The morning could not come quickly enough for the restless Hadley. Early in the morning, her parents walked with her to the kitchen, where the sat among other early risers. Lillian had dark circles under her eyes and George was somber.

“We should all be happy,” Lillian burst the silence that had become suffocating. “Hadley, we love you so much and are so glad that you are striving for such a lofty goal,” she smiled, and despite the fact that tears now freely fell down her mother’s face, Hadley knew she was sincere.

“And, we are so proud of how far you have come,” George input, beaming.

“I will miss you both,” Hadley announced, “but I am sure I can visit.”

There was a collective sigh. “You and James got into again,” George asked, but Hadley knew it was more of a statement of fact.

“It seems to happen more often the closer I get to my goals,” she admitted, sadly. She received knowing nods from her parents. “He is so stubborn about his views and I know a lot of people share his views.”

“A lot of people have reason to,” Lillian commented.

“I know,” Hadley confessed, “but I choose to believe that the world can right wrongs and that it is done by working together. Someone needs to take the first step.”

“You certainly are the type who could inspire change,” George spoke, a heavy size following his words. “We just wish the path you chose was an easier one.”

Hadley smiled sadly. “I do not.”

“And that is what makes you perfect for it,” a booming voice caught their attention. All three heads turned up, surprise written on each of their faces. Hadley wondered how she could have missed Jazeera entering. The occupants of tables surrounding them all stared, some cowering, as Jazeera had situated herself above Hadley’s table, squatting so that she was closer. “I am sorry to have listened in,” she offered. “It is time for you to get to school,” she told Hadley.

Hadley looked at her parents. “Is James already gone?”

“Left while it was still dark,” George said. Hadley nodded in understanding. It was common for her brother.

“I will be back tonight,” she offered. “I love you both.” They embraced with tight hugs before Hadley looked up to Jazeera, who offered her a hand to climb onto.

Hadley felt the steady drop of her stomach as Jazeera rose and marveled as the giant woman traversed the kitchen with ease, never coming close to any person or table. Like Evangeline, Jazeera asked before placing Hadley on her shoulder.

“So, you have made a decision,” Jazeera asked as they entered the streets.

“I have,” Hadley acknowledged. “I wish to take you up on your offer.”

Jazeera hummed her approval. “And your parents are allowing it?”

Hadley chuckled. “My parents have been firm about only one thing in my life,” she said, “which is that in a world that so limits a person in our class, as parents, they will not limit their child’s ability to make decisions for themselves.”

Hadley could see Jazeera’s smile even as her face continued to point forward. “I think that is the best way to parent.”

“I agree, but it allowed for my brother and me to drift apart.”

“That is unfortunate,” Jazeera murmured. “Perhaps if you show him the success of your path, it will bring him around.”

Hadley smiled, imagining that future. “One can hope.”

Jazeera nodded. “I will spend today readying my home for your stay and hopefully my family can assist you in reaching that success,” she offered as they arrived at the school.

Hadley found herself above eye level of most of the students as Jazeera navigated the halls. Their way was clear, the students deferring to Jazeera, their eyes never lingering long. Jazeera entered Hadley’s classroom and Ms. Hill greeted her with a handshake. “Mrs. Ford,” she said with a polite smile. She looked over her shoulder, to where Evangeline sat, having turned away from the window at hearing her name. Ms. Hill’s eyes turned back, falling on Hadley. “I see you are not here for Evangeline,” she murmured, retaining her smile.

“I have faith that Eva is doing just fine,” Jazeera commented and Hadley found herself searching out Evangeline’s eyes, but was disappointed when they had returned to the window.

“What can I do for you,” Mr. Hill inquired.

“I am just here to make sure that Hadley arrives safely,” Jazeera announced and while her words were tranquil, Hadley could feel the whole room shift nervously. Hadley was under Jazeera Ford’s protection and that held a lot of weight. She could not help feeling like Jazeera had chosen to talk to Ms. Hill in front of the class purposely, to drive home the length she would go to see to Hadley’s safety. Hadley was both thrilled and terrified. This woman instilled such fear in an entirely S class populace and Hadley was merely F class.

