The weather is nice today, it's cloudy, I wonder if it would rain today, last night Mr. Gilbert told me that all of the other kids go to school in the morning and come to work after that, I don't know how to feel about going back to school, I opened my location on the phone, the school isn't far from here, So I can walk to school as usual, I am carefully looking around for any cars passing by, The last time Lucas got mad at me and I promised him, I will be careful this time, I have to live! until I get to the end of my father's case.

And I might have found another reason to live, I can hear a car coming from behind, I quickly got on the footpath, but to my surprise, the car didn't just pass by, it stopped where I am standing, I keep on walking ignoring the fact that someone is chasing me, just when I was about to panic, I heard a familiar voice, it's Emily.

"Hey! Are you going to school? Do you want me to drop you off? " she asked, she is looking just as pretty as yesterday, how can I say no to that face?

"Yeah, sure," I said smiling, I got inside the car, and she smiled at me while picking up her phone from her purse, there is this awkward silence between us and the driver, should I ask her how is she doing today? Or wait for her to say something first?

"How long have you been working for Dad?" she asked while looking at me which broke the silence, since we are making eye contact I looked away, and she giggled as she noticed that I am shy.

"I- um just started yesterday," I said looking out the car window, I am working by accident of course, how can someone be so careless about their special jackets, he did it on purpose.

"Really?!, because it looks like, I have seen you somewhere, are you sure that you just started yesterday?" she asked while leaning towards my face to have a closer look, oh no what is she doing?

"Yeah, I am positive that I started yesterday," I said mumbling, she is too close!

"My bad, I must have mistaken you for someone else," She said as she raised one eyebrow, confused, and looked away smiling,

Finally, I can breathe, these two, daughter and father need to stop scaring me all of a sudden like this, We finally reached the school.

"We are at your destination, um... what was your name again?" she asked, smiling.

"It's Leo" I replied, nervously

"Yeah... Leo we are at your destination, you are good to go" she said and started using her phone again.

"Aren't you gonna come as well?" I asked, doesn't the 'taking class first' rule apply to his daughter as well? She glanced at me with her side eye.

"Um.. no I go to a different school, I am 1 year older than you all" she replied as she giggled.

She is 18... That's weird, she doesn't look her age.

"Okay, have a safe ride. Bye... " I said and got out of the car, and just as I thought she already left she yelled for me "WAIT UP!.. you almost forgot your bag", I hurried back to take my bag from her, so she won't be late, as I took it I spot Lucas along with Noah, she stopped by, to say good morning to them, Noah just ran away, which reminds me that we are late, I must hurry before I get in trouble on my first day back to school

"Good morning," I said to Lucas, as we both started walking faster towards the class.

"Why did you come with her? Weren't you with Chad last night?" he asked, he looks mad for some reason, he didn't even say good morning to me.

"Yeah about that... He came late to pick me up, he overslept this morning" I said awkwardly.

He is usually happy around school, what's with him today, he looks like he is about to punch someone in the face or something.

We reached the class but the teacher stopped me and let Lucas in, The teacher whispered "Come after me" I am confused but did as she asked me to do, I followed her inside. And we both are standing in front of the whole class, she put her hand on my shoulder.

"Good morning class as you all can see Leo is back to school again after his horrible experience of losing his father, so be nice to him," she said, which reminds me about the incident, why does she have to bring it up first thing in the morning? I am looking at the whole class staring at me, some are being sympathetic, some are whispering, some of them just don't care at all, and then there is Lucas who seems to be mad at the teacher for bringing up the incident, I am trying to give him the look of "Don't do say anything silly", he just looked away.

"You can go sit with Jackson, it's the only seat left today, - Jackson be nice, and don't make any trouble today," said the teacher.

I walked towards Jackson who is sitting behind Noah, and sat beside him.

Lucas is sitting with Noah today, I wonder when did they get so close, is it because of working with Mr. Gilbert?

"Okay class, now open your books on page 77," said the teacher.

We all turned our pages to 77, it's looks like Jackson had forgotten his book at home, he is looking through his bag, not able to find it, he took a deep breath and turned to me, I know what he is about to say.

"Would you mind sharing your book with me", he looks calm today. Maybe he won't cause any trouble?

"Sure," I said and we started sharing the book, the whole period went by smoothly, and I am kind of impressed Jackson isn't a bother today.

I spoke too soon.

