Eidetic Memory

"Why not go? It's been a couple of years since we've been there." My father had suggested, packing his green bag with glee.

His bag then lifted itself on the car. Today was a bright, early morning with the sun kissing my tanned skin.

I felt a little embarrassed he had asked. The place that we were going to was a tourist trap meant for families with small kids. It wasn't for locals like us to visit, with all the small-niche shops to lure tourists.

"But Dad, that place is for little kids. I'm 13! If I'm caught hanging out there, my classmates will think I'm going to ride the Ferris Wheel or something childish." I groaned.

"But I took off my weekend to spend time with you. I know you're all cramped up in the house, doing work your Mom assigns..." My Dad suddenly had a goofy grin on his pale face "-The mall has changed since we last visited. I mean, they even have a whole school on the second floor-"

"What kind of school?" I asked, turning my head toward my Dad.

"I heard it's a Spanish-speaking high school that tourists are allowed to visit during lunchtime... There's even a whole food court with a whole ton of foreign cuisine!"

I considered putting my foot down, knowing I would rather spend the weekend with my study group. But this mall-school hybrid piqued my interest. I mean, Spanish is mandatory for grade 9. I may as well use this time to get a head start.

An hour drive later outside our bustling city, we had arrived at a mediocre-looking mall. The mall appeared slightly worn out in unexpected places, but the front and the more "touristy" floors looked quite polished. Clean floors, lots of bright signs, and advertisements. This mall was all eye-candy and eye-strain to the average person. But to the average tourist, the mall had "culture" or something, who knows?

Hey, we should tots look at the new ice cream shop! I heard they can make their ice cream float using telepathy!"

"I... uh, actually wanted to see the school on the second floor. We'll definitely visit the shop later, but I wanted to ask the students for some advice! "

"Is it 11:30 am already?" My Dad pondered, scanning the area for a clock. "Oh, it would appear so. I'll let you go on your own since I know you don't want your old-man 'round lit high schoolers"

"I don't think you know what that means Dad. I'll hold on to my emergency phone in case anything happens okay? I'll be back around 12:30 for lunch, ok?"

"Sure thing! I'll be by the massage chairs just sitting like ducks by the fountain!"

"O-Ok! Whatever you say, Dad!" I yelled, running toward the confetti-covered elevator.

"Ouch! Sorry about-"

In an instant, I had gotten stared down by a fair-skinned-looking rebel. Long hair pulled back in an odd style, all noir clothing, and tattoo sleeves full of designs.

"Aha, never mind..."

"Why the hell are you still talking? I already have to go to school-"

"The one on the second floor?" I asked as the elevator door closed

"No the one that's on my head, 'course the one on the second floor" The punk laughed at my dismay "Don't tell me you're a tourist who thought this was a privileged school"

"I'm actually from around here-" I stated with a red face.

"Even worse!" The punk giggled to herself as she pressed her head "Look, look. The school is actually for parents to send kids they don't want 'round the house. Meaning most of us are either trouble or soon-to-be troublemakers. You can do whatever you want though, I'm not your Dad"

"I came all this way to get advice for high school, so I really can't go back. My dad is sampling all the massaging chairs and I'd rather get my advice and leave."

"Heh, for once in my life I'll say, don't be such a dork to the old-man. Your Dad has good taste in massage chairs, they're hella comfy after sitting on a wooden desk all day." The girl smirked as we both turned the corner. "Maybe, just maybe I'll say hello"

We had come to a pathway, with a large grey room in the middle of the floor. The mall looked crowded as the space only fit three people without being squished.

"Join us, we're off our break and are gettin' back. Well, I'm a little late but who cares. So long as my lazy-doofus teach isn't there, we'll be good..." The punk observed a loud-messy classroom, with one large circle of students in the middle. "Thank above we're 'early'"

The crowd of students waved, and all laughed at both of us. Perhaps a punk and a prep looked a little bit awkward standing together like friends?

"Yo! Angie! Who's the goof in pink?!" A teenage boy in camo shorts and a brown shirt shouted "She looks new!"

"She's joining the afternoon class. She had nothin' better to do she came lookin' for advice 'bout high school."

The whole group of 14 laughed at such a statement. I nervously eyed the group and forced out a laugh.

"Ah-look, look, look. We weren't laughing at you. We were all naïve like you when we were thirteen." A girl in fishnets and a grey jacket calmly remarked.

"Not me!" A girl with pink hair and all-white clothes giggled, playing on her hand-held console.

"O.M.G! Nicole! Hush, you gamer-girl freak! As I was saying, our advice ain't good for you. We're all rotten apples, and you look like you have a decent future ahead of ya." The grey-sweater girl stood and glared at the other students. "None of us are giving out "advice" this poor girl! Understood?"

