The bell rang, and Nadine made her way out of the classroom, feeling relieved that the week was finally over.
Finally, another week survived.
Homework and studying could wait till tomorrow. Knowing you had a few hours to chill and just do whatever you wanted was the best feeling ever. Ask any student in the world, and they'll tell you: Fridays after school was what real freedom felt like.
The hallways were packed, students moving in all directions. Everyone was still buzzing about the new guy, and the gossip showed no signs of slowing down. It wasn't exactly fresh news anymore, but still– three hours didn't make it exactly old, either.
Several minutes later, Nadine was still wandering the halls.
Shit! Some days this place just turns into a fucking maze!
She scowled, cursing her not-so-great sense of direction. Even after being here for seven years, she still got lost sometimes.
Marian Secondary School was one of the biggest in Laurel Province– the main province of Laurelian. With over 1500 students and around 75 teachers, it was close to the palace, and famous for many of its graduates being given jobs there.
With a hundred individual rooms and endless winding hallways, new students often took months to find their footing. Until they did, it was an unspoken rule to help one if they looked lost.
Finally, she found the exit. Kaylie and Dan were waiting near the school gate, mid-conversation. Kaylie seemed to have completely forgotten about her 'revenge' from earlier.
When they noticed her, Dan waved her over.
'Nadine, take a wrong turn again? You were so slow I was about to die of old age here,' Kaylie teased.
'Yeah, this must be a new record for the longest time taken by a senior to escape this hellhole!' Dan laughed. We were about to report you missing.'
'Shut up! I wasn't that slow. Let's just go already,' Nadine stomped past them, not bothering to wait. They all lived on the same street anyway.
'Wait up, bro. Don't abandon us.'
'Nope! Both of you are officially out of my favour until we get home. Eat my dust, suckers!'
She dashed away, going full speed down the street. If they'd been taking the Underground Train line home, she might've waited. But with her house only a half-hour walk away? No need.
After about five minutes, she stopped to catch her breath on a quieter street. The sky had started shifting to a stunning shade of amber. She pulled out her water bottle and took a sip, admiring the view.
Even if you hate this country as much as I do, you have to admit it's a pretty place. Clean streets, trees everywhere, and no cars– just quiet, peaceful suburbs. This is nice.
Movement caught her eye.
Out of nowhere, a tall figure in a mask and dark clothing appeared at the end of the street. They walked toward the shadow of a tree, and stood there, still.
What the hell? Who stands around with a mask on? That's super suspicious.
She crept closer. A second masked person joined the first. Wait– they're wearing our school uniform.
Nadine squinted. The second figure seemed familiar, but with the fading light and disguise, it was impossible to tell who it was.
She ducked behind a tree, careful not to rustle the grass beneath her feet.
The two began speaking in hushed tones. Nadine strained to listen, but only caught fragments.
'...ave you… got the… we… you for?'
'Yes. …ight here. How many... need?'
'Four. Loyal… dependable, and… intel…gent.'
The second figure's voice was as familiar as their appearance. But I can't put my finger on where I've heard it before…
She watched as the second handed over sheets of paper to the first, who began to flip through them. Even from a distance, she could make out the format. Rows of text with photos above them. Photos of Marian students.
Are those our profiles?! What kind of shady operation is this? What if they see me and decide I know too much?!
Heart pounding, she backed away, snapping a twig in the process. She stumbled in surprise and fell hard onto the grass.
FUCK!! No way they didn't hear that!
Both of the figures whipped around. This time, their voices were crystal clear.
'Crap! There's a witness! We gotta go now!'
'Huh? I think she goes to my school.'
'Does that matter? No! Just get away before she reports us!'
The pair bolted, vanished just as suddenly as they'd arrived.
Nadine sat up slowly, stunned.
They ran away? Like I'M the threat? The hell's going on?
For a moment she sat there breathing rapidly, trying to process the short encounter.
So… two shady masked people exchange student files, I see them, and they're the ones scared of me?
This kind of thing always happened when she was alone. Trouble had a way of finding her when Kaylie and Dan weren't around.
I should've waited for them… Maybe we could've caught those two or at least figured out more.
She groaned.
Ugh! Now I'm gonna be thinking about this for days. And what if they were planning something bad? If I don't report it and something really does happen, I'll be furious with myself.