"Hope you don't mind this," he said with a smirk on his face, this looks bad.. he took my book to roll it, and smashed it on Noah's head so hard that the pages started to come out, that what I get for sharing my book with the class bully, the class silence is broken by the sound of my book hitting his head, judging by the sound it looks painful, of course it was expected from him, Lucas stood up trying to start a fight.

"Lucas, Stop! I know it was too far but let him deal with it, he has to stand up for himself" I said holding him by his both arms to prevent him from fighting.

Noah stood up and turned around to Jackson to face him.

"What are you staring at loser? , what are you going to do, fight back? You can't, because losers can't fight." said Jackson laughing, his friends started laughing as well.

Noah stared at him for a while, and punch him in the face so hard that he couldn't resist it, he fell on the ground, and the students started gasping, Lucas looks the most shocked among them.

" How did he.., what happened to him? What have you done to my friend? " he said shaking my shoulders, I just simply laughed.

*Last night*

I wonder when is he gonna be here, the forecast is telling me it's going to rain tomorrow, looks reasonable after all these clouds forming in the sky right now, the weather is getting colder, I might freeze standing here.

Soon enough I can hear his car coming closer.

"You are late!" I said as he stopped his car in front of me.

"I am a sorry kid, I was taking care of an important business, I am here now, get in," said Mr. Chad.

I opened the door and to my surprise, Noah is sitting inside the car, he smiled as I look at him, he is always smiling at me, he is the most pleasant amongst the whole team, but I feel bad when he gets bullied.

" I almost forgot to tell you, he was walking home in such cold weather, so I asked him to get inside, I could drop him home, he keep on declining my offer, so I forced him to come," said Mr. Chad, and Noah just smiled at me awkwardly, I could tell he is embarrassed, he has always been like this since 1st grade, he won't make someone's life hard, even if.., he has to sacrifice his peace.

"How was your day Leo? " asked Noah politely, I see he is trying to start a conversation because the atmosphere is awkward

"It was just fine, I guess but let me tell you something, it was better than yours, because I know how to stand up for myself, not even Jackson dares to touch me," I said sarcastically, he took it personally I can see it on his face.

"People who love themselves don't hurt other people. The more we hate ourselves, the more we want others to suffer. Take it as advice from me, maybe he is the insecure one, just think about it." I said as we reached his house, he stared at me in disguise and left.

"I just helped him boost a little confidence that's all, " I said, Lucas smiled in relief.

"How dare you hit me, you jerk!" said Jackson, almost coming at him.

" You know who the real loser is right now ?.. you...People who love themselves, don't hurt others. The more you hate yourself, the more you want others to suffer, just learn to mind your own business and don't even dare to look at me again. " Noah said it so calmly yet his words are bitter and true, I am proud.

The whole class is mumbling about the situation and Lucas's jaw almost dropped, while everyone else is cheering Noah for standing up for himself, Jackson and his friends just left the class in anger.

"Bro!... You nailed it, you finally stood up for yourself, I am so proud of you," said Lucas to Noah

"It was nothing," said Noah giggling, he looked at me and smiled as if telling me "Thank you for helping me out" I smiled at him back, while the whole crowd of students are still cheering him up.

We all are having a happy moment until I am interrupted by the vibration inside my back pocket, I reached out my hand to see what it is, it looks exactly like a camera which was on my jacket yesterday, how did it come inside my pocket? Lucas noticed that I am confused about this camera, and he came close to tell me about it.

"That's not a camera, if you were wondering, it's a mini tracker and it's for duty calls, and your same color as your camera, Mr. Gilbert made these himself for the team, and you're the last one to get them because all the other colors have been distributed with the team, look mine and Noah's is vibrating as well" he whispered inside my ear as he showed me the vibration on his tracker as well.

"So what does it mean if it vibrates?" I whispered back.

"It means duty calls, we have to go right now!" he said, I looked at him closely to see if he is joking or something, but he is not.

"How are we supposed to leave the class halfways?" I asked confused.

"You are right, we can't. Mr. Gilbert is going to be mad at us" he said he is going to be mad.

"But that doesn't stop us from getting you to your first mission," he said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me outside the class, dragging me towards the exit, while Noah follows us from behind, as we reached the hallway, the twins joined us as well, we are running away from school like birds getting free from the cage, running away isn't my concern here.

But why do these people have to drag me everywhere?

Oh lord please send HELP, I don't want to see Mr. Gilbert's bad side!!

End of Chapter 9