Page 22 of The Commons

“I don’t know really, oh! Actually, I did hear something yesterday. Supposedly, he is the most forgiving of all Patrons, so maybe you can try to apologize. I’m sure you’ll still have a demerit, though.”

“Yeah, um I did… but have you heard anything about who he actually is, you know? What about his family? Do you know what his major was at The Commons? The Cognitive path, or…?”

She comes around to where I am. I hide the book behind my back immediately.

“How is anyone supposed to know that? I’m sure it’s probably Cognitive. He’s most likely the exception in that zero-point-one percent he was speaking of, especially if he’s the one in charge of that test. Why the sudden interest, are you really that obsessed?”

“I’m not obsessed! Just curious.”

“Uh! Sure! It’s not like he’s filthy rich, super hot, at least 6’4, ripped AF. Did you see how ripped he was?

“Really? I haven’t noticed,” I bluff.

She shoves me with a giggle and walks away.

I overhear the tan-faced librarian speaking with the curly girl from Oblivion. “This library houses the best books in the world. It also contains the famous book, The Tragedy of The Commons. You may already know, but after Satri DeVeechi released his findings to the upper classes, he made them promise not to share the secrets with any other generation. They each wrote him a letter, and the letters were collected into this one book. That book is only found in this library in the Patron section.”

I look to see a giant tome in the distance. On the side, a blinking note says: 10 books in 10 days to check out one book from the Patron Zone. Trying to be subtle, I join them and ask the librarian, “Ma’am, are there any library challenges The Commons encourages us to participate in?”

The curly girl turns my way, her eyes striking mine in anger as she walks away. She clearly has a personal vendetta against me, and I have no idea what it is.

“Of course.” The librarian gleams with interest, showing me her digital tablet that bounces words in the air. “Here’s a list of the challenges. The hardest one is not advised for freshmen or sophomores. It is called the Patron Pace or the 10 by 10 challenge, it is where you read ten books in ten days and take ten extremely difficult tests. Your scores must fit in with the Commons average of those who have taken the tests before.” I certainly have to do this. I need what’s inside that book!

“And how many people have taken the tests?” the curly girl asks from the corner, almost as puzzled as I am.

“That’s top secret,” the librarian responds.

“How many people have passed the test?” I ask.

“That’s also top secret. Only Patrons know. But it hasn’t yet reached fifty since The Commons has been in existence.”

The girl scoffs as though assuming that I could never pass such a test. I exchange a soft smile back at her and begin to leave to avoid any unnecessary drama. Levon always taught me to grin and bear it, but my feet are formidable against my restraint.

I stop abruptly and turn to her. “What is your problem with me?”

“No one actually knows how you made it here. Because I’m the one who won The Selection. So, what happened after Patron Pesh took you back there, huh?”

I stare in dread. She thinks… she thinks I really did something dishonorable to be selected. I am the worst flirter in all of life and the history of flirting. I could never… but there’s no point in telling her that. She wouldn’t believe me.

“Nothing happened. I was flung off a plane,” I sneer, remembering it.

She scoffs, chuckling in disbelief. “Sure,” she says, walking away. I realize how hard it must be to believe that someone could actually fling a person off a plane. I don’t blame her.

“Did you also get the middle-class scholarship?” She turns back to me.

“Um… just half off the million per semester.” The other half is getting covered by loans. One of the perks of getting accepted is a pre-approval from any bank for The Commons tuition. Without that, there’s no way I’d be here.

“Interesting. Well, I got a full ride. I guess that’s what happens when you win The Selection.” She shrugs her shoulders with a smile. “Just stay away from me. And by the way, you’re not gonna pass the 10 by 10 test. It’s impossible. Take it from me. Oratory is my strength.” She smiles again.

I smile back and my smile could bite, and she sees it and leaves. Rolling my eyes, my pretend smile turns to disgust when I see Zia arguing with Zavish Lumiere at the side of the library.

“I can come over after your hostel leader leaves,” Zia says.

“No, you can’t. It was fun back in the outside world, that’s all. But not here.”

“Okay, I guess.”

“No problem, Zia Zamafula Solodia,” he says as he eyes my curly nemesis who joins his two friends in the corner, helping them find a book.