.”

  As I wandered down the tiny hallway, dragging my bag behind my smile fell slightly. When I was really young my mother worried that having me constantly talking to imaginary friends, and not making any real friends, would affect me mentally. She started to investigate psychologists, despite barely being able to pay our already meager living expenses. So instead of allowing her to work herself into an early grave, I lied. I told her I made friends in school, I was having fun!

  I’m pretty sure she didn’t really believe me, but she still let the matter drop. I could tell she was still concerned, but she never brought it up again, not to me anyways.

  Pushing into my small room I threw my backpack in one corner before collapsing face down on the bed.

  “I’m so tired,” I mumbled into the pillow. “Why did I insist you three stay home today? What was I thinking?”

  “You said this was the best chance for you to meet new people, try and find someone your own age that can stand you. If not for yourself, for your mother,” Angelia reminded me. I glanced over at the corner of the room, at the ethereal shape perpetually shrouded in gloom. “I know it never works out, but I’m proud of you for actually trying.”

  With a sigh I reached over and grabbed my bag, swiftly retrieving both my math text and the matching notebook. Slipping a battered mechanical pencil out of the pen holders sewn into the bag, I quickly moved to the tiny desk across from my bed. “It only took me thirty minutes to figure out it wasn’t going to work. I couldn’t even get close to a lot of the classes.”

  “You made it through, and you’re stronger for it,” Tyberius proclaimed, skittering his way along the wall until he was hanging above my desk.

  “I don’t know about that, ” I admitted quietly before flipping open my textbook and locating the page with today’s homework. Putting the pencil to paper I slowly began to work through the advanced calculus. It was challenging, but I enjoyed the challenge. Tyberius watched as I worked through it, occasionally interrupting me when I got something wrong and prompting me to give it another try. Once I was done with that I moved on to Biology, Social Studies, and finally English. I barely raised my head, or pencil until it was all done. It was only after I put all my books away, that I finally allowed myself to relax. Collapsing onto my bed cuddling my tiny plush version of Hairy.

  “So do you want us to stay home tomorrow as well, or…,” the oversized cow asked.

  I scoffed. “As far as I’m concerned that was a once a year thing. I tried it, and failed miserably. I’m not going anywhere without you guys again, until next year.”

  Angelica giggled. “Oh honey, it’s okay. We’ll stay with you for as long as you want!”

  As her tendrils slowly wound around me in a tight hug, there was a knock on the door. Before I could get up to answer it, or even call out, mom stepped into my room. “Dinner’s ready. I have a shift at dinner tonight, so we need to eat quickly.”

  She glanced around the room quickly, then back at me. “Are you okay? I thought I heard you talking to someone before I came in.”

  “Just myself,” I replied, trying my best not to look at my friends as I jumped off my bed.

  My mother nodded, and stepped back out of the room.

  “Be back soon,” I mouthed before following her out.

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