Echelon students flocked into the parking lot, carrying backpacks, where rows of buses were already in wait for transport.
Each bus was ant for a particular class and the respective initials were printed onto the front and sides.
State security stood before every vehicle.
Along with Instructors, two per bus.
Class 11-D approached their assigned vehicle in clusters.
They were surprised to see the instructor standing at the entrance of their bus.
Mr Ryco.
Soraya's eyes widened, then narrowed.
Isaiah, a smallish boy who served as the assistant prefect, leaned closer to her.
"Isn't he a Prep Instructor? Why is he supervising us?" He asked.
Soraya said nothing.
The students ford a line.
Mr Ryco held a notepad and checked nas off his list as they got into the bus one after the other.
Yesu was at the end of the line, glancing idly around.
She spotted Ava standing in a line three buses away.
Ava caught her gaze almost imdiately. She waved with a wobbly smile, hands moving slowly.
Too slowly for regular Ava.
Yesu waved slowly too.
Ava disappeared into her bus.
Soone was running from behind. Yesu turned.
Finch sprinted toward the line, one hand holding a duffel bag over his shoulder.
He stood behind Yesu, struggling to catch his breath.
"Just in ti." He sighed in relief.
Yesu looked him over.
"You weren't at the assembly."
Finch shook his head, dumping his bag in her hands.
Then produced a comb and mirror from his pockets.
"The rules are the sa every year. Why waste ti pretending to listen?"
He peered into the mirror, clicked his tongue in habit and began combing his hair.
"Besides, I need my beauty sleep. All 'this'..." He gestured at his face. "...doesn't just happen, you know."
Yesu pushed his bag back to him.
"Suit yourself." She said and moved forward.
She wasn't at all surprised when she saw Mr Ryco, standing there like he belonged.
He studied her, gaze settling on her uniform shirt.
"Na tag." He said.
Yesu looked downwards. As if she too was searching for the small gold plate that bore her na, like everyone else's.
She looked up at him.
"It's not here." She said simply.
Mr Ryco let his hands down.
"It is a ans of identification. You cannot leave without it."
Yesu pondered briefly.
"It's in the dorm. I'll go get it."
Mr Ryco nodded. "Make sure to be back before departure."
Yesu gave a mock salute with a straight face.
"Yes, sir."
She went to Finch, took off her backpack and shoved it into his arms.
"Hold this."
Before Finch could react, she had already taken off in a run.
Mr Ryco's eyes stayed on her till she was out of sight.
***
Mahirah was going in the direction of the parking lot. Alone.
Most of her classmates were ahead, so behind. But they were all in groups of two or more.
Mahirah glanced at her watch. It was already a few minutes to eleven.
Ahead, Yesu was running on her way from the parking lot.
Mahirah caught sight of her from afar.
She watched as Yesu ran through the incoming crowd, dodging.
She studied her movents.
A few ters ahead, a panic stricken student suddenly tripped and fell flat.
Yesu was already a step away from him when he hit the ground.
She instinctively raised her next foot higher, farther. And stumbled across, heels barely brushing the boy's uniform.
Yesu glanced back at him for only a second, not stopping, then faced forward.
She breezed past Mahirah.
Mahirah's gaze followed her, unconsciously stopping in her tracks.
Yesu was soon lost in the crowd.
Mahirah's mind flashed to Saturday morning when she had watched Yesu run laps around the field.
She frowned in confusion.
And continued on her way.
***
By the ti Mahirah got into her class bus, most seats were already taken.
From the entrance where she stood, she could see there were only three seats left.
One was in the midst of Kristen and the clique.
Mahirah frowned. She would rather sit on the roof.
The second was a seat by the window in the left row.
She walked toward it.
On her way, she spotted Norman chatting up a girl who was well known for her quietness.
Gloominess, rather.
Mahirah noticed the girl seed totally uninterested but Norman was being Norman.
Boasting about being in APG Prep.
Even though he was seriously falling behind.
Mahirah shook her head dismissively, finally reaching the available seat.
She paused.
Seth was in the seat before it, reading a leaflet.
Mahirah's frown deepened.
"Stop staring." Ca Seth, exhausted as always. "If you don't want to sit, find sowhere else."
He didn't even look up from the leaflet.
Mahirah scoffed and made her way to the last available seat. Which happened to be at the back of the bus.
It was as she had expected.
Apollo sat on the seat next to it, staring out the window.
He looked more bored than ever.
Mahirah sat down.
"Hey." She managed to say.
"Hmm."
She glanced at him.
His crutch was gone, although he still had the walking boot.
She faced forward, willing herself not to ask.
***
Professor Wakefield watched the departure above from a walk way suspended between two buildings.
Miss Heaven erged from one of the buildings and walked steadily to him.
"I trust everything is well prepared." Professor Wakefield said, eyes transfixed on the parking lot.
Buses were already leaving.
"Yes." Miss Heaven confird. "Class D has successfully been paired with high-tier classes." Her lips twisted in a smirk. "Though they didn't seem too thrilled about it."
Professor Wakefield didn't react.
"Any resistance?" He asked.
Miss Heaven peered into the parking lot with disapproval. As if she could clearly see the class.
"They know better." She said.
Professor Wakefield glanced at her and smiled faintly.
"Strict now, are we?" He asked with dry humor.
Miss Heaven adjusted her glasses.
"Not much apparently. I intend to tighten the reins on the field."
Professor Wakefield returned his attention to the departure.
"Mr Ryco will supervise alongside you."
Miss Heaven was a bit taken.
Then she adjusted her glasses again, quickly getting back into character.
"Of course." She said dryly.
Professor Wakefield spotted Yesu down below, sprinting across the parking lot.
She stopped in front of a bus and got in.
Professor Wakefield glanced at a stopwatch he had been holding.
"Ten minutes to the dorm and back." He muttered.
Then he faced Miss Heaven.
"All Supervisors have already been instructed to follow through. You may leave."
Miss Heaven left.
Professor Wakefield looked at the parking lot again.
"Let's hope for all our sakes the girl isn't as lethal as described."
User Comments
0 comments from readers