He put me into a headlock and we have been fighting for over five minutes about my disappearance and him waiting for me at lunch. Basically I'm being murdered by my best guy friend over a promise to tell him a story.

Get yourself a guy like Cody, ladies.

Cough.

"Bruh, you wanna stop?" I huffed, pushing his arms away, "I'm out of breath."

"Unfit as usual," Cody scoffed, "Where'd your stamina go from last week? Let me guess, down the drain like that big ass shit you were taking that kept you in that bathroom for so long?"

I slapped him on the arm and he pulled away with a frown. "Stop it," I leaned in and gave him a stern look, "People are looking. Save me face, Cody."

"Save me the excuse," he raised his eyebrows and tossed me an apple, which I caught with ease as I shook my head at the boy.

"What went down in there? Besides the shit."

I rolled my eyes and took a bite of his apple before recalling the events.

I could expose one of two things: T6-GEO@, or Serenity.

Serenity it was.

"Serena and Vanessa were conspiring to sabotage me by somehow magically getting me to attend 'Serenity.' They were in the bathroom and I happened to eavesdrop." I propped my head onto my arms and took in Cody's surprised expression. "What are your thoughts?" I asked cheekily when I saw him ponder a bit.

Cody folded his arms as a smile of disbelief crossed over his face. "I mean," he started, face twisting into something too cocky for my taste, "I'd like to see you twirl in a dress sometimes."

"Why is it I could already sense something stupid out of your mouth before you even say it?" I snapped at him, pressing the apple against my lips to avoid commenting on the topic.

"Hey, I'm all for tomboy Risa," Cody nudged me and made a smile appear on my face, "But let's say a man held a gun to your head—"

"Cody, this is getting a bit gruesome for lunch," I cut in with a weird look. He shushed me so that he could continue his thought.

"—held a gun to your head and asked, 'wear this dress or I'll take Cody's life,' what would you do?"

I coughed and choked on the water I was drinking before immediately concealing my mouth behind my hand as I slapped the cap of the bottle on. Recalling how to breathe, I looked up at Cody with a perplexed expression.

He shrugged and patted my back as he regarded me curiously.

I cleared my throat and beckoned a finger for him to lean in as my face contorted into an expression like I was going to announce something important. When his face was close to the point that I could feel his breathing on my skin, I cupped my hand next to his ear and whispered, "If I asked that man if I could put that gown on you instead, do you think he'd have a good laugh and let both of us go?"

When I pulled away and saw the look of pure disgust on Cody's face, a thin line formed on my lips as I remembered something else. "Also, why the fuck is he holding a gun to my head when you're the one who's about to die?"

Cody raised his eyebrows before breaking out into laughter, shoving my hands away as he composed himself with his face in his hands.

I watched the boy crack a smile and found myself smiling as well. It had been a while since we had a hearty conversation. Lately, I've been busy with the team and he was struggling in school. Our schedules just didn't line up much for us to click together and relax.

It seemed like Cody caught me and his laughter died down a bit. "What?" he chuckled, a simple grin planted on his lips.

I shrugged lightly and turned my face away from him. "Nothing, just making sure my soft side was exposed to the right person."

Cody grinned and started cleaning up his area. Suddenly, we stopped as the bell for lunch to end rang. We both rose to our feet along with the rest of the students already starting to file out. The cafeteria soon became a loud, rowdy chaos scene.

"Risa Kennedy!" Cody yelled as students pushed past the two of us.

I arched my brows at him as if saying, yes?

"See you after school?" he asked, "I'll take you home."

I smiled and nodded, before realizing something crucial and I quickly shook my head, earning a confused look on Cody's face.

I flashed him an apologetic look. "Can't. I have detention, remember?

Cody shook his head with a small laugh. "Loser."

I rolled my eyes and waved to him before the two of us parted ways and began prowling through the crowd to get to our class.

▂▂▂▂▂

"Ah, if it isn't you," Mr. Buht greeted me with the fraudest smile he could muster.

I had just entered the classroom and saw him gossiping to Mrs. Island about all the students that gave him a headache today and apparently, I was his hot topic at the moment.

I put on a smile and randomly stuck out a hand to address him. "Alive and in the flesh. Fancy seeing you here, Mr.. Buht."

A sneakier smile tried to bust through my composed one but I suppressed it into a muffled snort, which both teachers heard.