"Sure, Gabriella." The class sighed as Gabriella had a smirk on her face, knowing she kept me safe.

"You're welcome to stay our teacher lets 'new students' join-"

Gabriella was interrupted by a door swing. A gruff, tall man holding a large textbook gave everyone disapproved look

"Class starts now! Get off the ground and grab your history textbooks! We're learning about World War One!"

Amid the students scrambling to their desks, I had come face to face with a man that had the most sinister demeanor I had ever seen. From the burn scars around his one eye to the gash in his cheeks and arms, this man was a terrifying being. I do not mean to judge so soon, but this man had a death stare as I quietly stare back.

"So, are you new?" The man said in a gruff voice.

I nodded without any words flying out of my mouth. I'd rather not speak while I feel uneasy.

"Good. Could use the extra money to teach another kid..." The man chuckled to himself as the other students all eyed me cautiously. "Say, what's your power?"

I would have told him the truth. But I've never felt so scared in my life. The eyes of the students starring as if I were on death row, the man everyone 'feared' looking at me, and the fact that I'm by myself for the first time in ages. The feeling of being alone in public had sunken into my core, and I had no way to control the way I had felt.

"Pa-pardon?" I whimpered. I could not see their faces, but I knew the other students either are pitying or giggling at me.

"Your power. What is it? Most of us have something supernatural about us!" The room had begun to shrink as I had yet to say anything.

"I- uh... Well, i-it's not as important. My powers are internal and all-"

"Oh?" The man was standing right in front of me, his eyes disapproving and filled with rage "...What kind of 'internal' powers?"

The other students had stood up. Nicole looked as if someone smashed her hand-held console, and her hair began to rise. The boy in camo had begun to melt in place, his green eyes filled with fear. Gabriella had given my punk friend a worried glance as they both began to levitate.

"Eidetic Memory!" I blurted out loud.

The class had gone from morphing into another dimension into an average, slightly worn-down classroom once more.

"Girl, what were you thinking? Clearly, you don't value your life or any of ours" The boy in camo shrieked, nearly out of breath.

"I-I'm sorry! I panicked okay? I've never seen anyone do that before!" I yelled back, clutching the phone in my pocket.

"What a boring power. What were you so scared of? Admitting that you could memorize images?" Nicole said revolted at my anxious behaviour. "You put us in danger with a dude that melts rooms!"

"Enough. Clearly she has a mental issue, if you want you may leave. I was curious considering you looked familiar, or maybe that was just me?"

"Me? Familiar? I never go outside..." I remarked, laughing a little out of place.

"No, not you. I meant you reminded me of an old rival of mine. Some chick who constantly pestered me to do my work back in college... Short, curly black hair. Golden tanned face, thin face, hazel eyes, always wore black...."

Out of curiosity I had drawn out his description, to reveal what had looked like my mother. I nervously, showed him what I had drawn.

"You mean Ximena DeLuz? This is what she looked like when she was younger..." I quietly admitted.

"Ain't no damn way! It's really her!" The gruff man let out a hardy laugh as the students all looked at me in confusion.

"I've heard that name before. Ximena the architect, right? She is famous for embarrassing the last mayor of our city over denying her plans, correct?" Gabriella said, gazing at her phone and scrolling for more information.

"Your Mom's hilarious! I heard from my aunts that the last mayor was a massive doofus and basically was the city's worst mayor in history!" The punk girl laughed as she patted my head.

"Who knew such a shy girl like you was the daughter of a woman that's the Napoleon of modern architects!" Nicole smirked as she glanced at me for a moment.

"Hah, I mean. I never knew my mom was this famous. She doesn't talk to me about herself and my Dad avoids the topic a lot now that I think about it. She just tells me to study, study and to dream of studying." I sighed

"That's why I came here in the first place, I wanted advice about high school to study harder and to be a smarter person."

"I don't think you'll ever be enough. You seem like a smart kid, but it's quite clear your Mom is overworking you to be an impossibly perfect academic." Gabriella sighed in the gloom. "We'll give you the advice you want, but remember to study for yourself. You'll be six feet under if you keep pushing yourself for her."

"Damn, you had to be the daughter of a woman like that? Tell you what kid, I'll give you a list of advice to follow, but take it with a grain of salt, ok?" The teacher spent the next few minutes writing down notes "Here you go, you may leave if you want. I don't think you'll be back considering I accidentally scarred you."

"To be fair, your powers have never worked this well before. It's as if you still have a grudge against Mrs. DeLuz" Nicole snarkily remarked.

"Knock it off, you fake gamer girl!" Gabriella shouted and turned to me. "If you want, I'll give you my number. Don't worry 'bout me answering. I'm always on my phone!"

"Thanks so much, everyone!" I smiled as I headed out the door. Perhaps, I should look near the massage chairs and ask my Dad to go to the ice cream shop?