Try and Catch Me

Exam (2)
The revulsion was clear on his face as he gave the last once-over look at Lia’s cheap shirt and trousers.

‘It’s happening again.’ She recognized that look, the very same look the people from her town used to give her. Lia clenched her fist, digging her nails to her palm. ‘They are not important. Don’t mind them,’ she reminded herself.

She went off to join the rest of the examinees, but the sweet voice that reverberated behind her almost caused her to stop.

“May I know your family name, Miss?” That same revolting guy, who gave Lia a nasty look earlier, preened and smiled at the next examinee.

Lia joined the line but not before subtly rolling her eyes. The change in the proctor’s attitude made her curious about this ‘Miss.’ She glanced sideways at the registration table and found a girl who seemed like a year younger than her and an obvious rich kid. Her simple navy blue dress complemented her olive skin. But even from afar, Lia could tell that it was made of expensive material, a far cry from the simple chinos she was wearing. The girl’s attendants were left behind the carriage bearing their family crest. A distinguished family. Perhaps, even an official’s daughter. No wonder about the special treatment.

But this miss was not the only privileged examinee present. Everyone in this place, actually. They all wore dark and subdued colored clothes, and they reeked the air of the wealthy and pampered. ‘And snob,’ Lia added when she made eye contact with one, and the other person showed a visible look of disgust as though she were comparable to a vermin.

There were only a handful of normal citizens like Lia, and they all stood out. Not surprisingly, they were trying to keep a low profile with lowered gazes and hunched backs. Lia stared at the ground, not because she was afraid of this animosity, but if she didn’t, her eyes would hurt from too much rolling.

Lia could not suppress her sigh, though. This kind of mood even added to the gloom. To top it off, her plan to just exist in the background was not happening, what was with her getting curious looks and attention.

‘Just forget about me, I’m just air. I’m irrelevant.’

“That’s a big sigh.”

Startled out of her thoughts, it took Lia a few seconds to collect herself before turning around. There, she found the only smiling face in the sea of stone-faced people. It was the rich miss. Lia blinked a couple of times, wondering if she heard it wrong.

“Nervous?” the miss tried again, her smile remaining in place. It was unlike the fake smiles the proctors gave them, but a friendly smile. She was trying for chit-chat and Lia did not know how to respond to that.

Lia settled with a tight smile. “A bit.”

“It’s fine!” Her smile grew wider, probably in an attempt to placate Lia’s nerves.

Giving the other person one last small smile, Lia turned back. ‘Well, that was weird.’

“Say,” Lia heard a whisper behind her, “Liana, is it? A rare name for a boy, don’t you think?”

Lia’s brows shot up as she turned behind her. The other examinee put her hands up as if saying ‘no offense.’ “It’s just…”

A loud cough interrupted them. The same proctor at the registration stood beside them, giving Lia a pointed look. Lia groaned inwards.

“Follow me to the exam hall.”