Mrs. Island, who was standing behind Mr. Buht, just gave me the hand-chopping knife motion to her neck. I flashed her a disappointed look before snapping back to the male teacher with an mouth-splitting beam.

"Here for detention?" The man folded his arms as if he expected it.

"I hardly think I have to provide any other reasons for still being in school after the usual hours, yes?" I snuck the last part in as a question while still upholding my innocent facade.

"May I ask why you're holding up my prison time? Did you and Island plan to do some 1+1 business?" I paused to let the words sink in before I jumped in, "Why sir, if you had informed me earlier, I would have knocked! Pardon my terrible manners."

"Risa!" Mrs. Island cut in with a loud slam on her desk, "That is not appropriate, my child."

"It's after school hours," I reasoned with her, "I have detention with you, not him. Besides..." I glanced at the man in the room with a thin line forming on my lips, "I was taught not to be afraid to ask questions if I didn't know the answer." The look in my eyes after the last sentence came out startled my LA teacher and he frowned, nodding to Mrs. Island before briskly leaving the classroom and slamming the door behind him.

That was the final straw. As soon as we were alone, I let out a long sigh and gently dropped my backpack to the ground, locating a desk before I hopped quietly onto it and looked at my Calculus teacher.

"Detention, Asia?" My tone suddenly changed as I eyed the woman before me patiently, checking the clock above of us on the wall, "Did you have to go so far?"

Mrs. Island, also known as Asia, took off her glasses and set them on her desk, leaning against the wooden podium as she folded her arms and faced me.

"I had to," she shook her head, "I needed to talk to you. You saw how your classmates were watching us. Besides, as a teacher I should've given you one a while ago. I was being lenient because of you, Risa."

I nodded my head slowly in agreement.

She suddenly straighten up and said, "Hey, what was that all about with your LA teacher? What'd you do this time?"

I opened my mouth as if I was wrongly accused. "Why do you automatically assume I did something? What if he did something?"

Asia raised her eyebrows and let out a small laugh. "Really now? He's a teacher put on surveillance the entire school day. You're... Risa. Which one sounds more plausible?"

"Are you really asking that when I'm one of the options and naturally I'd be biased to defend myself?" I challenged, quickly shutting up with the joking fist she made to intimidate me. I rolled my eyes and remembered the events from today. "I placed a fart bag underneath the cushion of his seat."

Asia began massaging her temples.

I attempted a small smile before continuing. "He told the whole class the day before how I was a bad example of not keeping up with my work. I do, that's the funny thing. It gets turned into the bin from the time I step in the class till when I leave, but it just never passes through his hands. My guess from months of analyzing is that he just purposely misplaces my work just to get on me about it."

The woman before me gave me a look as if she was expecting more. Of course, she knew that wasn't the only thing I did.

I sighed and scratched my head lightly. "And I purposely dragged the test time until the bell rang to annoy him. Ideally, the class was supposed to have time to finish watching this video together, but I sat there rereading the passage seven times. I think it's etched into my memory now, Asia. I could tell this as a bedtime story to my grandkids. It wasn't a waste of time if you think about it."

"... And?"

... I was trying to avoid this one.

"And..." I clicked my tongue together and stalled, "He told me, 'If you just get down on the important matters in my class, you'd save everyone a headache.'"

Asia processed the words and then proceeded with, "And what did Risa Kennedy say?"

I fumbled with my fingers and mumbled fake words.

"Risa."

"I said, 'And if you'd just keep your matter higher up maybe you'd finally see where you're going and save everyone broken toes.'"

Asia heaved a sigh before she gave me a frown. "You could get suspended, dear."

"He and I go way back," I brushed it away, "Not saying the man can't try, but his records aren't exactly squeaky clean either. I'm positive he reads enough off of me that he knows I don't let things go easily."

"What will I do with you?" she mumbled, walking up to flick me in the forehead to lessen up her anger. "That's for being a little troublemaker everywhere you go."

I winced and causally rubbed my sore forehead as I scooted further away from the woman who headed back to her desk. I stopped in my tracks when the atmosphere changed in the classroom upon her next words.

"Did you eat well this week? I hardly saw you for more than a day." Asia looked genuinely concerned. I couldn't help but let escape a smile at her rare soft side towards me.

