Wintercrest Academy

False News

      Bren watches the way Kaia reacts to the presence of the press being in the school premises. She looks like an excited, yet lost pup. He grunts, even after he told her there would be a literal press flocking over them.

           “I think that the initiative is amazing. We’re all winners at the end of the day. We just win differently. So I’m grateful that we were able to win in this way. We were able to make Wintercrest proud,” she says, her eyes jumping form camera to camera to reporter. It’s all too much for her. Bren can tell.

           “Brennon Kang, you’ve been Wintercrest’s wonder kid all along. And I have to say congratulations for sticking with the identity through and through. How does it feel to have a contemporary?” a woman asks and he catches Imogen staring into his soul, waiting for his answer. Ever nosy.

           “I feel normal.” Bren swallows, knowing exactly what this question is hoping to achieve. They had won this competition. The both of them. But these people are trying to drag him back to the fact that Kaia may be the next wonder kid. He’s not willing to accept that. Never.

           “I feel,” he continues. “Actually, I have nothing to feel. Preparing for the Metleys was a lot of work. I read every science textbook ever written from cover to cover.” And just like that, he swings the topic away from what they want to hear and starts telling them what he needs them to hear. That he’s a hard worker. Studious and excellent. They don’t have to mention his ‘contemporary.’ That topic is a difficult bone to swallow.

           “Did you see a doctor?” Kaia asks him when they’re alone in the Principal’s office. She’d invited them in to talk but had a reason to step out for a minute.

           “Why do I need to see the doctor?”

           “Panic attacks. You may need some form of psychological therapy or something.”

           Bren holds her gaze. She’s still talking about the panic attacks. The one that almost ruined him, but she helped him get through it. If he hadn’t been able to participate in the final rounds of the competition, it’d have been a freaking disaster for him. And yeah, maybe the school too cause the Metleys organizers themed the competition ‘Dynamic Duo’ for a reason. If one person was unfit, they might have forfeited the whole thing. He notices the glint of her necklace and the pendant has a heart rate pattern on it. Must be new, he hadn’t seen that one before. Wait, why was he noticing things like that?

           “You did your bit, Kaia. You can go back to minding your own. The competition’s over. We don’t have any link now.” Except every single freaking class they have together and how much people would start associating them with each other. He beholds her in a slightly different light now. He adores her brain. Not in a zombie way, but like, fascination. He remembers how he almost slipped and let her see the Brennon Kang that is not Wintercrest’s little prince. The one that actually needs saving.

           “Here.” she reaches into her bag and produces a gift bag she hands to him. “Take it,” she says when Bren just keep staring at it.

           “What are you doing?” he deadpans.

           “Gifting you something. From one Metleys Junior award winner to the other. Trash it if you want, but I’m giving it to you anyway. I bought it so . . .”

           How much more fascinated can a human get with another human? Cause Kaia seems to have new things up her sleeves. “I didn’t get you anything. Why did you think I’d want something from you?” Bren says because even though his heart is warming up to her, he has to keep her away. Far, far away. She’s trouble for him and she doesn’t even know.

           She sets it on the desk and slides it over to him. “I didn’t ask.” The door opens and Principal Jan walks in, apologizing for keeping them for so long. Behind her is, such an unexpected Jacob Kang. Why the heck is he here? Bren’s jaw tightens.

           “Kaia Mahoe!” Jacob Kang claps, his ‘cool dad’ grin on his face. “Wintercrest’s little brain box.”

           Kaia smiles slightly. “Pleasure to meet you again, Mr Kang.”

           “It’s all mine, sweetheart. You did amazingly. Your parents must be so proud. I heard that Brennon got a panic attack and you helped him out. I have to say thank you. You saved him from disappointing us.” he chuckles and Bren understands the subtle, yet glaring insinuation. Jacob Kang is here to remind him that he’s not enough.

                                                                       ****

           “He really made a frame for the both of you?” Astrid asks for the hundredth time. Adan is busy with senior stuff so it’s just them.

           “He said he wants us to always remember how unwilling we were to study together in the first place. Memories and all that.”

           Astrid shudders as she looks at the picture again. “You both look very—well, whatever. I was thinking that Saturday is a perfect time to paint those walls. When the restaurant closes, I’d drop by and in about 3 hours, the place would come alive.”

           Kaia rolls her eyes. “It’s already alive. And yeah, that seems like a fine plan. I’d just have to run it through the owner of the restaurant.”

           Astrid nods her agreement. “Hey, now that the competition’s over, are you free today? I’m compiling my portfolio for college apps and I want to do a painting of you.”

           Kaia gasps. “Of . . .of me?”

           Astrid tsks. “I didn’t ask you to go to Jupiter with me. It’s literally just a painting.”

           “Yeah but you have no idea how much that means. I’ve never been anyone’s muse before. I’m game, but does it have to be today? I promised Keanu I’d personally help him with homework. He thinks I might have gotten some extra intelligence from winning the competition.”

           Astrid chuckles, but the sound has an air of disappointment. “Keanu should be my sibling. Really. And yeah, if today doesn’t work, we’d reschedule. I actually have nothing to do, so could I like—come over and help Keanu too?”

           Kaia observes how Astrid’s eyes are almost pleading. It strikes something in her. “We’re friends, Astrid. Yes. Keanu may actually adore you more than he does me now.”

           Astrid shrugs. “I’m cool. I’m not surprised.” Kaia bumps her shoulder. Some students walk up to them. Freshmen, maybe?

           “Are you dating Bren?” the question almost makes Kaia choke on saliva.

           “Hey, do you weasels have nothing better to do?” Astrid spits because Kaia is too stunned to make out words.

           “That’s what everyone in our class is speculating. First Kaia comes and breaks his record, then they do a competition together and even sleep in the same hotel room. There must be some sparks by now and we want to be the first to get the info.”

           “Yes. Imogen would let us join the Journalism club then,” the shyer freshman adds.

           “That is an absurd theory all of you have. Stop it.”

           The freshmen lose their excitement. “But wouldn’t it be great to date—”

           “Okay, get out of here.” Astrid snarls and the girls scurry away. “They’re dumb kids. Always looking for gossip. I’m sure Imogen put them up to this.”

           Kaia hums but her mind travels back to the night in the hotel. Shira. If something like this got to Shira’s ears, how on earth would she survive Shira’s evolving hatred and madness?