"All right then," Joe said with a warm smile, nodding to the others. "It's settled."
Meanwhile, back at the academy…
Rose, Joe, Dickson, Jamaila, and Blonde sat together at a cafeteria table, their plates piled with fried rice and chicken before them. Yet, none of them touched their food; instead, they continued heaving heavy sighs, the silence between them thick and uncomfortable even though the cafeteria was bubbling with other students present.
"Do you think she's okay?" Joe was the first to break the silence, his tone tentative yet laced with concern. "I've sent her numerous texts on her phone, but she hasn't responded to any of them."
"Victoria isn't the type of person to chat much anyway," Rose replied, letting out a long, heavy sigh as smoke curled lazily from the cigarette between her fingers. "From the little I've known her, I've learned that about her. She keeps things to herself. Always has."