"It could have been worse," I replied lightly, secretly recalling the fact that all I did was go to the gas station and buy myself a sandwich and two cups of ramen to sustain a week of work for the team.

Asia's gaze shifted away and she reached over her desk, suddenly bringing out a closed plastic bag with containers of something inside. I watched her silently with a slight frown as she held the bag in front of her and waited for me to accept it.

When she saw my discomfort, she let out a small laugh and gestured for me to accept the food she made for me. "Just some leftovers from dinner last night. Thought a little troublemaker might want some food in her tummy to calm herself down."

I, still eyeing the bag, tried to form words with my mouth. "Ma'am... that's not necessary."

Asia's expression fell and she angled her head to the side. "Why?" she asked worriedly, "What's wrong, dear?"

"Nothing, it's just," I began rubbing the back of my neck as I wandered my eyes to the side, "I'd appreciate it if you stopped crossing boundaries... you're not... her... please stop giving me false hope."

Her arm lowered itself while she gazed at me intently, reading the signs that I was giving her. "Risa, don't take it the wrong way," she placed the bag on the desk behind her as she turned back to me, "This isn't pity. I do care about you."

"Thank you but... there should be some sort of limit to this kindness." I was really pushing it. What was I rambling on about this time? "You're a close friend. You're my teacher. And I respect you. But I will never have a mother. And don't you or anyone else force that upon me in this lifetime. I can take care of myself."

Asia looked understanding, but it wasn't enough to hide the hint of disappointment flashing through her eyes.

"If that's how you see it, I apologize, Risa." She put on a sad smile as she walked forward and opened up her arms. Hesitantly, I went into her embrace.

"Take a breather once in a while," she whispered next to me, "You keep cooping up in that apartment of yours."

I pulled away and laughed. "Then what exactly am I supposed to do with my time?"

Asia shrugged. "Go attend a party with some friends."

That's when I shook my head and summarized her words in disbelief. "A teacher is telling me to go party. Listen to yourself."

"Heard Serenity was coming soon," she gestured, patting my hand tenderly.

I was still trying to decipher whether or not the woman was joking. Before I could protest, however, there was a knock at the door. We both stopped and I turned my heads towards the closed door.

"Who is it?" Asia frowned.

"I'm here for the papers, remember? I missed a few days of school," came a male's voice on the other side.

I raised my eyebrows and pointed my thumb towards the door as I leaned towards Asia. "One of your students in another period?"

She nodded and told the boy to come in.

The doorknob twisted and I gazed outside the window. I got bored when someone else was present so I decided to wait until the student left before I continued talking with her. We shouldn't risk anyone knowing about our close relationship.

The boy entered and soon there was shuffling near my side, which I paid no attention to. Asia rummaged through the millions of folders on her teacher desk and finally pulled out one that contained the week's homework, similar to the same folder she gave me after class since I had missed so many days of school.

He thanked her before taking a short pause to look at me, who was facing away from him, and then walked back out the door. I happened to turn back around right before he left, meaning to continue my conversation with Asia, when I caught sight of wavy chestnut hair and a glimpse of green eyes.

My expression darkened as I narrowed my eyes towards the figure that had already left the classroom. I hopped off the desk and took careful steps towards the door before pausing to rack my brain. I turned abruptly around and made Asia clutch her chest, startled with my actions.

"Asia, that kid that just came here," I started, pointing my thumb behind me, "Did he recently move here?"

Asia tilted her head in confusion as she glanced at the door and then back at me.

"Him? Mister Easton, he's always been enrolled here."

"First name please, ma'am."

She raised her eyebrows and watched me silently. "His name is Pierce, my dear."

My body froze as I finally recalled some events that one, rainy night. I turned on my heels and ran towards the door, quickly twisting the knob open to catch up with the boy.

"Risa!" Asia attempted to stop me from making a ruckus, "Where are you going? Don't run in the hallwa— oh my god."

He was about to turn a corner.

Wasn't he— I ran down the hall and skidded to a stop.

The boy heard my footsteps and slowed his steps, tilting his head slightly to the side.

I attempted his name timidly with a frown.

He was still before shaking his head and continuing to walk.

I called his name louder. There was no way he didn't hear this time.

He stopped and sighed. The boy turned around.

—the dead man I encountered weeks ago?

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