Kiesha, Celina, and Steven walked out of the room feeling rather proud of themselves.

"Wow," Kiesha exclaimed. "I certainly didn't expect to make it through that without getting transferred over and over!"

Celina and Steven, who were a little ahead of Kiesha, stopped and turned around when they reached the staircase.

"What?" Kiesha said apprehensively when she realized they were staring at her.

"You do realize that you're probably the most powerful student here, don't you?" Steven said.

"I... can't... be," Kiesha said haltingly. She certainly didn't feel powerful.

"Don't sell yourself short," Celina said. "You're really powerful. I mean, even Steven here couldn't accomplish the tasks given to us as well as you did."

"That was just luck," Kiesha said. "I don't know. Maybe I have a larger imagination. But that doesn't mean I'm more powerful."

"I don't know about imagination, but what I saw in there was power," Steven said. "Who knows, you might be the next Society Head."

"Oh, no," Kiesha said. "You guys have wild imaginations. I never head anything. I'm a follower, not a leader."

"Maybe it's time to change that," Celina said as she turned to head up the stairs. Steven followed her, leaving Kiesha standing dumbfounded at the bottom. She stood there for a few minutes, then headed up the stairs to her room.

All Kiesha wanted was some private time to rest before lunch. What she got was her next-door neighbor standing in the middle of her bedroom, ready and eager to start the conversation again.

"I thought we were supposed to go to our own rooms until lunch," Kiesha said, somewhat irritably.

"Open to interpretation," Celina said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Listen, you really need to reconsider where you stand. You have the talent of a leader, Kiesha! Very few people have the kind of power you do."

"There's no way," Kiesha said. "In all my life, I have never led anyone. Besides, no one here is going to want to follow me. Everyone else has been in the Society their entire lives. I just got here. I'm an outsider."

"That doesn't matter," Celina said. "The gift you have isn't given based on where you grew up." She crossed the room to where Kiesha was standing. "It's bestowed based on what you are in there," she said, pointing at Kiesha's chest. "All the studying in the world can't get anyone what I saw today."

"That doesn't mean I have to lead," Kiesha shot back.

"'For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required,'" Celina quoted. She then turned around and left.

Kiesha lay down on her bed, exhausted, and rubbed her throbbing temples. She was glad, of course, that she had shown such promise, but she felt like a tremendous burden had been placed on her shoulders. She closed her eyes and drifted off.

Half an hour later, Celina woke her up for lunch. Kiesha was apprehensive, thinking Celina would either sulk or try to continue their earlier conversation. Instead, she opened the discussion on how many people might be accepted to whatever training center they were headed for. Apparently, the set of students tested that day were only some of the many who would face examinations in the coming weeks.

Lunch was an animated meal as the students discussed their potential test results. All of them were eager to see which Training Center they would call home. Some speculated, while others fully proclaimed exactly where they thought they would be sent.

"I just hope I don't get sent to one in Antarctica," Kiesha said to Celina, who laughed in response. Steven, who was sitting across the table from them, joined in with a small laugh of his own.

"Kiesha," he said, "we don't have a Training Center in Antarctica."

"We do have one in Russia, though," Celina said.

"Oh, I feel loads better now," Kiesha said sarcastically.

After lunch, most of the students went outside. There was a large lawn in the back with many statues, trees, shrubs, and flowers. Celina showed Kiesha several of the figures that had been commissioned in honor of special Society Members. But towards the late afternoon, everyone headed back inside to their rooms. Miss Maria had promised that the students' results would be provided to them before dinner, and they were all anxious to receive them.

Kiesha and Celina parted in the hallway and went to their respective quarters. For the next hour, Kiesha did nothing but pace back and forth from her dresser to her bed. Finally, someone knocked on her door. She fairly flew to the door, opening it with enough speed to startle the maid on the other side.

"Miss Kiesha," the maid said as she handed Kiesha an envelope, "these are the results of your examinations from this morning."

Kiesha took the envelope, thanked the girl, and closed the door behind her. She looked at the envelope and found that her hands were trembling. Taking a moment to try to steady her nerves, she tore it open and removed the expensive-looking stationery inside. The results had been organized into columns. The names of the tests were given on the left followed by the numerical scores on the right, the totals of which were at the bottom. The end of the report listed the name of the Training Center to which Kiesha had been assigned. She could not believe her eyes. She had been assigned to Society Headquarters!

She went over to the adjoining door to Celina's room and knocked.

"Come in," Celina called from inside. Kiesha poked her head around the door.

"Hey," Celina said with a twinkle in her eye. "Looks like we'll both be staying here for our training."

"How in the world did you know?" Kiesha asked.

"Well, we both began and finished in the same room, so it stands to reason that we'd be in the same Training Center," Celina reasoned.

"Makes sense," Kiesha replied. "I'm glad we'll be staying together. You're the only friend I have here."

"Don't worry," Celina said with a smile. "I'm sure you'll have many others."

Time slipped by as the girls talked about various subjects. All too soon it was time for dinner.

"Uh-oh," Kiesha said as she opened the door to her room.

"What is it?" Celina asked.

"I don't have any formal wear besides the one I wore last night."

"That's the only one you brought?" Celina asked nervously. The girls were not the same size and could not, therefore, trade clothes.

"Actually, I didn't bring any. Marina had that brought to me."

"Oh, no problem then," Celina said. "If Marina knew you didn't have anything, then you should have a new dress waiting for you in your room right now."

"Wow! Really?" Kiesha exclaimed. "I guess I'd better go put it on then so we won't be late for dinner.

Just as Celina had promised, there was a new dress waiting for Kiesha at the foot of her bed. Within ten minutes, she had dressed, applied makeup, and styled her hair. She had added a hair extension to complete the look and was placing the last bobby pin when Celina walked in to see if she was ready.

"I am now," Kiesha said, taking a quick look in the full-length armoire mirror as a double-check.

They walked down to the dining room together and found the others waiting just outside. Kiesha quickly located Steven talking to one of the other guys closer to the door. She noticed he looked her over and smiled when he saw her, though not in a way that made her uncomfortable. He made his way toward her, still smiling.

"Hi, Kiesha. You look lovely tonight," he said.

"Thank you, Steven," Kiesha replied, realizing suddenly that Celina had moved a few feet away and was engaging in an animated conversation with another student, though she kept glancing over at Kiesha.

"I guess we'll both be staying here for our Training," Steven continued.

"Celina will, too. Although you probably guessed that."

At that moment, the dining room doors opened.

"May I escort you into the dining room?" he asked, offering his arm. He then lowered his voice and continued. "I hope I'm not making you feel awkward. I saw this in a movie once."

"I'm actually enjoying it," Kiesha replied in the same tone, placing her hand on his arm. Steven escorted her into the dining room and helped her with her chair like a true gentleman, then took the chair across from her. Kiesha had a smile on her face for the rest of the evening.