“She sits with Evangeline,” Ms. Hill indicated. Evangeline did not respond this time, Hadley noted. The click of Jazeera’s heels was the only sound that could be heard in the room. It was as if everyone held their breath. Hadley was carefully deposited on Evangeline’s desk. She watched the exchange between daughter and mother, courteous and civil, but not outwardly loving.

Hadley watched Jazeera leave, thanking Ms. Hill for letting her drop Hadley off. The weight in the air lifted away when she was gone. Students openly whispered, still having time before class began.

Evangeline was looking out the window once more as Hadley readied herself for class, just then remembering that she could not see the board. She was struck by an idea and cautiously approached Evangeline’s hand, finger tapping softly on the desk. She placed a hand on the thumb that rested before her. The hand jerked back, but when Evangeline’s eyes turned down, she smiled apologetically and her hand slowly returned to its previous location.

“I am sorry,” Hadley called up. “I did not mean to drag you out of your thoughts,” she expressed.

“You needn’t worry,” Evangeline whispered back. “What’s up?”

“I was thinking that I would have an easier time seeing the board if I sat on your shoulder,” she explained. “If it is not a bother, that is,” she added.

Evangeline chuckled. “It is not a burden on me.” Her fingers approached, but paused as she waited for Hadley’s signal of consent. After a nod, she was lifted to Evangeline’s shoulder.

“Oh, this is much better,” Hadley announced.

“Glad I could help.”

Ms. Hill called class to order, asking the students to rise. Hadley held onto Evangeline’s golden hair as the other girl joined their peers at attention. Announcements followed and roll was called, Evangeline answering for both herself and Hadley. When they had returned to their seats, Ms. Hill started up the lesson, but Hadley found herself struggling to concentrate.

“Eva,” she murmured, facing the girl’s ear. A small nod signaled that she had been heard. “Are you and Jazeera not on good terms?”

She watched the muscles in Evangeline’s jaw twitch, but there was no other change in the girl’s expression. Evangeline lifted the untouched pencil from her desk and wrote her reply on the page. We are on decent terms – we are just distant.

“Is she always working,” Hadley guessed.

That is exactly right, but it is not as black and white as it may seem.

“Care to share?”

Evangeline lifted her shoulders in a slow shrug. She is important. Evangeline’s pencil paused and Hadley was left in confused suspense. She heard Evangeline sigh. She helps a lot of people and I do not want to take her away from so many people who benefit from her help.

Hadley frowned. “You pretend to not need her?”

I do not pretend. I work to make sure I do not need help.

Hadley could not even begin to imagine not going to her parents when she was having a rough time and it was painful to think that Evangeline did it willingly, selflessly. “Is that hard?”

Is anything ever easy?

Hadley snorted. “I suppose not.”

So, why are you not paying attention to the lesson, Ms. I am going to teach you how to take notes?

“She is teaching a lesson on the bases of power,” Hadley informed her, “every F class citizen inherits an understanding of the power they do not have.” It was a sobering thought to verbalize.

Hadley saw Evangeline’s jaw muscles twitch again, realizing that it was her tell. What are they?

“Coercive, which you learn about the first time someone uses their size advantage over you, threatening harm.”

On her paper, Evangeline wrote down coercive.

“Reward, which you learn from the system offering you a better life, but only if you submit to the rules.”

Evangeline wrote down reward.

“Legitimate, learned when you realize that you have never seen a leader of our world who is F class.”

Evangeline audibly swallowed. Legitimate was written down.

“Expert, when you have to trust that the doctors know best, but there is no real way to know if a full body checkup is necessary while some S class person has their hands all over you.”

Evangeline paused, taking in a deep breath before writing expert.

“Reverent, when your mother can capture the attention of a whole room of people because she is Jazeera Ford.”

