Rising Shards

Oka, Kalei, Laenie, Aira, Lillia, and I were lined up in a dark room with a single light. Dr. Diast paced in front of us.

“Have you all been briefed on the event about to occur?” Dr. Diast asked.

“I know all about it,” Kalei said smugly.

“I’m aware as well,” Lillia said. "My older sister has told me about this event."

“Cool, anybody else?”

Aira gave a slight cough.

“You’re supposed to tell us that,” Laenie said.

“Oh, right,” Diast said. “Well, actually hold on one sec.”

Diast walked to the door and flipped another light on, giving the room a non-ominous illumination.

“I thought that’d look cool, but that swinging light was giving me a headache,” Diast said. “Anyways, today’s a big day for the team. It’s club picking day. So a bunch of the other students are gonna be out on the beach, making their case as to why you should join their club.”

I raised my hand. “Do we have to pick a club?”

“Part of the Benta Scholarship is that you have to join a club,” Diast said. “I already worked it out so your job thing got bumped to next semester, you’re welcome, so you can’t complain about this. I really really really recommend you pick your club today, or you’ll have to do the Three Day Rule thing which is just a nightmare for everyone.”

“Three Day Rule thing?” I asked.

“If you don’t pick your club, you have to spend three days in every club and then pick one afterwards. It’s a huge waste of time because by the time you finish, the semester’s over.”

“OK, but what if I don’t find a club?” I said. “Like hypothetically, no club jumps out to me. Or all the club leaders hate me and don’t let me join. Or if I don’t have time for clubs!”

“It’s like two days a week max for first years, this isn’t a huge commitment,” Diast said. “This was not on my list of potential problem things for you.”

“It won’t be a problem for me,” Kalei said. “Beam chasers n’ all.”

“Except that’s a spring thing,” Diast said. “So you’ll have to make sure the practices count for fall.”

“Shouldn’t you do that?” Kalei asked.

“My focus is trying to get you to actually participate in this event, which I can’t stress enough is required.” Diast said.

“Are the clubs reflective of certain allergies?” Laenie asked.

“Like what?” Diast asked.

“I mean just, like in general,” Laenie said. “What if I’m allergic to something?”

“It’s a good point, Dr. Diast.” I said.

“Just go to the stupid club thing, guys. This isn’t that difficult.” Diast said. “Laenie, why are you crying? You know you already have the flower club, right?”

“I just got sad thinking about,” Laenie said between sobs. “What would happen if I picked a different club.”

“Well, just…don’t?”

“But…” Laenie heaved. “What if I do?”

“So I don’t have to really talk to anyone though, right?” I said. “At least, anyone new.”

“I mean, probably?” Diast said.

“No!”

“Zeta, you wanna try that again?” Diast said.

“…yes?”

This was a potentially major setback; I was hoping I could maybe get Dr. Diast to just pick a club for me, or to pawn off the actual signup process on Oka or Kalei so I could avoid new people.

“Alright, enough,” Diast said, checking her wristband. “You guys are worse than a hangover sometimes.”

“The important thing is the sandwich lunch at the end,” Kalei said. “They have a robot that makes sandwiches for you! And they're like Treesburger sandwiches!”

"There's no way a robot can make Treesburger quality sandwiches," Aira said.

"Get this, the legend goes that the robot makes Treesburger sandwiches with a quality comparable to actual Treesburger."

"Wow..." Aira said, her eyes widening at the thought.

“Right, well, that’s about all the effort I can muster right now,” Diast said. “Just head on down to the beach then and find me in my office afterwards to let me know which club you picked if you don't while you're out there, and please get whatever paperwork they have or some kind of proof you joined. I will accept a button if they have special buttons.”

We all left the room together but spread out once we got to the beach. I stayed pretty clamped onto Oka and Kalei. There were a lot of booths and stuff set up, and I wondered how they’d keep any papers and brochures down with the wind blowing.

“Having this out on the beach just makes me want to just hang out on the beach and not do any of this stuff.” I said.

“You can hang out at the beach any time,” Kalei said.

“Why don’t I more? It’s so nice here,” I said. “Oka, hold me to that, if you don’t mind.”

“Right! Same for me!” Oka said. “Or same for you. Same for you to hold me to that like…I will…hold you to the uh, the beach…visiting…”

“Don’t strain yourself there,” Kalei said. “You know, I’m concerned about you two.”

My heart started pounding immediately.

“Concerned about what?” I asked.

“This isn’t a judgment or anything, I’m just worried that you guys don’t have friends outside our group.”

“Buh!? I have friends besides us. What about you?”

“I decidedly have friends outside of our group,” Kalei said. “There’s no way I can ever see like Laenie ever speaking to the Matora sisters outside of class.”

“So? Then Laenie can just talk to us,” Oka said.

“I just think it’d be healthier for us moving forward if we don’t spend every waking second together. That’s all I’m saying! So I have a challenge for you two today.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“I dare you two to actually make new friends today,” Kalei said. “Separately.”

“Why separately?” I asked/whined.

“Because if Oka goes with you, you’ll just let her do all the socializing,” Kalei said. “And if Zeta goes with you, she’s just gonna convince you to just stand in a corner or something and not get anything done.”

“I feel like both of those were digs at me,” I said. “Can we at least get a quick game plan together?”

“I feel like I should say no,” Kalei said. “But fine, whatever.”

“So you want us to pick separate clubs?” I whined/asked.

“That’d probably be good, yeah,” Kalei said.

“Actually, I know what club I’m going to pick already,” Oka said. “So I think I can just meet people there too?”

“When did you pick a club?" I said. “Traitor!”

“Really?” Kalei asked.

“Yes, she’s betrayed me for picking a club already.” I said.

“No, I mean, what club did she pick?” Kalei said.

“I’m going to do theater and choir.” Oka said.

“You definitely have theater kid energy.” Kalei said.

“What does that even mean?” Oka asked.

“You can be pretty dramatic,” Kalei said.

“I feel like that’s a dig at me and not a compliment,” Oka said. “But whatever. You two can come with to see the little exhibition they’re doing if you want.”