[center][color=FFDEAD][h1][b]B E N J A M I N   H O P E[/b][/h1][/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/lPNdHWn.gif[/img]

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-zBVF0GvXU] Benjamin's Theme : First Train Home[/url]

[/center]


[URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4IASq6tY8w][COLOR=FFDEAD][INDENT][B]
[SUP][SUB][H3]'G I V I N G   H O P E'   P R I V A T E   P R A C T I C E:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 7:52 AM | Georgette Hope's Office | Interacting with [url=https://i.imgur.com/x36eTNv.jpg]Georgette Hope[/url][/color][/sup][/INDENT][/URL]

[indent]A convenient 15-minutes away from Mather Memorial High School was the 'Giving Hope' Private Practice, a small practice specializing in psychotherapy and Hyperhuman therapeutic affairs. 

The gentle mist licked the air as the morning sunlight gleamed through the windows of the office. It was still fairly early in the morning, about another hour or so before the practice opened and her first scheduled appointment would commence for the day. Many of her clientele were hyperhumans of course, some of which were students from Mather High, too afraid to reveal their true nature to their friends or family. Doctor-patient confidentiality kept firmly intact of course. 

Standing in the doorway of her office was Benjamin, his satchel strapped across his thin frame and a book held firmly against his chest. He was staring. No no...more like glaring, his gaze clearly perturbed by something his mother had said to him moments before. Georgette seemed unconcerned though, her focus on her work as she shuffled through patient documents. [color=7B68EE]"Sweetie, don't scowl. You'll end up wif those horrible facial lines"[/color] she remarked, applying hand gestures around her face for greater affect.

His eyes rolled, unamused by her quip, [color=FFDEAD]"Can ya be [i]any more[/i] dramatic mum?"[/color]. Georgette looked up for a moment and smirked, [color=7B68EE]"I can if ya want me ter be me dear."[/color]

Ben smacked his lips after a heavy sigh, [color=FFDEAD]"Mhmm..."[/color], his eyelids closing as though he wanted to suddenly dissipate into thin air, [color=FFDEAD]"Mkay, well, I need ter go. Soooo...see ya la'ta then? I'll probably head ter the library once school is over."[/color], he said to her, his head tilting as he made his way out the door.

[color=7B68EE]"Uhhh..."[/color]

He could practically see his own brain, [color=FFDEAD]"Yes?"[/color] he groaned, turning back around. [color=7B68EE]"Yer gonna be fine okay?"[/color], she tried to reassure him. But based on her dipping countenance, she was clearly concerned. So much so, that she stood from her desk and walked over to him, rubbing his ear affectionately like she always had when he was younger.

[color=FFDEAD]"Sure..."[/color] he feigned quietly, looking down to the floor.

There was a moment of hesitation, but a mother usually has her keen intuition when it comes to her children. [color=7B68EE]"Look..."[/color] Georgette began, releasing her hand from around his ear, [color=7B68EE]"I know this be a big change for you and yer brothers but, believe me when I say, its fer the best."[/color] Ben cocked his head to the side, taken aback, [color=FFDEAD]"Fer who exactly?"[/color] he asked sharply. 

Georgette reeled her face back, eyebrows furrowing in tandem, [color=7B68EE]"Don't get smart!"[/color] she snapped, her head wagging. [color=7B68EE]"This is what's best fer ya. Fer all of ya"[/color], she said, returning back to her desk and the paperwork that cluttered it. [color=7B68EE]"You'll see."[/color]

Ben shook his head as he looked at her, the frustration following him like a shadow, [color=FFDEAD]"I'm sure it is..."[/color] 
[/indent]

[URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-zBVF0GvXU][COLOR=FFDEAD][INDENT][B]
[SUP][SUB][H3]M A T H E R   M E M O R I A L   H I G H   S C H O O L:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 8:15 AM to 2:25 PM | Auditorium ➙ General Classes ➙ The 'Loft' | Interacting with [url=https://i.imgur.com/Ya8Mcbh.png]Malachi Hope[/url], Mr. Lehrer (Jonas) [/color][/sup][/INDENT][/URL]

He was the new kid, though this was not a title he had wished to claim. It made him feel more like an outsider than he already was. And as he walked up to his new school, that reality of it all sunk in like a bag of bricks. Even still, he took a deep breath and remained calm as he took his first steps in. His younger brother Malachi had arrived before him. Ben certainly fumbled a bit of course, unaware of where to go initially. He was so out of touch with his new environment, that he hadn't even noticed the announcement about the missing girl. As he finally made his way to the auditorium, he'd suddenly perceive one advantage to all of this. These people didn't know him. They didn't know who he was, or rather, what he was. And he hoped to keep it that way indefinitely. 

As he took his seat next to no one in particular, he'd chock his participation in the 'special program' to a heightened desire to better understand the hyperhumans, while hopefully not revealing himself to be one in the process. 

Quite frankly, he didn't too much care for his powers, despite their practical applications. It wasn't worth all the baggage. In any case, the assembly was meh. It was what an assembly usually is. However, once Dr. Lehrer come forth, his attention peaked. This was the man who'd be teaching the new program. Not quite what he had expected, but the man seemed presentable enough. Though, there was something oddly mysterious about the man, a feeling that was hard for Ben to pinpoint, even to himself. After the assembly, he relinquished those thoughts to the ether and continued on to his classes for the day. 

They were your standard classes. Nothing particularly challenging, at least not for him. He hated having to stand up in the front of his classes, His teachers introducing him as the new student from England. A rather annoying formality, yet perceived as necessary by his instructors. 

He walked his younger brother, Malachi, to his next class, though apparently Mal was getting on much better than himself. Making new friends and talking with a group of boys as though they'd been friends for ages. Although, Ben couldn't help but notice a peculiar figure. Another student. Probably within his grade, though his frame was notably taller and more muscular than his own. It was but a passing glance in the hallway, but Ben had sworn he had seen this guy before. Maybe someone from his neighborhood? He wasn't sure quite honestly, but the guy's mug continued to linger in his thoughts throughout the rest of the school day. That was until more pressing matters came to the forefront and removed the familiar boy from his consciousness.

It was time. Time for THAT class. The one he was dreading the most. Math was easy. Science was easy. Geography was cake. But this. No way. He was not keen on participating, though considering what his mother is capable of, he'd muster up the remainder of his energy and head in. It was definitely different from the other classes, much more casual. And with couches. He was one of the first to arrive it seemed, giving him a chance to really take a closer look at this Dr that he had previously seen at the assembly. He gave the man nothing but a passive glance as he took his seat in the left corner of the U-shaped couches and remained silent as other unfamiliar faces started to file in. For some dumb reason, he had hoped to see that familiar-faced boy again, but that didn't seem to be the case. Not yet anyways. 

He placed the passcard in his pocket and the syllabus in his satchel as the instructor began to speak. Not all the seats had been filled yet. Stragglers perhaps? In any case, he continued to listen quietly as Mr. Lehrer spoke. Ben generally wasn't one to interject. Especially not with what this professor was asking. [i]What ability would you want?[/i] Ben couldn't help but glare at the man for asking such an impertinent question. Hyperhumans are being treated like second-class citizens and this professor was making some kind of fantasy out it. [i]None. I don't want any abilities[/i], Ben wanted to say aloud. But he remained silent as other students responded to the question. 

At this point, Ben had already clocked out; a book for self-empowerment firmly gripped within his hands. His gentle brown eyes were unwavering from the text that filled the pages.