Chapter 5: Fail...
Fin slouched in the hard plastic chair, his patched jeans creaking against the seat. The Hunter Guild lobby buzzed around him—people chatting, boots clacking on the shiny floor, and the hum of that fancy air conditioning making his skin prickle.
He stared at his boots, scuffed and muddy from the long walk, trying to ignore the whispers and smirks from the other applicants. 'Meg believes in me,' he told himself, clenching his fists. 'That's enough.'
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the three girls walking up to him until they were right there. They didn't look mean—no sneers or fancy coats like the jerks outside. Just curious, maybe.
One had short black hair and a freckled nose, another rocked a ponytail and a bright green jacket, and the third had glasses that kept slipping down her face.
"Hey," Freckles said, tilting her head. "You're from the slums, right? Like, the real slums?"
Fin blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... yeah? Why?"
Ponytail grinned, leaning closer. "No reason! Just... you don't see many slum kids here. How'd you awaken your power? Was it, like, super dramatic?"
He didn't want to talk about it. Not here, not with strangers. "I, uh... don't really wanna get into that," he mumbled, scratching his neck. 'powers awaken naturally so what are they talking about? I just woke up and had powers, that's how it is for everyone I know.'
Glasses pushed her specs up, nodding. "Oh, okay! No biggie. We were just wondering." She smiled, and the three of them waved before wandering off toward a group of guys by the wall.
Fin let out a breath, relaxing a little. 'Nice people? Weird.' He figured that was the end of it. But then he saw the girls whispering to the guys, their heads bent close, sneaky-like.
The dudes—three of them, all tall and built like they lifted scrap trucks for fun—glanced his way, smirking. His stomach sank.