Just then, Kaylie and Dan turned onto the street. They hadn't seen her yet.
'GUYS! GET OVER HERE! I SAW SOMETHING SUPER SUSPICIOUS!'
Kaylie blinked. 'Nadine? Why are you all the way over there?'
They rushed toward her.
'Come on, get up,' Dan said as he pulled her to her feet. 'Now, explain to us what you were doing.'
'Okay, so, I was minding my own business, walking through here, and all of a sudden, I see two people wearing disguises and acting questionably! Obviously I had to check it out, and they were exchanging our files. Marian Secondary student files! They were gathering all our personal info! And I've got no idea what to do!'
'Well, shit. Are you sure that's what they were doing? You didn't imagine it?' Dan asked.
'Yeah, I'm certain. They definitely didn't want anyone seeing them. Man… if I hadn't tripped, maybe I'd have gotten more info.'
'Well… Let's just go home for now. There's no proof, right? Maybe next week we can bring a camera and try to catch them again. Then we report it,' Kaylie suggested.
Since when do you need evidence to report anything? Nadine thought. But she kept that to herself. At least now she didn't have to think of it as her problem alone.
'I guess you're right. After today's chaos, I seriously need some dinner and a nap. Can you guys come over tomorrow? I got a long essay to write and it'll take me hours without help. If you do, you'll officially be back in my favour, right now!'
'I thought us coming to your rescue here already got us back in your favour. God, you're ungrateful. But fiiiiine, I'll come. What about you, Kaylie?' Dan said, rolling his eyes.
'Yup, me too. But make sure there's snacks,' she grinned.
'Thanks for the support, besties. Well, off to home!'
They continued home, chatting as they walked. The drama of earlier faded into the background as the sun descended lower and lower.
'See you tomorrow,' Kaylie said as they got to their street. She waved, and walked off to her house a few blocks down.
'Bye. I better not arrive to find you still sleeping in,' Dan added as he followed her.
'You won't,' Nadine called back.
She walked through her front yard and opened the door, kicking off her black school shoes.
'I'm home,' she announced as she stepped into the kitchen, where her dad was cooking dinner.
'Welcome back, honey. How was your day?' he asked.
'Uh, yeah, it was great, Dad. I learned a bunch of interesting things. We found out there's gonna be a new kid coming to our school. Apparently he's in my year. Pretty crazy news, isn't it?'
'Oh, is that so?' Nadine's mother said, suddenly appearing in the doorway.
'Ack! Mom, when did you get there?!'
'Just in time to hear this fascinating news, dear. You know, if he's allowed to transfer, in his final year no less, his parents must be important. Probably even third-tiers.'
'You should try to make friends with him,' her dad added.
'Y'know, my friends said the exact same thing. But I said, "what if he's a brat, just 'cause his family's powerful?" I'm not gonna suck up to someone like that. Anyway, I bet tons of people will try to befriend him, so he'll be able to pick and choose as he likes. I've got Dan and Kaylie, they're enough for me.'
'Never mind, then,' her dad said with a smile. 'Dinner's almost ready. Can you go tell Lucas it's his turn to set the table?'
'Okay.'
Nadine climbed the stairs to the second floor. Lucas– her annoying little brother, younger by a year– always got home before she did, but refused to leave his room until their parents forced him out. Even though they went to the same school, he acted like they lived in different worlds.
She knocked on his door, waiting for his reply.
'What?' he grumbled from inside.
'Dad says it's your turn to set the table, so get out here and do it,' she snapped, already irritated.4
Why can't he respond nicely for once? We're siblings, we're supposed to be close. But he never really says anything to me.
Lucas stepped out, scowling as he passed her.
The fuck did I do? If he's rude first, obviously he's going to get rude back, she thought, scowling right back at him.
He went downstairs in a huff, and she headed to her own room. Nadine dropped her bag on the floor and flopped onto her bed with a deep sigh.
Today's been such an up and down day. I haven't felt this tired in a while!
She only had a little more than thirty seconds of peace before she heard–
'NADINE! Dinner!'
'Coming!' she shouted back.
With a wistful glance, she pushed herself up. I'll be back, my amazing bed, she thought, heading for the door.