Sapphyra

The silence was deafening as I trailed behind him, guilt twisting my gut back into knots. I wasn't used to walking in high heels-let alone anything other than a wedge.

Guess who tripped on her big-ass feet and squealed like a pig to break the ice? Me.

"Whoa! Easy there." He caught me. Of course he did, he's got super speed. Still...why is he holding me for so long?

I gulped, disliking how chiseled his arms were.

"You can let me go now." I softly muttered, more irritated than I intended. Guys blush was cute, almost cuter than his dimple–not that I cared.

He quickly let go, quietly coughing to himself. We continued walking in silence, yet it felt worse now than before. Eventually, after a soft tour of the mansion, we stopped right before a pair of grand oak double doors.

"Maybe I–"

"Do you–"

We looked at each other and laughed a little. Talking at the same time like we're in some sort of rom-com is not how the day should go. It's not how an apology should start.

"Sorry." I finally let it out.

He waved it away, shaking his head.

"Don't be. Besides, today isn't about me, it's about you." Guy beamed a little, then opened the doors with a push of his fingertip.

Up until now, I had only seen Rupert Domingo in books and on ads–never in person. He rarely ever let anyone come to his place of dwelling outside of his small cabinet of advisors. Something about him felt...wrong and right at the same time.

He was tall, nearly as tall as me with my complexion too. Salt and pepper hair slicked back with horn-rimmed glasses met me first. HIs grey eyes and slim face came second.

It wasn't his clothing that drew me in, or the way he stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His smile though...there was something familiar about it but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Sapphyra, it's nice to finally meet you in person. Please, have a seat." Rupert motioned towards the chair in front of his expensive looking oak desk. Real oak too, not the synthetic stuff we grow in the east district.

I couldn't help glancing at Guy but he was nowhere in sight. That did little to help my nerves. At least the doors were still wide open.

"I never thought I'd be sitting here, Mr. President. I hope these chairs are sturdy." I mentioned with a nervous laugh, silently praying that they were actually built for hefty people. My hand covered my heart as a wave of relief washed over me when my ass didn't fall through the flimsy looking chair.

He smiled and sat down as well.

"Please, call me Rupert. And I'll let you know a secret, everything in this office is reinforced."

Blinking, I looked behind him at the paintings on the wall and the huge windows looking out onto his front lawn.

"Yes, everything–even the windows. I had it set up that way in case a monster should ever find itself here. Don't get me wrong, I trust that my men are highly trained but those beasts are tricky." My brow raised when he clenched his fist and slid it under the table.

The smile returned with a vengeance.

"Speaking of beasts, I've noticed the work that you do as a Battlefield Janitor and I am thoroughly impressed."

I shrank a little in my chair. What could he mean by that? What work? Guy said he would keep my secret-

"Sapphyra, what would you think about a class change?" The way his ocean deep blue eyes bore into me made me feel restless.

"A class change? You'd waste that on me?"

"Hm. That's right, you've reminded me about how tricky it is to come by one of the Applications. That said, I'm the president. I have a few to spare but this one is special. It's the second ever artificial Application made. The first belongs to our resident superhero, Guy Dynamo."

"Wait, his Application is artificial? What does that mean?"

The president drummed his fingers across his desk, stroking his chin. He stands up, walking towards the window.

"Come, stand by my side." It wasn't a request. My body moved but I felt like a leashed dog following its master.

For the first time in my life, there was a man shorter than me that I felt intimidated by-and it had nothing to do with his Class.

"What do you know about the Class system?"

"Is this a pop quiz? Should I have studied?" Why the hell would I say that? My idiot meter must be on eleven today.

He chuckled, shaking his head.

"It's fine. No one wants a history lesson anyway. Instead...tell me about 12 years ago."

My throat ran dry, palms so sweaty that I could hear it dripping. I shoved them behind my back.

"What about it?" There's only one thing he could be referring to.

I glance back at the door, noticing Guy leaning against the doorframe. His nostrils flared and his arms were crossed. Once he caught me gawking, he clenched his jaw and turned his back on me.

Why doesn't he like this conversation?

"A tragedy." The only real answer I could give him without turning into a puddle of tears.

"Sir. That's a very rough day...for both of us. We should switch topics." Guy said, suddenly next to me. His presence comforted me, just a little.

And that scared me.

Rupert looked between the two of us. His smile returned, softer–yet no less predatory.

"You really don't think you're special at all...do you." He all but whispered it, in awe.

Rupert smiled like he knew an inside joke. Raising a brow, he asked "Cleaning up battlefields...are you sure that's all you're good for?"

All I could do was nod-too petrified to speak. I knew I was lying but no good would come from him knowing my abilities.

Rupert reached into his pocket, pulling out a small remote. He pressed the button and the windows turned into a projection screen.

Why did that make me start sweating?

"If cleaning up is all you do...then what am I looking at right now?"

There on the screen was a top down view of me expelling Penny's house from my body.

Well shit.