Evangeline gave a soft snort. Is that fear?

“Or respect.”

Evangeline finished the list with reverent.

“You should probably find the definitions Ms. Hill wants,” Hadley offered, after they had sat for a time without communicating.

I will, on my own time. There was a pause before Evangeline wrote again. I wonder if people understand why this lesson is being taught. Hadley had to wonder the same thing and a glance around the room showed overwhelmingly bored faces.

Ms. Hill brought them through numerous lessons, each igniting conversation between the two. Hadley grinned each time she watched Evangeline turn a page and each time she worked the lesson into their conversation, getting Evangeline to jot down a note about it. Lunch came and went, with the only difference being that Hadley heard Evangeline’s voice. And then school came to a close, with Evangeline offering to take Hadley to her home to pick up whatever she was bringing with.

Hadley knew she did not need much, but she took her time saying goodbye to her parents again, with Evangeline insisting that she could visit every weekend and even a number of weekday evenings. Eventually, Hadley was waving goodbye from Evangeline’s shoulder, her parents disappearing from view as Evangeline moved through the apartment.

And when they arrived at Evangeline’s home, Hadley realized that she was walking into a whole new world.

“Eva, you are home at last!” A man of average S class stature, elegantly dressed in a grey on black three piece suit, emerged from another room and waved her in, his hands standing out with the blue latex gloves he wore.

“Father,” Evangeline said, to get the man’s attention, but he bustled by. “We have company.”

“Ah yes, Hadley, I presume,” he called over his shoulder as he rushed back into the room from which he came and Evangeline followed with a sigh.

They entered a kitchen, where Evangeline’s father was bent over numerous open drawers, searching. At last he stood fully, holding up what looked like a pair of tweezers. He glided over to another drawer, pulling from it a lighter, which he used to run fire over the end of the tweezers.

“He just does this,” Evangeline grumbled, but Hadley heard her chuckle softly.

The man was working over a tray with a scalpel and the tweezers, intent on what he was doing. Evangeline moved through the kitchen to a dining room, three plates of food on the table, heat lamps situated over each. “Your mother will be joining us. She is upstairs, installing a few things for Hadley.”

“Why don’t you stay here,” Evangeline suggested, depositing Hadley on the table. “My mother would be upset if you saw an unfinished product.” She shook her head. “She is particular like that.”

Evangeline left Hadley on the table and took her school bag from the room. Hadley took the time to look about the room. It was grandiose, well-furnished and decorated. Huge windows brought in abundant natural light. The food on the ornate plates looked delicious, an artful dish of steak, baked potato, and asparagus.

Evangeline’s father appeared in the room. On the table he placed a metal thin metal sheet. “Dear, would you be willing to stand here,” he asked, a bright energy about him. She obliged, standing for a moment on the sheet that estimated was only an inch by an inch in size. He excitedly glanced over a handheld device and then nodded, saying she was free to step off. He hastened out of the room once more, leaving Hadley to just stare.

When he returned, he offered her a metal prong. “Dad!” Evangeline called. “Stop,” she shooed him away. She turned to Hadley, bending over the smaller girl. “Here, let me take that.” Hadley handed over the prong.

“I do not mind,” she offered.

Evangeline’s brow rose. “Do not let him hear that. He will pester you into assisting him endlessly.”

“I got what I needed!” Evangeline’s father called from the kitchen.

Jazeera emerged and Hadley was surprised to see her in sweats and a t-shirt. “Hadley, welcome!”

“Yes, thank you for having me,” Hadley called.

Jazeera and Evangeline set about moving all of the heat lamps off the table and then all three joined Hadley in the dining room. Evangeline’s father placed a table and chair set to Hadley’s scale on the table, so that she would be between the two people who looked straight at each other. Upon the table was a near perfect replica of the plates for the family. “Hadley, would you care to join us for dinner,” he offered. She nodded, gratefully, seating herself at the table provided. “I am Ambrose Heart, science extraordinaire,” he introduced himself with a broad grin.